On 11/01/2011 11:15, Peter wrote:
Hi all,
what would be your favorite style for an SD/MMC card "harddisk" for the
QL?
I can _not_ promise to really make a piece of hardware available, but it
would be nice to know, just in case...
A) External interface, plugs into parallel port of SuperGoldCard
Pro:
- Interface also works on Q40 and Q60
- QL Case doesn't need to be openened
- Easy reconnect from one machine to another
- Hot-plugging might work
- ROM-Port remains usable
Con:
- Slow data transfer through parallel port handshake lines
B) External interface, plugs into QL ROM port
Pro:
- QL Case doesn't need to be openened
- Faster data transfer
- Onboard Driver ROM
- Works on QL without GoldCard / SuperGoldCard
Con:
- ROM-Port occupied
- Complex hardware
C) Internal interface, plugs into CPU socket
Pro:
- Fastest data transfer
- ROM-Port remains usable
Con:
- QL Case needs to be openened
- Only GoldCard/SuperGoldCard machines
D) Internal interface, replacing a microdrive(!)
Can easily be bolted inside the case, after a microdrive was removed
Plugs into CPU socket or maybe other place
Pro:
- SD/MMC-card can be plugged in like a cartridge
- Looks cool
- Very "QL-style"
- ROM-Port remains usable
Con:
- QL Case needs to be openened
All the best,
Peter
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Hi Peter,
Now, this is a project I would like to back and distribute, so I should
be careful here!
I also think that this is a question you should ask on the QL Forum also
- www.qlforum.co.uk - it might make it a bit easier to collate responses
and keep track of everyone's comments!
I think option C is really a non-starter, as there are too few Gold
Cards / Super Gold Cards out there and plenty of people in need of one,
so without any replacement interface on the horizon, this would be
limiting the market too much.
Style-wise (D) seems a good option - the microdrive cartridges are now
so hard to find and are mostly badly deteriorated that the life of
microdrive units is now severly limited. If a means of connecting it
via the MDV connector could be conjured up - would it be possible to
adapt this to fit into a ZX Microdrive unit for use on the Spectrum also
I wonder?
However, the other logistics are how similar functionality could be
provided for the THOR, Qx0 etc. Presumably, depending on the drivers,
this functionality could be added by means of an industry standard SD
card -> IDE convertor - if so, then presumably that would provide an
option for users with an Aurora + QubIDE also?
As for B - I am not sure how many people use the ROM port - perhaps that
could be overcome by providing the ability in the interface to insert an
EPROM for a toolkit, or more importantly for a language dongle
(metacomco C, Pro-Fortran etc) - after all, Miracle's hard disk did
still allow use of a ROM cartridge (from memory) although I may be wrong
there.
I therefore think that B or D would be the preferred solutions for me.
--
Rich Mellor
RWAP Services
http://www.rwapsoftware.co.uk
http://www.rwapservices.co.uk
-- Try out our new site: http://sellmyretro.com
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