Holy f*** I have a Sinclair QL, and this is a story of what happens when you don't read the Ebay advert properly, I got this cheap for a reason
Anyway before that, the machine has a similar feel to the Spectrum +/128 computers, but is a completely different architecture to the previous machines, to start with it running a Motorola 68008 processor and was designed for the professional market and utilized micro drives as it's main storage device, they're a tape based format, a bit like an 8-Track cartridge
On the right side is an external microdrive port and reset button, and on the right is a large expansion bay, my QL is missing the cover
From left to right on the rear the connections are two QLAN network sockets, power, monitor, RF out, two serial ports, two joystick (CTL) ports, and a ROM port
The front just has the dual micro drive slots
This was the software I got with the machine, QL-Abacus, QL-Easel, QL-Archive, and QL-Quill
The micro drive cartridges are tiny
You may have noticed there's no PSU, the last three words of the advert said "No PSU included", I didn't see that at the time, and they go for more than I paid for the machine. Dammit! Although I'm assured the machine is in full working order, so there's a glimmer of hope while I source a alternative PSU
Power supply update
I managed to pick up a PSU for £35 from Revival Games in Plymouth. A previous owner has installed a toggle switch inline with the mains plug, which still works
Very similar in looks to the Spectrum Plus 2 PSU, but black, rather than grey, and a different plug
The switch, no-longer compliant mains plug, and a close up of the plug for the QL
After the PSU was tested and connected to the QL, I fired it up only to be greeted with a white screen, great, this was supposed to work!
The power LED is lit
I did my usual "percussive maintenance" trick which again worked, a second of noise was displayed, then the glorious boot screen appeared, along with white noise from the TV, turns out the QL is like the Spectrum in which it has an internal beeper speaker and no sound carrier over RF
You need to choose whether you are using a monitor, or a TV. Also that copyright message looks oddly familiar..?
Choosing the monitor option gets you the dual white and red screen, and 80 column mode with over scan, the BASIC programme listing is on one side, and the programmes output is on the other. Whereas choosing TV gets you a red screen, and 40 column mode with borders (under scan) the same screen swaps between the BASIC programme list and output, a bit like the Spectrum
There is a flashing purple cursor, you can't see this in the monitor mode as it's off the screen on a TV, even a modern LCD
Anyway, the QL boots into BASIC in whatever mode you select, and my usual BASIC programme works fine, although the delete key doesn't exist here, it's CTRL + Left cursor for delete
"error in expression"
However the microdrives will need a new belt fitted as they don't work, they go through the motions, but the tape doesn't move
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