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Hello from germany!
Posted: Wed Jan 08, 2014 5:02 pm
by MrReset
Hi there,
my first computer was a ZX Spectrum with an unbeliavable 48k of memory. But that was 1984!
I enjoyed the Speccy, but it got out of order in 1987 and a new computer has to be chosen:
A Spectrum 128k? A QL? But in the end my brother and myself purchased an AMIGA 500 ... But in my heart I ever dreamed of a QL, despite the microdrive. But after the AMIGA the pc-era begun, and it lasted until today.
BUT, I waited nearly 30 years and I got my QL on ebay.de: A "german" QL, with german documentation and up to now no other additions - apart from the PSION Software and the game "Reversi".
I've found this forum and of course there are plenty of questions in my mind:
What variant could my QL be? Is this possible to track via serial-number on the back?
I connect the video-output via antenna-cable to my CRT-TV, but the picture-quality is mediocre:
Is it possible to connect the video-output to the SCART-Connector via an adaptor?
Is it possible to connect the video-output to a VGA-monitor via an adaptor?
Is it possible to connect a 3,5" Diskdrive to the QL?
Is it possible to connect a HardDiskdrive to the QL?
Thanks for your patience and help!
Re: Hello from germany!
Posted: Wed Jan 08, 2014 5:36 pm
by Paul
Also welcome from Germany.
Hi Mr. reset,
A German QL will most probably a serial number starting with SG?
Then it's a samsung built QL. One of the last versions.
First action of you should be to expand the memory.
There are severa ways.
There are memory only boards, floppy with memory, Goldcard (68000 plus floppy plus parallel port plus ram) and Supergoldcard (same as Goldcard but with 68020)
The way you do it depends on the money you want to spend.
Kind regards
Paul
Re: Hello from germany!
Posted: Wed Jan 08, 2014 5:40 pm
by Paul
Sorry, didn't read everything.
For VGA, the gbs8200 version 4.0 ist quote good.
It will show all lines and rows in color.
Via scart I always miss something of the screen (except in tv mode F2)
With VGA it's fine.
Kind regards
Paul
Re: Hello from germany!
Posted: Wed Jan 08, 2014 6:55 pm
by RWAP
One easy way to connect the QL to a TV is to take the composite out signal from the RGB connector and make up a composite video cable - it's only 2 wires - composite video + GND.
You can also buy QL Scart cables on ebay.
However, the QL output on a TV will never show the full 512x256 resolution - that is why ideally you want to connect to a monitor - Paul's suggestion of the GBS8200 is one way around this - see :
http://www.theqlforum.com/viewtopic.php? ... it=gbs8200
As for the other questions - yes, you connect the QL to a floppy disk drive or a hard disk (or both) - but finding the required interface is not easy at the moment (although there is talk of some new floppy disk interfaces in the pipeline). Look for a Trump Card or SuperQBoard (they have built in additional memory as well as a floppy disk interface and Toolkit II).
...Toolkit II is the standard toolkit for the QL and used by a high percentage of QL software...
As for a hard drive - you are looking for a QubIDE interface (which again is not easy), or one of the new upcoming QL-SD interfaces - the QL-SD interfaces are probably worth waiting for, although you will need extra memory to use these with the QL....
see
http://www.theqlforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=698
and
http://www.theqlforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=584
Re: Hello from germany!
Posted: Wed Jan 08, 2014 7:10 pm
by vanpeebles
Hello and welcome!
Re: Hello from germany!
Posted: Fri Jan 10, 2014 12:44 pm
by MrReset
First:
Thank to all answerer for their help!
In the meantime i have purchased a GBS8200 & a TFT-Screen via Amazon and wait until it's arrives at my home. I will post some pictures!
I'm no really hardware-junkie, so I'm happy if the QL runs without problems.
But the GoldCard/SuperGoldCard seems a very good expansion for the QL, since the microdrives are not build to last!? But where to buy?
MrReset
PS:
@Paul
Danke für den Link, ist schon als Lesezeichen getagged! Ich hätte ja zurückgeschrieben, aber darf ich noch nicht ...
Re: Hello from germany!
Posted: Fri Jan 10, 2014 12:57 pm
by vanpeebles
Re: Hello from germany!
Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2014 2:34 pm
by 1024MAK
Welcome on board MrReset!
Mark
Re: Hello from germany!
Posted: Fri Jan 24, 2014 1:38 pm
by MrReset
After a little flu I'm on board again!
I've found in the QL-Package a ROM called
"CARE Electronics Supertoolkit"
I've found an entry in the QL-Wiki to this, but what is the benefit in this "Supertoolkit"?
Re: Hello from germany!
Posted: Fri Jan 24, 2014 2:50 pm
by dex
Care Electronics produced the PCB and boxes for ROM modules.
Basicaly, Supertoolkit is some kind of Toolkit II by Q-Jump.
http://www.rwapadventures.com/ql_wiki/i ... perToolkit