Naive question about SCART connection on TV

Nagging hardware related question? Post here!
User avatar
Artificer
Brittle Membrane
Posts: 120
Joined: Fri Nov 24, 2017 8:43 am

Re: Naive question about SCART connection on TV

Post by Artificer »

Hi Peter,

It could be that, the largest card I use routinely is the 256MB card seen in the pics I have 3 smaller 32 &64 MBs, largest CF card I possess is 4GB but not tried that yet.


User avatar
Dave
SandySuperQDave
Posts: 2765
Joined: Sat Jan 22, 2011 6:52 am
Location: Austin, TX
Contact:

Re: Naive question about SCART connection on TV

Post by Dave »

ATA ports are just a disguised ATA bus. The ICs aren't doing anything clever or complicated - just converting back from 16- to 8-bits and a bit of logic with the signals.

Now, CF cards.... Some have wear leveling of not very dependable quality. Some have no wear leveling. Almost all have spare blocks so if a block fails they can map one in, but they do a bad job of keeping track sometimes. After a while, they get literal bit rot... However, most newer CF cards (designed since about 2005 or so) have modern flash, modern wear leveling algorithms and are much, much higher quality.


User avatar
1024MAK
Super Gold Card
Posts: 592
Joined: Sun Dec 11, 2011 1:16 am
Location: Looking forward to summer in Somerset, UK...

Re: Naive question about SCART connection on TV

Post by 1024MAK »

Most IDE/ATAP to CF adaptors are just passive interfaces.

On other systems, the problems occur due to the OS not being fully compliant with the standard that the CF is using. Or the CF not implementing all the IDE/ATA protocols in the same way as a real hard drive.

And of course, the quality of the CF matters...

Mark


:!: Standby alert :!:
“There are four lights!”
Step up to red alert. Sir, are you absolutely sure? It does mean changing the bulb :!:
Looking forward to summer in Somerset later in the year :)

QL, Falcon, Atari 520STFM, Atari 1040STE, more PC's than I care to count and an assortment of 8 bit micros (Sinclair and Acorn)(nearly forgot the Psion's)
User avatar
Doug
Chuggy Microdrive
Posts: 52
Joined: Tue Apr 04, 2017 11:25 am

Re: Naive question about SCART connection on TV

Post by Doug »

Dave wrote:Don’t worry, a cheaper QL-SD system is just weeks away.
Looking forward to the new QL-SD, I missed it the first time round. I have some of Tetroid's stuff too; it will be great to have options!


User avatar
Dave
SandySuperQDave
Posts: 2765
Joined: Sat Jan 22, 2011 6:52 am
Location: Austin, TX
Contact:

Re: Naive question about SCART connection on TV

Post by Dave »

*grins*

In an effort to save money I am trying to do a big combo order of all the different PCBs. The shipping of $60-70 per time was getting painful. So now I'm just ordering PCBs once per month in a single order. It slows most things down a bit, but it's saved me over $250 so far.

To keep it on topic, I am close to finishing the design of this S-Video and "new" RGB port that should double peoples' options for upconverting.


User avatar
Peter
QL Wafer Drive
Posts: 1953
Joined: Sat Jan 22, 2011 8:47 am

Re: Naive question about SCART connection on TV

Post by Peter »

1024MAK wrote:Most IDE/ATAP to CF adaptors are just passive interfaces.
Yes, athough that does not mean they are all exactly the same wiring. I vaguely remember over a decade ago, one adaptor seemed to work with Q60 and one didn't, with the same card. Unfortunately I forgot the details.
1024MAK wrote:On other systems, the problems occur due to the OS not being fully compliant with the standard that the CF is using. Or the CF not implementing all the IDE/ATA protocols in the same way as a real hard drive.
Very true, and also the most likely explanation for the problems with the Q60. I had no time for a closer inspection. However, it seems that IDE SSD are the easier solution, if a classic harddisk must be replaced. SATA CDROM worked via adaptor, so there is a chance that SATA SSD will also be okay. I already have an SATA SSD for my machine, just not time to test yet.

Peter


User avatar
Dave
SandySuperQDave
Posts: 2765
Joined: Sat Jan 22, 2011 6:52 am
Location: Austin, TX
Contact:

Re: Naive question about SCART connection on TV

Post by Dave »

Many SATA<>IDE adapters do not work because they expect the attached device to bus master, and do not support PIO modes. If the IDE interface doesn't support bus mastering, well, those adapters won't work ;)

Nasta has designed a new QubIDE interface that allows bus mastering. It should increase throughput at least moderately compared to PIO modes. It is incorporated into the SSQB (aka SQB v4 aka Super SQB). However, that's a bit down the road - got to get the 4M RAM out, plus QL-SD2.


Post Reply