Dave Park wrote, on 12/Mar/13 19:36 | Mar12:
I have assembled the remaining stock of TF Services' MPlane. These are a
great upgrade if you're using a less reliable backplane.
Mplane is a low profile backplane to allow three QL expansions and the
original motherboard or Aurora to be fitted in a case. It was originally
designed for Qbranch's MinisQL, but can be used in any installation.
An expansion card can still be attached to Qubide of course, but will
probably add to signal noise. There is no point if all works using the
Mplane connectors. However I found some SGCs would only work if
connected to Qubide, oddly.
It is arranged two high and two wide, allowing the motherboard and first
expansion (Gold Card, Super Gold Card or the new Goldfire) to be fitted
side by side and firmly fixed to the case. Only light expansions (ie
qubide) need be mounted above - no more flying Super Gold Card!
Also provided is a standard ROM slot as an alternative when using Aurora,
which doesn't have the standard connector. When used with Aurora, this ROM
slot is fitted facing towards the case back, allowing access through the
back without opening the case.
It can be fitted either way with either Aurora or QL motherboard. I
hope, Dave, you have left it off for customer specification. It is often
only possible to use facing in, depending on the case.
In fact the ROM slot (and CTRL port I believe) have to be removed from
the QL motherboard as an expansion card in the lower slot overlaps the
QL board. One hole on SGC (and maybe GC) lines up *exactly* with a hole
on the QL board for fixing.
As Dave says, both the lower boards can be fixed direct to the case.
A 4 layer circuit board with noise reducing internal power and ground
planes is used. Extra smoothing capacitors are fitted, and all sensitive
signal lines have pull up/down resistors as necessary.
It powers off a standard IBM style 4-way connector. +12v/-12v (nominal) are
generated on board for mouse/serial ports. It can be used off 5v only if
floppy/hard disk drives are 5V only. In a tower case, connection of the
standard 4 way power connector will supply both 5v and +12v. The case's
reset switch can be connected to the backplane to reset the QL or Aurora if
needed.
Size is 35 x 197mm
Price is £39 each, plus £9 shipping (£5 extra shipping for each additional
MPlane). I accept PayPal to [email protected]. I will also post them on
SellMyRetro.com in due course.
I will start shipping MPlanes on March 22nd.
Please email me off-list if you would like one. I have a limited number.
I have posted photos of them here:
http://www.qlforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=505
I used it for maybe 15 years continuously on my QL bulletin board (QBBS)
with none of the hard disk corruptions (and crashes) I used to get with
Qplane.
<snip>
Tony
--
[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
_______________________________________________
QL-Users Mailing List
http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
