The Sinclair QL Forum

Brane2 wrote:

Peter wrote: The 68030 delivers less instructions per clock than the TG68K.C FPGA core, so I find it pointless. If speed is desired, it has to be the 68060.

Is raw speed really desired ?

I don't know. But you seemed to desire speed, and then the 68030 makes no sense.

Brane2 wrote:I've seen 68SEC000 for $5-ish and 68030 for less than $10.
This makes such projects affordable and thus more likely to see some adoption.

No. An FPGA is needed anyway, so wasting extra money plus board space and design work, only to slow down the machine, is still pointless for me.

Brane2 wrote:QL's done on FPGAs will never be able to compete with classic hardware in any real terms.

IIRC Marcel and Daniele play with cycle accurate CPU implementations on FPGA. On a QL-style mainboard, that could be very close to the original.

Brane2 wrote: Also, constraints are part of life. Paying mucho $$$ just to expand barrier and then fight them just the same makes little sense after some point.
QL's done on FPGAs will never be able to compete with classic hardware in any real terms.

Hi,

The Q68 is implemented in an FPGA, runs SMSQ/E, which runs all QL software in the so called classic mode.

Can you tell me what software will not run?

Brane2 wrote:68030 has became available not that long after 68000.

Well... 8 years.

Brane2 wrote:With FPGA, I have to trust someone that this is real deal.
With authentic silicon it's obvious.

That would be a point if you were not going to use FPGA anyway.

Brane2 wrote:Small FPGA for peripheral stuff. You can't really do an 68000 in isp4000V.

Not long ago, your machine included HDMI, so I was of course assuming something like ECP5.

Brane2 wrote:Is it cheap and open source ?

The CPU inside the Q68 has always been open source:
https://github.com/TobiFlex/TG68K.C
Actually more open than a 68030

SMSQ/E has also been open source for quite a while.

"Cheap" is relative. At least cheaper than building a QLish machine with 68020 hardware. (Talking projects that materialized.)

Brane2 wrote:At the end of the day, "cheap" is what market accepts as such.

Then the Q68 is cheap Acceptance was awesome given the tiny QL scene and lack of ads.

£150.00 and from Derek.

Brane2 wrote:Open sauce ?

Only the CPU and the operating system. I share the rest with friends occasionally, but don't publish.

Brane2 wrote:DO I have to joins some Freemason lounge or something to get to the site ?

Just write Derek a message here. The Q68 is not advertised to limit the amount of work somewhat.

Brane2 wrote:Also, it doesn't have crucial periphery - decent output to a monitor etc etc.

It has VESA 1024x768 VGA output. IMO still the best standard for retro computing.
Many peripherals, even ethernet with driver support, unlike all other QL hardware.

Brane2 wrote:For this kind of money one can get friggin ECP5 board with double gigabit NIC PHYs, RAM etc. And PCIe slot.

Yes. Go for it and see how QL-style your result will be. If you ever finish something and the evaluation board is still for sale then.
And good luck implementing PCIe and gigabit ethernet on a 68K CPU with QL OS.