New Spectrum + QL

[Leon]

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sp ... sn=scwspmo

Uses an FPGA and can apparently emulate a QL.

[bwinkel67]

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sp ... sn=scwspmo

Uses an FPGA and can apparently emulate a QL.

There have been a few threads on this forum on the QL core in the Next. Not sure who all helped add the core but we have some forum folks that worked on it. Here is a recent thread that you can join in on:

viewtopic.php?t=5334

[qbits]

Hi, Bwinkel67
The QL Core for Spectrum NEXT, the links I’ve seen so far install and run with a QL Minerva startup screen but even the basic DIR And File LOAD functions have not been read or understood. Though they somehow manage to load some of the QL Games and PSION Progs with auto Drive Boots

Does any QL user actually have a Spectrum NEXT running a QL core. The speed as I understand is only a 20 or 30 fold increase on BBQL but does have 512x 256 8 colour mode similar to QPC2 Mode 16.

There was talk of a new NEXT release with increased performance but when and how much ???

QBITS

[tofro]

Hi, Bwinkel67
The QL Core for Spectrum NEXT, the links I’ve seen so far install and run with a QL Minerva startup screen but even the basic DIR And File LOAD functions have not been read or understood. Though they somehow manage to load some of the QL Games and PSION Progs with auto Drive Boots

Does any QL user actually have a Spectrum NEXT running a QL core. The speed as I understand is only a 20 or 30 fold increase on BBQL but does have 512x 256 8 colour mode similar to QPC2 Mode 16.

There was talk of a new NEXT release with increased performance but when and how much ???

QBITS

I have one, and the speed, as I perceive it, is roughly comparable to a Q68, maybe(?) a tad slower.
And yes, it does have several hi-res and hi-colour modes, but (not yet?) fully supported by its Minerva OS.
It also, as a nice addition, supports hardware sprites and advanced sound (much like the Q68 as well)
The lack of function keys is a bit annoying (you use the side buttons as "function key shift")
The serial port of the Next is supported, but occupied with the ESP WiFi expansion (so it does support connection to WiFi, but with - understandably - no applications that use it yet.
The SD card uses the very same QXL.WIN containers as most other SD solutions, so data exchange with those and PCs is easy.
The QL core co-exists with the original Next (and other) cores on the same SD card, so switching between them is a breeze.
The QLAN network is supported through one of the Next's joystick ports and needs a bit of adapter hardware.
It is, in my experience, more compatible to the original QL than the Q68 with SMSQ/E. I have, in fact, yet to find a QL program that runs on expanded QLs that wouldn't run.

All in all, a nice package with a nicely designed case, nice keyboard (if you ignore the F keys). It's a bit limited by its memory (2M in the expanded version, so still good for all programs, but you need to be a bit more careful what you load resident than on the Q68 with its massive memory). Closer to the original than the Q68, resembles more a 1990 SGC-expanded QL than a more modern SMSQ/E machine.

[martyn_hill]

Hi everyone!

My own experience, now after about 10months of extensive usage of the QL-Core on my (KS2) Next matches tofro's feedback below. Similar on a KS1 clone (N-Go.)

Aside from the clunky FN key mappings, I find the system a very fine platform for my QL work - especially once you add the Joy2NET adapter and the ND-Nxt NET Driver software to connect the Next to the native QLAN network

Leon, the brilliant QL-Core developer recently told me that even the FN key mappings can be customised to use, say, the Next's Symbol-Shift key and the numeric keys to more readily generate the FN keys - which I'll test this weekend.

The comparison to an enhanced QL+SGC is a very valid one in my experience - and if you run Minerva on the Q68, again very similar in performance...

[Peter]

I have one, and the speed, as I perceive it, is roughly comparable to a Q68, maybe(?) a tad slower.

Since it uses the same CPU, although somewhat slower clocked than Q68, speed is mainly a RAM access issue.
It uses SRAM, which provides faster random access (for CPU) than the SDRAM of the Q68, but slower burst access (for video refresh).
In effect, speed depends on screen memory size. In 512x256 2 bit color it should be a bit faster than Q68.
The more screen memory is used, the faster Q68 gets in comparison. (Q68 = QIMSI Gold in terms of speed by the way.)

It's a bit limited by its memory (2M in the expanded version, so still good for all programs, but you need to be a bit more careful what you load resident than on the Q68 with its massive memory).

My experimental Qzero with SRAM had 4 MB plus separate video memory, which turned out way too small for a halfway contemporary SMSQ/E desktop system. One has to consider that screen memory is not only deducted from the 2 MB once, but also copies of it are needed for window moves etc. E.g. a 1024x768 8 bit screen would be nearly useless with only 2 MB, if it works at all. Leon's QL expansion card, using very similar logic, has 4 MB SRAM which appears a better alternative to me, unless someone is a Speccy fan anyway.

[Sparrowhawk]

the Next's Symbol-Shift key and the numeric keys to more readily generate the FN keys - which I'll test this weekend.

Would you mind reporting back here with how that is done once you have it working? I presume it's via an ini file of some sort? If so, could you show the syntax needed please?
Thanks

[Sebright]

Has anyone managed to get any 8-bit colour modes working with the Next QL core yet?

I'm a bit late to the party. I backed the KS3 recently though, and bought an Xberry pi (KS1 clone) recently to join the club. I've been playing with the QL core on that, but as far as I understand it, some of the functionalities are not available on this earlier hardware. It would be nice to get 8-bit graphics to go along with adventures, but I might need to wait till December (fingers crossed) for KS3 to arrive.

Cheers,
Alan

[Derek_Stewart]

Hi,

I have the XberryPi, Spectrum Next KS2, they are sitting unused, nainly, due to lack of documentation of the QL Core. I have pledged for the KS3 update board.

The Next QL ran all my existing QL software, except the high colour software.

I do not like pressing the NEXT NMI button and number key to get the QL function key, F1, F2... etc, but a PS/2 keyboard could be used I suppose.

It was said in the KS2 launch that the Q68 was its nearest competitor. How can one person compete with the popularity of the Next. However the Q68 is less expensive than the KS3 upgrade board, which assums the KS2 has been bought. But maybe cost is not an option.

I prefer the Q68, that can run SMSQ/E, QDOS Classic, Minerva.

But I support the Next project, Leon's QL-Lion board, which I use on a QL I have.

[Sebright]

Hi,

I have the XberryPi, Spectrum Next KS2, they are sitting unused, nainly, due to lack of documentation of the QL Core. I have pledged for the KS3 update board.

The Next QL ran all my existing QL software, except the high colour software.

I do not like pressing the NEXT NMI button and number key to get the QL function key, F1, F2... etc, but a PS/2 keyboard could be used I suppose.

It was said in the KS2 launch that the Q68 was its nearest competitor. How can one person compete with the popularity of the Next. However the Q68 is less expensive than the KS3 upgrade board, which assums the KS2 has been bought. But maybe cost is not an option.

I prefer the Q68, that can run SMSQ/E, QDOS Classic, Minerva.

But I support the Next project, Leon's QL-Lion board, which I use on a QL I have.

Derek,

I really like the form factor of the Next, which is the big draw for me, although dedicated function keys would have been nice. The Next "family" can potentially introduce a lot of people to the QL, which is a plus for everyone.

The Q68 sounds great, and I would love to own one. But, and this is going to sound daft perhaps, I come from the school where if you have to ask how much it costs, you can't afford it. You have set me straight on that front at least. How does one go about getting a Q68?

Cheers,
Alan