The Sinclair QL Forum

The Minerva keyboard driver including source is now available on my GitHub repository: https://github.com/janbredenbeek/QIMSI-KBD

Jan

Peter,

Do you see any problem using your QIMSI Interface with a Aurora board (assuming the correct ROM interface converter) ?

Francois

janbredenbeek wrote: Mon Oct 09, 2023 4:40 pm The Minerva keyboard driver including source is now available on my GitHub repository: https://github.com/janbredenbeek/QIMSI-KBD

Many thanks Jan! Fantastic job!

There is a small mistake in the description, however. You write "QIMSI has a micro-USB keyboard connector, but currently only accepts pure PS/2 keyboards". This is not correct. QIMSI does of course work with PS/2-USB combo keyboards! Which is also the more intended kind of keyboard for QIMSI. It does not require a PS/2 to USB converter then. I tried to make that a little clearer in the manual.

I can recommend the KeySonic mini keyboard ACK-595C+ for example. Available from Amazon, Reichelt, etc.

janbredenbeek wrote: Mon Oct 09, 2023 4:40 pm The Minerva keyboard driver including source is now available on my GitHub repository: https://github.com/janbredenbeek/QIMSI-KBD

Jan

Hi Jan,

Does the PS/2 keyboard and the QL keyboard work together?

If so maybe a numeric pad can be added to the QL.

Derek_Stewart wrote: Mon Oct 09, 2023 9:37 pm Does the PS/2 keyboard and the QL keyboard work together?

I think it is quite clear that one has to switch the active keyboard by BASIC commands.

Peter wrote: Mon Oct 09, 2023 6:45 pm Many thanks Jan! Fantastic job!

There is a small mistake in the description, however. You write "QIMSI has a micro-USB keyboard connector, but currently only accepts pure PS/2 keyboards". This is not correct. QIMSI does of course work with PS/2-USB combo keyboards! Which is also the more intended kind of keyboard for QIMSI. It does not require a PS/2 to USB converter then. I tried to make that a little clearer in the manual.

Oops, sorry... Corrected that section.
Note that it also has been forked to the SinclairQL repositories on GitHub.

By the way: Since QIMSI has been released now, will the new SMSQ/E version 3.39 with QIMSI support be released too? Wolfgang's site still shows 3.38.

Jan

Derek_Stewart wrote: Mon Oct 09, 2023 9:37 pm Does the PS/2 keyboard and the QL keyboard work together?

Unfortunately not, since there can only be one keyboard decoding routine active at a time under Minerva.
(as I wrote earlier, the first build contained a bug that caused both keyboards to be active, and typing on the PS/2 keyboard resulted in characters being entered that not even remotely resembled the keys pressed).

FrancoisLanciault wrote: Mon Oct 09, 2023 6:45 pm Do you see any problem using your QIMSI Interface with a Aurora board (assuming the correct ROM interface converter) ?

What I'm not 100% sure about is the electrical behaviour with all possible backplanes, especially large ones, as I have no opportunity to test.

But with Aurora itself, I see no problem at all. Just make sure the address range $C000 ... $FFFF is not occupied by a different device.

janbredenbeek wrote: Mon Oct 09, 2023 10:30 pm Oops, sorry... Corrected that section.

Many thanks! Awesome achievement.
I didn't expect the external keyboard feature to become very popular, but with your driver, it's a different story.

janbredenbeek wrote: Mon Oct 09, 2023 10:30 pm By the way: Since QIMSI has been released now, will the new SMSQ/E version 3.39 with QIMSI support be released too? Wolfgang's site still shows 3.38.

Yes. Wolfgang told me he needs some more time, so the other release targets also get ready.

Hi Peter.
First of all let me say thank for this great add on (just ordered one to Stephan ). I have two questions:
Is the QIMSI compatible whit qubide + hard disk (or DOM)?
Is the QIMSI compatible with Marcel QL-SD?
Thank you for your answer, your time and your great work.
Ciao.
Marco