The Sinclair QL Forum

Some news regarding my work with and on the QL-SD interface.

https://www.kilgus.net/2018/03/29/ql-sd-news/

You can comment here, there, via eMail, carrier pigeon, whatever you like.

Cheers, Marcel

Well done Marcel.. Once I have my QL gear out of storage I'd like one of these.

Wayne..

Great stuff, Marcel! Further comments posted on your blog...

This is exciting.

This also kills my QL-SD card, as I will not compete with an existing same-functionality product - especially one that is likely to be much better supported than mine. I'll shelve my external QL-SD.

Please put me on the list for one.

Dave wrote:This also kills my QL-SD card, as I will not compete with an existing same-functionality product - especially one that is likely to be much better supported than mine.

As the circuitry is identical, and Marcel has pledged to upload his logic changes, I can see no difference in support.

Obviously, I personally prefer the internal solution for aesthetic reasons, but I am sure there is also demand for an external QL-SD. The reasoning was explained by Rich Mellor before.

If I could simply buy an external QL-SD, I would even want one myself. It is a quick and simple solution for QLs where it is not convenient to open the case or remove a microdrive. It is also cheaper, because it saves the second PCB and the cable.

I can understand, if external QL-SD has not highest priority among many projects. But I don't believe that this has killed it.

It’s more a case of Marcel is immediately working on QL-SD and has skills that are relevant to it. He can support and improve it into the future where I can only reproduce it. It would be silly for me to compete with him. I’m not going to compete with a person who can do a better job than me - it’s not in the interest of QL-SD or the users. People deserve that it be the best it can be.

mk79 wrote:Some news regarding my work with and on the QL-SD interface.

https://www.kilgus.net/2018/03/29/ql-sd-news/

You can comment here, there, via eMail, carrier pigeon, whatever you like.

Cheers, Marcel

Hi, Marcel.

Good work!

Please put me down for two units (one for a 640KB QL, the other for a SGC QL).

John Hall

Dave wrote:It’s more a case of Marcel is immediately working on QL-SD and has skills that are relevant to it. He can support and improve it into the future where I can only reproduce it. It would be silly for me to compete with him.

Marcel has already ordered a batch of PCBs, his hardware can be considered fixed and electrically identical. So if Marcel "is immediately working", the external QL-SD interface gets the same software/PLD updates, not falling behind in any way. Marcel has obviously decided not to introduce incompatibilities. Even the existing interfaces can be updated, and so can be yours. No competition here whatsoever.

The only "competition" would be on the QL mass storage "market" in general, but have a closer look:

(A) Some people want an internal interface. They can at the moment not get it, so a few of them would have bought your external interface instead. Those are lost customers by the new situation.

(B) Some people want an external interface. This market is now enlarged with GC and SGC users. Those are additional customers by the new situation.

A reasonable assessment compares A and B. Nothing silly in that.

You work on too many projects at once, but that problem is not caused by Marcel's news. I wanted an external QL-SD, and to be honest, I'm now a little disappointed. I had at least some hope you finish it this year.

Good news!! Congratulations Marcel.

Please put me on the list for one (with dual-card adapter version it would be fine).

I have an original QL-SD, so I am also interested in an update.

Peter wrote:(B) Some people want an external interface. This market is now enlarged with GC and SGC users. Those are additional customers by the new situation.

Yes, that would be a very desirable option.