Noel, I really liked the part of the video where you broke out the breadboard and made your own sound circuit. Seeing that sort of thing really helps us new electronic hobbyists to imagine what we might be able to do with the various things we have learned so far. One of the hardest things when you are new at electronics is to put together bits and pieces of knowledge you have learned into something cohesive and tangible. Thanks for showing us newbies the way and broadening our horizons in the process.
@jesusarias4320
3 жыл бұрын
A warning about PCBWAY: These guys add the shipping cost to the "declared value for customs", and if you chose a fast delivery company, lets say DHL, you are going to have your PCBs stopped at customs and required to pay an order of magnitude more than expected for the PCBs. (in my case a $9 PCBs ended at $81 :(
@thebyteattic
3 жыл бұрын
Great video again! I'd add a buffering transistor between the power signal (the one that lights up the LED) and your contraption, though. The first time you connected it, your circuit produced a sound but the LED didn't even illuminate. In the final version the LED pulsates together with the sound. So your sound circuit is pulling more current from that line than it was made to provide. Long term, it could damage whatever pin is providing that signal (the one that goes into the LED).
@nonoyorbusness
3 жыл бұрын
Do they do a sound emulation for the grinding screech of the microdrives self destruction?
@GORF_EMPIRE
3 жыл бұрын
Thank god you changed that sound! I was thinking...what was that person thinking making such an annoying sound. xD
@hansoak3664
3 жыл бұрын
Yeah, that Whirr unit was like nails on chalkboard to me. I like your solution much, much better. Well done.
@rdoetjes
3 жыл бұрын
The trusty NE555 to their rescue again. Such a useful versatile little IC.
@thomasrotweiler
3 жыл бұрын
Fascinating stuff. Too many of these videos and I'll be digging out my old QLs and spending silly money upgrading them.
@Nossieuk
3 жыл бұрын
that is such a magical t-shit .... gone but not forgotten Mr Hobbs.
@kensmith5694
Жыл бұрын
The 555's Reset pin can be used as an enable signal for the sound. This would let you power the circuit from a different supply if you wanted to. It is usually a good idea to bypass the supply running a 555. You can scale the resistors up and the capacitors down to get the design to use a physically smaller capacitor.
@yosselinealonso3841
Жыл бұрын
The video content is so excellent, congratulations
@TheClassicsCoder
3 жыл бұрын
A really great video. I work most of the time on emulators and software in general. This video has motivated me to install the vmap this weekend after it was in storage for some weeks. Also I've added the sound as you showed in the video. Please make more of those little hardware projects which are doable also for hardware rookies like me. Most of the channels show either (too) big projects or too complex ones. Big compliment again, i love your channel 👍👍👍
@Zeem4
3 жыл бұрын
Back in the day, I installed a mouse interface called the QIMI in my QL, it allowed me to connect an Atari ST-compatible mouse. The problem was I didn't really have any mouse-driven software! The thing I really wanted, but never got, was the replacement for the 8049 coprocessor which I think was called Hermes. It had a number of enhancements but the main one was a fix for the key bounce issues that the QL suffered from.
@donaldklopper
3 жыл бұрын
You have a way of explaining your thought processes that makes it almost seem doable for a mere mortal. I wonder if this microdrive will work on the ZX spectrum also?
@frankowalker4662
3 жыл бұрын
I wondered that. The QL plugs into the left side of the v/drive, but the Interface 1 plugs into the right side of the m/drive. So I have no idea if drives are swapable between the two.
@frankowalker4662
3 жыл бұрын
@@pe1dnn Cool, But the price of an Interface 1 is far too high.
@donaldklopper
3 жыл бұрын
@@pe1dnn Oh man that would be AWESOME to play with. Too many toys, too little time (I mean money) ...
@decidedly_retro
3 жыл бұрын
The drive shown is the vDriveQL, but there is a vDriveZX for the Interface 1/Spectrum. Basically slightly different firmware and the cable connects to the opposite end as the QL has the drive interface on the right and Interface 1 on the left.
@TheMalMeninga
3 жыл бұрын
PCBWaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyy is how I think it's pronounced. :D
@BertGrink
3 жыл бұрын
I concur.
