dh130@cs.city.ac.uk (Andrew Thompson) (02/14/91)
I am lead to believe that there is a QL Emulator for the Atari ST in the public domain sector, as yet I cannot find it. Could someone tell me where I can obtain a uuencoded file? Or possibly mail it to me. Many thanks. Andrew Thompson (e-mail address of above)
rcarter@isis.cs.du.edu (Ron Carter) (02/23/91)
Really? A QL (Sinclair!) emulator for the ST? Should be possible as the CPU is the same (or did the QL use a 68008 or maybe a 68010?) but close enough... If you -do- hear anything about it, please post a note here. Thanks! -- Ron Carter | rcarter@nyx.cs.du.edu rcarter GEnie 70707.3047 CIS Director | Center for the Study of Creative Intelligence Denver, CO | Knowledge is power. Knowledge to the people. Just say know.
klamer@mi.eltn.utwente.nl (Klamer Schutte -- Universiteit Twente) (02/25/91)
In <1991Feb23.063153.22410@isis.cs.du.edu> rcarter@isis.cs.du.edu (Ron Carter) writes: >Really? A QL (Sinclair!) emulator for the ST? Should be possible as the >CPU is the same (or did the QL use a 68008 or maybe a 68010?) but close ^^^^^ 68008 it was >enough... Should be possible, but probably is difficult. Most programs on the QL are picky about their screen resolution :-( Should be nice, though -- a QL has a better OS (IMHO) than TOS. Klamer -- Klamer Schutte Faculty of electrical engineering -- University of Twente, The Netherlands klamer@mi.eltn.utwente.nl {backbone}!mcsun!mi.eltn.utwente.nl!klamer
csbrod@immd4.informatik.uni-erlangen.de (Claus Brod) (02/26/91)
klamer@mi.eltn.utwente.nl (Klamer Schutte -- Universiteit Twente) writes: >>Really? A QL (Sinclair!) emulator for the ST? Should be possible as the >>CPU is the same (or did the QL use a 68008 or maybe a 68010?) but close > ^^^^^ 68008 it was >>enough... >Should be possible,but probably is difficult.Most programs on the QL are picky >about their screen resolution :-( >Should be nice, though -- a QL has a better OS (IMHO) than TOS. There is a commercial QL emulator (HW/SW combo) available in Germany. In fact, the successor of the QL's OS has been developped on Megas and will run on them without hardware mods. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Claus Brod, Am Felsenkeller 2, Things. Take. Time. D-8772 Marktheidenfeld, West Germany (Piet Hein) csbrod@medusa.informatik.uni-erlangen.de ----------------------------------------------------------------------
nico@cs.ruu.nl (Nico Verwer) (02/26/91)
In <klamer.667494771@mi.eltn.utwente.nl> klamer@mi.eltn.utwente.nl (Klamer Schutte -- Universiteit Twente) writes: >In <1991Feb23.063153.22410@isis.cs.du.edu> rcarter@isis.cs.du.edu (Ron Carter) writes: >>Really? A QL (Sinclair!) emulator for the ST? Should be possible as the >>CPU is the same (or did the QL use a 68008 or maybe a 68010?) but close > ^^^^^ 68008 it was >>enough... >Should be possible, but probably is difficult. Most programs on the QL are picky >about their screen resolution :-( >Should be nice, though -- a QL has a better OS (IMHO) than TOS. I have the april 1989 issue of the dutch magazine Atari ST Nieuws in front of me, and in it is a review of a QL-emulator. I'll summarize some of the main points. It is/was built by a norwegian company called Futura Data Center., and was available from [Strong Computer Systems, Bryn Cottage, Peniel, Carmarthen, Dyfed, SA32 &DJ, England] and [Jochen Merz Software, In Stillen Winkel 12, 4100 Duisburg 11, Germany (tel. +49-2035-97283)] (remember, this was almost two years ago!). The emulator requires a hardware modification: It is a small PCB that should be inserted between the video-shifter and its socket. Also you should make 6 soldering connections. On the PCB is, a.o., an original Sinclair 8301 chip. The PCB costs hfl 750,- (approx. 220 pounds, DM 700), _without_ 8301, which should be bought seperately. The 8301 is included in the German version, which costs DM 850. The QL operating system comes on a floppy disk. Since low addresses in the ST are RAM, and the QL operating system resides at the bottom of memory, no changes to the QL operating system had to be made. QL disks (not microdrive-cartridges) can be read by the ST without problems. Sound is emulated faithfully. QL programs run three to six times faster than on the QL. For games, speed can be decreased :-) . Everything, including multitasking, runs fine (don't flame me, I don't need multitasking, and I don't have an amiga ;-) ). A `real' QL has 128 kB RAM, of which 88 kB can be used. On the ST, there is a whopping 850 kB left! A provision is made for ROM-port keys, which sometimes come with copy-protected software. The QL video modes cannot be fully emulated on the ST; In medium resolution there are only 4 colours instead of 7. The printerport works fine. I don't know whether this emulator is still available, so do not ask me! I have no connection with Futura Data Center; in fact I don't own this emulator myself. This is just for your information. -- Nico Verwer | nico@cs.ruu.nl Dept. of Computer Science, University of Utrecht | phone: +31 30 533921 p.o. box 80.089, 3508 TB Utrecht, The Netherlands | fax: +31 30 513791
d8klojo@dtek.chalmers.se (Johan Klockars) (02/28/91)
There is indeed a (software only) QL-emulator for the ST, but only I and a few
of my friends have known about it until now (I wrote it).
