Subject: QL FAQ part 1: hardware
From: [email-masked] (Robert H. Klein)
Date: 8 Aug 1994 06:14:45 GMT
Newsgroups: comp.sys.sinclair

1 QL, QL Clones Hardware

1.1 QL

   Two main versions of the QL's PC board were used.  The first
QL's used issue 5 of the PCB, which had either ROM or EPROM
versions with another ROM mounted pickaback onto IC33. The second
is build standard issue 6 (volume production) which features 48k
of on-board ROM which is realised in two Chips, one 32K ROM and
one 16K ROM (Minerva uses one 48K ROM).  The main differencees
are the deletion of IC17 and IC27 and the addition of IC38 (HAL).

   It is recommended to have a QL Circuit diagram for this part
of the FAQ but it is intended to be comprehensible without.

1.1.1 The Motorola MC 68008 CPU
    IC 18

    The MC68008 is a 32-bit microprocessor with 8-bit data bus
and 20-bit adress bus.  It is the QL's main processor and
responsible for the overall timing and control of the QL.  For
more information get Motorolas data sheets (Family Reference:
M68000 FR/AD; Programmers Referenz Manual M68000 PM/AD; User's
Manual M68000 UM/AD) or read Wilf/Nausch "M 68000 Familie" pt 1&2
(I don't know if this book is available in english).

1.1.2 The Intel 8049 IPC (or 8749)
    IC 24

   The 8049 receives the RS232 interface signals, controls the
loudspeaker and joystick ports and monitors the keyboard. Instead
of the 8049 some QL's have the 8749 inside which is an EPROM
version of the 8049.

1.1.3 ZX8301 (Peripheral Control)
    IC22

   The ZX8301 is responsible for TV picture generatin, master
clock generation, system adress decode, DRAM refresh and control
of the bus receiver.

1.1.4 ZX8302 (Peripheral Chip)
    IC 23

   The ZX8302 controls all signals to and from the peripheral
devices. It supervices the following signals: - Keyboard,
Speaker, Joystick and RS232 (one half) by serial link to the 8049
IPC. - RS232 (other half), net, microdrive, real-time clovk and
interrupt control.

1.1.5 HAL/GAL 16L8
      IC 38

(The following is from a brother of mine, he used a SG18
(Samsung) QL to determine it.  Bad english is my fault.)

title    QLMOD HAL16L8
pattern  QLMOD 
revision A 
author   Michael Klein  
company  Klein  
date     9/9/93 
;--------------------------------------------------------------------- 
chip QLMOD GAL16V8 
 
; pin 1   2   3    4    5    6   7  8   9   10  
      fc1 a16 a17 /dsmc a6  /zx1 e8 e11 fc0 gnd 
 
; pin 11 12     13  14   15 16  17   18 19    20 
      d7 dsmct /vpa int /oe o1 /pcen o2 dtack vcc 
;--------------------------------------------------------------------- 
 
equations  
                   ; according to QL CIRCUIT DIAGRAM (Issue 5) 1.17
int   = e8 * e11   ; IC27 2xNAND = (serial port)
vpa   = fc0 * fc1  ; IC27 1xNAND = 0 at interrupt
dsmct = fc0 * fc1  ; IC27 1xNAND = 1 at interrupt
                   ; (behind vpa = AND with fc0, fc1
 
; ZX8302 is (in german (SG18 - Korea made)) connected directly
; with the 68008 databus  :
; The oe signal for the 74LS245 may not be active then.
;----------------------------------------------------------------------
oe    = zx1 * /pcen * dsmc
 
; New Chip Select for the ZX8302
;----------------------------------------------------------------------
pcen  = a16 * /a17 * /a6 * dsmc
 
; o1 =  pcen * /fc0  +  pcen * /fc1   ; nicht ben”tigt , test
 
; DTACK from new Chip Select.
; Also generated by the ZX8301, because it generated the pcen in
; times when the ZX8302 was connected to the CPU through the
; 74LS245.
; Now that's the job of the GAL.
;----------------------------------------------------------------------
dtack.trst = pcen
dtack = gnd 

