QLvsJAGUAR wrote:Both SER ports should have male DE-9 with pin assignments 1:1 to common PC standard, so that one can buy/get a PC RS232 device (mouse, printer, null-modem-cable, etc) and use it without hassle (as long as baud rate matches).
That would also make it fully compatible to Q40, Q60 and Q68. Still I'm reluctant to recommend the PC pinout - I understand the Tx as a strict retro board, so it makes some sense to keep original QL equipment like printers, printer interfaces or QL-taylormade serial cables directly usable.
QLvsJAGUAR wrote:Please keep the internal Microdrives.
Yes please. It's essential for a board like this.
QLvsJAGUAR wrote:Please also keep QL NET. It is very useful to connect QLs together and also share data with QXL-PCs and CST Thors.
Yes please. Not to forget the Q68 - which probably has more active users than QXL and Thor these days.
QLvsJAGUAR wrote:Regarding the AY3-89x, nice would be an on Tx board implementation of a let's say AY-3-8910A similar and compatible to the QSOUND expansion card.
I differ here - to only integrate new sound seems a totally arbitrary choice. Others might prefer QIMI (or other mouse port) integration, others memory expansion integration, others better video, etc. If a relatively rare card like Qsound is added, then where does the choice of features start, and where does it end?
For my taste,
this board should remain close to the QL, a replacement with moderate improvements for quality and manufacturablity, but no feature creep. I'm not against a new mainboard that massively upgrades the QL - but that would be a totally different project in my opinion.