RWAP wrote:The QL version listing is now live - https://www.sellmyretro.com/offer/details/28715 but not the vMap as yet - I have been using the vMap today without any issues so have been talking with Charlie - a few minor changes might be needed to the manual but not sure if he wanted to investigate some further findings I reported back before he lists the vMap itself.
For those who have not read the manuals... The vMap is a small board which plugs into the internal QL microdrive sockets (the QL microdrives plug into the vMap) and then you can issue a command to say how to allocate available microdrive slots:
VMAP 1 - mdv1_ and mdv2_ remain as per the original QL, with mdv3_ to mdv8_ pointing to microdrive images on the external vDriveQL unit
VMAP 2 - mdv1_ can now be pointed to a microdrive image on the vDriveQL, the internal drives are now mdv2_ and mdv3_
VMAP 3 - mdv1_ and mdv2_ can be pointed to microdrive images on the vDriveQL, internal drives are now mdv3_ and mdv4_
and so on .....
Ordered my VDrive too.
Is usable as external unit as MDV3_ or need the vMap too?
Timbucus wrote:I would be interested in at least one internal replacement for the QL if you decided to develop one - there is just something sad about those empty slots with faulty drives in them.
Two thoughts:
- Wonder if the vDrive would also work when the QL is not running QDOS/Minerva, but the GST 68K/OS?
- The ICL OPD (also marketed as BT Merlin Tonto, Telecom Australia Computerphone) is based on Sinclair ZX83 (QL) hardware including the QL Microdrive. Wonder if the vDrive would also work with the OPD and it's OS?
QLvsJAGUAR wrote:Two thoughts:
- Wonder if the vDrive would also work when the QL is not running QDOS/Minerva, but the GST 68K/OS?
- The ICL OPD (also marketed as BT Merlin Tonto, Telecom Australia Computerphone) is based on Sinclair ZX83 (QL) hardware including the QL Microdrive. Wonder if the vDrive would also work with the OPD and it's OS?
I think the OPD Microdrives are significantly different. Don't they run at a different speed?
If GST 68K/OS used the standard QDOS sectoring then I imagine the vDrive would work, but you wouldn't have access to the utilities so as to change drives.
I think the OPD Microdrives are significantly different. Don't they run at a different speed?
The drives are physically the same and the tape runs at the same speed. The data rate is also the same but the sector format is different. No reason the vDrive wouldn't work but would require the sector format to be reverse engineered and then changes made to the vDrive firmware to support the OPD format.