Sinclair QL Case Top with Blanking Plate

[RWAP]

I have a QL case top here with a blanking plate instead of the keys, and a cut out for you to pass a keyboard connector through - eg. for a jurgen falkenburg keyboard adaptor inside the QL.

If anyone wants it (it is heavy as the blanking plate is metal) then you can have it for the cost of postage.

The case top itself is not much use without the blanking plate, as you will have 4 screw-holes where the blanking plate was attached.

[XorA]

nabbed!

[vanpeebles]

I have one which looks the same as this

[XorA]

Well I have assembled machine, now just to work out how to get driver on boot

[RWAP]

Excellent - that is the main pitfall of the SuperHermes - that the keyboard driver has to be loaded from disk (or microdrive) when you start up the machine....

[XorA]

Excellent - that is the main pitfall of the SuperHermes - that the keyboard driver has to be loaded from disk (or microdrive) when you start up the machine....

I am right in thinking the QL can autoboot off a floppy?

[dilwyn]

Excellent - that is the main pitfall of the SuperHermes - that the keyboard driver has to be loaded from disk (or microdrive) when you start up the machine....

I am right in thinking the QL can autoboot off a floppy?

Yes, although (to confuse matters) some peripheral ROMs may be able to "get in there first" as it's possible to have a BOOT device in ROM that takes precedence over that of disks.
To quote from SuperHermes manual:

Code: Select all

superHermes has an IBM AT keyboard interface. At bootup the normal start
keys (F1/F2) will be available, but IPCEXTCC_BIN needs to be loaded (RESPR)
in your normal boot file for a fully working IBM keyboard (CC is country code).
You will be able to boot from the supplied utilities disk. Many keyboard types
are supported (see updates_doc on utilities disk for full information).

Code: Select all

If you do not have a QL keyboard, then you MUST boot your QL off the disk provided. Then modify your BOOT (eg win1_boot) to include the above code.
The IBM keyboard (other than F1/F2) and most extra features in superHermes
will be inoperative without the extensions.

[RWAP]

Yes - from memory the accepted order of precedence for auto booting is

ROM1_ (ROMDisk)
WIN1_ (Hard Disk)
FLP1_ (Floppy disk drive - maybe FDK1_ on early Sinclair / MicroP systems)
MDV1_

As far as I know, no interface has ever broken that chain.

I wonder where SD cards should fit? Maybe between ROM1_ and WIN1_

[XorA]

Well with some googling (to find QDOS commands) HxC software, a little help creating images from Q-Emulator its all working.

Drivers loaded from flp1_boot off HxC hfe image.

Really happy now

[XorA]

Ok I am flying now, SMSQ/E installed and Xtrictor run!