The Sinclair QL Forum

Hello and welcome. As others have said, it's a friendly bunch of people here - I'm sure that you'll enjoy it.

The Basicode info was really interesting, thank you.

Hello Jan,

I recently read on Your github basicode repository, that you had designed a tape interface for the QL using qlnet. Can You provide documentation, schematics to built this interface?

Another question is: what is the prefered way (and requirements) to to load basicode files on a real QL? Is it possible to use the microsdrive or a modern solution like vdrive?

I am in contact with Thomas Rademacher in the german ZX-Team Forums (forum.tlienhard.com) who gave me the information about Your basicode activities.

It would be great to hear from You,

Regards

Mathias

Hi Mathias,

msch wrote:Hello Jan,
I recently read on Your github basicode repository, that you had designed a tape interface for the QL using qlnet. Can You provide documentation, schematics to built this interface?
Another question is: what is the prefered way (and requirements) to to load basicode files on a real QL? Is it possible to use the microsdrive or a modern solution like vdrive?

I do have the schematics but have to scan it from the magazine where it was published, I'll do it asap.
But the easiest way to load Basicode files into the QL is to download the Basicode collection on Github (https://github.com/janbredenbeek/basicode or https://github.com/robhagemans/basicode where it was forked from) which contains many (if not all) Basicode programs published over the years as ASCII files.
If you still want to load them from tape you can use the tape interface, but be warned that you need to burn the ROM version of the translator program into an EPROM (or zero waitstate RAM), since the tape routines are very timing critical. If you only want to run programs which are already published (on the radio or Best of Basicode, Sammelsurium etc), it's much easier to use the ASCII versions from the GitHub repository.

Jan

Hi,

You could also look at the Speculator Spectrum emulator, which allows load/save of Spectrum tapes by using the QL Net ports. Emulator source code is included in the emulator archive file,

Speculator can be downloaded from QL Homepage, but the archive file is saved in LZH format.

I have converted this to ZIP, so will send Dilwyn an updated file for down load, for those who can not handle LZH.

This is the interface I was referring to.

The LOAD section should be connected to the recorder's headphones or line out jack.
The purpose of the battery and 2k5 potentiometer is to provide a pull-up to the QL's net input so it's just around the point where bit 0 of I/O port $18020 flips from 0 to 1 (check with REPeat l:PRINT PEEK(98336)).
Of course you may use any DC source available (if more than 5V, it may be wise to put a resistor in series to avoid over-voltage on the net input).

Jan

Jan, Derek, thank You very much!
P.S.: I think it is a good idea to add the info about the tape interface to Your github repository.

A member of the Sin_QL_air user club has even made a ROM cartridge with built-in cassette interface.
Note the extra LED and 32K EPROM so you can switch between two ROM extensions...

Jan

Nice