Hello

[Jbizzel]

Well I finally went and got a QL. After lurking on this site for over 6 months I should say hello.

I bought a QL from eBay, and can't test the MDvs yet, but apart from that the QL has a new membrane and seems to be in really nice condition.

I have connected it to my TV with a scart RGB cable and get a really crisp signal.

Also, a Minerva ROM is in the post from Germany.

Re emulators, I have got to grips with QPC, which seems so good that I could use it instead of windows

I really like the QL keyboard, it seems so under rated to me!

[Sparrowhawk]

Welcome and congrats on getting a QL.
Not sure I entirely agree with you re the keyboard, mind Mind you, I'd never replace it with something more modern. It's part of the experience!

[dilwyn]

Welcome and congrats on getting a QL.
Not sure I entirely agree with you re the keyboard, mind Mind you, I'd never replace it with something more modern. It's part of the experience!

Welcome, JBizzel!

The Minerva ROM will make quite a difference to the QL, as would a memory expansion. And maybe consider getting a QIMSI or other SD card mass storage. Plenty of SD devices around, such as vDrive, MicoPicoDrive, Oqtadrive and QL-SD if you can get one (no longer made, but great if you can find one).

For once in my life, I'm going to disagree with Sparrowhawk. I've used some truly terrible PC keyboards, once you've used some of those the QL one isn't as bad as you might think. And the QL keyboard is better than the equivalent Spectrum Plus one.

[Chris_68]

Welcome to the forum!

[AndrewLambert]

Hello from another new member like yourself.

I wonder what's the going rate for used QL on Ebay? There seems to be a couple on EBAY right now, £300-£350 untested.

[tofro]

Hello from another new member like yourself.

I wonder what's the going rate for used QL on Ebay? There seems to be a couple on EBAY right now, £300-£350 untested.

While "untested" seems to be (at least on eBay) a synonym to "doesn't work".

[Jbizzel]

Re eBay....

It was collection only, untested, didn't list what it came with, and only had a low quality photo of the computer and box.

So I did take a massive risk I guess!

I am hoping to get some form of mass storage solution for sure. Tbh, as a noob the hardware options are numerous (which is good) but also, quite overwhelming to a noob like me.

Qubide seems like a good option.

Re the keyboard, it is very satisfying clunk when you press a key. I prefer it to my cpc6128.

It's far, far better than a spectrum plus.

The keys being square probably make them a tiny bit awkward.... But they are beautiful as a result.

[NormanDunbar]

Talking of keyboards.....

I loved the "dead fish" rubber keyboard on my Spectrum. The original one, not the [cough]Amstrad[cough] ones!

I also loved the original QL's excellent keyboard too. A far leap from the rubber one on the spectrum, and a huge, some may say, Quantum, leap from the ZX-81 "keyboard".

Sinclair must have been a true visionary! I took a PC keyboard apart some time back -- coffee with sugar deluge -- to clean it and hopefully restore it to working order. Inside I found a bubble mat and a membrane just like the QL's. And yes, it did work afterwards, thankfully.

I used to have a 17" Dell laptop, for over 12 years. My new laptop of two years, is another Dell but 16" as that was the biggest I could get. I cannot type properly now as the keyboard is slightly narrower. I keep hitting ENTER instead of backspace and Caps Lock instead of Tab. Sigh!

Cheers,
Norm.

[Sparrowhawk]

For once in my life, I'm going to disagree with Sparrowhawk.

Shock! Horror! Outrage!

[Jbizzel]

Well... Re keyboards continued...

I have a 48k spectrum, a spectrum+, owned a toast rack (which I sold because I hated the keyboard), have a cpc6128, a couple if amstrad spectrums, an Nc100, Z88 and a c64, and I think the QL keyboard is clearly better than everything apart from the c64, which it is arguably on a par with.

The amstrad keyboards are highly functional but feel a little hollow and unsatisfying.