@eekee6034
2 жыл бұрын
I love how even the power supply is actually an upgrade because it has a switch! I also love the Lego minifigs. :) Interesting! I don't know if I would have thought of running a piezo device at 30Hz. It makes a nice effect. The 3Hz one sounds like a disk drive head seeking. :)
@blahblahblahblah2933
3 жыл бұрын
The 555 on the sd drive reminds me of electric vehicles needing noisemakers to alert pedestrians of their presence. Nice job, (though beware of assuming adhesives stay non-conductive over the long-term, probably not a huge deal here).
@luckyseven8572
3 жыл бұрын
If you measure with a scope it measures peak to peak AC voltage. A multimeter measures RMS AC voltage. Thats why it seems higher with a scope. I love your channel.
@ITGuyinaction
3 жыл бұрын
👍 🍀 Cool video! I'm big fan of vintage comptuers.
@peterfielden-weston7560
3 жыл бұрын
Noel, I agree, the vDrveQL plus vMap are the two first add-ons for and basic black QL. The addition of the Banks makes it possible to setup whole environments for work or play. One niggle though The Gold Card (and clone) or the Super Gold Card (and clone) do not like the vDrive software.
@NoelsRetroLab
3 жыл бұрын
Yes, once you get used to it, the power of the vDrive and vMap is awesome. I didn't know about the Gold Card incompatibility though. That's a bummer!
@minombredepila1580
3 жыл бұрын
What an excellent idea!. All systems should make some noise and, is so easy. Tempted here to install a 555+cap+resistor to my turtle..... Another brilliant video from Noel!!!!
@theannoyedmrfloyd3998
3 жыл бұрын
And people thought the I/O sounds the Atari 8-bit was annoying, but actually it lets you know data is moving around. So you added an I/O audio upgrade for your Microdrive. Heh! 👍
@retrozmachine1189
3 жыл бұрын
Noel, I suspect your piezo speaker is actually an integrated beeper rather than just the bare element so when you apply power to it it will produce a constant tone all by itself. This is likely why the emulated sound for the microdrive is so terrible. If you get a bare element, hook that up, and maybe glue it to the plastic case for the microdrive emulator, it may well sound a heck of a lot better. It's possible that who ever assembled the unit in China did not understand what was actually needed. I've seen the same problem with digital alarm clock kits too.
@robertkennion9020
2 жыл бұрын
0:58 that 3d print..is nasty
@semifavorableuncircle6952
3 жыл бұрын
The side pin on these power jacks is not connected to the outer terminal, instead, it is part of the switch contact that gets opened when a plug is inserted (it is connected to the other pin when there is no plug inserted, to switch over to a battery). Often, when its not needed, the switch contact is grounded, but it doesnt need to be and sometimes, isnt. The outer/negative contact is the one under the jack.
@cliffroesli5246
3 жыл бұрын
very nice and useful
@spinnetti
3 жыл бұрын
I like your whirr noise! (47 seems about right)
@robbyxp1
3 жыл бұрын
Another excellent episode! thanks
@jeffreyphipps1507
3 жыл бұрын
Wow! I really enjoyed this!
@N8Miniatures
3 жыл бұрын
Love your stuff! if you want the 3d print to look smoother like the original power supply, there is a 3D print spray you can use on it to smooth out the layer lines :)
@dieSpinnt
3 жыл бұрын
Oh nice, there is a comment about the PSU case. I think there is an unanswered question: Why is this only an adapter? You cannot put a mains connector into a 3D printed case. Unless you want to kill others and yourself...
@KillaBitz
11 ай бұрын
instead of whirr, you use a fan. 12v 30/40mm or something similar and run it from 5v-9v if you can. (depending how loud you want it) Still not the same noise but it seems like a closer match and it's a tolerable sound. If you really wanted to do it justice you'd want a small motor pulling small looped tape around but that getting a bit to extra. Also 3hz (and the other slow one) from the 555 sounds like a FDD or something so that's quite nice.
@moviebod
3 жыл бұрын
Very interesting
@miikasuominen3845
3 жыл бұрын
I bought a refurbished QL, maybe about 2 years ago? Just a machine, didn't know exactly how stupidly difficult it is to get an PSU for it... Maybe in future I'll get this power converter and definately need to get the MD-emulator...
