All I want for Christmas.....

A place to discuss general QL issues.
RWAP
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All I want for Christmas.....

Post by RWAP »

Now this thread could be used as a wish list of QL things for Christmas....

This year, we have brought you new releases of old software:

- Type 22
- Night Nurse
- Crazy Painter
- Alien Hijack
- QL Vroom
- Double Block
- Black Knight
- Pengi
- E.V.A.
- Cuthbert in Space
- Aquanaut 471
- Darkside of the Moon

We have also rescued a large number of old QL titles for preservation and can help you out if your old copies no longer load.... - see www.rwapsoftware.co.uk/updates.html (although this is not up to date!).

Now what else could one ask for from Santa?

How about a Gold Card or Super Gold Card......

We are expecting to receive a mixed bundle of QL hardware next week, with no less than 6 (SIX !!) Gold Cards / Super Gold Cards, plus 4 sets of dual disk drives.....

Hopefully they are all working, but obviously need to be tested before we can sell them.

Past experience suggests that they will not last long, so your best bet is to register on www.sellmyretro.com and ensure you add a keyword watch for 'Gold Card' if you are interested - you will then get an email as soon as I list them.

Is there anything else people want for Christmas....

I shall dig in my stocks if so....


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vanpeebles
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Re: All I want for Christmas.....

Post by vanpeebles »

Ooo I might try and get a standard gold card, I don't suppose you have:

Fleet Tactical Command by Di-Ren
Gumshoe Logic by Megacycal
Top Team by Arundel Software

hiding in those stocks?


RWAP
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Re: All I want for Christmas.....

Post by RWAP »

vanpeebles wrote:I don't suppose you have:

Fleet Tactical Command by Di-Ren
Gumshoe Logic by Megacycal
Top Team by Arundel Software

hiding in those stocks?
Unfortunately not, but I shall see what software is included in this large bundle next week :)


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robheaton
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Re: All I want for Christmas.....

Post by robheaton »

Let me know if you find a copy of QL Pawn in that bundle too!!


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thorsinclair
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Re: All I want for Christmas.....

Post by thorsinclair »

On my wishlist there would be a new accelaretor card which would be plugged into the expansion socket on the left side of the original QL (like the GoldCard for example), which is may based on a FPGA which contains a 68K core and in addition contains a chipset for advanced graphics, sounds and ethernet (?)
Than it would be fantastic if in addition it would contain Adrians work meaning USB and SD Card reader.
You asked for a wishlist, so here you go :mrgreen:


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vanpeebles
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Re: All I want for Christmas.....

Post by vanpeebles »

Would that be a super super super platinum mega card? :ugeek:


twellys
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Re: All I want for Christmas.....

Post by twellys »

For the 68K core inside a FPGA:

* All tthe Commercial cores:
- only do 68000 (so not 020, 040, ...)
- They charge.

* Open Source cores
- They're free
- but not cycle accurate
- only do 68000 (so not 020, 040, ...)
- and most don't implement all of the instructions.

Now, we can remedy that, either by updating an open-source core, or writing our core. The trouble is it's a lot of work (Wasn't it ~2.5 million transistors in a 68060?).

However an ethernet port is easy in comparison.

Cheers,

Tim


thorsinclair
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Re: All I want for Christmas.....

Post by thorsinclair »

@vanpeebles
Yes, it would be the maga super platinum card ;)

@twellys
thanks for this info, very interesting. May it is possible to get a core from one of the Amiga projects. There is a commercial product out called the minimig which emulates an Amiga running a 68K softcore in a FPGA. May they have already done the needed work (?) I'm not a hardware guy and am far from being able to bring such a project into life - one of the hardware gurus needs to jump on this. Just proposing the FPGA route as it seems to be more cost effective than working with real chips, 68060 for example, and a FPGA can always be updated with new core versions ... interested in reading comments on this.

Best,
T


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dex
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Re: All I want for Christmas.....

Post by dex »

Don't forget, we need 68000 core only!
No 68020, no 68030, ...
Even the Super Gold Card, with 68020 processor, does many tricks (e.g. copying of ROM to RAM and patching, turning caches off, ...) to throw all 68020 enhancements away, and ensure as full as possible 68000 compatibility.
The QL and its software is just created for 68000.

I like the pPropQL much, but it uses the real Motorola processor and I did not managet to contact its author (maybe it is this one: https://www.xcore.com/users/ale500, according to http://www.xcore.com/forum/viewtopic.ph ... 0&start=10 )


twellys
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Re: All I want for Christmas.....

Post by twellys »

<Newbie Alert>

Isn't the ROM to RAM just to speed up the data access?

I'm aware of the SLUG command in the Gold Card, to slow the 68000 down to emulate 68008.

I'm surprised about the 68020 being slowed down. What about the Q40 & Q60 - are they slowed down as well?

</Newbie Alert>

Tim

QL newbie, but over 14 years experience with FPGAs


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