The emulator consists of a small (about 4k I think) .prg file, which loads
two files and patches them in ram. The files needed are straight memory dumps
of the QL-rom and the Trumpcard rom.
The Trumpcard disk interface code is used because I haven't yet had the time to
write my own disk directory device driver. I'm not sure I'll ever do it.
The emulator probably only works with the Swedish MGB rom now, but I will adapt
it to JM shortly. I'm also trying to make it run on the Minerva roms.
Those are the only roms I have access to.
The roms are of course copyrighted, so I don't think I could distribute them,
but if you have a QL with Trumpcard you need only dump them to disk and
transfer them to an ST disk.
I believe you have to send in a rom dump when you order the hardware based
emulators, but the Amiga QL emulator consists of a patched rom so perhaps it
is legal. Has anyone talked to Amstrad (the company that bought Sinclair)?
Some info about the emulator:
The QL-screen is emulated in monochrome by a multitasking job.
It reads and writes QL-disks, but no error checking is done on writes.
Format does not work yet.
Serial comm, MIDI etc are NOT implemented yet.
Turbo, Desktop Publisher, The Editor, PSION Xchange and most other
applications work just fine.
Some games, for example Scrabble, are ok, but many are not.
The speed with screen emulator at priority 32 is about the same as my
QL with CST-ram.
---
I have decided to put the current version of the program in the public domain,
but I don't think it's good enough to be posted to .binaries yet.
You could consider it a beta-release.
I won't have the time to transfer the program onto this UNIX system for a few
weeks, but if you are interested, please mail me.
Questions and suggestions are welcome.
--
Chalmers University | Why are these | e-mail : d8klojo@dtek.chalmers.se
of Technology | .signatures | Address: Johan Klockars
| so hard to do | Foreningsgatan 32/408
Gothenburg, Sweden | well? | 411 27 Gothenburg, SWEDENbe@arium.stgt.sub.org (Bernd Ebach) (03/01/91)
In article <klamer.667494771@mi.eltn.utwente.nl> klamer@mi.eltn.utwente.nl (Klamer Schutte -- Universiteit Twente) writes: (Sender was: news@utrcu1.UUCP) > In <1991Feb23.063153.22410@isis.cs.du.edu> rcarter@isis.cs.du.edu (Ron Carter) writes: > > >Really? A QL (Sinclair!) emulator for the ST? Should be possible as the > >CPU is the same (or did the QL use a 68008 or maybe a 68010?) but close > ^^^^^ 68008 it was > >enough... Very close. To be more specific exactly the same besides just 8Bit Data~ and 20Bit AdressBus. > Should be possible, but probably is difficult. Most programs on the QL are picky > about their screen resolution :-( Has been done. For ST with extentional hardware (for displaying 512x256). For Amiga without any hardware but less kompatibility. > Should be nice, though -- a QL has a better OS (IMHO) than TOS. Depending on how you define 'better OS'. Mutitasking and windows are nice; but passing parameters trough register? Opening windows without saving background? No proper device handling? Nevertheless it was some sort of genius to program a nice multitaksing os with some sort of window handling plus a really super basic inter- preter into just 48 kB. TschauTschau Bernd -- --------------------------------------------------------------- be@arium.stgt.sub.org | be@aragon.gtc.de | ud01@kauni2.bitnet ( X.400: ud01@ibm3090.rz.uni-karlsruhe.dbp.de ) ---------------------------------------------------------------
dh130@cs.city.ac.uk (Andrew Thompson) (03/04/91)
Someone mailed me that there is a QL Emulator on the ST, however it is not PD. I have that this person's address, could they please contact me again. Or does anyone know where I can get this program from? Or the author's name and address. Pretty please I am beginning to get withdrawl symptoms to not using my QL. I want to get back to some bad programming habits!!! Please no comments on the later, just assist me in finding this elusive program. Andrew Thompson Comments of the month: Is OS/2, half an operating system?????? <<<"Yes but it felt much better", student to security guard <<< who has just been hit by a UFM (unidentified flying mouse), <<< "and it now works."
