QL Core on Spectrum Next KS3

[Sebright]

Try the SLOW x command, where x=0 to 7
0=faster 7=slower

Thanks for that info. Where can I download this extension?

Cheers,
Alan

[tofro]

Try the SLOW x command, where x=0 to 7
0=faster 7=slower

Thanks for that info. Where can I download this extension?

Cheers,
Alan

Should simply work. Comes with the standard ROM.

[Sebright]

Try the SLOW x command, where x=0 to 7
0=faster 7=slower

Thanks! I found SLUG isn’t recognised. Will try SLOW instead…

[RichardCGH]

Would the PSION XChange work on the QL core ?

How easy / difficult would it be to get it talking to modern printers ?

[martyn_hill]

Hi Richard

XChange certainly works on the QL-Core without issues.

You'll want to configure it's default directories to use 'win1_' instead of MDV or FLP, or possibly to use something like PTH or SUB to get QDOS to redirect MDV/FLP to a chosen subdirectory on WIN1_<somepath>

As for printing, the QL-Core can access the SERial port via the Next's ESP module, but I haven't personally played with that. Then it's the usual method of configuring the XChange printer driver to match your target printer.

[EDIT: As far as printing on a modern printer - e.g. USB variety without a serial port, things are as tricky as with a QL - the option I would attempt would be to leverage QPCPrint from Marcel Kilgus and then solve the problem of printing from the Next over the QL LAN to a PC running QPCPrint, attached to the printer.

That would involve building the QLUB Adapter to allow a QL Emulator running on your PC direct connection to the QL LAN. Or else, wait until SMSQe is ported to the QL-Core on the Next and leverage Martin Head's QL LAN over IP driver alongside to connect to your PC over Ethernet. But that would require access to the Next's WiFi, another item on the QL-Core to-do list...

In short, the QL-Core isn't so very different when it comes to configuring to run XChange as per any other expanded QL or Thor.

[bwinkel67]

Try the SLOW x command, where x=0 to 7
0=faster 7=slower

I appreciate that functionality but I would suggest a future revision that would let someone new to the QL more easily try it out, esp if, as most people do, they start to try some of the games. I don't have a Next, but if I recall correctly from seeing lots of review videos of KS1 models, the main core had changed the Spectrum boot screen (that came with later Spectrum models) to easily allow someone, via a menu, to double or triple the speed of the Spectrum. Additionally, out of the box, I believe the Spectrum ran at stock speed, which made it easy to run all the classic games. Maybe they got rid of that in KS2 and KS3, don't know, but I recall seeing it for KS1.

So having a QL core configuration that comes out of the box at stock speed and then, via a menu option, as you are about to start the QL, being able to easily set the speed, might get more new folks to enjoy the QL. Maybe, like Minerva, change the OS boot screen where one can then also set some defaults. Otherwise, I fear most people will try it, find it unusable (i.e games play too fast) and just think it's an interesting add-on and go back to the other cores. I know for all of us here, we care about having the QL run as fast as possible on the Next and also know how to work around it, but with KS1, KS2, and KS3 offering maybe a total of 15,000 new users, might be a way to increase interest in our favorite little machine.