You all know the Spectrum Next project. Why shouldn't there be a similar project for QL?
The box should be exactly the same with an additional auxiliary row of function keys F1-F6 and F7- F12 side by side.
In the place of the microdrives there should be 2 SD Cards.
When the QL starts there should be the following options
1. Sinclair Linux (Linux for all uses)
2. QL in different modes (Q68, gold card, standar QL)
3. Spectrum mode (128K and 48K)
It should have an SSD hard drive and a variety of outputs
The Super QL
Re: The Super QL
As much as I love the 80s QL styling, the unique feature of the Next is a newly designed Rick Dickinson shell. To basically take the old shell and throw an extra row of function keys on it (not sure where) would really not be in step with what the Next has brought. Now that the Commodore corporation has sort of been brought back from the dead (by a YouTuber of all people), their equivalent to the Next is the C64 Ultima, but it's just in an old shell which I find disappointing.
One interesting avenue would be to start with an old Rick Dickinson designed next version of the QL that could be updated, though the machine looks smaller than the QL as it is set to have a waferdrive instead of microdrives. Plus, you'd need someone with design skills and an eye to what Rick Dickinson's designs were, esp during the heyday of Sinclair Research. I would add that the last QL design he had, on his website that was ovally looking and shiny, I did not like.
One interesting avenue would be to start with an old Rick Dickinson designed next version of the QL that could be updated, though the machine looks smaller than the QL as it is set to have a waferdrive instead of microdrives. Plus, you'd need someone with design skills and an eye to what Rick Dickinson's designs were, esp during the heyday of Sinclair Research. I would add that the last QL design he had, on his website that was ovally looking and shiny, I did not like.
Re: The Super QL
I did love that red motif QL case, and the yellow one too.
I played around with ideas like that a lot, based on RD's artwork and can see why most of them never became real.
I think a modern QL enclosure would be just like the current keyboard section, omitting the microdrive chunk, with two SD slots in the groove at the top. The left side would still be expansion, but would take two cards stacked one above the other. The right side could have a 3.5" cover that could accept a floppy or another expansion card. I'd make the serial ports 9 pin D-SUB, as with the joystick ports. I'd add a USB mouse port. Video would be digital video out. My video card supports up to 960x540 at 256 colours, which looks gorgeous on a HD TV or monitor. Built in proper sound chips. One for 80s gaming and the other for wavetable synthesis and MIDI. The keyboard would gain a delete key and modern arrow key layout. Proper mechanical keyboard with low profile brick keycaps. Enclosure would be about 20mm deeper. Expansions justified to the back not the front so a front edge bevel can make it feel less chunky like the existing QL, but much more so. A nice bevel on the front edge for typing/resting comfort.
All done in black ABS that's bead-blasted to perfectly match the original QL finish.
For an integrated BBQL v2, that's my take. A separate keyboard/QL would be quite different. Hugely expandable. Something like a black RiscPC. Chunky black aesthetic with some artwork on it like VanPeebles' famous blue QL.
I played around with ideas like that a lot, based on RD's artwork and can see why most of them never became real.
I think a modern QL enclosure would be just like the current keyboard section, omitting the microdrive chunk, with two SD slots in the groove at the top. The left side would still be expansion, but would take two cards stacked one above the other. The right side could have a 3.5" cover that could accept a floppy or another expansion card. I'd make the serial ports 9 pin D-SUB, as with the joystick ports. I'd add a USB mouse port. Video would be digital video out. My video card supports up to 960x540 at 256 colours, which looks gorgeous on a HD TV or monitor. Built in proper sound chips. One for 80s gaming and the other for wavetable synthesis and MIDI. The keyboard would gain a delete key and modern arrow key layout. Proper mechanical keyboard with low profile brick keycaps. Enclosure would be about 20mm deeper. Expansions justified to the back not the front so a front edge bevel can make it feel less chunky like the existing QL, but much more so. A nice bevel on the front edge for typing/resting comfort.
All done in black ABS that's bead-blasted to perfectly match the original QL finish.
For an integrated BBQL v2, that's my take. A separate keyboard/QL would be quite different. Hugely expandable. Something like a black RiscPC. Chunky black aesthetic with some artwork on it like VanPeebles' famous blue QL.
Re: The Super QL
My idea would be the red motif above but have the keyboard be one that you could pull out and move around. So the base is just a cavity with the wafer drive area that now holds all the attachment, including SD cards. Perhaps you could pop the red top for room to show access to a connector for small add-on cards.Dave wrote: Mon Aug 18, 2025 10:24 pm For an integrated BBQL v2, that's my take. A separate keyboard/QL would be quite different. Hugely expandable. Something like a black RiscPC. Chunky black aesthetic with some artwork on it like VanPeebles' famous blue QL.
Re: The Super QL
I can see that. Lovely.
I like the idea of an external keyboard. Stephen Usher's pico matrix jobberdeedoo could be messed with to read the matrix and convert it to PS/2. Wonderful starting point. Keep the cable as thin and light as possible.
Who's going to hit up AI to make some images?
I like the idea of an external keyboard. Stephen Usher's pico matrix jobberdeedoo could be messed with to read the matrix and convert it to PS/2. Wonderful starting point. Keep the cable as thin and light as possible.
Who's going to hit up AI to make some images?
Re: The Super QL
I'm still a noob at AI, otherwise I'd give it a try. If it were the beginning of summer I'd create a mock up out of cardboard. A couple of years ago I bought a low profile keyboard with that design in mind. I wanted to create a mock up and stick my Q68 into the red-topped compartment and then the USB keyboard, with cable into a keyboard holder (cavity) to make up the remainder -- I have a TripLite USB-to-PS2 converter that actually has logic in it to take real USB.
School starts next week and all I've been doing this week during prep week is try to keep up with my inbox (it went from a trickle to a waterfall). With all the visa issues international students are facing, I have way more in my inbox to deal with concerns than before. I decided this summer to write a browser. Maybe winter break I'll create a mock up.
But yes, an AI render of that would be cool and likely get someone creative to actually build it
School starts next week and all I've been doing this week during prep week is try to keep up with my inbox (it went from a trickle to a waterfall). With all the visa issues international students are facing, I have way more in my inbox to deal with concerns than before. I decided this summer to write a browser. Maybe winter break I'll create a mock up.
But yes, an AI render of that would be cool and likely get someone creative to actually build it