Malcolm Cadman wrote:
> In message <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, Neil Riley
> <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes
>
>>>>> I seem to remember these items appearing originally. Are they still used
>>>>> today or are they museum pieces?
>>>> They were very slow (remember the QL serial port is only capable of 19K.
>>>> and only reliable for reception at 9K!) To get 56K you would need to
>>>> upgrade your QL with a SuperHermes (£53 new from Tony Firshman). Then
>>>> you could use a conventional serial modem, which are still made: I have
>>>> one with my PC (£30 new). No broadband, though!
>>>> Jon Dent's soQL-PPP has got as far as giving email access, but not (yet)
>>>> web access. When (if?) the latter comes, there's already a QL version of
>>>> Lynx for browsing.
>>>> Until then, the only way to browse the web on a QL seems to be by
>>>> finding a secondhand copy of the MSDOS emulator, PC Conqueror, and
>>>> running Arachne (graphical) or Bobcat (text).
>>>> However, I remember that the Minix operating system was ported to the
>>>> QL, which should be faster than a DOS emulator. If you could get that, I
>>>> assume it would be possible to compile and run a Linux/Unix version of
>>>> Lynx.
>> So, my interpretation is that, The SuperHermes (lite?) replaces the
>> 8049 co-processor
>> which is pretty rubbish at the job it does (not through fault of it's
>> own). This plus my
>> old PACE 56k modem would in theory, with other software in development,
>> allow dial up internet access sometime in the future, or via an
>> alternative operating
>> systems or msdos emulation running something else. The point is, it is
>> possible should
>> I really want to use my QL ( original QL, not a PC cased variant ) for
>> Web access. I
>> think that is a remarkable achievement !
>
> Interesting that you should ask about this, Neil.
>
> Regrettably the QL Black box hardware was not that reliable on the
> serial line. 9800 baud being normal, with the possibility of 19200 baud
> at times.
9600 in. 19200 only out.
The main problem was that the input handshake (8049 chip) was bugged.
Hermes uses the same basic hardware (but erasable firmware) and Laurence
Reeves simply coded it properly! If only he had worked for Sinclair at
the time we would have had a *much* better QL from the start.
>
> I believe that upgrading to a Hermes circuit improved this to 19200
> baud, and then SuperHermes to even higher rates. Although Tony will
> have the exact details on these products ... :-)
Hermes does 19200 input in theory, but the chip can only manage a bit
under 14440 in. Output (8302 chip) has always been a working 19200.
Hermes gives full 19200 each way and superHermes has a 'standard' serial
port giving up to 230kbps each way. The QL with supergoldcard can
handle about 70kbps or so input to RAM I think.
>
> I used a small device which I think was called a "QL Modem" - which was
> a small black box not much larger than a match box, which allowed
> connection to Bulletin Boards - BBS - at around 1200 baud.
>
> I also upgraded to the Tandata stack later on, and used that very
> successfully for BBS access. It takes a bit of configuring when you
> first start out, although quite a good feature set. Plus parts of the
> stack of 3 boxes didn't exactly do much anyway.
... not if you had used QL Terminal!
>
> If there are any BBS's still out there you should be able to get access
> with a Tandata ... ?
.. not QBBS (see below) unfortunately. The USR Robotics modem *can*
connect to Tandata, but not at the same time as 56k (8-(#
Pbox can support two lines, but my wallet cannot!
Tony
--
QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255
[EMAIL PROTECTED] http://firshman.co.uk
Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 Skype: tonyfirshman
TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
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