QL-SD

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Which QL-SD variant would you prefer

QL-SD ROM with one big SD sockets
17
31%
QL-SD ROM with two microSD sockets
24
44%
Internal QL-SD with microSD board
4
7%
Internal QL-SD with single SD board
10
18%
 
Total votes: 55

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mk79
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Re: QL-SD

Post by mk79 »

bwinkel67 wrote:I also saw (maybe on that same video) that these cards run Linux...is that true?
Amazingly even non-Wifi cards have pretty beefy microcontrollers on board (according to one source "A memory card’s embedded microcontroller is often a heavily modified Intel 8051 or ARM CPU that approaches 100 MHz performance levels and has several hardware accelerators on-die.". At least the Transcend and PQI Wifi cards definitely use Linux, the others will probably, too.
However, I do think it is somewhat pertinent to what Marcel was asking since, if it is viable to use on the QL it perhaps changes other's minds on the format of the SD-ROM card as it did mine since, for now, only the larger SD card sizes support it.
But there was a MicroSD to SD adapter listed above by Stephen, so going MicroSD does not automatically prelude using a bigger SD card apparently.
Addendum....and I just found this. Doesn't have an on/off switch though:

https://www.192pc.com/product/original- ... apter-set/
Nice. I found this one https://de.aliexpress.com/item/4000313946945.html, but apparently it can only do HotSpot mode and not connect into the normal network.


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bwinkel67
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Re: QL-SD

Post by bwinkel67 »

mk79 wrote:]But there was a MicroSD to SD adapter listed above by Stephen, so going MicroSD does not automatically prelude using a bigger SD card apparently.
Oh, I missed that....buuuut, that would make for a unwieldy looking contraption behind the QL :) Still, at least microSD interface could be addressed that way.
Nice. I found this one https://de.aliexpress.com/item/4000313946945.html, but apparently it can only do HotSpot mode and not connect into the normal network.
Unfortunately from what I gather the FlashAir is one of the few that may work (Transcent may be another). It seems 3-D printer folks have worked with getting information to them via the FlashAir card (and you need v3 or v4). I just haven't found any other card yet that seems to work as a mini file server.


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mk79
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Re: QL-SD

Post by mk79 »

Well, https://www.ebay.de/itm/Sinclair-QL-QL-SD/164282399738 wants 105€ for a used QL-SD. Even I find that steep :-P

In other news, I've ordered a few more PCBs of the external version for further tests.


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Chr$
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Re: QL-SD

Post by Chr$ »

mk79 wrote:Well, https://www.ebay.de/itm/Sinclair-QL-QL-SD/164282399738 wants 105€ for a used QL-SD. Even I find that steep :-P

In other news, I've ordered a few more PCBs of the external version for further tests.
I'll wait then. Any chance of a testy one before you go into mass-production? ;)


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Derek_Stewart
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Re: QL-SD

Post by Derek_Stewart »

mk79 wrote:Well, https://www.ebay.de/itm/Sinclair-QL-QL-SD/164282399738 wants 105€ for a used QL-SD. Even I find that steep :-P

In other news, I've ordered a few more PCBs of the external version for further tests.
Hi,

Looks a little too much, but if the QL-SD is worth that much, why stop production.

I would like one or two internal QL-SD interface for QL I have, but there seems no more internal interfaces available, looks like I have to make my own.


Regards,

Derek
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mk79
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Re: QL-SD

Post by mk79 »

Because there is much manual work involved in producing these, too much to simply outsource to China or whatever. Yesterday I asked a cable manufacturer in China for a quote on the (very simple) QL-VGA cable which so far I've all done by hand. Minimum order is 200 cables. I don't expect to ever sell that many, but I'll probably still order them as creating the cables is such a pain otherwise.

Also, there is pretty certainly not enough demand to mass produce both the internal and external version, so I'll concentrate on the one that is easier to produce (plus has more features).


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mk79
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Re: QL-SD

Post by mk79 »

Chr$ wrote:I'll wait then. Any chance of a testy one before you go into mass-production? ;)
This is a prototype that I'll have to build by hand. After that maybe there will be a limited run of a few pre-soldered PCBs that can be distributed to testers.


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mk79
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Re: QL-SD

Post by mk79 »

mk79 wrote:Because there is much manual work involved in producing these, too much to simply outsource to China or whatever. Yesterday I asked a cable manufacturer in China for a quote on the (very simple) QL-VGA cable which so far I've all done by hand. Minimum order is 200 cables. I don't expect to ever sell that many, but I'll probably still order them as creating the cables is such a pain otherwise.
Corona strikes again. Shipping rates have gone up so much that shipping of the cables alone costs 200USD as 200 cables apparently do weight a bit. That did take me by surprise frankly.


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mk79
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Re: QL-SD

Post by mk79 »

Just a small update, the hand-built prototype seems to work at least (still somewhat a bitch to solder) and already resulted in a few design changes. Now I need to update the core and software a bit more.
QLSD_ROM_Top_m.jpg
QLSD_ROM_Bottom_m.jpg


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Chr$
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Re: QL-SD

Post by Chr$ »

mk79 wrote:Just a small update, the hand-built prototype seems to work at least (still somewhat a bitch to solder) and already resulted in a few design changes. Now I need to update the core and software a bit more.
Looks great. Obviously I'll have one when ready. Just send the bits, I'll solder them on. I can also test with 2 UK QLs at the moment (and 3 German, but they're pretty much all the same).


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Ask me about felt pads - I can cut them to size and they have proved excellent for mdv data recovery.
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