The Sinclair QL Forum

Hi folks,
would you like to improve your QL with...

... a digital connection to modern displays ?
... 1024 x 768 graphics resolution ?
... 65536 colors ?
... a 40 MHz 68000 compatible CPU running Minerva and SMSQ/E ?
... 32 MB RAM ?
... a buffered realtime clock ?
... a 115200 Baud serial port ?
... all the features of QIMSI, just faster ?

If the answer is yes, let me bring you the new "Gold Card" for your QL - QIMSI Gold !

In the year of the 40th QL anniversary, this little surprise for the QL ROM port awaits you:
„QIMSI Gold“ has borrowed the second part of its name from the famous Miracle Systems „Gold Card“. It comes with the same intention to upgrade the QL with much more speed and memory. But ist also removes the traditional Gold Card's biggest shortcoming, the dependency on the QL internal graphics. QIMSI Gold provides it's own, much better graphics controller instead.

QIMSI Gold supports the QL matrix keyboard and Joystick with it's accelerated CPU, but currently not the microdrives. Unlike the Miracle Systems Gold Card, QIMSI Gold does not switch off the QL's 68008 CPU, but uses it as a coprocessor. And it uses state of the art electronics for lowest power consumption and very small size. You can have a look at more details in the attached QIMSI Gold manual.

I admit, the idea to use the ROM port instead of the extension slot is a little crazy, but it works... and it comes with the advantage that we can keep older QL extensions in place and easily switch back. QIMSI Gold remains 100% compatible with the standard QIMSI, so it can still just act as an SD card and mouse interface for old hardware.

I would like to thank Stephan, Jan, Martyn and Wolfgang for their fantastic support. Stephan helped to iron out a very strange hardware problem, that almost drove me crazy. Without him, I might have given up on digital video and fall back to VGA. Also Stephan laid the foundation for matrix keyboard support (only UK and DE supported yet).

QIMSI Gold will be launched with a public release at the international QL meeting on May 17/18/19 in Dormagen. So if you want the chance to get hands on one, you now have one more reason to join us there!

All the best
Peter

Update 23-05-2024: User Manual
Update 15-01-2025: Spanisch keyboard driver now available: viewtopic.php?t=5103

I had a feeling it would be based on the QIMSI. What else were the space at the top left edge and the unpopulated chip bottom right going to be . Nice work, I look forward to having a play.

Hi,

What wonderful development, the QIMSI GOLD has more features than I would ever dreamed about.

Unfortuneatley, I can not attend public launch of QIMSI GOLD, due now being a full time carer for an elderly relative, which taking most of my time every day of the week.

I am really fed up I can not attend, but I would be grateful, if you reserve a QIMSI GOLD for me. The expansion facilities look excellent.

I must congratulate all who developed this.

This is fantastic. Will there be a waitlist for it? If there is, please add me to it!

Marcus

Derek_Stewart wrote: Fri Apr 26, 2024 10:23 pm I am really fed up I can not attrnd, but I woukd be grateful, if you reserve a QIMDI GOLD for me. The expansion facilities look excellent.

Hi Derek, we will miss you a lot! I will try to reserve one for you.

Astonishing update...so happy to be there at the meeting to get one(2? )
If I understand well Qimsi Gold is a Q68 to insert into the QL Rom Port and the original QL is used just as power supply, dont you?

See you soon....

Amazing news! Impossible is nothing for you guys!!!

Looking forward to use it. Unfortunately I cannot travel to Germany on the event dates. I hope there will be some available after that.

Thank you for keeping QL alive

bixio60 wrote: Fri Apr 26, 2024 10:34 pm If I understand well Qimsi Gold is a Q68 to insert into the QL Rom Port and the original QL is used just as power supply, dont you?

Wrong! QIMSI Gold already uses the QL matrix keyboard and joystick with the accelerated CPU. As well as gimmicks like the QL speaker. Microdrives are not supported yet, but who knows how development continues. QIMSI Gold emulates a ROM for the 68008 the from SD card. That makes development of further hardware support much easier. Also, the keyboard interface and the two 512 Bytes FIFOs provide good connectivity into the QL mainboard. And don't forget that all the standard QIMSI features remain. Obviously, a Q68 using the QL as power supply does not provide all this.

This is really great news, Peter! Now I know what i want for my birthday!
Well, my birthday was today, so if there is a waiting list please sign me up! I want want to buy me a birthday present

Andrew wrote: Fri Apr 26, 2024 11:45 pm This is really great news, Peter! Now I know what i want for my birthday!
Well, my birthday was today, so if there is a waiting list please sign me up! I want want to buy me a birthday present

Wow! Thanks. Happy birthday to you!
There is no list yet. We struggle to even be ready for the launch at the QL meeting.