The Sinclair QL Forum

...all depends if the fixed silicon CPUs are available.

Derek_Stewart wrote: ↑Wed Dec 13, 2023 11:42 am Hi,

Looks great.

Can the cartridges work with the LCD screen and LEDs and use the QL MDV LEDs ?

Hi Derek,
In fact, how first one (red) in original cartridge was doing the same function than the QL Led, I removed from the cartridge.
Now, there are some lines free and active (this LED and GPIOs to add an speaker if somebody wish it and know how to do it to emulate the sound). Also, soon I will start to review the firmware to check some new features. Like loading from WiFi and Upgrading the RBP Pico from outside (if that is possible).
By now... just working in the geography of the PCBs to do it even better and planing how to get next goals.

MOD WARNING

Stop bickering about wether FPGAs are hardware/software this is well covered terretory on the internet. And stop spamming the report button!

XorA wrote: ↑Wed Dec 13, 2023 11:48 pm MOD WARNING

Stop bickering about wether FPGAs are hardware/software this is well covered terretory on the internet. And stop spamming the report button!

Not bickering, just open dscussion.

Does this microdrive emulator allow cartridge image selection from the QL side?
Sorry if this has been covered somewhere already.
Didn't find something on Github project site, except the remark "so with this finally I got a full toolset for the QL".

Peter wrote: ↑Thu Dec 14, 2023 6:17 pm Does this microdrive emulator allow cartridge image selection from the QL side?
Sorry if this has been covered somewhere already.
Didn't find something on Github project site, except the remark "so with this finally I got a full toolset for the QL".

This what I would like, I do not want LEDs LCD screens, program selection control from Superbasic would be brillant.

Which is how the vDrive works there are a set of Superbasic extensions that control the mapping of microdrive images to Drive slots.

The Oqtadrive, I have some to make, but as far as I can see, it requires, a web or SSH/Telnet command line connection to control the Microdrive image selection to drive slots.

Maybe Superbasic extensions can be written, assuming the details of the hardware interface can be understood, and be accessed from the QL.

Derek_Stewart wrote: ↑Fri Dec 15, 2023 8:51 am The Oqtadrive, I have some to make, but as far as I can see, it requires, a web or SSH/Telnet command line connection to control the Microdrive image selection to drive slots.

OqtaDrive can also be controlled from the QL, using only the built-in open_new, print, and close BASIC commands.

xelalex wrote: ↑Fri Dec 15, 2023 9:13 am

Derek_Stewart wrote: ↑Fri Dec 15, 2023 8:51 am The Oqtadrive, I have some to make, but as far as I can see, it requires, a web or SSH/Telnet command line connection to control the Microdrive image selection to drive slots.

OqtaDrive can also be controlled from the QL, using only the built-in open_new, print, and close BASIC commands.

Sorry, did not read all the documentation correctly, I did think that you would have a way of controlling the Oqtadrive from Superbasic, but could find it. Looks a straight forward way of controlling the drive.

I have 20 Internal and External Oqtadrives to make, so I will get to this very soon.

Derek_Stewart wrote: ↑Fri Dec 15, 2023 8:51 am This what I would like, I do not want LEDs LCD screens, program selection control from Superbasic would be brillant.

Yes, a small, direct internal microdrive replacement, medium inserted through the QL slot. That would be cool.
I have no idea why this most natural approach has never been taken yet, by any microdrive emulator.
Despite the title of the topic, this one is again a half-external device.

But the circuitry is close: The external screen, buttons etc. could be omitted, a fullsize SD card slot added on the inside, and the three PCB structure with the large Raspberry replaced by a direct RP2040 design or a compact module, like I also used for the QL2VGA adaptors.
The latter requires a pinout change, which is why I haven't done it myself.
And a direct RP2040 design is beyond the time I'd put into such a gimmick myself (but would buy it).

Let's wait, maybe there is a reply to my question, and QL side cartridge selection already exists.

xelalex wrote: ↑Fri Dec 15, 2023 9:13 am OqtaDrive can also be controlled from the QL, using only the built-in open_new, print, and close BASIC commands.

Unfortunately, OqtaDrive can not access an SD card at all without a host computer. The solution here can live with just the microcontroller. That makes it very attractive if it can be controlled from the QL instead of the external display/button stuff.

The way I can see that an "improvement" on the overall concept could be done would be that in the Microdrive slots put a USB socket and have a USB memory device plug in. The internal board would use the Microdrive LED to show access. That could possibly be more aesthetically pleasing.

I'm not suggesting that anyone should do this, it's just a thought. (I wonder if you can hijack the Pico's micro-USB port for the media. Hmm... )