Re: [Ql-Users] QL ROM versions
"Copyright 1985 Sirius Cybernetics" is the same character length as "Copyright 1985 Sinclair Research." so it would be good internal security. Dave On Sat, Jan 6, 2018 at 8:30 AM, Dilwyn Jones via Ql-Users < ql-users@lists.q-v-d.com> wrote: > >> before the sale to Amstrad. It includes the copyright message 'Copyright > >> 1985 Sirius Cybernetics' (whoever they were). > > > > http://hitchhikersguidetoearth.wikia.com/wiki/Sirius_Cybernetics_ > Corporation > > > > So Im guessing it was a joke! > > > > Graeme > Ha ha! > > Various people have had the ROM itself working, but having read that I can > see how the name itself might have been a joke! > > Dilwyn > ___ > QL-Users Mailing List > -- Dave Park d...@sinclairql.com ___ QL-Users Mailing List
Re: [Ql-Users] Some QL Newbie Questions: Modern video and storage upgrades for QL
> What is the easiest way to connect a QL to a modern VGA or HDMI monitor? If you are not already on there, I'd seriously consider joining The QL Forum www.qlforum.co.uk You can read the articles without signing up, but signing up is completely free and allows you to post questions, contribute and ask others question. I've always found it so helpful and most people gladly offer to help each other in a real community spirit. There have been a lot of discussions on there about modern monitor connections. For example, here is one discussion thread I contributed to with my experiences of a SCART to HDMI converter which autoscaled the QL display for me to use with my kitchen TV via HDMI as a monitor for example (I had to buy a QL video to SCART lead, but that was small cost to being able to connect to a more modern screen than the old CRT monitor I used to use). http://www.qlforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=770&p=5861&hilit=scart+to+hdmi#p5861 QL Forum has a pretty good search box on its home page - just type in "SCART to HDMI" for example (without the quotes) and it will list the discussion threads which talk about those devices. WIth the device I bought, I was lucky, auto-scaling allowed the entire 512 pixel width to be viewed on that set, but you don't always experience this. A simple QL to SCART lead plugged direct to a SCART lead will often overscan slightly, causing you to lose a couple of text characters off either or both edges of the screen (effectively limiting you to viewing about 480 of the available 512 pixels, or about 80 columns out of the possible 85 columns of the video screen). The point being that any such video connection is almost certain to be much better than connecting the RF output from the QL to the aerial input on a TV set, which in most cases would give pretty dire results. I've never tried one of the something to VGA converters I'm afraid. Dilwyn ___ QL-Users Mailing List
Re: [Ql-Users] QL ROM versions
>> before the sale to Amstrad. It includes the copyright message 'Copyright >> 1985 Sirius Cybernetics' (whoever they were). > > http://hitchhikersguidetoearth.wikia.com/wiki/Sirius_Cybernetics_Corporation > > So Im guessing it was a joke! > > Graeme Ha ha! Various people have had the ROM itself working, but having read that I can see how the name itself might have been a joke! Dilwyn ___ QL-Users Mailing List
Re: [Ql-Users] Some QL Newbie Questions: Modern video and storage upgrades for QL
You can see the range of currently available expansion options on sellmyretro: https://www.sellmyretro.com/search/naturalSearch?keyword=ql+interface There is also the vDriveQL and the QL-SD Interface (both are currently out of stock). More info on the vDriveQL appears at https://www.sellmyretro.com/offer/details/29035 More info on the QL-SD appears at: https://www.sellmyretro.com/offer/details/QL-SD-internal-SDHC-Card-Interface-for-QL-3703 Rich Mellor RWAP Software www.rwapsoftware.co.uk www.sellmyretro.com On 2018-01-06 01:41, Dave Park via Ql-Users wrote: There's a lot of forks in the road for you. There are emulators, that give you a functioning QL on your PC or Mac. Hundreds of times faster, modern storage, semi-modern display capabilities with higher resolutions and more colors. If you want to stick with original hardware, there's a few choices. For Black Box QL (BBQL) purists, there are QubIDE expansions that take CompactFlash cards, and a nifty thing called QL-SD that fits internally and offers one or two SD slots. There are Trump Card clones, Gold Card clones (an accelerator that replaces the CPU with a faster one, and adds 2MBytes of RAM. Finally, you can get a Q68 - it is a small hand-sized QL clone with VGA output, two SD slots, comes with a modern version of the QL operating system called SMSQ/E, and uses a PS/2 keyboard and mouse and standard VGA LCD monitor. There are at least three or four hobbyists like me producing new hardware even today, so the machines are well supported. If your keyboard