The Sinclair QL Forum

Result!

Whenever I replace an IC in any QL I always add a socket first.

Clive did have a proclivity for buying reject chips. Oh the stories!

It might be an option to simply make a replacement GC/SGC board and transfer the chips across from a donor to separate A18/A19? Such a board would likely be quite cheap to assemble as it's just passives, sockets and an LDO.

We originally screen printed these over black hi-tack paint. A few of them got a layer of clear coat at the time - I think two or three as Julia wanted one that was glossy. I thought it was a bit tacky using a Commodore-associated font.

Anyhow, yes, if you design it as a PCB, then order 5 and clear ...

For ease of use and longevity, would sprung pins be better than a pin header, with the SD carrier having contact plates onto which the pins press?


Pogo pins are too fragile. I tried regular pins. They do wear loose. I have decided to try spring leaf tabs on the underside, like the spring leaf ...

I had an idea for placing a pin header beside the tape head. This would allow a microdrive cartridge to use the bay, and an SD card to use it too. You shouldn't have to give up your microdrives to use an SD card in the same bay.

The SD card would go in a 3D printed microdrive adaptor.

This is on ...

I know a few of you have pulled microdrive units out of your QLs to use SD cards or microdrive emulators instead. I'm looking for a few microdrive units to upgrade/refurb into something next level.

If you'd like your microdrive unit to see a second life doing something next level, ping me and we ...

There is a mod that can use a different serial level shifter (ADM208EAR) with onboard +/- generation. With that mod the board can be 5V only with working serial. The existing 1488/1489 are as used on the original QL and do need the +/-12V generated off-chip.

It is more efficient and clean to do this by adding a wire link to the board than by using a whole other 5V PSU, if it's going into a system that has been permanently converted to run directly off 5V and the SGC won't be floating between systems.

There are cases where the Miracle anointed way is ...

I do not understand why the there was a wire soldered to bypass the 5V regulator, when Miracle Systems fitted a external voltage connector to allow operation with an Aurora.

But the previous owner of the SGC must read somewhere that shorting the Voltage on the SGC allows operation with an Aurora ...

Yes, that is a modded SGC with a link shorting the 9.5V DC input rail to the 5V regulator output. Unfortunately, even after the briefest period, the ICs are likely toast. If you're very lucky a RAM will have failed short first. Either way, everything is replaceable and a duplicate INGOT can be ...