Target for major new QL hardware

[Peter]

With regards to the PS/2 question, I have some PS/2 to USB adapters, which seems to work with the Q68 PS/2 Splitter. This allows access to most USB keyboards and mice.

The catch is I only have a limited amount.

The other catch is that a Q68 logic update to the latest version could be needed in case of keyboard problems. Some of the adaptors were not 100% PS/2 compatible and I had to develop a workaround.

[Peter]

Looking at the survey after it had plenty of time to settle, a tight majority of 53% prefers the QL case as a target for major new hardware.
And - as a surprise to me - most of them want a mainboard replacement, not a card that plugs into the original QL mainboard.

I was very reluctant about this, because I'm not much interested in typing on the QL keyboard, and I feel like comitting a sacrilege to remove the original mainboard. On the other hand, I sometimes do pioneering projects like QL-SD which are not my personal interest, but help to keep the QL alive. In that tradition, I am now working on a QL mainboard replacement.

There has been a QL mainboard replacement before, the Aurora design from Nasta. My plan is to offer improvements over the Aurora, but due to lack of time, there will also be compromise.

1. Aurora used a (Super)GoldCard as a processor/memory module. My plan is to use the Qzero instead.
2. Aurora did not support the QL case openings for it's connectors. My plan is to provide mouse, video, power and QL network at the back of an unmodified QL case.
3. The Aurora did not directly support the QL keyboard cables. My plan is to have the right connectors onboard.
4. The Aurora did support the QL extension bus via external backplane. My plan is to abandon it to save space and costs.

Mass storage would be provided by replacing both microdrives with SD card boards, the original QL LEDs being used for them. No microdrives anymore! The QL speaker would be supported, also with sampled sound, not just beep. The mainboard would sit in the upper right corner of the case, only 10 x 6.5 cm sized. It would have a power switch where the QL Reset button is located. One joystick and one highspeed SER would be supported via ribbon cable and D-Sub connectors which could use the bracket of the European QL case. For the british QL, the ribbon cables would go through the BT connector holes. (Not so nice, I look for better ideas that do not affect usage in the European QL case.)

To make this board a little bit more interesting for myself, it would also serve as Qzero baseboard independent from the QL case. It would also be partly helpful to mount a Q68 inside a QL case - but not as nicely as with a Qzero.

Performance and graphics capability would be Q68 plus x. Would such a mainboard cover most of what the "inside original QL case" guys want to see?

[Tinyfpga]

Peter posts:- To make this board a little bit more interesting for myself, it would also serve as Qzero baseboard independent from the QL case. It would also be partly helpful to mount a Q68 inside a QL case - but not as nicely as with a Qzero.

I have no interest in using an original QL as a case but I would buy a Qzero on a baseboard to put in my own case.
I have already printed two keyboard cases for the Q68. One takes the Periboard 409 keyboard and the other takes a Cherry 4100 slimline keyboard.

I am assuming your new hardware would run SMSQE at high resolutions and take a standard keyboard input.

[Peter]

I have no interest in using an original QL as a case but I would buy a Qzero on a baseboard to put in my own case.

That is possible, although the connectors are quite widely spaced in order to match the QL case openings. You'd need to add D-Subs for SER and joystick via ribbon cable at the side. A compromise.
I will probably also use it outside the QL, that's why I limited the PCB width to exactly 10 cm.

[Tinyfpga]

My Perixx case can take a baseboard up to 30 X 13 cm. My Cherry case 27 x 11 cm. Plenty of room for your board and more. I have a printer with a 40 x 40 cm print area and I would be willing to print a few cases, in black only, for free if you were to supply me with print files.

Will it be possible to use the board for controlling external devices such as motors, actuators, sensors etc. using, perhaps an RS-485 connection or something similar.

Would I be able to connect a standard keyboard internally?

What are you intending to have as the maximum display resolution output and via what interface?

I have just found your reply to Tony Tebby's Stella post on a QL mail archive dated 21 Mar 2017.
I could not agree more.

[Peter]

Will it be possible to use the board for controlling external devices such as motors, actuators, sensors etc. using, perhaps an RS-485 connection or something similar.

The Qzero was originally meant to offer a variety of I/O for "embedded" purposes like that. So it is possible by concept and would be nice, but I promise nothing in practice. Always remember this is strictly a hobby project, and implementing such interfaces on FPGA is boring, trivial work for me. I'm more motivated to make the QL functionality usable first. That is more fun.