membrane fails (they get brittle with age) you can easily buy a replacement. Hope this helps... Dave On Fri, Jan 5, 2018 at 7:26 PM, Michael R. Furman via Ql-Users < ql-users@lists.q-v-d.com> wrote: Hello, I’ve been lurking on this list for many years and never posted, so I thought I’d introduce myself before asking my QL Newbie questions. Even though I’m in the US I've grown up with (Timex/)Sinclair computers around probably like many of you on this list. While it was not the first computer I ever used or my favorite when I was a kid the first computer that was fully 100% mine was a Timex/Sinclair 1000. In the mid to late 80’s my dad and I belonged to the Group Using Timex Sinclair Cambridge of Silicon Valley that met in Cupertino, CA. A few of the people had QL’s. The user’s group coordinator used a QL to make the newsletter ( https://archive.org/details/sincLink-v8-n7-1989-07 < https://archive.org/details/sincLink-v8-n7-1989-07>) and I was always jealous of a teenage programmer Mark Wahl that brought his QL with Amdek RGB Monitor and dual floppy drive system to the club meetings and showed off his nifty C programs (a few are mentioned in the newsletter) Mark seemed like the kind of whiz that Linus Torvalds probably was back when he was playing with his QL... I picked up a QL with a US power supply a few years ago off of Ebay. I pulled it out of the closet around Christmas and it fired up and I could still load all the micro drives that came with it. But using the RF TV output is a bit underwhelming, and while i could use the micro drives I want to leave them alone and use something more modern… What is the easiest way to connect a QL to a modern VGA or HDMI monitor? What hardware upgrades are currently available for connecting modern storage like SD Card or Compact Flash to the QL? Are there any servers that run on a PC that act as a file server to the QL over the serial port that could be used in place of floppy/CF/SD hardware? We have this for our Tandy RadioShack TRS-80 computers, it’s called DriveWire — Michael R. Furman Email: n...@ocs.net Phone: +1 (408) 480-5865 ___ QL-Users Mailing List ___ QL-Users Mailing List
Re: [Ql-Users] Some QL Newbie Questions: Modern video and storage upgrades for QL
Hi Michael, > What is the easiest way to connect a QL to a modern VGA or HDMI monitor? The only converters which work for me at all, are the GBS-8220 and similar. These are VGA converters. I find picture quality poor compared to a suitable CRT monitor, but at least I can work. All my attempts with HDMI converters failed on my three QLs, although I tried several SCART cable wirings. The best I could get was picture going on and off all the time. Others have reported success. > Are there any servers that run on a PC that act as a file server to the QL > over the serial port that could be used in place of floppy/CF/SD hardware? In theory, you could run a PC emulator which accesses those media and connect your QL via a nullmodem cable and the SERNET software. Be aware the QL serial port is extremely slow. For example reading a complete floppy disk would take half an hour this way (if you have luck and there is no reliability problem). Peter ___ QL-Users Mailing List
Re: [Ql-Users] Ql-Users Digest, Vol 167, Issue 2
Jan, with an FB-machine, you would probably have had much harder 30+ QL-years than you actually had ;) Tobias > Am 06.01.2018 um 12:06 schrieb Jan Bredenbeek via Ql-Users > : > > On 5 January 2018 at 22:33, Dave Park via Ql-Users > wrote: > >> I did have an FB dongle around here once upon a time, but I haven't seen it >> in five years. >> > > I once got my hands on an FB machine somewhere in autumn 1984. A local > computer store had imported it from the UK (probably not officially). It > didn't take long before the 'bad or changed medium' message popped up on > loading Quill. So I decided to wait a little longer before buying a QL. > Of course, with today's hindsight (and money!) I would have bought it... > > Jan. > > -- > *Jan Bredenbeek* | Hilversum, NL | j...@bredenbeek.net > ___ > QL-Users Mailing List ___ QL-Users Mailing List
Re: [Ql-Users] Ql-Users Digest, Vol 167, Issue 2
On 5 January 2018 at 22:33, Dave Park via Ql-Users wrote: > I did have an FB dongle around here once upon a time, but I haven't seen it > in five years. > I once got my hands on an FB machine somewhere in autumn 1984. A local computer store had imported it from the UK (probably not officially). It didn't take long before the 'bad or changed medium' message popped up on loading Quill. So I decided to wait a little longer before buying a QL. Of course, with today's hindsight (and money!) I would have bought it... Jan. -- *Jan Bredenbeek* | Hilversum, NL | j...@bredenbeek.net ___ QL-Users Mailing List
Re: [Ql-Users] QL ROM versions