; END QLMOD GAL16V8

1.1.6 Microdrives

   The microdrives are used as 'mass storage device' in the
Sinclair QL. As media you have little 'cartridges', which tend to
be unusable after a more or minder long period of time.  Only one
microdrive may be used at any time.  The selection of the drive
and operation type (read or write) is done under software
control.  You can write protect any cartridge by removing the
write protect tab on the micro drive cartridge.  When the tab is
removed a microswitch is released which disconnects the write
heads power supply line. Sometimes it's possible to format a
cartridge though it is write-protected.  The problem is caused by
several things which are supposed to tell you whether the
spinning MDV is write-protected (SV_WP, which is extracted from
the IPC 'info' command) tend to lie. [Oh, and surely most MDVs
could be described as 'badly made units'? <rjk1002>].

1.1.7 Power supply

   (I think I should write something about it, but I don't know
what.)

1.1.8 Build Standards, Differences

Build   | IC | ROM / EPROM | Software | Remarks
Stand.  |    | ROM   EPROM | Standard |
------------------------------------------------------------
  D6    | 33 | ---    32K  |   AH     | 16K of EPROM mounted
        | 34 | ---    16K  |          | pickaback on IC33
------------------------------------------------------------
  D7    | 33 | ---    32K  |   JM     | 16K of EPROM mounted
        | 34 | ---    16K  |          | pickaback in IC33
------------------------------------------------------------
  D8    | 33 | 32K    ---  |   AH     | ---
        | 34 | ---    16K  |          |
------------------------------------------------------------
  D9    | 33 | 32K    ---  |   AH     | ---
        | 34 | 16K    ---  |          |
------------------------------------------------------------
  D10   | 33 | ---    32K  |   JM     | ---
        | 34 | ---    16K  |          |
------------------------------------------------------------
  D11-  | 33 | 32K    ---  |   JM     | ---
  D14   | 34 | 16K    ---  |          |
------------------------------------------------------------

   If you have build standard D8 or below or D10 an upgrade to
D11 or later firmware is highly recommended.

   Build Standards D16 and higher incorporate some modifications
to improve microdrive performance.

   The last standard of britain made QL's was (at least) D17
(SQLW Apr. 87, p. 13).  Samsung QL's were of standard SG18 (I
don't know of more).

The various QL PCB's also had issue numbers which corresponded to
blocks of the D numbers:

Issue <= 4: pro-production
Issue 5 : D06 - D13
Issue 6 : D14 - D15
Issue 7 : D16 - D17.

1.2 Sandy Q-XT 640

   The Sandy Q-XT 640 had a Original QL main board with 128K RAM;
a Super QBoard with 512K RAM, Centronics printer port, Super
toolkit II, Floppy disk controller; 1 or two 3.5" drives (1MB);
a Full travel keyboard IBM-AT style; a new internal 60W switching
power supply and 3 expansion slots.

1.3 CST Thor PC (later Thor 1)

   The Thor PC had 640K RAM; 128 user EPROM space; a JS based
'extended' operating system; battery backed clock; IBM style 84
key keyboard; centronics and serial ports; mouse port; ICE +
front end; full user port at rear. 3.5" floppy disk storage;
network capability; optional 20MB harddisk. The Thor PC had a new
PCB.  Each Thor computer came with the PSION XCHANGE package
(version 3) which was an enhanced version of the PSION QL
packages.  You can run up to six tasks simultaneously,
automatically switching data between programs.  XCHANGE hat the
TSL task sequencing language to automatically control each task
via a simple program. Included with the Thor was an improved
version of the ICE computer front end.  The Thor PC came in three
variants: a) Thor PC 1F with single 720K 3.5" disk drive b) Thor
PC 2F with double 720K 3.5" disk drive c) Thor PC 2FW with 20MB
Winchester + one 720K 3.5" drive.

1.4 Sandy 68000 PC (Futura, formerly QLT; never apperared)

   The Futura had following technical details:

   a) Hardware.  MC68000 8MHz CPU; 128K exchangeable system ROM;
512K to 8MB RAM; two externam ROMPer connectors; two internal
ROMPer connectors (ROMPer/RAM bus); complete bus connector; QL
compatible display controller; two full duplex, independent baud
rate serial ports; MIDI output port; QL compatible network
through port; parallel port; mouse port; sound generator; up to
three 3.5" floppy disk drives or one 3.5" hard disk drive and up
to two floppy disk drives; battery backed real time clock;
internal PSU; 89 key IBM AT style keyboard with CAPSLOCK LED and
joystick port.

