The Sinclair QL Forum

Andrew wrote: ↑Fri Nov 24, 2023 3:18 pm ... and the initial color depth looks like 256)
SMSQE.jpg

Nope this (256 in your message) is REALLY the standard 4 color mode of a real QL (black red green white - ordered in the direction of brightness on an amber B/W-monitor).

BTW:

I have now (hopefully) read all messages of this thread. But if I remember correctly, I never has had been told: Whats the price of this sensational interface?

It depends, of what it costs! From Q68 it were a lot, but this is a full QL-replacement. The QIMSI is great, I'm sure, but as it has the same electronics (FPGA or as it is named), it may be too expensive for an addon.

ql_freak wrote: ↑Thu Nov 30, 2023 1:07 am BTW:

I have now (hopefully) read all messages of this thread. But if I remember correctly, I never has had been told: Whats the price of this sensational interface?

It depends, of what it costs! From Q68 it were a lot, but this is a full QL-replacement. The QIMSI is great, I'm sure, but as it has the same electronics (FPGA or as it is named), it may be too expensive for an addon.

Hi
I have read some messages and I would like to add some personal POV.
I am agree with you about the price, when we consider only concept price, sometimes when we consider material price...
But (here we go), we should consider engineer cost, so many hours from personal/professional time invested on a development.

Said that, also I found a little not the best practice, to don't show/write clearly and directly a number (price) for the device.
Same than others solutions for QL, I will not buy it due to the price that I cannot afford, but... you have many other developments and great devices for QL for less than 15€ (material cost and shipping) from people who develop for free (that is not the goal and everyone MUST evaluate their work).

So, I understand and respect develops like this one (QIMSI, vDRIVE, etc). Even when my religion forbid me about to invest on them (the cost).

The main point is... every work is welcome, in other case, nobody could bring us the magic of new gifts for our loved QL (or another retro computer).
Just it could be nice and fair, to get a public and open price (in that, completely agree with you).

Cheers.

ql_freak wrote: ↑Thu Nov 30, 2023 1:07 am I have now (hopefully) read all messages of this thread. But if I remember correctly, I never has had been told: Whats the price of this sensational interface?

I paid €65 + postage for mine (don't know if it's changed since).
Obviously in some countries you may pay import taxes etc also.

I was very happy to pay €65 + postage for mine. It's worth double that for the convenience!

Which is just as well, as I'm about to pay €65 + postage again, for another QIMSI after trying to make a vacuum formed housing for it and breaking it in the process. Then making it even worse be attempting to re-flow the main chip. It might be repairable, but I'm too ham fisted.

I'd like to officially be recognised here as the first person to kill a QIMSI.

Chr$ wrote: ↑Thu Nov 30, 2023 2:33 pm I'd like to officially be recognised here as the first person to kill a QIMSI.

Oops. I think the admins here between them are well qualified to sentence you for this evil act.

ql_freak wrote: ↑Thu Nov 30, 2023 1:07 am It depends, of what it costs! From Q68 it were a lot, but this is a full QL-replacement. The QIMSI is great, I'm sure, but as it has the same electronics (FPGA or as it is named), it may be too expensive for an addon.

Indeed the central component is an FPGA for both. But the Q68 has an ethernet controller, magnetics, a realtime clock with buffer, SDRAM, an RS-232 line driver. Just to name some larger components which QIMSI has not. Also the Q68 has a number of wired connectors which is great for mechanical stability but causes more soldering effort.

I put a lot of work in cost-optimizing QIMSI. At design time, the FPGA was less expensive and somewhat easier to source than CPLD, so I decided to use this "overpowered" approach. Meanwhile FPGA prices have almost tripled, and there was massive inflation for parts in general. So I'm a bit proud that QIMSI can be sold even cheaper today than QL-SD before the chip crisis. That with only official distributors and US/EU parts and manufacture.

Popopo wrote: ↑Thu Nov 30, 2023 7:12 am But (here we go), we should consider engineer cost, so many hours from personal/professional time invested on a development.

My design work is absolutely for free and I didn't even recover my prototyping hardware costs.
Hopefully this does not mean the design is unprofessional.

Popopo wrote: ↑Thu Nov 30, 2023 7:12 am [...] you have many other developments and great devices for QL for less than 15€ (material cost and shipping) from people who develop for free

To be honest, I don't know even one of those, maybe except a simple EPROM adaptor... Do you mean devices where you must order the parts and solder yourself?

Hi,

As a new QL user with a couple of other vintage computers I'm super impressed by all the advanced hardware and software development done by members. Even though I could manage to solder and assemble most of the designs it tends to be expensive to source components (that might not work) and to order PCBs usually have to order more PCBs than you need.
So even though I will build some projects myself I'm more than fine to pay for some of the hard work and knowledge by others.

/Chris

Okay, €65 (or a bit more) is adequate. I thought it would be in the range of Q68 (I think I payed about €200 for it), and that would have been too expensive. Especially because I need at least 3 of them.