On Sat, 6 Jan 2018, at 9:57 AM, Dilwyn Jones via Ql-Users wrote: > before the sale to Amstrad. It includes the copyright message 'Copyright > 1985 Sirius Cybernetics' (whoever they were). http://hitchhikersguidetoearth.wikia.com/wiki/Sirius_Cybernetics_Corporation So Im guessing it was a joke! Graeme ___ QL-Users Mailing List
Re: [Ql-Users] Your confirmation is required to join the Ql-Users mailing list
Rather than relying on someone else (list owner Bruce Nicholls) to do the work for you, read the instructions on how to do it yourself here: http://lists.q-v-d.com/listinfo.cgi/ql-users-q-v-d.com or I have some notes on it here (I have no connection to the list itself and would not be able to offer to do it on your behalf - since the link above is to the list owner's page I'd trust the info there more than at the link below): http://www.dilwyn.me.uk/gen/emaillst/maillist.html Dilwyn On Friday, January 5, 2018 09:09:58 AM GMT, Andrew Fleming via Ql-Users wrote: Please remove me from this mailing list Thanks -Original Message- From: Ql-Users [mailto:ql-users-boun...@lists.q-v-d.com] On Behalf Of ql-users-q-v-d.com-confirm+838867f7ea6424aa3c7354d819050263ad0b0...@lists.q-v-d.com Sent: 20 November 2017 11:59 To: Andrew Fleming Subject: Your confirmation is required to join the Ql-Users mailing list Mailing list subscription confirmation notice for mailing list Ql-Users We have received a request from 194.80.238.40 for subscription of your email address, "andrew.flem...@stmarys.ac.uk", to the ql-users@lists.q-v-d.com mailing list. To confirm that you want to be added to this mailing list, simply reply to this message, keeping the Subject: header intact. Or visit this web page: http://lists.q-v-d.com/confirm.cgi/ql-users-q-v-d.com/838867f7ea6424aa3c7354d819050263ad0b0629 Or include the following line -- and only the following line -- in a message to ql-users-requ...@lists.q-v-d.com: confirm 838867f7ea6424aa3c7354d819050263ad0b0629 Note that simply sending a `reply' to this message should work from most mail readers, since that usually leaves the Subject: line in the right form (additional "Re:" text in the Subject: is okay). If you do not wish to be subscribed to this list, please simply disregard this message. If you think you are being maliciously subscribed to the list, or have any other questions, send them to ql-users-ow...@lists.q-v-d.com. * Disclaimer This email may contain privileged, proprietary, or otherwise private information and is intended solely for the individual to whom it is addressed. If you are not the intended recipient, we are sorry that you have received this email in error. Please note that any use, dissemination, forwarding, printing, or copying is strictly prohibited. Please contact the sender, do not open any attachments, and delete the email immediately. Any views and opinions are those of the individual sender and not necessarily those of St Mary's University Twickenham. Please rely on your own anti-malware software. No responsibility is taken by the sender for any damage rising out of any infection. We reserve the right to monitor e-mail messages passing through our network as permitted under UK law. * ___ QL-Users Mailing List ___ QL-Users Mailing List
[Ql-Users] QL ROM versions
One of the messages on this subject seems to have vanished since I sent it, but then Yahoo has been playing up big time for me this morning. The initials JM stood for the name of Sinclair engineer John Mathieson I remember reading somewhere back in the mists of time. It wouldn't have been 'Jochen Merz' as, although he's probably done more than most for the QL over the years and would deserve the recognition, he was not working at Sinclair and only really became known to the QL scene well after the QL was launched, Although I found the alternative names for the ROM versions discussed by Tobias, Jan etc very amusing, I always thought that 'FB' stood for "F*ing Bad" (that's "Flaming Bad" before anyone thinks otherwise!) Dilwyn ___ QL-Users Mailing List
[Ql-Users] QL ROM versions
Sorry if several half complete emails came through from me just now, Yahoo Mail seems to randomly send emails when I try to edit a reply this morning, so I'll start afresh with a new blank message. The Tyche ROM was the last QL ROM developed, but it wasn't for the QL strictly speaking, it was for an unreleased derivative in the final days before the sale to Amstrad. It includes the copyright message 'Copyright 1985 Sirius Cybernetics' (whoever they were). David Westbury made a ROM listing and notes on new commands etc in Tyche, which are available on my website at http://www.dilwyn.me.uk/qlrom/tycheasm.zip According to Wikipedia: Tyche (English: /ˈtaɪki/; from Greek: Τύχη, meaning "luck"; Roman equivalent: Fortuna) was the presiding tutelary deity that governed the fortune and prosperity of a city, its destiny. She is the daughter of Aphrodite and Zeus or Hermes. Since some of the same people may have been involved in the development of both the Tyche ROM and the Hermes chip and the Minerva ROM, the link of Greek/Roman deity names is apparent. The Minerva ROM is not a Sinclair development, rather it was developed by Laurence Reeves, Jonathan Oakley and Stuart McKnight at QView well after the days of Sinclair, later sold by Tony Firshman at TF Services. QView amusingly referred to themselves as The QView International Megacorporation or something like that at one time IIRC. Dilwyn ___ QL-Users Mailing List
