On 17/01/2011 14:53, Lee Privett wrote:
I suppose Peter's question "How important would it be to keep an
original microdrive functional?" is twofold
Firstly to have some sort of compatability with any existing software,
still keeping it on microdrives and not converted to some other format
due to copyright/protection. It may be that the software prevents
itself from running without the microdrive being present. so having
one still in exisence may be needed.
Secondly it maybe that in order to fit a SD card based system in to
the existing QL, physical space is required for the interface that
requires both microdrives to be removed even if only one microdrive
slot is replaced by the SD card version. If it is easier to fit a
single or twin SD system using the whole space then surely this would
be the preferred method?
But heres a thought, if both microdrives are replaced by the SD card
interface, could the removed microdrives be fitted in their own
container with a cable plugged in to the extension socket at the right
hand side of the QL and used as external (expanded) microdrives as an
when needed, this would solve the desire to have microdrives and still
allow existing software on the microdrive to be copied across to the
new storage medium.
Lee Privett
-------------------------------------------------------------
Sent from my Laptop running XP
but emulating the QL using QPC
The problem with copy protected microdrives continues to be an issue
even some 20 years after the practice was stopped!
A lot of software is cracked to overcome this issue, but not all.
The use of an external microdrive may be a solution to some software,
but the majority of software which anticipates a key cartridge looks
only in mdv1 or mdv2 (or both). It would never look at an mdv3_, so
that would have to be taken into consideration.
One potential way around this, would be for the SD card hardware to be
able to present a default microdrive image to the system as a microdrive
cartridge, in much the same was as Q-emuLator can now do. Daniele could
probably comment better on the feasibility of porting his code across
--
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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