   The Futura also had 16-bit video, ie 65536 colours at a time.
(source : QLSUB#0)

   b) Software.  QDOS compatible operating system with extended
window handling, pull down and static menu handling, integrated
pointer environment and improved error reporting; a SuperBASIC
compatible programming language with faster execution and all
Supertoolkit facilities; a hotkey/mouse driven interface with
file manager, spooler and job manager.  (Tony Tebby design) (This
seems to be the beginning of all this SMS2/Ora things now)

1.5 CST Thor 20, 21

   (This parts consists of excerpts from articles and
advertisements in SQLW in 1988.)

   The Thor 20 system is based on the Motorola MC 68020 32 bit
processor with optional MC 68881 Floating Point Coprocessor and a
choice of two clock speeds (12.5 (12.0?) and 16.7 MHz). The Thor
20 was supplied with Motorola's User Manuals for the MC 68020 and
MC 68881.  Also provided was a suite of development software
comprising an extended Macro Assembler by Talent Computer Systems
which supports the full MC 68020 and MC 68881 instruction sets,
and a Linker by GST. Plus (of course) the software which already
the Thor PC came with. The Thor 21 was the Thor 20 with the FPC
option. Both came in the same three variants as the Thor PC.

1.6 CST Thor XVI

   The main processor board of the THOR XVI contains a 68000
processor running at 8 Mhz. The onboard half Megabyte of memory
is multiplexed between the processor and the video control
circuitry, which generates a superset of the QL video modes. The
expansion memory slots allow up to 6 Magabytes to be added
concurrently (with the new 4Mbit devices this will be increased
further). All input and output functions are carried out by a 2
Mhz 6802 on the I/O processor board, which is designed to be
standard across the range of THOR machines. Video pixel rate is
10.67 MHz, which allows 512 pixel per line display on a standdard
monitor without overscan. The video modes now include a 16 colour
facility for colour monitors which have an intensity input, or a
16, level grey scale in monochrome.

   The advertised "superset of QL video modes" was in fact the
two normal QL modes (512x256x4 and 256x256x8) with one extra
"MODE 12" giving 256x256 pixels in 16 colours. The promised
higer-memory expansion cards never went into production and so
the maximum memory which may be fitted to a Thor XVI is 6.5Mb.

   The QL compatible expansion slot allows the use of existing
add on cards (except memory).

   The input/output board has two type of function: interfacing
with disc storage devices and the real time clock, and providing
communications to the outside world via the mouse, serial,
parallel, keyboard and network ports.

   Floppy disc and optional SCSI interfaces are controlled
directly by the main processor as the peak data transfer rate is
high but intermittant and so causes only a low CPU overhead. Also
directly accessed by the main processor is the battery backed
real time clock (there is no CPU overhead in accessing this) and
the "User" eprom slots which are 8 bit wide for ease of
programming.

   All other I/O functions are handled by the 2MHz 68B02
microprocessor: this receives commands and data via the dual
ported ram, shared with the main processor, which only sees
"perfect" devices, Qdos compatible queues and buffers.

   It is the intelligence of the 68B02 that releases the main
processor to get on with its own work. It also provides greater
functionality: e.g. as well as "BEEP" interface to the
loadspeaker's driver, there is a queue allowing digitised sounds
to be generated and then simply sent to the I/O Board.

   The "outside world" interfaces are seen from right to left at
the front: the video output, the network ports (an enhanced
version of QNET), serial ports which support the proposed BS-5/8
(DIN connector) standard, split baud rates, x-on/x-off protocols
etc, AT compatible keyboard connector, parallel port (BBC micro
style) and a fully useraccessible mouse port.

   While fully compatible with Qdos and the QL, the Thor XVI has
enhanced networking, single key multitasking, up to 6.5 Mb of
dynamic ram and all delivered at the very least at twice the
speed of the QL. For the professional user there are now 20MB and
40MB hard discs complemented by a choice of either single or dual
3.5" floppy disc drives.

