Miracle Winchester

[QViewStu]

I have fallen down the QL rabbit hole again and can't get up so bear with me....

At the time, QVIEW only had one Winchester (Lau's machine and I don't think we backed it up!) and I am sure they are rare as QL poo but if someone sees one in the wild for sale, please let me know. The only other one I recall is the QubIDE....

Or if there's a project out there I've yet to come across that supports more modern HD/SSD etc...because who doesn't need Quill to load faster

[Chr$]

Has Lau still got his MFM HDD and its controller card?

I just read that the Miracle Systems Winchester package connected to the QL ROM port. I have a Falkenberg/Computer Technik card, which connects to the expansion port and also needs one of just a few types of PC HD controller cards and of course a monster MFM drive (and separate power). It works, but the MFM drives are very fragile these days.

Sounds like you need QL-SD, which is the best mass storage QL solution. There is also the Tetroid card with QubIDE which is great, but it's fiddly to move files from its CF card to a modern computer. QL-SD uses a standard QXL.WIN file so its easy.

[QViewStu]

Has Lau still got his MFM HDD and its controller card?

I just read that the Miracle Systems Winchester package connected to the QL ROM port. I have a Falkenberg/Computer Technik card, which connects to the expansion port and also needs one of just a few types of PC HD controller cards and of course a monster MFM drive (and separate power). It works, but the MFM drives are very fragile these days.

Sounds like you need QL-SD, which is the best mass storage QL solution. There is also the Tetroid card with QubIDE which is great, but it's fiddly to move files from its CF card to a modern computer. QL-SD uses a standard QXL.WIN file so its easy.

Yes it was hooked up through the ROM port and as I recall the same length as the QL but two or three times as tall. Lau said he has all his QL stuff in a lockup somewhere. It might still boot, who knows?
Coming from SCSI drives in the old school Mac, I'm aware of drive fragility and the costs of keeping them going. A lot of my Mac antiques are driven by SCSI-> SD card adapters. Which I think is what the QL-SD is and as that isn't yet available to buy I forced my money on the inventor of the QL vDrive. I'm happy to support such innovation as those before supported Minerva.

I did look into the Tetroid card but I didn't see a specifcation which included HDD (IDE I guess) - maybe I looked in the wrong place. I also paid for the MacOS QEmulator license so I can transfer files from MDV images in vDrive...

[Derek_Stewart]

Hi,

I used to use a Miracle hard drive, which maximum size was 40Mb, connected to the Rom port of a QL with Trump / Gold card fitted.

I still have the Miracle hard drive, in bits at present, with controller card and Hard drive, just needs formatting on PC before the QL partitioning can be done, I am not sure if it is worth the effort.

The Qubide is much better, but old technology, Tetroid did an update on the Trumpcard to give Compact Flash storage and disk drive storage:
https://www.sellmyretro.com/offer/detai ... -rom-31924

QL-SD maybe an option, but they seem to not available.

vDriveQL adds a SD Card Microdrive system.

[Ruptor]

The Qubide is much better, but old technology

You could extend the life of IDE interfaces by using an IDE to SATA adapter for a couple of pounds on EBay.

[QViewStu]

Hi,

Iused to use a Miracle hard drive, which maximum size was 40Mb, connected to the Rom port of a QL with Trump / Gold card fitted.

I still have the Miracle hard drive, in bits at present, with controller card and Hard drive, just needs formatting on PC before the QL partitioning can be done, I am not sure if it is worth tge effort.

The Qubide is much better, but old technology, Tetroid did an update on the Trumpcard to give Compact Flash storage and disk drive storage:
https://www.sellmyretro.com/offer/detai ... -rom-31924

QL-SD maybe an option, but they seem to not available.

vDriveQL adds a SD Card Microdrive system.

Thanks for the pointers Derek - I was playing with the vDrive and vMap this weekend and cursing at the MDV ribbon cables

As most of my old Mac machines are running off a CF/SD in lieu of a 20MB hard drive, I guess the Tetroid would be a viable alternative. I just hate to see antique computer stuff end up in the trash (yes borderline hoarding I know but kids today barely know what a floppy disk looks like !) .

Stu

[Silvester]

Lau said he has all his QL stuff in a lockup somewhere. It might still boot, who knows?

I still have mine, bought in 1990 (£445, at the time I decided to go for MHD instead of a Atari Falcon - I didn't like the GEM front end - regret it now ). It still works OK (very noisy though) , Lau might yet get it to boot (fingers crossed).

[QViewStu]

Lau said he has all his QL stuff in a lockup somewhere. It might still boot, who knows?

I still have mine, bought in 1990 (£445, at the time I decided to go for MHD instead of a Atari Falcon - I didn't like the GEM front end - regret it now ). It still works OK (very noisy though) , Lau might yet get it to boot (fingers crossed).

I do remember it whistling little tunes as it saved updates to Minerva. At first I thought it was Lau

[Dave]

I have a working one and I am just a couple of miles away. Let me dig it out.

If I don't do it within a week or so, assume I've forgotten and please remind me.