What did the QL come with ?
Just wondering this. :)
What was actually 'in the box' so to speak for a QL ?
Obviously the machine itself and power / tv lead.
Blank carts ? Demo carts ? I'd assume something was 'in da box' with the basic (no pun intended) machine even without shop 'packages' / 'extras'
Any games included ?
What manuals were included too ? Was it a single one or were there two like with the speccy ie the thin 'starter' and the 'main' manual ? :)
What was actually 'in the box' so to speak for a QL ?
Obviously the machine itself and power / tv lead.
Blank carts ? Demo carts ? I'd assume something was 'in da box' with the basic (no pun intended) machine even without shop 'packages' / 'extras'
Any games included ?
What manuals were included too ? Was it a single one or were there two like with the speccy ie the thin 'starter' and the 'main' manual ? :)
Post edited by spider on
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ftp://ftp.worldofspectrum.org/pub/sinclair/hardware-info/QL_UsersGuide.pdf
It suggests (a) the QL (b) the user guide (unbound, so they can update it!) (c) a PSU (d) two wallets with the utility software in one, four blank microdrive cartridges in the other (e) three plastic feet. Plus a TV aerial lead and a network cable.
I bet the feet went missing immediately. I wonder if it came with a kettle lead for the PSU?
http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~jg27paw4/ql_user.htm
And no plug. Well, that was the 1980s.
It also came with a dongle in the cartridge port if you got the early version, but I doubt you'd find a mention of that in the manual.
I very vaguely (I was probably only 8 to 10) remember seeing them 'back then' in Boots / WHSmiths in the usual line up of speccy / c64 / Oric (I think) / etc etc plugged in with screens etc on display but never tried one.
I do now its been mentioned remember reading something about the dongle to 'fix' the very early machines.
More research is needed. I've just noted some kind of 3.5" 'replacement' so you can use a single or dual floppy for the microdives too.
Lots of info on the QL Wiki too - www.rwapadventures.com/ql_wiki
and the Sinclair QL Homepage - http://www.dilwyn.me.uk/
The QL is a great machine - the main problems with microdrive units can be fixed easily - cartridges are a little more difficult as you may need to replace the felt pads on them before any of the pad gets inside the mechanism and jams the tape.
As for expansion options - finding a second hand disk interface / memory expansion is not easy - the only currently available SD card solution is the QL-SD (when Paul in Germany manages to find time to make some more) - that can be fitted inside the QL case to replace one of the two microdrive units - however, you also need extra memory to use it really.
www.rwapsoftware.co.uk
www.sellmyretro.com
Yes I've had an hour reading around that and a few other links I found.
If I can find a few things I may try to port some of my games over.
Andy wonders which emulator is best to try. Any thoughts ? :)
What the...I didn't know about that! Add me to a list if there is one rich ;)
That was exactly what I was going to say! :lol:
My favourite for games is q-emulator, mainly because of its compatability with original QLs and ease of accessing QL disks, and storing the information on the PC -
http://www.terdina.net/ql/q-emulator.html
www.rwapsoftware.co.uk
www.sellmyretro.com
Well, I am not the seller, but you can add a keyword watch on SellMyRetro.com for QL-SD as the seller always lists them on there
www.rwapsoftware.co.uk
www.sellmyretro.com
Thanks
I suspect they all game with forms to join QLub the Psion-run owners club.
Simon
Got one last week and installed this weekend, nice bit of kit!
It came with everything else though - the 4 Psion applications in a wallet. I was given a 300 baud acoustic coupler by a friend at school and wrote a simple terminal emulator for the machine and used it to connect to bulletin boards. (Slowly!)