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Possible New Hardware QL using the RasPi
Posted: Sun Oct 02, 2011 10:15 pm
by Mr_Navigator
I am currently theorising about the impending Raspberry Pi computer running Linux and incorporating it inside the existing QL BB.
The first hurdle is the keyboard matrix of the QL and the interface on the RP, which at first I was looking at converting this matrix to a USB and then plugging this in to the RP USB hub. However today I find the RP has 16 GPIOs, which I think stands for 16 x general purpose I/O ports. So a bit of coding and directly connect to the QL keyboard matrix. Does anyone know if I would need a multiplexor or am I looking at this too simplistically.
Re: Possible New Hardware QL using the RasPi
Posted: Sun Oct 02, 2011 10:29 pm
by tofro
Well, your approach on that is probably a bit too complicated
The RPI runs on ARM and will need an emulation layer anyways - If you're looking into UQLX, for example, the emulation is being fed
characters from the host OS and digests those - No need to mimick exact hardware, whenit's the host OS that is actually reading the keyboard.
Cheers,
tofro
Re: Possible New Hardware QL using the RasPi
Posted: Sun Oct 02, 2011 11:02 pm
by Mr_Navigator
Thanks tofro, however I don't want to mimic hardware, I want to use the QL keyboard with the RPi which will run uQLx.
Re: Possible New Hardware QL using the RasPi
Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2011 6:40 pm
by tofro
Do you have a good reason why you want to use the original keyboard with the RPI? Afaik, you could just as well (and with a lot less hassle) use any cheap USB keyboard.
(I don't really miss the quirks the original keys used to have)
Cheers,
tofro
Re: Possible New Hardware QL using the RasPi
Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2011 9:12 pm
by Mr_Navigator
Yes, anyone can connect any old USB keyboard to a computer with a USB port. I want to see if I can get the whole thing working inside an original BB QL. I don't need a cheap computer I have those already, I can put one together for next to nothing with the Pi, a mouse, a keyboard and a monitor but thats not the point, thats not the fun.
Re: Possible New Hardware QL using the RasPi
Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2011 9:40 pm
by vanpeebles
Maybe one of those small usb keyboards might be modded to fit the case? The kind that are a bit like a laptop one, mini keyboard? I have a few in black.
Re: Possible New Hardware QL using the RasPi
Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2011 9:57 pm
by Mr_Navigator
Pic, source?
Re: Possible New Hardware QL using the RasPi
Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2011 10:19 pm
by vanpeebles
Re: Possible New Hardware QL using the RasPi
Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2011 1:02 pm
by Mr_Navigator
Oh yeh thanks, I can now see some definite possiblities with this one
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 0781981192, its almost like a QL keyboard already and the additional bit on the right could be fitted where the microdrives are, I see a project gathering momentum.
Re: Possible New Hardware QL using the RasPi
Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2011 4:44 pm
by dilwyn
Mr_Navigator wrote:Oh yeh thanks, I can now see some definite possiblities with this one
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 0781981192, its almost like a QL keyboard already and the additional bit on the right could be fitted where the microdrives are, I see a project gathering momentum.
Good luck with this. I must admit I like the thought of a RPi built into a QL keyboard, but equally I thinkit would be great if the QL keyboard itself was swapped for a small black keyboard, thus keeping the black box appearance, albeit with a USB keyboard or similar.
To be honest, if I was to go for a RPi at all it'd probably be built into or under a USB keyboard and I would have no qualms about whether it looked like a QL case or not. However, I appreciate that it is a nostalgic project and a personal project of yours. Would be interesting to see what it was like in van peebles's white QLcase too!
This RPi defintely has possibilities as a Linux system or as an emulated QL system. Good luck with the project!
Dilwyn