QSound and QPrint Interface

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Paul
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Re: QSound and QPrint Interface

Post by Paul »

ioannis wrote:I have purchased the QSound/QPrint interface. I will be happy to assist.
Ah that is great! I am so happy you read this and answered. QSound seems to be very rare.
can you read the ROM content and mail it to me?
I will try to find out most of the connections from your photo. May I ask you for continuity checks to clarify doubts (e.g. tracks hidden under chips or connectors).

It's good if we can bring this little project a little further.
Kind regards
Paul


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ioannis
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Re: QSound and QPrint Interface

Post by ioannis »

Paul wrote:
ioannis wrote:I have purchased the QSound/QPrint interface. I will be happy to assist.
Ah that is great! I am so happy you read this and answered. QSound seems to be very rare.
can you read the ROM content and mail it to me?
I will try to find out most of the connections from your photo. May I ask you for continuity checks to clarify doubts (e.g. tracks hidden under chips or connectors).

It's good if we can bring this little project a little further.
Kind regards
Paul
I will read the ROM content and also make proper diagrams of the both sides of the PCB. It will probably take me a few days.


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Derek_Stewart
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Re: QSound and QPrint Interface

Post by Derek_Stewart »

HI,

The Qsound/Qprint Interface I have has had a lot of damage done by someone with a very hot soldering iron.

I am looking to get a professional PCB Track repair kit to correct all the damage.

The ROM looks to be damaged, are you able to save a copy of the Qsound ROM, this is best done by removing it from the board and reading the Eprom in a Eprom programmer


Regards,

Derek
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ioannis
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Re: QSound and QPrint Interface

Post by ioannis »

OK, I did it the old fashioned way... Took the EPROM out off the QSound board, inserted it to a QEPIII, downloaded the contents to a MDV cartridge (one that still works...), then switched off the QL, connected a Sandy Q-Board and floppy drive, copied the file from MDV to a floppy disk, then took the disk to my PC and use Q-Emulator to copy it to a folder... That was a lot of fun! I hope the file works... I also hope that I am not breaking any copyrights by doing this. (Had to zip the file to be able to upload it...)
Attachments
qsound.zip
(4.1 KiB) Downloaded 170 times
DSC_6125.JPG
DSC_6124.JPG
DSC_6123.JPG
DSC_6122.JPG


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Dave
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Re: QSound and QPrint Interface

Post by Dave »

Good work!

I think for this ROM image, you're well into the realm of "software preservation." Also, the image is going to someone who legitimately has the board.

I have one of these laying around in a drawer but it never had the ROM, so I feel Paul's pain. I wanted to incorporate the sound aspect onto SuperQBoard 4. Mine also is severely damaged around the regulator area. I hate to say it, but they may have just been made that way.


Ralf R.

Re: QSound and QPrint Interface

Post by Ralf R. »

What's about the copyright of the software? I think, this is Jochen's work.

Anyway, good to have that saved!


Paul
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Re: QSound and QPrint Interface

Post by Paul »

I am still trying to obtain the copyright.
Jochen sold it to abc.
However if I have a copy and see how capable it is I can better estimate what it's worth.
At the moment I am only collecting all information for the future.
Seeing that it uses a 6821 for interfacing the soundchip I will most probably never sell a 100% compatible board.
It would be useless with no software using it.
So we can do better this time.
Kind regards Paul


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Dave
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Re: QSound and QPrint Interface

Post by Dave »

I think I have six or eight MC6821P around here in a tube. If you make progress on this let me know and I'll send them to you. I can easily get more for very little as the Motorola/Freescale bulk/surplus warehouse is just a couple of miles away. Just let me know.


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mk79
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Re: QSound and QPrint Interface

Post by mk79 »

Does anybody know how the clock for the AY chip is derived? I don't understand this from the posted PCB photos.


Derek_Stewart
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Re: QSound and QPrint Interface

Post by Derek_Stewart »

Hi,

I had hoped, make schematic of the PCB, but a friend wanted to reproduce the board, but never got around to it.

My QSOUND board had some damage PCB tracks, which I can repair the through plating and traces on each side.

I was promised the return of the board but still waiting.

I was going produce a FPGA version, maybe this this can be done from the photographs, as is it is only a double sided board.

Not worried by copyright, the QSOUND software probably wants updating.

Looks like another disassembly job...


Regards,

Derek
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