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Re: Target for major new QL hardware
Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2022 8:48 pm
by Peter
Peter wrote:One joystick and one highspeed SER would be supported via ribbon cable and D-Sub connectors which could use the bracket of the European QL case. For the british QL, the ribbon cables would go through the BT connector holes. (Not so nice, I look for better ideas that do not affect usage in the European QL case.)
A QL user from the UK proposed the plastic cover of the QL extension slot to hold the D-Sub connectors (Joystick, SER). It would require modding the cover, but not the case itself. Does that sound sufficient?
Re: Target for major new QL hardware
Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2022 10:52 pm
by afx
Peter wrote:1. Aurora utilizó una (Super)GoldCard como procesador/módulo de memoria. Mi plan es usar el Qzero en su lugar.
2. Aurora no admitió las aberturas de la caja QL para sus conectores. Mi plan es proporcionar mouse, video, energía y red QL en la parte posterior de un estuche QL sin modificar.
3. El Aurora no era compatible directamente con los cables del teclado QL. Mi plan es tener los conectores correctos a bordo.
4. El Aurora era compatible con el bus de extensión QL a través de la placa posterior externa. Mi plan es abandonarlo para ahorrar espacio y costes.
El almacenamiento masivo se proporcionaría reemplazando ambos microdrives con placas de tarjetas SD, los LED QL originales se utilizan para ellos. ¡Ya no hay microdrives! El altavoz QL sería compatible, también con sonido muestreado, no solo pitido. La placa base se ubicaría en la esquina superior derecha de la caja, con un tamaño de solo 10 x 6,5 cm. Tendría un interruptor de encendido donde se encuentra el botón de reinicio de QL. Un joystick y un SER de alta velocidad serían compatibles a través de un cable de cinta y conectores D-Sub que podrían usar el soporte de la caja QL europea. Para el QL británico, los cables de cinta pasarían por los orificios del conector BT. (No es tan agradable, busco mejores ideas que no afecten el uso en el caso de QL europeo).
Para hacer que esta placa sea un poco más interesante para mí, también serviría como zócalo Qzero independiente de la caja QL. También sería en parte útil montar un Q68 dentro de una caja QL, pero no tan bien como con un Qzero.
El rendimiento y la capacidad gráfica serían Q68 más x. ¿Cubriría tal placa base la mayor parte de lo que los chicos de "ntro de la caja original de QL" quieren ver?
All your decisions seem correct to me. It will be a great product for sure. I hope it arrives soon, it will be a dream come true.
Peter wrote:A QL user from the UK proposed the plastic cover of the QL extension slot to hold the D-Sub connectors (Joystick, SER). It would require modding the cover, but not the case itself. Does that sound sufficient?
Yes, I think it's a good idea.
Re: Target for major new QL hardware
Posted: Mon Feb 14, 2022 8:50 am
by Silvester
But how many people have long since lost the cover? I have 5 QLs but can only find one cover
Re: Target for major new QL hardware
Posted: Mon Feb 14, 2022 9:08 am
by tofro
Silvester wrote:But how many people have long since lost the cover? I have 5 QLs but can only find one cover
That cover is absolutely easy to 3D-print. There's even a
model on Thingiverse that could be modified to suit the connectors.
Re: Target for major new QL hardware
Posted: Mon Feb 14, 2022 9:16 am
by Silvester
tofro wrote:That cover is absolutely easy to 3D-print. There's even a
model on Thingiverse that could be modified to suit the connectors.
Oh that's neat, save having to drill out and file the holes
Re: Target for major new QL hardware
Posted: Mon Feb 14, 2022 3:37 pm
by Peter
Meanwhile, I have heard from several QL Users that empty QL cases have become very rare! There seem to be more working mainboards than QL cases, which is the complete opposite of my assumption. I fear the whole "mainboard replacement" approach is wrong, I always had a bad feeling about it... I can not even get an empty case for myself.
Unfortunately, I have almost finished the prototyping design already, this feels very demotivating...
Re: Target for major new QL hardware
Posted: Mon Feb 14, 2022 3:56 pm
by XorA
Peter wrote:Meanwhile, I have heard from several QL Users that empty QL cases have become very rare! There seem to be more working mainboards than QL cases, which is the complete opposite of my assumption. I fear the whole "mainboard replacement" approach is wrong, I always had a bad feeling about it... I can not even get an empty case for myself.
Unfortunately, I have almost finished the prototyping design already, this feels very demotivating...
I have two cases that were heavilly modded to mount QL in a box, and one to mount keyboard adapter so I assume a lot of cases have ended up modded over the years.
Thats why I like your Q68 design and look forward to Qzero in a 3D printed case!
Re: Target for major new QL hardware
Posted: Mon Feb 14, 2022 4:11 pm
by Peter
XorA wrote:Thats why I like your Q68 design and look forward to Qzero in a 3D printed case!
But then you confirm that the "QL mainboard replacement" approach was utterly wrong. I have no idea why the majority wanted it, maybe the number of votes was just too small.
The current baseboard design is poorly suited for use outside the QL case. Connector positions are bound to QL case openings, the MicroSD card socket (which is directly on the Qzero) is only accessible inside the case, and normal SD cards require the extra QL-SD boards for the microdrive slots. Large amounts of space wasted, and the matrix keyboard support also wasted.
Re: Target for major new QL hardware
Posted: Mon Feb 14, 2022 4:24 pm
by XorA
Its possible Im just a weird person running out of deskspace who cant type on old 80s keyboard!
Re: Target for major new QL hardware
Posted: Mon Feb 14, 2022 4:26 pm
by Derek_Stewart
Hi,
I do not like the QL case with this design, better another completely new case, to demonstrate the new evolved QL system.