The Sinclair QL Forum

lliont wrote: Fri Aug 23, 2024 8:21 am Well it is actual zx8301 size, it is my ULA (Lion ULA) on a pcb designed by Tetroid...

Yup, I knew that. I'm hoping once you've perfected your other "accelerator" board maybe you'll tackle the ZX8302 chip

Hi

Great news I was 3 of the interfaces all work great.

I have other QL without 8301 chips, do I will get some PCB made see if I can make one as good as the original.

Hi Leon,

lliont wrote: Thu Apr 04, 2024 11:55 pm I think I fixed the problem with the cpld ula and Gold and Super Gold Card.

Do you still plan to finish (Super)GoldCard support?

All the best
Peter

Hi Peter

After so much time you inform me about this, I thought it was ok as with all the others that tested it with SGC.
Stephan told me that your video shows some weak stripes with SGC.
So I thought it was finished but as with the memory problem that I solved it again happen to you, I'm sorry.
I am very busy this period but you could send it to me to check it as I already told Stephan. Maybe you haven't got the latest pcb version.

By the way, in my QLs it works with out any problem both with qimsi gold and of course my QLions.

All the best
Leon

Hi Leon,

sorry, I thought you knew it never worked. At some time I stopped following logic updates sent to Stephan or published on the web. It was inconvenient to open the QL case and wear out the socket on the motherboard. Also I don't normally deal with programming Altera chips and don't have the equipment ready. That's why I only gave it "one last try" after a long time.

Just like before, cooling the QL DRAMs with ice spray made things work. Cooling makes the DRAMs faster, so a likely cause is that your board still has problems with QL DRAMs on the slow end. It is therefore not surprising if (Super)GoldCard support worked on QLs with other DRAMs.

Can you somehow make sure QLs with the respective DRAMs are supported with (Super)GoldCard? I mean without me testing myself? Otherwise I would say let's close this chapter without shipping hardware back and forth. I don't need my money back or something.

With all the different QL variants, the effort to finalize a piece of hardware for all of them is quite large. I understand if you don't have the time.

All the best
Peter

Ok not only I don't have time to make more tests but I don't have a KM4164A-15 ram QL so I'll just state clearly :

NOT WORKING WITH QL'S EQUIPPED WITH THE COMBINATION OF KM4164A-15 DRAMs and SGC

I thank god my QLion doesn't use the QL's memory at all

thanks

I also can make a list with tested configurations

Martyn tested it with and passed:

a) Issue-5, UK, "NEC 4164 -3" DRAM (150ns)
b) Issue-6, UK, "TMS4164-12NL" DRAM (120 ns)

I tested it with

a) issue-5 KM-4164B-12 (120ns)
b) issue-6 HM4864P-2 (150ns)

I don't know Tetroid's and Stewart's setup

You see it's not just the speed rating because it works with other 150ns rams, it just doesn't "like" your ram ic's

I''l tell you what I'll do at some point, my rams are socketed so I'll find those ram ic's put them in my issue 5 and test them and try to make it compatible with the combination of those and sgc too.

lliont wrote: Tue Jan 21, 2025 10:40 am I also can make a list with tested configurations

Martyn tested it with and passed:

a) Issue-5, UK, "NEC 4164 -3" DRAM (150ns)
b) Issue-6, UK, "TMS4164-12NL" DRAM (120 ns)

I tested it with

a) issue-5 KM-4164B-12 (120ns)
b) issue-6 HM4864P-2 (150ns)

I don't know Tetroid's and Stewart's setup

You see it's not just the speed rating because it works with other 150ns rams, it just doesn't "like" your ram ic's

I''l tell you what I'll do at some point, my rams are socketed so I'll find those ram ic's put them in my issue 5 and test them and try to make it compatible with the combination of those and sgc too.

My main QL is Issue 5, 128Kb on board: TMS4164-12NL

I also use a Tetroid TDI Trump Card.

lliont wrote: Tue Jan 21, 2025 10:40 am You see it's not just the speed rating because it works with other 150ns rams, it just doesn't "like" your ram ic's

It is totally normal that some DRAM types are better than specified. Testing those provides no evidence that a design covers all 150 ns rated types. Every chip is of course allowed to be faster than it's rating. All boards listed okay are newer than mine, which additionally increases likelihood of better DRAM silicon.

What matters is the actual DRAM speed. Cooling DRAMs definitely makes them faster and your board works under "cooled DRAM" conditions.

lliont wrote: Tue Jan 21, 2025 10:40 am I''l tell you what I'll do at some point, my rams are socketed so I'll find those ram ic's put them in my issue 5 and test them and try to make it compatible with those too.

Please notify me then. Maybe I try "very last attempt" after my "last attempt" then.

Of course I'll notify .