Would I be able to connect a standard keyboard internally?

I plan a keyboard connector at the back, at a location that is hidden inside the QL case, but accessible as stand-alone machine.

By the way, I'd likely release the design of my QL mainboard replacement (not the Qzero itself) free and open source for everyone to reuse, modify and learn. I avoided fine pitch SMD, fairly easy to solder. The idea is: If someone is not satisfied with connector locations or form factors... do it yourself.

What are you intending to have as the maximum display resolution output and via what interface?

1024x768 with 65536 colours via HDMI.

I have just found your reply to Tony Tebby's Stella post on a QL mail archive dated 21 Mar 2017.
I could not agree more.

You mean this one? http://lists.q-v-d.com/private.cgi/ql-u ... 55025.html

[Tinyfpga]

The link you gave me leads to a password protected private area.
The following is the link to your reply that I found:-
https://www.mail-archive.com/ql-users@l ... 16581.html

What you are proposing seems fine to me.
I understand your second reply as meaning that the main board, or carrier board will be free and open source and that the Qzero will be proprietary but available as a plug-in functional component.

Will I be able to connect a PS2 or a USB keyboard to your system? The high resolution HDMI display is an excellent
addition.

[FrancoisLanciault]

I couldn’t agree more with your design choices Peter. Although I voted for the plug-in card in an existing QL, the motherboard replacement was not far behind.

Looking forward to see the final product… and putting some money aside.

François

Looking at the survey after it had plenty of time to settle, a tight majority of 53% prefers the QL case as a target for major new hardware.
And - as a surprise to me - most of them want a mainboard replacement, not a card that plugs into the original QL mainboard.

I was very reluctant about this, because I'm not much interested in typing on the QL keyboard, and I feel like comitting a sacrilege to remove the original mainboard. On the other hand, I sometimes do pioneering projects like QL-SD which are not my personal interest, but help to keep the QL alive. In that tradition, I am now working on a QL mainboard replacement.

There has been a QL mainboard replacement before, the Aurora design from Nasta. My plan is to offer improvements over the Aurora, but due to lack of time, there will also be compromise.

1. Aurora used a (Super)GoldCard as a processor/memory module. My plan is to use the Qzero instead.
2. Aurora did not support the QL case openings for it's connectors. My plan is to provide mouse, video, power and QL network at the back of an unmodified QL case.
3. The Aurora did not directly support the QL keyboard cables. My plan is to have the right connectors onboard.
4. The Aurora did support the QL extension bus via external backplane. My plan is to abandon it to save space and costs.

Mass storage would be provided by replacing both microdrives with SD card boards, the original QL LEDs being used for them. No microdrives anymore! The QL speaker would be supported, also with sampled sound, not just beep. The mainboard would sit in the upper right corner of the case, only 10 x 6.5 cm sized. It would have a power switch where the QL Reset button is located. One joystick and one highspeed SER would be supported via ribbon cable and D-Sub connectors which could use the bracket of the European QL case. For the british QL, the ribbon cables would go through the BT connector holes. (Not so nice, I look for better ideas that do not affect usage in the European QL case.)

To make this board a little bit more interesting for myself, it would also serve as Qzero baseboard independent from the QL case. It would also be partly helpful to mount a Q68 inside a QL case - but not as nicely as with a Qzero.

Performance and graphics capability would be Q68 plus x. Would such a mainboard cover most of what the "inside original QL case" guys want to see?

[Peter]

I understand your second reply as meaning that the main board, or carrier board will be free and open source and that the Qzero will be proprietary but available as a plug-in functional component.

Yes, if all works well.

Will I be able to connect a PS2 or a USB keyboard to your system?

I provide standard USB connectors, but only PS2 combo devices would work at the moment. I did some initial work for true USB, but no promise this will be finished.

[Peter]

I couldn’t agree more with your design choices Peter. Although I voted for the plug-in card in an existing QL, the motherboard replacement was not far behind.

Like you, I'm reluctant about a motherboard replacement, but it seems that quite a lot of folks have faulty QL mainboards and want to give new use to the case.

Looking forward to see the final product… and putting some money aside.

Thank you. The QL baseboard will probably be unproblematic. But the Qzero suffers from the chip crisis and lack of documentation. Please do not expect a public release soon. Maybe some will even use the Q68 in connection with the baseboard, as long as Qzero is not available.