RWAP

Bas has got back to me - whilst he agrees that there are various factors at play here - namely the quality of the cables being used, the TV you are using, and the age of the TIA chip; it may well be resolved by trying a different power supply (NOT switched mode) and possibly replacing the 8305 5V regulator with either a traco one or the replacement designed for smoothing power issues on the Sinclair QL - https://www.sellmyretro.com/offer/details/28469

I just came across this topic - and you might be interested in my own forthcoming Retro-Printer Module - www.retroprinter.com This is a hardware solution which captures centronics printer data and converts it to PDF and will output it to a modern USB printer if you wish. This is currently at the factory for final production of the module and case so we are hoping to have it available for sale in July. If you are looking for just the conversion routines, we have released the ESC/P2 conversion routine on https://github.com/RWAP/PrinterToPDFso that this can be improved. It handles most ESC/P2 codes (unlike the various ESC/P conversion routines available on the internet).

Yes, the US QL is about twice the weight of the UK / European one. I have never seen the shielding on any non-US version of the QL.

The only downside with the US version of the QL was that because of the difference in TV output, games which used UDG fonts which could butt up to each other to form (say) long lines on the screen (such as D-Day and War in the East) had to supply two sets of fonts - one for the US version of the ROM and one for all other ROMs. I never saw any other software which did this; although there are plenty of examples which used UDG fonts (although admittedly not much of it was released commercially).

The US version is easy to spot - open the expansion port cover on the left hand side of the keyboard (if its there). It will be silver lined on the inside for the US version. The 3 plastic feet underneath also attach with small lugs which go into slots either side of the round rubber feet (at the back of the QL). If working, PRINT VER$ should return "JSU" If you open it up (risk damaging the membrane), then the inside will be heavily shielded. The US QLs I have seen also had a small switch below the TV modulator to switch between 625 and 525 lines - I cannot recall if this was accessible from the back of the QL (I guess so) as it has been years since I had any US QLs

It is a shame that people have been waiting, although this is something I envisaged back in 1997, so there are probably not many who have waited as long as me! Hardware development was a little slowed recently as we struggled to work out why some equipment was saying the printer was not connected even though we were supplying all of the necessary centronics signals! Thankfully, we appear to have resolved that and as you have seen, we have worked hard on improving the software side of the project. We have just sent out a small batch of the v2 Retro-Printer for final testing across a range of equipment and platforms. Assuming the feedback is positive on this, then we aim to have some for sale in October.

Bas (who designed the 2600VEC) would be willing to look at these consoles for you - but whilst tbe VEC is encoded for PAL (note it does not support SECAM), this output issue has not been reported before in over 500 units sold... I wonder if the units have the PAL version of the TIA chip (C011903-1x) or the NTSC version - the position indicates that they should be the PAL version, but you never know.

Well spotted - this is one of my projects and a spin off from my Retro-Printer project - www.retroprinter.com The PrinterToPDF is the public domain version of the conversion code - it is written in C and tested running on a Raspberry Pi. It can of course be incorporated into another project such as Epson printer support to emulators. It handles most of the ESC/P2 control codes so is more versatile than many of the older projects you can find out there.

Well spotted - this is one of my projects and a spin off from my Retro-Printer project - www.retroprinter.com The PrinterToPDF is the public domain version of the conversion code - it is written in C and tested running on a Raspberry Pi. It handles most of the ESC/P2 control codes so is more versatile than many of the older projects you can find out there.

Sorry for the delay in this project - other things have had my attention over the past few months. Does anyone have one of the "EURO RR REV-D" versions I could borrow so we could incorporate the changes into the new mylar? I would also be interested to know a bit more about the yellow sponge / card which is shown on https://www.dropbox.com/sh/wgmfl5qjcimvsty/AAAKxTNrE1c2iNJqMhPvUWAAa?dl=0&preview=IMG_4131.JPG Is this something we need to incorporate to improve the pressure against the fingers? If so - any ideas as to what it is made from and size?

After all this time, we have now managed to resurrect not one but two versions of Bandersnatch on the Sinclair QL. Unfortunately, neither appear to be a full version. The earlier version has more colours and was found some years ago - but crashes whilst you are moving about on the first screen. The two microdrive cartridges were in a very poor state and only one of them could be read at all. The latest version (which has been recovered in the last few weeks) is much more like Brattacus and is actually playable even though there are at least two corrupt sections on the microdrive cartridges. Oddly, whilst you can move around, interact with lifts and doors, there are no objects to pick up / characters to interact with (at least not that we have found yet). Maybe the game was unfinished, or the corrupt sections of the microdrive cartridge are affecting this... More details and screenshots appear on http://qlforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=2033

Sorry - I have only just spotted this thread - we are behind the Retro-Printer project. We fixed the 404 error on the "contact us" form once someone had pointed it out (sorry about that). We have just ordered a short run of the latest PCB design (in case there are some errors which we have not spotted) and should then be in a position to release this onto the market. The software side is working for ESC/P conversion, and we are currently working on the ESC/P2 conversion. If anyone is interested in the ESC/P2 printer conversion routines used for generating a PDF prior to printing, we have released the sources for these under the GPL license : https://github.com/rwap/printertopdf

Further to previous discussions, we are now able to offer replacement A1200 Keyboard Membranes for £18 each plus postage. We also managed to get some custom cardboard sleeves made, so that postage within the UK is no longer more expensive than sending to Australia (damn Royal Mail pricing...) http://www.sellmyretro.com/offer/details/%2Abrand-new%2A-commodore-amiga-a1200-keyboard-membranes-%2856c774a%29-22779

This project has now been revamped with the new year - we need to make a small alignment change but it will then go ahead (once I have sufficient funds available)....

