[Ql-Users] Regarding this Great QL Today Final DVD
Hi all dear QL users, As it is said in page 47 of the latest issue of QL Today there is sometimes some problems/lag with certain DVD readers (or mainly both readers/burners). This issue occurs often when DVD are produced in small numbers of copie and there is few DVD that are 100% compatible. In fact, this problem is depending of the multiplication of standard that can be used all over the world. In few words, finally I succeed to get it working by plugin an external generic DVD reader in USB-2 and making an ISO image of it. Symptoms met are, sometimes lag when watching photos, or difficulties to copy certain files randomly. So I'm thinking if it should be an idea to share that ISO image to QL community or with a password to people who buy the latest issue of QLToday, as I'm sure that the content of this DVD is right to be stored in the great QL history. Cheers, Jimmy. ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] A seat in the lifeboat?
Definitely Q68! I would be glad to buy such a board. If you make the FPGA code open source there would be a chance the thing could be improved by others. O.T.: is the CPU coded in Verilog or VHDL? Best regards, Michael Am Samstag, den 14.09.2013, 14:53 +0200 schrieb Peter Graf: Hi, since the turn of the century, I invested a lot of time into some QL hardware and software projects. Except the Q60 Graphics Card, all of them actually worked, and have been shown to a few friends. I didn't have the motivation to finish them. For a long time, the reason was that I saw the requirement for a free QL operating system first. I spent time on that area, trying to help others who had a similar goal. But we did noch achieve a breakthrough, and my other projects suffered. Life has changed, time has become even shorter nowadays. It is absolutely unrealistic that all my projects can be released someday. But maybe I can rescue at least *one* of them, before all work is lost forever. Everything related to my Coldfire based Q60 successor makes no sense anymore. The point was high speed, but todays PCs are so fast that emulation easily beats it. Here are those projects which might still have relevance: * QLwIP: QL native TCP/IP support, and some applications for it like email, webserver, browser etc. * QLPUI: A modern GUI for QDOS, with themes and proportional fonts. Runs on native hardware and on emulators. A simple demo can be found at http://terdina.net/ql/software.html * Q60 Graphics Card: Flatscreen monitor support and other improvements for the Q60 * QLMMC: An SD/MMC card adaptor for the parallel port of Q60 and SuperGoldCard, easy to plug in, but speed only similar to floppy * QLSD: Internal SDHC card harddisk for the original QL, using the microdrive slots * Q68: Native QL computer on a 8x10 cm board, flatscreen support, SDHC cards, sound, SER, ethernet. CPU is within an FPGA chip. Runs both QDOS Classic and Minerva. The operating systems themselves seem to work allright by now, also Basic and some programs. Other programs might never work, I suspect further bugs in the CPU. Which project deserves a seat in the lifeboat? Which one would *you* prefer to see finished - even if it comes with limitations? All the best Peter ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] QL Today + DVD
- Urs Koenig (QL) q...@bluewin.ch wrote: Ian Pine wrote: I tried the following: Launched SMSQmulator from DVD. Changed Config, adding a path for WIN3 to point to my folder and a non-existent .win file (new.win). I was able to use FORMAT command to create new.win and save a program to it. I edited my copy of SMSQmulator.ini, replacing the WIN1 path with C:\Users\ilp\SMSQmulator\new.win, then launched SMSQMulator from the copy in that folder. I now get the following message: Your SMSQE file is too old, please upgrade to the one that came with this version of SMSQmulator. Is it just me? ;o) Ian, what helped for me when getting similar messages in the past (SMSQ/E file cannot be not found or read or the like) is to make sure the following configuration section in SMSQmulator.ini points to the correct location of the right SMSQE file, e.g. # File containing the SMSQE code ROM_IMAGE_FIlE = C:\!MyToolBox\Q\Machines_under\J\SMSQmulator\v120-7\SMSQE or just holds the filename of the OS SMSQ/E file without the path of it # File containing the SMSQE code ROM_IMAGE_FIlE = SMSQE This is how SMSQmulator.ini is configured on the The Final DVD. I have chosen this way as the DVDs or HHDs drive letter can be different at each user. When it points to an older installation of SMSQmulator and hence to an older version of SMSQ/E messages like yours are what one might get. Also make sure that you don't have alien or orphaned SMSQmulator.ini files on you system (e.g. an old/misconfigured one in the users root directory.). Just my two pennies... Cheers, Urs ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm Thanks Urs, your two pennies were worth their weight in gold (if only I had some to send you :o). I now have it working. The ROM_IMAGE_FILE line was actually pointing at my new.win file instead of the SMSQE file. I hadn't even scrolled that far down - only going as far as editing the 'WINx =' section, so I've no idea what changed that. So the message about the file being too old was a red herring - it was not even an SMSQE file at all! Incidentally, when I used FORMAT to create new.win I gave it the number 50 thinking I'd get 50MB but the file is only 52k. Does the file grow as it fills up? Ian. ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] QL Today + DVD