   For overseas Thor XVI users (and for not a few foreign
language students in the UK), the keyboard layout may be selected
dynamically along with national error messages ans character sets
for more esoteric languages such as Greek and Russian.

   The Thor XVI Range
    Thor XVI CF    (Workstation)
    Thor XVI IF    (Single Floppy)
    Thor XVI FF    (Dual Floppy)
    Thor XVI W20F  (20MB Winchester, 1 Floppy)
    Thor XVI W20FF (20MB Winchester, 2 Floppies)
    Thor XVI W40F  (40MB Winchester, 1 Floppy)
    Thor XVI W40FF (40MB Winchester, 2 Floppies)

   A pleasant revelation and against all reasonable expectation
the Thor User Guide proved not to be a direct copy of the often
maligned QL manual. With a few minor exceptions the manual is
presented in a clear and concise manner.

   The user guide is a single document comprising four manuals
and five parts relating with the XChange program suite and deals
with various aspects of using the Thor and its accompanying
software.

   Manual 1 describes the Thor hardware and connections to the
system. Manual 2 provides detailed axplanations of SuperBasic and
its syntax. Manual 3 is a glossary of SuperBasic keywords and
provides evidence that much of Tony Tebby's Toolkit II has been
incorporated into Thor SuperBasic.

   From Manual 4 onwards users are given detailed instructions
concerning the use of XChange and the parts following it deal
with each of the components of the XChange system. Parts 2, 3, 4
and 5 are for Quill, Abacus, Easel and Archive respectively.

   Part 6 is devoted to the appendix which is divided into three
sub-sections, covering finer details such as Import and Export of
files and matters relating to printers. Copious explanations and
examples concerning language syntax have been provided in manual
2, initiating a user new to SuperBasic and the finer points of
programming.

   Looking through the section devoted to keywords it soon
becomes obvious that SuperBasic on the Thor includes a
fully-implemented version of the skeletal framework of
error-trapping added to the QL JS ROM.

   In common with the QL User Guide before it, an index of the
contents has not been provided, leaving the user to search for
specific information in relevant sections.

   In common with the QL, the Thor package includes the now
industry-standard Psion quartet of business software XChange and
is supplied as a single program package with an integtral
dedicated multi-tasking controller. Users may elect to switch
between any number of versions of Psion Quill, Archive, Abacus
and an enhanced Easel with an option for a 3D graph display,
within the limitations of available memory. Individual copies of
the programs are assigned user-defigned task names.

   The serial ports on the Thor XVI are completely under the
control of the I/O Board's MC68B02 processor, relieving the
MC68000 Main Processor of the handling overhead. The ports are
implemented using the MC68682 DUART (Dual Asynchronous Receiver
Transmitter for acronym buffs) allowing multiple baud rates
between channels. For example, port 1 could "talk" to a Prestel
type modem running at 75 baud for transmission and 1200 baud for
reception by opening a channel called "Set 11/7561200". With port
2 simultaneously driving a standard serial printer at 9600 baud
(the default) with a 10 kilobyte buffer as "ser-10k". The baud
rates can be selected from: 75, 110, 134.5, 150, 300, 600, 1200,
1800, 2000, 2400, 4800, 9600 and 19200; CST claim that this
should cope with almost all possible configurations!

   Other options available are the setting of parity (odd, even,
mark, space or none), bits per byte (5, 6, 7 or 8) and
translation protocol (various interpretations of newline are
supported as is "TRA" for international users). A new facility is
the built in support of the x-on/x-off software protocol (as used
by DEC, Unix etc) which allows simple three-wire cabling to be
used.

   Physical connectors and voltage levels are as defined by draft
British Standard BS-5/8, which uses audio-style 8-pin DIN
connectors for convenience; most aplications will only need five
of the pins (the remainder providing auxiliary handshake and 5
volt power) and can be connected by "sterio" reversing audio
leads; if x-on/x-off is used, as "mono" cable may be used. The
voltage levels are CMOS; these can normally be interfaced with
the older RS-232 by means of a simple resistor.

   The Thor XVI network is upward compatible with the standard
Thor's and the QL's. It is again driven by the I/O Board's
processor, significantly reducing the main processor overhead;
this is particularly important with machines acting as file
server, as no network overhead occurs on the new system unless
data is actually being transferred.