OK those pics are useful and certainly we can incorporate something similar

There has not been much interest expressed I admit... However, we do have a sample membrane which we are currently testing... (some small adjustments required)

We are in the process of getting quotes for the A1200 membrane - can you confirm the model number stamped on your membrane is 56C774A (A1200-A) We don't want to get some made only to find out a few weeks later that there was a second type which we could have merged into one!

It seems that there is another slightly different version of the green A600 keyboard membrane - I have had a couple of people in Australia and one in the USA ask about these. They are identified by the Mitsumi model number of 56c471A and have a larger left hand shift key, and a different ENTER key as can be seen on the attached photo I have obtained a quote for 50 of these membranes - but the end price would be £30 plus postage (in contrast to the existing A600 membrane, which was produced in larger numbers and therefore has a price of £20 plus postage) Interestingly, the keyboard membrane is also marked A300-A which suggests that this was perhaps the first keyboard made for the A600.... In order to guage interest, we have set up a pre-order page at: http://www.sellmyretro.com/offer/details/%5BPRE-ORDER%5D-Commodore-Amiga-A600-Green-Keyboard-Membranes----Mitsumi-model-number-56C47A-13716

Yes - it made sense to have the new golden bubble membrane for the top made at the same time as other users had reported that these were worn out. Plus, assuming it does indeed fit the Intv III controller, it means people can switch from the flat membrane if they wish

The side button issue is best shown on a diagram I guess - this is on the top embossed layer - the area in red shows the area underneath a side button. There is a larger embossed circle which presses down when the button is pressed (in turn pressing down on the related area on the circuit layer - joining the three wires). Each side of that larger circle are two smaller reverse embossed circles which don't appear to match up with anything. Hmm - maybe I was mistaken over the Intv III controllers - I thought the membranes on those connected via a small board - as shown in the thread about dual controllers (or is that a Flashback adaptor which has been modded?) - http://atariage.com/forums/topic/241707-intellivision-dual-action-controller/page-3 That suggests my replacements will also fit the Intv III controllers which is good news (albeit they wlll then look and work as an Intv 1 with an embossed upper layer). The idea of the spring is to force the side buttons back out when you release them (at the moment, the embossed top layer springs back into place, pushing the button back out) it is that we are having problems replicating!

I have continued with the development of the replacement INTV I controller membranes. The factory looked at the possibility of splitting the signals, so that the controllers could be converted to dual action controllers - however, there is just not enough room inside the INTV I controller casing for this. I am still after an INTV III controller to look at as these have been adapted in the past. There is a query over the side buttons on the INTV I controller as the embossed layer is a little odd around this. Each button has a small embossed point (which presses down when you press the button) and a tiny reverse bossed point each side of the embossed point. These reverse bossed points do not make any contact or line up with anything on the sample controllers I have here - I wonder if they might be needed for some versions of the INTV I controller? Also, the cost of tooling the 4 main embossed point for the 4 side buttons is problematic as a special tool would be required from the USA (!). The controller I have here has one (presumably worn) side button which hardly depresses at all (presumably pressed too many times). I was therefore wondering if the solution could be to introduce a new small spring which would affix to the back of each of the side buttons and push them back when released What do people think - would that be an acceptable (and possibly welcome) change?

Yes it is a lot easier when you can solder direct to the TIA chip. Unfortunately, we do not yet have a solution for the 7800 (as it has two video controller chips) - we are looking into it

I now have some BetaGamma Computing PureVideo 2600VEC Video Encoder Kits in stock for £16 plus postage. These convert the video on the various 2600 versions to provide composite video out and are NTSC / PAL compatible (sorry not SECAM Standard). Fairly easy to fit if you can handle a soldering iron. http://www.sellmyretro.com/offer/details/Atari-2600-BetaGamma-Computing-PureVideo-2600VEC-Video-Encoder-Kit-11876

I have imported some original Atari 5200 controller mylars from the States to reduce the cost for European users buying these Cost is £8 plus shipping - the postage is from just £1.20 within the UK as I keep the postage rates as low as possible http://www.sellmyretro.com/offer/details/New-%282015%29-Atari-5200-Controller-Mylar-Flex-Circuit-%28OEM---Rev-9%29-CX52-11894

I have now got some Atari 2600Jr Select & Reset Mylars manufactured - cost is £3.50 each plus shipping - http://www.sellmyretro.com/offer/details/New-%282016%29-Atari-2600Jr-Select-%26amp%3B-Reset-Switch-Mylar-11878 Postage is quite cheap - just £1.20 within the UK in line wiht my other items.