The Sinclair QL Forum

Hi,

I was thinking about getting a DE-10 Nano.

What is the best configuration to run a QL operating system?

Hi Derek,

The most basic Mister system is a bare DE10-nano. Several cores will run just on this with no add-ons.

The first addition that may be required is an SDRAM board. I am not sure if this is mandatory for the QL core or not (I'm sure Marcel can answer this). Other than this you will definitely need a powered USB hub. You will need a Micro SD card and you will have to set it up to run the Mister system. This will allow you to run the QL core with a USB keyboard and mouse and an HDMI monitor.
You should get a heat sink for the DE10-nano.

After this it is a question of what you want to do with the Mister. If you want to use a VGA monitor you can either use what is known as Direct Video, which uses an HDMI to VGA converter to output original analog video via the HDMI port, or the IO board VGA port. I have never used Direct Video, but I have used the VGA port on the IO board, however I mainly use HDMI. There is info on Direct Video here: https://github.com/MiSTer-devel/Main_Mi ... rect-Video.

The IO board is an addition that most people have. It has a conventional VGA connector, and also a mount for a fan (very much recommended). I also use it to output analogue audio, because I find that HDMI audio does not work with all cores with my monitor. It also has 3 pushbuttons for reset - core and system - and to call up the OSD menu, which is convenient, and a second SD card reader, which is actually required by very few cores.

There are other addons which can be useful - such as an audio-in port which allows loading games from cassettes in certain cores, but this is obviously not relevant to the QL. You can also get an integrated USB hub and other fun stuff...

Before you start, I think you need to answer a couple of questions, primarily 1) do you want to use VGA or HDMI, and 2) do you want to use any cores other than the QL?

There is lots of Mister information here: https://github.com/MiSTer-devel/Main_MiSTer/wiki and here https://misterfpga.org/index.php, and obviously on Youtube.


Regards,

Daniel

daniel_baum wrote:The first addition that may be required is an SDRAM board. I am not sure if this is mandatory for the QL core or not (I'm sure Marcel can answer this).

SDRAM board is mandatory.

Other than this you will definitely need a powered USB hub.

Alternatively, I have a single small USB OTG adapter connected to a wireless dongle for keyboard and mouse, so no hub as the wireless devices have their own battery.

fter this it is a question of what you want to do with the Mister. If you want to use a VGA monitor you can either use what is known as Direct Video, which uses an HDMI to VGA converter to output original analog video via the HDMI port, or the IO board VGA port.

I don't think this works with the QL core.

The IO board is an addition that most people have. It has a conventional VGA connector, and also a mount for a fan (very much recommended). I also use it to output analogue audio, because I find that HDMI audio does not work with all cores with my monitor. It also has 3 pushbuttons for reset - core and system - and to call up the OSD menu, which is convenient, and a second SD card reader, which is actually required by very few cores.

Back then it was pretty much mandatory as it hosted the only usable SD slot, but since I implemented QL-SD support for the main SD slot one can could do without. Still, a good addition, especially the fan doesn't harm I guess.

Cheers, Marcel

QL-SD is definitely one of Peter Graf’s most outstanding innovations. I don’t know where I’d be without mine.

Hi,

I have looked at price of a DE-10 Nano and SDRAM board, Heat sink, it is about the same as the Q68, without other functionality that Q68 brings.

Thank you for the updated information of the Mister and QL emulation, I will add myself to the Q68 waiting list and may look at the DE-10 Nano at a later date.

Hi,
I took the occasion to refresh my Mister with latest Marcel QL core (20200927), two questions for Marcel (who else ):
- not able to mount anymore virtual HD (before yes with QL core 20200108) on the second Card on IO board, neither i call it QXL.WIN (default, should be automatically mounted). For the rest everything is fine, Mister boot correctly using the first card, loading SMSQ/E, but no way to mount anything on the second MicroSD.
- I have the RTC module mounted, but I suppose QL core doesn't use it, right?

Fabrizio

This topic confuses me (easily done). I see "Mister QL" in my unread notifications, and wonder what Dilwyn has been up to!

Cheers,
Norm.

bixio60 wrote:- not able to mount anymore virtual HD (before yes with QL core 20200108) on the second Card on IO board, neither i call it QXL.WIN (default, should be automatically mounted).

Noted, but no time to check right now.

- I have the RTC module mounted, but I suppose QL core doesn't use it, right?

Is this something the core must explicetly support? The QL core gets the time correctly from MiSTer when it's connected to the net.

Marcel

NormanDunbar wrote:This topic confuses me (easily done). I see "Mister QL" in my unread notifications, and wonder what Dilwyn has been up to!

In any case it's written wrong, it should be cased as "MiSTer"

NormanDunbar wrote:This topic confuses me (easily done). I see "Mister QL" in my unread notifications, and wonder what Dilwyn has been up to!

Cheers,
Norm.

Wouldn't you like to know, Norman!

The answer of course is "as little as I can get away with."

Personally, I think Marcel should be made "Mr QL" and I should be demoted on the grounds I've not done much on QL scene for months now. So, admins, are you listening?