The Sinclair QL Forum

Bit timing for QL network is about 11.2us or 11200ns. I guess you should be fine...

FrancoisLanciault wrote:Here I see 10ns

https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/ ... -ND/950588

A bit too close to the acceptable speed ?

It's fine, you are on the safe side.

This requirement is unrelated to the QLNET bit timings. The diode is to protect the FPGA pin from overvoltage and overshoot.

(The diode also has a nice "signal shaping" side effect on the overall QL network, when analyzed with a scope. But that's not why it is required.)

I have built the adaptor using the 1N5819 and it does not work

Q68 did not explode and is still working great.

Will need to investigate.

Hi,

If you want post photographs of thd Network adapter, maybe we can sort out your problem.

Derek_Stewart wrote:Hi,

If you want post photographs of thd Network adapter, maybe we can sort out your problem.

Here it is.

Your VCC, GND and QLNET pins on the connector are correct.
Sorry if I ask something too obvious, but are you aware the Q68 network driver is not part of SMSQ/E and needs to be loaded separately?
http://www.dilwyn.me.uk/q68/ndq68_v305.zip

Peter wrote:Your VCC, GND and QLNET pins on the connector are correct.
Sorry if I ask something too obvious, but are you aware the Q68 network driver is not part of SMSQ/E and needs to be loaded separately?
http://www.dilwyn.me.uk/q68/ndq68_v305.zip

I agree this is the first thing to check! Yes the driver was loaded and I made sure it was with a PRINT net_vers$ and PRINT net%.

Also I first made sure network communication was working between my GoldCard and superGoldCard QLs then tried both the Q68 pluged to the GC QL and Q68 + SGC. As an possible clue, the network light activity on the SGC Aurora board lights up as soon as the Q68 is pluged to the network. This is not normal as it is normally off and blinks only when there is some activity through the connection.
F.

Hi,

Your circuitlooks okay, can you verfiy if the connections to the socket are corrdct, they is a switch on the sockets.

The Q68 Net Driver uses the Programmable LED for network activity. When FSERVE is enteredon the Q68, the Programmable Yellow LED should be not illuminated if no network activity.

I used a wired connection with shtink wrap insulation, the network connection worked first time, using the Q68 as a server to a Tetroid TDI QL, playing Voyage of the Beano from the Q68.

The reverse worked as well using the Trump Card QL as a Server loaded the same game from a network directory on the Tetroid TDI QL CF Card.

Hi,

Additional information:

The following program:

10 open#5, neto_0
20 for i=1 to 1000
30 print#5,"Broadcast to another computer"
40 end for i
50 close#5

Will run for 9 iterations (until buffer is full) and will hang on the Q68 with the yellow light ON when my interface is not installed. I htink this is normal behavior, as my SGC does the same thing. However, if I install my interface, with or without a cable attached to one of its socket, the program behave the same, but the yellow light stays blank. Can someone know what sould be the light behavior with this program on the Q68 with and without the interface installed ? Also, as said earlier, the network light indicator on the Aurora board lights up as soon as power is applied on the Q68, without any network command issued on one end or the other.

Looks like there is something wrong with my interface. Could it be the diode ? I can probe signal at the output of the socket with a scope if it could be of any help.

François

Hi François,

The Q68 Programmable Yellow LED is only illuminated when there is data on the QL Network.

There is clearly a problem, as the Aurora Network LED should act in the same way as thd Q68 LED, only be illuminsted when the Network is in use.

The QL Network adapters I made all followed Peter's schematic. It might be a good idea to replace the diode with the value stated.

Are the connections to the Network sockets correct?