1.7 Futura Data Centre QL emulator board for the Atari ST

   This emulator board was also called Strong QL/Atari emulator.
It was developed originally by the Norwegian firm Futura Data
Centre - no relation to the QL derivative - for its own
communications system and has since been refined for commercial
release.

   The complete emulator kit consists of the hardware adaptor, an
Atari-formatted disc containing the relevant files for switching
the ST into QL mode and a QL-formatted disc containing a routine
which will extract the QL ROM and transfer QDOS from your QL to a
previously Atari-formatted disc.

   The emulator hardware consists of a small printed circuit
board on which is mounted the displaced Atari Shifter chip, a QL
8301 ULA and several surface-mounted TTL chips. Installation of
the emulator card requires that all of the Atari internal metal
shielding be removed.  Connection to the ST is made with only
seven wires but two connections to the Atari GLUE chip must be
modified to allow software to switch the Atari into QL mode.

   (source: SQLW, Oct. 1988, p.20)

1.8 Miracle Systems Gold Card

   The Gold Card has a 16 MHz 68000 prozessor, Supertoolkit 2 and
a floppy disk controller with Level II device drivers. You can
connect up to three disc drives with DD, HD and ED drives in any
mix to the Gold Card.  The Card has 2MB of dynamic RAM in four
SIM chips.  At startup the card copies the original ROM into its
RAM.  The 68008 is disabled, but the ZX83 custom chips and the
8049 IPC work normally.  It is possible to connect a hard disk,
but no other extension. The same software as in the Trump Card is
included. The Gold Card's current version is 2.32.

1.9 ICL One Per Desk (also Merlin Tonto or Computerphone)

(This FAQ part is an (shorted) article in SQLW in Oct. 1991)

   The OPD (One Per Desk) computer was made by ICL Ltd., as a
collaborative project between ICL, British Telecom and Sinclair
with Psion providing the software.  The same machine was badged
for BT as the Merlin Tonto and for Australian Telecom as the
Computerphone.  The machine was intended for the busy executive
with only limited computer skills.  Most operations use multiple
choice menus.

   The hardware is based on the QL using the same 68008
microprocessor, QL ULAs, 128K of RAM and microdrive data storage.
The machine has a 'footprint' of about the same length but twice
the depth of the QL.

   Being launched shortly after the QL, the OPD suffered from the
bad publicity attached to the microdrives, although ICL had much
improved the reliability of the units.  Despite this poor start,
many hundreds were sold to local authorities, government
departments and large companies.

   A typical OPD featured a mono (black and white) monitor, twin
microdrives, battery-backed clock, on-screen calculator, enhanced
telephone handling, modem, XChange software (Abacus, Archive,
Quill and Easel), Basic and messaging (fax look-alike between
OPDs).

   The OPD is designed to be left on and the screen will blank if
no keys are pressed for 10 minutes.  Pressing any key, or an
incoming call, re-activates the screen.  The monitor is intended
to be switched off between sessions leaving the computer powered
for unattended functions. Monitors are available in 9 inch black
and white or 14 inch Microvitec colour.

   The microdrives are similar to those on the QL, bat save the
data in a different density. Although blank cartridges can be
used on either machine, the OPD cannot read QL cartridge data.
There is a program (for the QL) by Dave Walker of DiscOver fame,
that can convert data and Basic from the OPD to the QL and vice
versa.  The OPD records cartridge use and read failures, and
warns when the cartridge is due to renewal.  The microdrives are
very reliable.

   The telephone has auto-dialing from a saved Telephone
Directory / Adress file of as many as 500 entries if required,
with optional monitoring of cost and duration of calls.  A
running total is kept in memory.  The directory has a search
routine and short code dialling. There is a re-dial facility of
any of the last six calls.  Calls can be initiated through a
built-in loudspeaker, the handset being picked up only when the
connection is made.  The machine will answer incoming calls using
a programmable computer voice chip with different replies
available for different times, eg lunch, holidays, gone home etc.
There is no facility to record incoming calls.

   The modem is built-in and capable of Viewdata and Glass
Teletype communications.  This enables connection to Prestel,
Yellow Pages, Tony Firshman's Board and many others.  Screens can
be saved to memory using the 'Snapshot' option, or entire
programs can be downloaded to microdrive. Text can be prepared
off-line to save phone charges.