From: Dilwyn Jones dil...@evans1511.fsnet.co.uk To: ql-us...@q-v-d.com Sent: Thursday, 19 September 2013, 21:17 Subject: Re: [Ql-Users] QL Today + DVD Geoff Wicks wrote: It was Jochen you have thank. I objected to the last two words on the grounds that there were no known QL-ers in Wales, Probably true, we all (3 of us?) probably use QPC2 now! Posted from a reinforced bunker at an undisclosed destination. The bunker-buster has just been launched ;-)) Dilwyn I think a Welsh bunker buster would be a rugby forward pack with some kegs of beer :) No sign of mine just yet. Bitter sweet for me, looking forward to reading it but very sad to see it go :( Peter ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Q68
- Original Message - From: Peter Graf pg...@q40.de To: ql-us...@q-v-d.com Sent: Saturday, September 14, 2013 3:41 PM Subject: [Ql-Users] Q68 Malcolm Lear wrote: I really like the idea of the Q68. Of all these options its the only one I'd go out and buy. What sort of CPU speed are talking about and will the FPGA design files be available to modify? If I find the time to design suitable caches, I expect CPU core speed between 32 and 40 MHz. At 20 MHz, the Dhrystone benchmark gave something between SuperGoldCard and Q40. For the general public, I might hold back some design files until expenses for manufacturing have been covered. On a personal basis, I can be asked for more. I'm also considering to release the board schematics at some point. In this case, a person with FPGA skills could use the board for general purposes. For example, I have successfully tried two different RISC CPUs on the Q68, but I did not design any memory or video controllers for those. Peter Of all the options, the Q68 interests me most, subject to final price of course. I am already considering 'retiring' my Q40 - a big ugly box which makes a noise like a vacuum cleaner compared to modern hardware (especially my silent Raspberry Pi), with no USB support and a dodgy image on an LCD screen it's just become clutter. My only worry is that by the time the Q68 becomes a product it will already be obsolete, i.e. restricted to old type/speed/capacity of SD memory or whatever removable media type is adopted. What about support for other essential peripherals, i.e. keyboard, mouse, monitor - HDMI, DVI or just old VGA? If it was right up to date when released I would be interested. 200 euros? Maybe if the exchange rate improved to make it a lot less in pounds. Oh, and the filesystem would have to support any size of SD card the hardware supports. Ian. ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Q68
Oops, ignore that last message, it's a repeat of an old one. Computer glitch - (fixed an email problem and didn't realise an unsent message was lurking in outbox). - Ian Pine ilp...@tesco.net wrote: - Original Message - From: Peter Graf pg...@q40.de To: ql-us...@q-v-d.com Sent: Saturday, September 14, 2013 3:41 PM Subject: [Ql-Users] Q68 Malcolm Lear wrote: I really like the idea of the Q68. Of all these options its the only one I'd go out and buy. What sort of CPU speed are talking about and will the FPGA design files be available to modify? If I find the time to design suitable caches, I expect CPU core speed between 32 and 40 MHz. At 20 MHz, the Dhrystone benchmark gave something between SuperGoldCard and Q40. For the general public, I might hold back some design files until expenses for manufacturing have been covered. On a personal basis, I can be asked for more. I'm also considering to release the board schematics at some point. In this case, a person with FPGA skills could use the board for general purposes. For example, I have successfully tried two different RISC CPUs on the Q68, but I did not design any memory or video controllers for those. Peter Of all the options, the Q68 interests me most, subject to final price of course. I am already considering 'retiring' my Q40 - a big ugly box which makes a noise like a vacuum cleaner compared to modern hardware (especially my silent Raspberry Pi), with no USB support and a dodgy image on an LCD screen it's just become clutter. My only worry is that by the time the Q68 becomes a product it will already be obsolete, i.e. restricted to old type/speed/capacity of SD memory or whatever removable media type is adopted. What about support for other essential peripherals, i.e. keyboard, mouse, monitor - HDMI, DVI or just old VGA? If it was right up to date when released I would be interested. 200 euros? Maybe if the exchange rate improved to make it a lot less in pounds. Oh, and the filesystem would have to support any size of SD card the hardware supports. Ian. ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
