The Sinclair QL Forum

Derek_Stewart wrote:Maybe it is better to foget about QEP as there is no schematics, PCB files, parts lists, software amybe still copyright, no software source code.

I have a schematic. It was made by one of the better known people who frequents here. However, the schematic is not very useful. It's split across several pages and there are many missing/hanging nets. Also, the power arrangement on it to create programming power is insane.

I got a semi-functional board.

It seems not just designing and building the board is necessary, but also very careful set-up and calibration. Those details are lost.

It might be that a different project might be better for you and the community?

the service manual and the user manual together have an awful lot of good info on the QEPIII - I found them on Dilwyn's site.

There is a full circuit diagram - all be it on several pages of the pdf. For proper programming and verifying - you need to be able to supply two programmable voltages - vcc variable from 4V to 6V, and programming voltage - ranging from 12V to 27V, the VCC variation is just for under and over voltage and some devices required VCC to 6V for programming.

That's what I used. It was.... problematic.

Hi,

I have also downloaded the QEP Service manual by Ian Burkinshaw, which I liked his documentation on the Serial I/O Cotroller, which I have partially done a schematic. with view to producing a PCB for myself.

Maybe I could so the schematic for QEP based on Ian's circuit diagram.

What is the best CAD pacakge: Eagle or KiCad or Geda ?

I have uploaded the schematics, binary and source of my QL EPROMmer to GitHub, it's at https://github.com/SinclairQL/EPROMmer.

Have fun,

Jan.

Hi,

I have got a QEPIII Eprom Programmer from Ebay, I have not tried it yet, but here are some photographs. I will dig out a QL and post pictures of the programming of eproms.

Maybe we should have a message thread like on the Stardot.org Acorn Forum for people to post messages of new QL hardware they have aquired.

Hi Derek,

Derek_Stewart wrote:What is the best CAD pacakge: Eagle or KiCad or Geda ?

Eagle is limited in size and layers unless you pay. I think they alienated a lot of users recentlybwhen they changed all the rules. I never got to grips with Eagle.

Geda I've never used.

Kicad I quite like, but it has its foibles. CERN use it and help develop it, so if it's good enough for CERN, I can probably get used to it.

For relatively simply stuff, I sometimes use Fritzing. I did a double sided board for an Arduino clone a while back. I still need to get it fabricated though.

Cheers,
Norm.

Hi,

I personally liked Eagle, but it has got all commerical. But saying that I have the professional version tunning on Linux and Wine.

I have dabbled with Altium Designer, but is a little too money for me.

KiCad and gEDA looks a developing platform and is open source.

I will update the QL Wiki with the QEPIII pictures.

Interesting shape of lines on the Eprommer PCB. I wonder whether they were made by flexible adhesive tape or even painted...

Since I know "PADS" from the past as a good PCB CAD package, "PADS Maker" also looks interesting. There is a restriction of 1500 connections and 6 layers, and the license must be renewed every year, but that looks acceptable for my hobby projects. Haven't tried yet.

I had a QEPIII, it was a good programmer, if a little limited on the eproms it could program by today's standards.

It did seem to offer the potential for expansion though, as the algorithms and circuit were published, but I could not see how you would make use of that in the current gui interface.

If you were to make more of these or even expand it's capabilities, then using a wide laned zif socket and a programmable supply might allow other devices to be programmed to - such as GAL