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Identifying a QL disk interface
Posted: Wed Nov 04, 2015 3:35 pm
by RWAP
Have a look at this disk interface:
http://cats-chess.narod.ru/SALE/QL/QL_FDD_interface.jpg
Does anyone know what it is? Is it a Sandy SuperQBoard (but without any name on the PCB?)
Re: Identifying a QL disk interface
Posted: Wed Nov 04, 2015 4:19 pm
by 1024MAK
The chip batch dates range from 1984 to 1987, so the numbers on the white round sticker of 11/88 could mean it was made in November 1988... Not sure if that helps at all.
Of the chips, they are all standard logic chips except for the EPROM (a 27C256 32k byte type), the disc controller (WD1770) and one that has a white label ("SQBM") so the part number cannot be seen
That's a crude way to mount a voltage regulator (L7805CV - 7805 5V 1A type).
Mark
Re: Identifying a QL disk interface
Posted: Wed Nov 04, 2015 4:24 pm
by tofro
No Sandy board, IMHO.
The SuperQBoard had the 7805 + long aluminium heat sink towards the QL end.
Apparently, there's also a parallel port and no memory expansion (and no connectors to an optional memory expansion that later SuperQBoards used to have)
Tobias
Re: Identifying a QL disk interface
Posted: Wed Nov 04, 2015 7:07 pm
by RWAP
Interestingly, I asked for a photo of the underneath - it is marked on there as a Sandy SuperQBoard mouse:
http://cats-chess.narod.ru/SALE/QL/SAND ... Q_back.jpg
Re: Identifying a QL disk interface
Posted: Wed Nov 04, 2015 7:22 pm
by tofro
There were, as far as I know, 2 revisions of the SQB - I used to have an earlier one, that was as described above (large heatsink along the DIN connector). The mouse one (that I never had) apparently had a memory daughterboard. In this case it must be one of the later "SuperDisk" boards because neither the mouse nor the RAM connection circuitry is equipped.
Tobias
Re: Identifying a QL disk interface
Posted: Wed Nov 04, 2015 8:16 pm
by Derek_Stewart
I have one of these Sandy Super Q Board Mouse Boards, with Mouse Interface and Floppy Disk Interface:
- Sandy Super Q Board Mouse Top
- Sandy Super Q Board Mouse Issue 3 Top.jpg (90.37 KiB) Viewed 4379 times
- Sandy Super Q Board Mouse Bottom
I aquired this at a South Shields Radio Rally in the North East in 1993
Re: Identifying a QL disk interface
Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2015 8:42 am
by RWAP
I didn't realise that Sandy released just a bare disk interface (with parallel port).
Derek - you say that yours has a mouse interface, but I can't see that the mouse interface (or memory) is even present. Am I missing something?
Re: Identifying a QL disk interface
Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2015 9:01 am
by Derek_Stewart
Hi Rich,
If you look at the bottom side of your SuperQboard it indicates Mouse. Your board is the same as mine.
I assumed the other connector was a Mouse connector, maybe it is a combination Parallel and Mouse Port.
I do not have any documentation and have only ever had the floppy disk working.
I contacted Sandy in the 1990s and more recently, they did not seem to be interested...
Re: Identifying a QL disk interface
Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2015 9:02 am
by vanpeebles
What was the radio rally like in South Shields?
Re: Identifying a QL disk interface
Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2015 9:48 am
by tofro
RWAP wrote:I didn't realise that Sandy released just a bare disk interface (with parallel port).
http://www.rwapadventures.com/ql_wiki/i ... sk&lang=en
The SuperQBoard version 2 was apparently produced in a severely downgraded (crippled?) version only partially populated as the "SuperDisk" interface. I recall seeing some messages on the mailing list that indicated how to upgrade that version with the missing parts to the full one with mouse and memory.
Tobias