klamer@mi.eltn.utwente.nl (Klamer Schutte -- Universiteit Twente) (03/07/91)
In <5333311@arium.stgt.sub.org> be@arium.stgt.sub.org (Bernd Ebach) writes: >In article <klamer.667494771@mi.eltn.utwente.nl> klamer@mi.eltn.utwente.nl >(Klamer Schutte -- Universiteit Twente) writes: >> In <1991Feb23.063153.22410@isis.cs.du.edu> rcarter@isis.cs.du.edu (Ron Carter) writes: >> >> >Really? A QL (Sinclair!) emulator for the ST? Should be possible as the >> >CPU is the same (or did the QL use a 68008 or maybe a 68010?) but close >> ^^^^^ 68008 it was >> >enough... >Very close. To be more specific exactly the same besides just 8Bit >Data~ and 20Bit AdressBus. For clearity: the 68008 is just a 68000 in a package with less pins. >> Should be possible, but probably is difficult. Most programs on the QL are picky >> about their screen resolution :-( >Has been done. For ST with extentional hardware (for displaying 512x256). >For Amiga without any hardware but less kompatibility. But we were talking about an PD one -- additional hardware means $$$. >> Should be nice, though -- a QL has a better OS (IMHO) than TOS. >Depending on how you define 'better OS'. Mutitasking and windows are >nice; but passing parameters trough register? Opening windows without >saving background? No proper device handling? Passing parameters through registers is more efficient. And also the TOS system call interface is not very comfortable from C. You always have to save the return address from the stack before the trap. The actual devices on a QL aren't my favourite. But this has nothing to do with the OS; its the QL OS which easily allows addition of a different window system. >Nevertheless it was some sort of genius to program a nice multitaksing >os with some sort of window handling plus a really super basic inter- >preter into just 48 kB. And please remember that a QL was at the time of introduction really a bargain -- the only other m68k systems for home use were the Lisa and Mac then. Also at introduction of the ST the QL still was cheaper. But the ST is much better supported than the QL was... -- Klamer Schutte Faculty of electrical engineering -- University of Twente, The Netherlands klamer@mi.eltn.utwente.nl {backbone}!mcsun!mi.eltn.utwente.nl!klamer
adamd@rhi.hi.is (Adam David) (03/07/91)
Just in case anyone else out there needs this information, the non-PD QL emulator for the ST is available from: Jochen Merz Software Im Stillen Winkel 12 4100 Duisberg 11 Germany tel: ...49-203-501274 Like it's said, I'm just a satisfied customer (true).
be@arium.stgt.sub.org (Bernd Ebach) (03/11/91)
In article <klamer.668332644@mi.eltn.utwente.nl> klamer@mi.eltn.utwente.nl (Klamer Schutte -- Universiteit Twente) writes: > In <5333311@arium.stgt.sub.org> be@arium.stgt.sub.org (Bernd Ebach) writes: > > >In article <klamer.667494771@mi.eltn.utwente.nl> klamer@mi.eltn.utwente.nl > >(Klamer Schutte -- Universiteit Twente) writes: > > >> In <1991Feb23.063153.22410@isis.cs.du.edu> rcarter@isis.cs.du.edu (Ron Carter) writes: > >> > >> >CPU is the same (or did the QL use a 68008 or maybe a 68010?) > >> ^^^^^ 68008 it was > > >Very close. To be more specific exactly the same besides just 8Bit > >Data~ and 20Bit AdressBus. > > For clearity: the 68008 is just a 68000 in a package with less pins. Just what I said... :-) > >> Should be possible, but probably is difficult. Most programs on the QL are picky > >> about their screen resolution :-( > > >Has been done. For ST with extentional hardware (for displaying 512x256). > >For Amiga without any hardware but less kompatibility. > > But we were talking about an PD one -- additional hardware means $$$. O.K. now how about that one: Take one of those stupid Amigas and grap the PD QL-Emulator (yes, there is one) for it. It's just soft and it's free :-) harhar ... no flamewar please. ... NO FLAMEwar, I said! > Passing parameters through registers is more efficient. It definitly is. Especially when you have to push 32Bit parameters through an 8Bit bus on the stack. BUT I hate to look up which parameter has to be in which register all the time. TschauTschau Bernd -- --------------------------------------------------------------- be@arium.stgt.sub.org | be@aragon.gtc.de | ud01@kauni2.bitnet ( X.400: ud01@ibm3090.rz.uni-karlsruhe.dbp.de ) ---------------------------------------------------------------