The Sinclair QL Forum

Pr0f wrote: ↑Tue Feb 13, 2024 8:39 am I keep seeing those advertised - I've got a couple of the lilygo boards already - and they are wonderful little things - but I am struggling to justify why I might need this one

Same here, almost hit 'Buy' on Bangood but then read this reality check (see comment by andrewstuart ). Screen too small, no case (fragile back), too much to learn . Decided to stick with old school stuff.

Thanks to @Forgetful I have an Issue 5 QL, copies of Sinclair QL World and more documentation.

The QL has a reset issue, probably needs a new reset capacitor, and needed the keyboard ribbons trimmed as they'd cracked and torn. All working now.

Looks like an Issue 5 motherboard which originally had IC17 fitted but that's been snipped out after the ROMs have been upgraded to JM at some point. There's a Hermes manual and the co-processor is a Philips rather than the usual Intel chip so that could be a Hermes but I can't yet tell.

Anyway, thanks again.

P.S. Is a serial number "D05-001606" particularly early? It has a sticker underneath with "D11" printed upon it as well.

stephen_usher wrote: ↑Sat Feb 17, 2024 5:04 pm Looks like an Issue 5 motherboard which originally had IC17 fitted but that's been snipped out after the ROMs have been upgraded to JM at some point. There's a Hermes manual and the co-processor is a Philips rather than the usual Intel chip so that could be a Hermes but I can't yet tell.

A Philips-made 8049 is common, my QLs have them too. A Hermes chip would be a 8749 EPROM-like chip.

P.S. Is a serial number "D05-001606" particularly early? It has a sticker underneath with "D11" printed upon it as well.

D05 is pretty early, looks like this machine has been upgraded from AH (or even FB?) EPROMs to JM ROMs.

Thanks. So not Hermes. Fair enough.

This arrived today from a local 3D printers, ready for my QIMSI and so I don't lose it...

Today I had a mammoth 8 hour round trip to pick up an Apricot Xi (and as an extra surprise, an Acorn Electron).


It also came with some nice, fully ripe RIFA caps...


And rather corroded (net even) foil and foam key switch pads.


But after void the the hard drive warranty (removing the lid) so as to unstick the spindle, the machine did boot.

Received these today

Will need to re-felt/test/repair (and find some 3D glasses)

Jealous of Mortville Manor, I've never seen that one available for sale.

Chr$ wrote: ↑Wed Feb 28, 2024 12:59 pm Jealous of Mortville Manor, I've never seen that one available for sale.

Spotted them being sold as a pair on eBay and thought they were worth nabbing

After Re-felting them all, Wanderer seems to be fully intact (have taken backups) but Mortville has 4 corrupt files

Does anyone have the following files they'd be willing to supply/sell me so I can repair the originals (or at least the backups I've made) please?

Mort1 MDV is missing smanoir_exe, manoir_exe & car2_o
Mort2 MDV is missing d62

Many thanks

t0nyt wrote: ↑Wed Feb 28, 2024 4:09 pm

Chr$ wrote: ↑Wed Feb 28, 2024 12:59 pm Jealous of Mortville Manor, I've never seen that one available for sale.

Spotted them being sold as a pair on eBay and thought they were worth nabbing

After Re-felting them all, Wanderer seems to be fully intact (have taken backups) but Mortville has 4 corrupt files

Does anyone have the following files they'd be willing to supply/sell me so I can repair the originals (or at least the backups I've made) please?

Mort1 MDV is missing smanoir_exe, manoir_exe & car2_o
Mort2 MDV is missing d62

Many thanks

I have those files and will happily send them. In fact I'll send the complete images I have of carts 1 and 2. I got them in a lot described as 'originals' but I think they have been cloned somehow, at least the file structure looks original.