Search found 443 matches

by Nasta
Sun Aug 22, 2021 3:32 pm
Forum: Hardware
Topic: Battery backed ROM
Replies: 3
Views: 1083

Re: Battery backed ROM

It could be done on the QL but probably not with 512k unless there was less real RAM, because the memory has to be mapped somewhere. The Maxim/Dallas chip is the key on that board, it is there for proper detection of power supply fail, so the chip prevents accidental writes to the RAM and switches o...
by Nasta
Sat Aug 21, 2021 10:10 pm
Forum: Hardware
Topic: Expanding the QL's address space beyond 1M (+primer on building QL compatible machines)
Replies: 30
Views: 8115

Re: Expanding the QL's address space beyond 1M (+primer on building QL compatible machines)

OS changes: TK2, Minerva, SMSQ/E Since the QL came to the market quite unfinished, lots of unfinished stuff and features that had not been implemented. Toolkit 2 was and is considered an absolutely essential extension for the QL. It was a big and valiant effort to correct bugs and add features, how...
by Nasta
Sat Aug 21, 2021 12:16 am
Forum: Hardware
Topic: Expanding the QL's address space beyond 1M (+primer on building QL compatible machines)
Replies: 30
Views: 8115

Re: Expanding the QL's address space beyond 1M

Thanks Jan, correction re system variables was a typo, duly noted and corrected. Also, great info on limiting slave blocks. In fact, I would strongly urge anyone with any pertinent data to feel free and add it into the thread. There will be more parts, with a sort of small primer on how to build a '...
by Nasta
Thu Aug 19, 2021 7:02 pm
Forum: Hardware
Topic: Expanding the QL's address space beyond 1M (+primer on building QL compatible machines)
Replies: 30
Views: 8115

Re: Expanding the QL's address space beyond 1M

Getting things unified: Minerva While older QDOS versions had provisions for extending the original QL hardware past the 1M addressable space, there were various bugs that prevented full functionality. For instance, some may remember the (somewhat ill fated) MegaRAM internal 2M expansion RAM - it u...
by Nasta
Tue Aug 17, 2021 11:43 pm
Forum: Hardware
Topic: MEDIC disc interface
Replies: 6
Views: 1707

Re: MEDIC disc interface

Pr0f wrote:I think the other one is a Centronics interface (parallel printer port)
It also seems to have 512k of expansion RAM
by Nasta
Tue Aug 17, 2021 8:51 pm
Forum: Hardware
Topic: Expanding the QL's address space beyond 1M (+primer on building QL compatible machines)
Replies: 30
Views: 8115

Expanding the QL's address space beyond 1M (+primer on building QL compatible machines)

Here is a little topic which may prove useful. The idea is to explain how the QL's addressing capability has been expanded from the original 1Mbytes addressable, to more, as done by several expansion cards or alternative hardware and indeed emulators. To start off, however, first a small re-cap on h...
by Nasta
Thu Aug 12, 2021 4:48 pm
Forum: Hardware
Topic: ULA replacement - could it work in 16-bit mode ?
Replies: 24
Views: 6371

Re: ULA replacement - could it work in 16-bit mode ?

The EC060RC66 consumes ~3W depending on pin loading which is a fairly small amount of heat but if this was made as something like a QL expansion card, it's not trivial - about as much as the regular QL's voltage regulator. Don't worry too much about that, in practice it was even less on the Q60 mai...
by Nasta
Wed Aug 11, 2021 10:18 pm
Forum: Hardware
Topic: ULA replacement - could it work in 16-bit mode ?
Replies: 24
Views: 6371

Re: ULA replacement - could it work in 16-bit mode ?

Just call it China. That's its name after all. Thanks. Cheers, Norm. Actually, its name is Chongua, I think. Also, if they are not fussing about this, why is it triggering you ? Cheers, Brane Original post moderated to remove the racism from forum. No more of this behaviour, I see Norman has alread...
by Nasta
Wed Aug 11, 2021 9:06 pm
Forum: Hardware
Topic: ULA replacement - could it work in 16-bit mode ?
Replies: 24
Views: 6371

Re: ULA replacement - could it work in 16-bit mode ?

* Quite large and potentially (very) hot running chip (especially overclocked) Non-overclocked, the 68EC060 stays cool. (Maybe you had the '040 in mind?) EC060 consumes the least current and is a much cooler chip than the 040 for sure. However, I have seen a number of Amiga ccelerators using overcl...
by Nasta
Wed Aug 11, 2021 1:20 pm
Forum: Hardware
Topic: Hermes status
Replies: 87
Views: 17587

Re: Hermes status

The IPC interface is basically two bits that are bit-banged serial with a bit of a strange twist. IPC communication on the QL is pretty bad. Apart from the 1-bit serial link, there is no interrupt involved! When the QL contacts the IPC (including during every 50Hz interrupt), it can sit idle for a ...