The Sinclair QL Forum

Nice thread, thanks for all the contribution and feedback.

Here's a ZIP file with all what I needed to change in Hatari to make SMSQ/E boot from the QLWA WIN container QLE.WIN. Without the hints and assistence from Markus Dettwiler I would have failed to get it working.

Thanks a lot! I can't wait to see the next step with the Atari ST / Ultrasatan compatible image.

About the configuration files: I fail to understand what do you mean with "QLE_cfg to be copied to WIN1_ (QLE.WIN)"

Do we need to copy this config file in the QLE.WIN file itself?

guibrush wrote:Thanks a lot! I can't wait to see the next step with the Atari ST / Ultrasatan compatible image.

Chances are there that I will have an hour or two tomorrow to Install QVME in my TT or STE.
Re. Ultrasatan, I first need to buy one.

guibrush wrote: About the configuration files: I fail to understand what do you mean with "QLE_cfg to be copied to WIN1_ (QLE.WIN)"

Do we need to copy this config file in the QLE.WIN file itself?

QLE_cfg is from the "QL side" side of QL/E, it is located on device WIN1_ (inside the virtual WINchester disk drive container file named QLE.WIN).

With QL/E on a PC, just place this file to the \e\ folder in the \THE_DISTRIBUTION\ folder on the "PC side", then on the "QL side" e.g. under QPC2 simply COPY it:
COPY HFS6_QLE_cfg to WIN1_QLE_cfg

Or ConFiGure your QL/E by your own, calling the PROCedure CFG in the S*BASIC CLI.

Hi,

All you need to do, is put the QLE.WIN file in a directory and point the Hatari SCSI device 0, to the file.

The QL/E WIN file will on be recognised if the Hatari emulator System is con as TT computer.

I have tried in vain to get any other Atari configuration to run, SMSQ/E boots up but does not recognise the SCSI or ASCI device to the QLE.WIN file.
I tried a ICD SCSI driver to try and link the ASCSI to the SCSI, but the emulator is not recognising the QWA file as a SCSI device. This may work on real Atari Hardware, but not the emulator.
Floppy disk images seem to work OK, but not the hard disk images, uless the System is: TT

Once QL/E is running, SMSQ/E uses monochrome mode, there is a slight configuration problem, as SMSQ/E only has Black and White colours. The colours between Black and White show differing shadings, Green is unreadable in some cases. On a real Atari TT or Mega STE, with QVME fitted, there are 4 colours, so not a real problem.

I guess QL/E needs to be altered to run with the SMSQ/E Monochrome driver.

I will get my TT030 out to see what is happening and the Atari STFM mode 8 Emulator, which should run OK.

@ QLvsJAGUAR
Thanks, now I understand. I give a try. For the Ultra Satan, you can have for some weeks if you need one to try out, I'm in Switzerland too, postage fee isn't a problem. If this can help to have a working SMS/Q image for the ST, I'm happy to help
I will be happy if you can send me the files for the SMS2 cartridge
@ Derek

Ok, thanks for the effort. I'm curious to see what you can achieve on the TT.

Hi,

Here is an Atari ST Cartridge that I have been given back, that connects to the Cartridge port of an Atari ST and boots into SMS2.

The 17" TFT VGA monitor uses a ST to VGA adapter sold by Cool Novities.

The Atari boots in to Mono high resolution mode:
My apologies for the rubbish photographs.

The system seems to work on all Atari ST.

I have just got find a way to update the system with SMSQ/E

I expect that the SMS2 cartridge is pure ROM cartridge.
But I'm not sure, is its content available anywhere?

dex wrote: ↑Tue Mar 26, 2024 11:56 am I expect that the SMS2 cartridge is pure ROM cartridge.
But I'm not sure, is its content available anywhere?

Ditto, tempted to get SidecarT

Edit: Bought one. Also allows floppy images from SD card as well as rom images.

I do not the make up of the SMS2 Cartridge, but I was told there was some custom electronics in the cartridge.

I have some " Pure Cartridges" with SMSQ/EVLevel E Driver code, which boots into standard Atari Cartridge drive.

SMSQ/E will start the Atari in a QL mode in Atari mono Hi Rez mode.

The side car idea is great, just need to make DMSQE run on a RPI...

The SMS2 cartridge was a fairly clever design. It is not a pure ROM cartridge. It uses two Atmel
flash programmable and erasable read only memory (PEROM) chips + control logic. It was designed such that SMS2 can be assembled by the user in a modular form and then written to the cartridge using the Atari ROM port.

The cartridge contains 128Kbytes of memory. This is enough memory to hold the kernel, drivers, including networking software, the widowing user interface, runtime QL compatible BASIC system and enough applications to make the system useable on startup.

Once programmed some of the PEROM memory is useable as read/write storage from SMS2 itself. (like SD storage in today's systems)

Once programmed a complete and useable SMS2 system is installed on Atari switch-on. Further software can be loaded automatically from either floppy or hard disc as defined, by the user, in a file held in PEROM.

The most useful additional software, not included in the cartridge, is a QL compatible BASIC programming environment. It is this environment that I now use in my various SMSQE setups. (PC, PI and Q68). ie not the BASIC that is built into SMSQE.

I attach:-
(Again I think) The SMS2 user manual as PDF auto-translated from a Microsoft Word document and thus contains minor translate errors.

A copy of a document I found, probably written by Tony Tebby, extolling the virtues of SMS2. It was probably OCRed because it was full of errors and unformatted. Bearing in mind that I do not fully comprehend the document, I have edited (in .rtf) it as best I can, such that it is readable, and not such that it is accurate. I would have to find the original document to do that.
(Note:- I may have already done this in the past.)

A screen shot of SMS2 in PEROM running on a PC.