The Sinclair QL Forum

I'm wondering:

... if there's any way to use the serial or printer ports on
a PC to transfer software from my QXL PC (P3) to my
Thinkpad or Toshiba running QLay in DOS ... ?

Can "we" get a DOS QL emulator (QLay) "talking" to a QXL
running SMSQ directly thru the serial ports of the respective
machines somehow?

I have Laplink serial cables - which are null cables wired
up for data transfer ... so in theory it could be done ...

Now, if only there was some sort of terminal program or
a Lap-Link for QL ... guess I need more programming skills !

A bit of a ramble, but it's an idea ... my laptop running
QLay doesn't appear to have SERNET connections, so using
the network stuff probably won't work ... or will it?

Hi,

The serial ports on a QL can be connected via a standard Null Modem lead and the extension called SIMSER loaded. This adds Serial Port extensions STX/SRX which allows connection to other SMSQ/E machines via Sernet.

On a QL only SER1, SER2 can reliably operate on Sernet at 9600 Baud, raising the serial speed any higher gives data errors.

Superhermes SER3 can not be used on Sernet, as there is no STX/SRX extensions for it, otherwise, a QL with Superhermes would connect the highest Serial Port speed and is faster then the QL Network Speed.

I used to have Q60 <-> QPC2 <-> Atari ST Emulator <-> QXL

This needs a special cable, but is easy to make.

The base SerNET Baud rate is based on the slowest machine, in the the above example the QXL can only connect at 38400 Baud. But it all worked fine.

Hiya Derek - we meet again !

So, how "special" is this cable?

Will one wired to work with PCAnywhere - a remote control program - work
the same as the cable you are describing?

As far as I know, the wires are set up so that they are "crossed" like a null
modem cable, so that the handshaking can be used between two PCs.

Making cables wasn't my best ability, but I can always try to use what I have
and see if my 2 machines can "talk" thru the QL emulators (via the QXL).

If I run into difficulties, I'll be back - and even if I don't, I will return
and post my findings ... this would be a good learning experience.

I'll start with a simple text transfer, and work my way up in complexity
as I learn things ... hopefully, I'll be able to document what I do and
share it with everyone - so others will gain from it.