   The software is an enhanced suite of the programs supplied
with the QL with the import/export of data between applications
simplified.  Being ROM-based, it loads quickly and without read
failures. The four are brought together under an operating
'shell' called Xchange Task Control.  Up to eight 'tasks' can be
in progress at one time.  Import and Export between Psion
programs is fast and simple.  Xchange was an optional extra.

   Basic is loaded from certridge and is a reduced version of
Superbasic. Many of the features of Superbasic are not available
on the OPD.  There are no graphics as such (CIRCLE, LINE, BORDER,
FLASH etc.), no EXEC and no DIR.  The screen size is also
slightly smaller.  QL Superbasic programs can be transferred to
the OPD but need considerable editing before use.  Although using
the same CPU, QL machine code programs cannot be run on the OPD.
There are differences in the way the OPD handles the screen etc.
that make QL programs incompatible.

   Many OPDs were supplied with 'Messaging', a fax look-alike.
This is in the form of a capsule that plugs into the back of the
unit. The capsule contains a ROM eith the necessary code, which
enables OPDs to send pre-types text to each other using the
telephone system.  Received Messages can be edited and sent on to
other users, printed or saved on microdrive.  Later ROMs allow
the messages to be sent at pre-set times and to different numbers
to take advantage of cheap rate calls.

   The OPD is provided with a serial port, but works in one
direction only, being intended solely for printer use.  It is
possible to download Basic files directly to the QL usingthe
SER2 port on the QL and a suitable cable.  No input from the QL
is posssible by this route.

   Later improvements included disk drives from PCML (with 256K
extra memory), and another from Computer One, but these are no
longer manufactured and can only be obtained on the second hand
market. A variety of plug-in capsules were also provided, but
most were to enable the OPD to ICL mainframe computers and are of
little use to enthusiasts.  There were later options to allow
direct transfer of files direct from microdrive, via the
telephone line, between OPDs and to import data into Quill or
Abacus from Bulletin Boards.

   It is not possible to simply plug-in extra memory as on the QL
because the OPD requires special code to 'log-on and identify'
the memory. A 128K expansion unit was made but few seem to have
been sold.

   Software is in very short supply, possibly because there is no
organized usr group such as Quanta, although some business
oriented programs were produced.  A diary/ appointments program
has been seen and also a CP/M operating system is available on
one version of the disk drives.  It is reported that Basic and
'C' compilers were produced but no sign of one has been seen.

   QL owners who use their machine mostly for the Psion package
will find the OPD easy to use and in a business environment, a
very useful tool.  Sadly, it suffers from the lack of
compatibility with the QL in the most important area, programs.
Very little software is produced for the QL in Superbasic now and
useful programs and Tony Tebby's utilities cannot be used.  The
most promising area lies in Xchange applications and it is
possible to transfer the Archiver group of programs once sold by
Eidersoft.

1.10 Merz QVME Card

   The QVME Card is a VME-based plug-in card for the Atari STe
and TT series which contains a QL emulator.  This card emulates
standard QL, the screen resolution is programmable (at runtime)
e.g. 1024x830 or 1280x700.  The card has simply to be plugged
into the STe's (TT's) VME bus.  For use with the standard ST you
need an extra adapter.  The caard has a monitor connector to be
connected directly to a multisync monitor.  The QVME card can't
use monochrome monitors.  It has a 'compatibility mode' for use
with programs which write directly into the QL's screen (i.e. the
RAM area which represents the screen output).  You can use up to
4MB of the Ataris RAM for QDOS.  Furthermore all of the Atari's
devices could be used for QDOS, e.g. disk drives, serial ports,
the parallel and the mouseport, harddisks.  By reason of the
different hardware there is no QL network available on the Atari.
The Devicce drivers are offering additional options, e.g. real
subdirectories on harddisk, named pipes etc.  The emulation
software is on a disk and has to be loaded into the Atari (that
means, you can use the Atari as Atari as well.).

1.11 Miracle Systems QXL Card

(This part is a copy of Miracles advertisement in SQLW plus some
additional information.)

