QL storage solutions: Pros, cons and opinions.

[Andrew]

Hi - Here's my own take:

Microdrives
NO - the cartridges are old, the tape is unreliable

Microdrive modern replacement
YES -
i use vDriveQL when I want to play old games. Most old games require JS ROM and will not run on a QL with more than 640K, some of them only with 128K. And no drivers or toolkits loaded.
So I keep a QL with JS ROM and vDriveQL for playing old games and for testing if some programs fit in an unexpanded QL.
It is very useful to be able to select the image from the QL via a toolkit, even if this requires a reboot to remove the toolkit.
It would be great to have a small remote display with a rotary knob to select the image, like the one used by Amiga Gotek:

MFloppy drive / Gotek
YES or NO
Yes - because it can be used on a QL +(S)GC / FD interface for programming and compiling, especially if you have a double unit
No - because floppy disks are slow, unreliable and small capacity and you cannot easily use PE environment on floppies

HDD modern replacement - QL-SD, QIMSI, QUBIDE, Tetroid Disk Interface
Definetely YES - the only way to use an expanded QL today
QIMSI has the advantage of a PS/2 mouse port, which makes finding a compatible mouse easier.

[Derek_Stewart]

Hi,

I have some black empty dual disk drive cases for floppy disk drives that I could put a Floppy HD drive and a Gotek with LCD display.

If interested.

[Pr0f]

I think it's worth dividing up the storage into 2 categories:

Transportable - which implies a cartridge / floppy / SD card / CF card format - so that media can be swapped with other users.

Permanent - The list hear could overlap the list above - but would include CD's, hard disks, DOM (Disk on Module), CF Card, and SD Card

Since both CF and SD cards are on both lists - that seems a logical choice.

Also - I wonder about the possibility of have an SD card solution that could also understand MDV images and even possibly floppy images and be able to mount these as their respective device types?

[xelalex]

I think it's worth dividing up the storage into 2 categories:

Transportable ...

Permanent ...

What about 'networked'? Would that be subsumed in 'transportable'?

[Derek_Stewart]

I think it's worth dividing up the storage into 2 categories:

Transportable ...

Permanent ...

What about 'networked'? Would that be subsumed in 'transportable'?

That is solution I have been using for years, if you enter on QXL, Q68 say:

NFS_USE MDV,n1_mdv1_,n1_mdv2_

will add the Micrdrives of Network station NET 1 to SMSQ/E on QPC2 or Q68 or anything else.

If there is no QL NET ports like on QPC2, use Sernet to connect to the and rename the SERNET device to MDV

[dex]

NFS_USE MDV,n1_mdv1_n1,mdv2_

Typo?
NFS_USE MDV,n1_mdv1_,n1_mdv2_

[Pr0f]

What I was aiming at was the ability to literally mount an mdv image file as an mdv. I get you can map real or emulated mdv's from other QL's in the network - but what if you don't have one - you are then left with the need to run an emulator and a USB to QL NET adaptor - but I was talking of a single machine solution.

And by transportable - I mean literally that you could put this in your pocket or in an envelope and most it to another QL user.

[xelalex]

I get you can map real or emulated mdv's from other QL's in the network - but what if you don't have one - you are then left with the need to run an emulator and a USB to QL NET adaptor - but I was talking of a single machine solution.

In my comment further up I was actually thinking about the storage solution itself, rather than the QL, being networked, while its storage media for MDVs could be anything.

[Derek_Stewart]

Hi,

Sorry for the typo in the message, I have corrected this.

I though someone stated Networked.

The only solution for storing MDV images on a removal SD Card, or media is the vDrive, but it is not internal line the Oqtadrive.

[xelalex]

The only solution for storing MDV images on a removal SD Card, or media is the vDrive, but it is not internal line the Oqtadrive.

If you add a Micro-SD extender cable to an internal OqtaDrive, and mount the standard SD socket end of that cable with a 3D printed mounting bracket in one of the slots, the SD card would be removable.