Re: [Ql-Users] Ql-Users Digest, Vol 167, Issue 5
Somewhere in the back of my mind is the information that 'JM' was the initials of Sinclair engineer John Mathieson (can't remember if that's the correct spelling or not). It won't be Jochen Merz because although he probably rightly deserves the fame for his sterling work as a QL trader over the years, he wasn't part of the Sinclair company and only became known to the QL scene well after the QL was launched. It's quite possible that only Sinclair staff such as Tony Tebby or Jan Jones or Jonathan Oakley would be able to fully answer this - the people who were involved in QL development and remember what was going on in the minds of the ROM developers and significant events in the company at the time. Anyway, I preferred the more light hearted explanations offered here. I always thought that 'FB' stood for 'F*ing Bad' (that's Flaming Bad before anyone thinks otherwise). Dilwyn On Saturday, January 6, 2018 01:18:20 AM GMT, Paolo Del Bene via Ql-Users wrote: On 5 Jan 2018 10:06 p.m., wrote: Send Ql-Users mailing list submissions to ql-users@lists.q-v-d.com To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit http://lists.q-v-d.com/listinfo.cgi/ql-users-q-v-d.com or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to ql-users-requ...@lists.q-v-d.com You can reach the person managing the list at ql-users-ow...@lists.q-v-d.com When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than "Re: Contents of Ql-Users digest..." Today's Topics: 1. Re: Ql-Users Digest, Vol 167, Issue 2 (Jan Bredenbeek) 2. Re: Ql-Users Digest, Vol 167, Issue 2 (pjwitte) 3. Re: Ql-Users Digest, Vol 167, Issue 4 (Paolo Del Bene) I found the name of AH which is Angela's Holiday, I suppose that JM is Jochen Merz and I don't know for JS, MG, MINERVA. -- Message: 1 Date: Fri, 5 Jan 2018 17:35:03 +0100 From: Jan Bredenbeek To: ql-us...@q-v-d.com Subject: Re: [Ql-Users] Ql-Users Digest, Vol 167, Issue 2 Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" On 5 January 2018 at 15:49, Tobias Fr?schle via Ql-Users < ql-users@lists.q-v-d.com> wrote: > AF = Awfully faulty > JM = jerkily mended > JS = just stable > MG = mainly good FB - Full of Bugs (has anyone this ROM around? Would be a collector's item ;-)) Jan. -- *Jan Bredenbeek* | Hilversum, NL | j...@bredenbeek.net -- Message: 2 Date: Fri, 5 Jan 2018 22:04:52 +0100 From: pjwitte To: ql-us...@q-v-d.com Subject: Re: [Ql-Users] Ql-Users Digest, Vol 167, Issue 2 Message-ID: <6345054c-338f-2491-e13a-aa313688c...@online.no> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8; format=flowed Hehe! Spot on, Tobias Per On 05/01/2018 15:49, Tobias Fr?schle via Ql-Users wrote: > AF = Awfully faulty > JM = jerkily mended > JS = just stable > MG = mainly good > > ;) (just joking) > > Tobias > >> Am 05.01.2018 um 12:56 schrieb Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users < ql-users@lists.q-v-d.com>: >> >> Hi Paolo, >> >> as far as I remember, the code letters for the various QL ROMs have been named after: >> >> * Taxi Drivers used by Sinclair staff; >> * Engineers at Sinclair; >> * Women in the Sinclair offices. >> >> There may bo other "uses", but the letters in JM and JS etc are the initials of certain people from the above list. I have not seen a full list of the various names actually used though, so I can't tell you who JM and JS were. Sorry. >> >> >> HTH >> >> Cheers, >> Norm. >> >> On 04/01/18 18:30, Paolo Del Bene via Ql-Users wrote: >>> Today's Topics: >>> 1. Re: about JM and JS roms >>> (Paolo Del Bene) >>> 34 years are passed, and I haven't >>> anymore a QL Sinclair from 27 >>> years when my father before bought >>> it for me and then he sold without to >>> say nothing to me. >>> I am here only to ask for what stand >>> the name JM and JS in the roms. >>> I haven't found any information >>> about, if you can help me I'll be >>> happy >>> Happy GNU Year 2018 >>> Paolo Del Bene iw0fzw >> >> >> -- >> Norman Dunbar >> Dunbar IT Consultants Ltd >> >> Registered address: >> 27a Lidget Hill >> Pudsey >> West Yorkshire >> United Kingdom >> LS28 7LG >> >> Company Number: 05132767 >> ___ >> QL-Users Mailing List > ___ > QL-Users Mailing List > > > -- Subject: Digest Footer ___ QL-Users mailing list -- End of Ql-Users Digest, Vol 167, Issue 5 ___ QL-Users Mailing List ___ QL-Users Mailing List