Miracle sheet:
   [The QXL turns the common PC into a QL compatible.  The
package comprises a half card that plugs into an 8 or 16 bit
standard ISA slot and a diskette loaded with a QDOS compatible
operating system and a Superbasic compatible interpreter.  After
installation simply type QXL and the PC will appear to be a QL
allowing QL programs to be run from QL format diskettes.

   The card itself has a 32 bit 68EC040 processor running at 20
MHz which gives a good turn of speed.  This processor has access
to its own RAM and so performance is virtually independent of the
host system whether it has an 8088 or a Pentium.  In fact the PC
is used purely as an I/O system giving QL programs access to the
PC's floppy disc, hard disc, keyboard, display, serial and
parallel ports.  The card itself has QL style network ports to
allow connection to a QL network.  The minimum PC specification
required is an XT with EGA display and a spare standard slot.

   Varying RAM sizes from 1M up to 8M can be supplied.  The
smaller capacities can be upgraded to the larger ones and the
cost is simply the price difference.  Not all the RAM is
available to the user programs; the 1M equates roughly with a
TRUMP CARD QL memory size and the 2M with a GOLD CARD QL.]

   Miracle intends to provide software upgrades free of charge.

   The QXL now has a maximum graphics format of 800x600. Working
devices are (according to JMS info 2/94) keyboard, serial mouse,
serial port, parallel port, disc drive (without formatting) and a
harddisk (on the C partition). The Operating system is SMSQ, a
QDOS compatible OS.  The driver are working now, also the QL
compatible network.  At the time it comes without the BASIC
interpreter, it'll be delivered later.

   Supported screen resolutions are 512x256 (with a huge black
border), 640x350, 640x480, 800x600 ( i.e. QL screen, EGA, VGA,
800x600SVGA); half those in mode 8.  The 'FLASH' attribute is not
supported.  There's no support for more than 4 (8) colours, not
for changing the appearance of the 4 (8) that you get.

The 'hard disk' as seen by the QXL is in fact a large file
C:\QXL.WIN which contains a filing system which is (presumbly)
similar to that found on other QDOS hard disks. You're not
restricted to the C: drive, you can have win2_ on D:, win3_ on
E:, etc.  It still works if you create a QXL hard disk on a
double-spaced MSDOS drive.

1.12 Miracle Systems Super Gold Card

(This part is a copy of Miracles information paper about the SGC)

   The Miracle Systems Super Gold Card has the following
features: - 24 MHz 68020 processor -> 3x speed of GOLD CARD - 4M
bytes of 32 bit wide RAM - CENTRONICS parallel port - Built in
improved Disk Adapter for DD/HD/ED - Virtuallly crash proof
battery backed clock - External 5V socket for optional 5V supply

   This is the first major revision of Miracles highly successful
QL GOLD CARD.  Its most signeficant attribute is the speed of the
68020 processor running at 24 MHz yielding a threefold speed-up
over the GOLD CARD - so you can now get QXL speed from your QL.
The RAM is increased to 4M bytes and a CENTRONICS port has been
added which is especially good for sendng graphics information to
printers efficiently.

   The disk interface has 2 connectors so that 2 double disk
drives (4 mechanisms FLP1_, FLP2_, FLP3_, FLP4_) can be connected
without the need for a DISK ADAPTER. The drives can of course be
DD (double density, 720K), HD (high density, 1.44M) or ED (extra
high density, 3.2M) in any mix.

   Another minor improvement is the protection of the clock time
against crashes. A special sequence of accesses is now required
to alter the clock so it is not affected by 'stack crawl', etc..
And if you run your QL system off a switch mode power supply you
do not need to hack the regulator; just plug the 5V straight into
the SUPER GOLD CARD.

   To really appreciate the benefits of the SUPER GOLD CARD you
have to use it. You will find that the computer responds more
quickly and printing out graphics from programs like Text87 or
LINEdesign is several times faster than via the serial port.

   The Super Gold Card costs at the moment GBP 375 (325 outside
EC) which includes postage, 2 year warranty and 14 day money back
guarantee.  Miracle accepts your Gold Card, Trump Card, Super
QBoard and several other expansions as a partial payment.

--
Robert H. Klein  email: [email-masked]
papermail:  Bluecherstrasse 24,  D-56349 Kaub,  Germany