Projects in motion.

[Dave]

Hi all,

Now I have funds to push forward with several projects, with special thanks to two sponsors:- Doug LaVerne and Paul Holmgren, and to several other supporters and encouragers, including Tony Firshman and Rich Mellor. Due to another project, I also have additional funds so I am quite well funded to pursue some projects immediately and to completion.

I have started assembly of the (Super) Gold Card battery adaptors, which let you use a standard 2032 lithium cell on your (S)GC. I anticipate with various shipping delays, they will be available in four weeks from RWAP / SellMyRetro.com and myself.

Secondly, I am completing a batch of 50 MPlanes. These will likely be available in the same timeframe. I am also "playing with" a slightly revised design which will have five slots and an on-board PSU.

Third, I am nearly finished design verification testing of a multi-ROM card. This allows you to have two ROM images of your choice, plus the option of TK2. It uses a flash chip, and reduces the QL's power draw *significantly* and also greatly reduces the heat inside the case. It also provides battery backup for the clock. Two switches are provided at the back of the case. One enables or disables TK2 (in case you would like to use an alternate ROM image like ICE) and the other selects between the two ROM images. Examples are JS and Minerva 1.98, or MG and MGG (if you would like to use the same version but easily flick between languages.) Obviously, the QL will need to be reset for the new ROM image to become effective. This project will be open hardware.

Additionally, I have begun work on a 680X0 card to provide two simplified GC functions. It would provide a faster/wider CPU whilst extending memory. It would have a through connector so you can use your existing interface(s)...

I am working with another QLer, Petri Pellinen, to possibly bring ethernet to the QL. I could fund the production of a number of interfaces, but much needs to be in place to make things happen. Drivers need to be written, and the card really needs to be accessible from SuperBASIC. This is the most provisional of the projects, mostly because Petri has a huge workload right now, and there isn't a team put together to develop and test drivers.

I am happy to work with anyone in the QL community to make new hardware happen. If you have anything that's near completion and would be a true benefit, please contact me. I have funds to make hardware.

Finally, having checked the legalities, I have formed an entity under the 'Sandy' name, and will be releasing these items under the Sandy brand as a continuation of the product line of the original Sandy, where I was the first UK employee. My intent is not to make a profit, but to roll all proceeds into future projects for the benefit of the community.

Things are happening at last

[thorsinclair]

Compliments. This all sounds really promising and I wish you all the best and success. I didn't know tht funding was the main obstacle but would be happy to donate if this should come up again. May some others too ... Keep us informed, thank you.

[tofro]

Dave,
once you're looking into something like a GoldCard replacement, please make sure to provision some sort of up-to-date storage device on the card (I guess SD-Card would be simplest).

Regards,
Tobias

[Dave]

When I was making my list of projects, one that came up was a new batch of QubIDEs, but with a re-designed PCB that had a CF slot. I thought about making a CF carrier that would fit in the mdv slots. However, it would work out kind of expensive (around £80) so I didn't think I could sell enough to break even.

The problem I have is that the price for 5 PCBs is only $50 less than 250 PCBs. The way costs scale, the PCB will be unearthly expensive unless I order at least 100, make 50 and keep 50 for the future.

[Dave]

Compliments. This all sounds really promising and I wish you all the best and success. I didn't know tht funding was the main obstacle but would be happy to donate if this should come up again. May some others too ... Keep us informed, thank you.

Yes, funding has always been the main obstacle. My wife had a near fatal car accident and we have just recently recovered from all the medical bills. We recently got the financial mayhem behind us.

(I had my own severe car accident in 1994 - I can only say the EU and US reactions to this type of crisis are completely different.)

[tofro]

When I was making my list of projects, one that came up was a new batch of QubIDEs, but with a re-designed PCB that had a CF slot. I thought about making a CF carrier that would fit in the mdv slots. However, it would work out kind of expensive (around £80) so I didn't think I could sell enough to break even.

Dave,
I was not thinking about an additional mass storage driver card, but instead placing the thing on the "GoldCard II". The original GoldCard used to have floppy disk support, but that would be outdated today. If you worry about cost, the components supporting the SD card could be made optional

Regards,
Tobias

[dilwyn]

My feeling is that although floppy disks are obsolete, many of us will still have large numbers of programs on floppy disk.

I was quite excited when Adrian Ives and Peter Graf were discussing their SD card interface but disappointed when Adrian withdrew from the market. The obsolescence of floppy disks combined with the widespread use of flash memory cards makes me think that a dual purpose expansion is the way forward, Gold Card with Qubide and either a SD or CF card interface or a sufficiently flexible IDE interface that could allow plug in card adaptors to be used.

However you decide to go with these types of projects, good luck with them.

[Dave]

My take on this is that floppy support is required, but that everyone already has an interface that supports floppies.

The card I'm looking at would be kept deliberately simple - a 68EC020, a chunk of RAM and the needed glue logic.

I have been looking at the pPropQL020 design too - which replaces the very dated video hardware with a propellor IC which gives VGA output. I'm hoping to talk with the designer and see what options we have to add some interfaces then make a few. Link: http://propeller.wikispaces.com/pPropQL020.

[Dave]

I was quite excited when Adrian Ives and Peter Graf were discussing their SD card interface but disappointed when Adrian withdrew from the market.

I would be happy to manufacture those, if given the opportunity.

[Mr_Navigator]

Dave,
once you're looking into something like a GoldCard replacement, please make sure to provision some sort of up-to-date storage device on the card (I guess SD-Card would be simplest).

Regards,
Tobias

I've recently seen a QL setup somewhere on the web where a guy has just that thing plugged in on top of a Gold Card