@CptSoda
3 жыл бұрын
I thought maybe a tiny motor that slowly spins a scraper over a metal disc mountet to the case for resonance to create the sound for the microdrive could be interesting. The problem might be finding an inexpensive motor that size. Maybe an old phone vibration motor without the imbalance part could work? I don't know, probably not.
@charlesdorval394
3 жыл бұрын
I don't know either, but it sure sounds like something worth trying :)
@WacKEDmaN
3 жыл бұрын
top stuff yet again Noel good job!... i really like them 3d printed cases for the QL...they go together nicely... its a little strange to need to add that whir(?) emulator and external buzzer...with it having the buzzer already on the board... it should be able to pump out some sound when accessing.. i guess the arduino boards need some updated code...with your solution, the buzzer is always running whenever the external drive is powered... it should only be making noise when its accessing....
@FrancGorenc
3 жыл бұрын
some time ago I made a siren out of two 555 timer ICs.
@CooChewGames
3 жыл бұрын
Always fab; thanks so much :-)
@39Kohm
3 жыл бұрын
I never had a QL, it's one computer I've always wanted to try
@JorgeCarvalho_web_dev
3 жыл бұрын
Shitty machine, I had one and sold it. Dont waste time with it :D Grab a Sam Coupe
@rapiqui
3 жыл бұрын
@@JorgeCarvalho_web_dev Where can I get a Sam Coupe (even non functional) for a decent price? It seems to be impossible
@JorgeCarvalho_web_dev
3 жыл бұрын
@@rapiqui Well, it is a little bit hard to find, but put a post in "wanted" on Amibay and wait a for offers. Is there that I sell and buy
@another3997
3 жыл бұрын
@@JorgeCarvalho_web_dev I'm sure your opinion is as valid as anyone elses', but equally, not everyone else will share it. Perhaps let them decide for themselves, rather than saying nasty things about the QL. I've never used one, but it's one of many oddball computers that never took off. A SAM Coupe? Good luck with that, they are as rare as hen's teeth and rocking horse poo.
@MichaelDoornbos
3 жыл бұрын
Oh, please don't adopt RR's puns and "Dad jokes". It's just PCBway ;-) I've never seen a Sinclair in person. Wasn't quite the phenomenon in the US, but I do enjoy these breakdown videos.
@ElectronGordo
3 жыл бұрын
QL!!!! Thank youuuu
@JohnSweevo
3 жыл бұрын
Got a name for your audio gizmo - The Cricket ^^
@ronnyverminck2741
3 жыл бұрын
For the vDrive QL, it is recommended to install a vMap, that way you can assign driveletters to the mdv_ drives, like f.e. you can make mdv3_ into mdv2_ or probably (not sure) mdv1_
@ronnyverminck2741
3 жыл бұрын
oops, didn't look at the complete vid before i reacted here :)
@8BitRetroJournal
3 жыл бұрын
That ended up being a pretty nice replacement whirr sound. If I can't get the recorded whirr sound to work I will try that. With yours, could you have used the built-in piezo buzzer?
@RasVoja
Жыл бұрын
Yes loved it as Spectrum and PC Speaker :D Too bad Sinclair never planed sound experience
@karbinunit
3 жыл бұрын
Switch mode PSU, floating ground to get the higher voltage.. also might be different when not under load....
@decidedly_retro
3 жыл бұрын
The vDrive and vMap are excellent. Contact me if you would like full details of a better ATTiny85 board for the vDrive sound (designed last June).
@NickFellows
3 жыл бұрын
Cute!
@mrfree2ita
2 жыл бұрын
Great job (as usual) Noel! However, I've noticed that your mod makes the LED light to fluctuate a bit (see 23:20). I guess because of the current draw. Perhaps a transistor might help there :)
@williamsquires3070
3 жыл бұрын
I see someone is a fan of the Calvin & Hobbes comic strip! The option with the 47 uF capacitor makes it sound more like the disk head-seek sound on an old Apple Disk ][ drive! 🤓
@jonathan_herr
2 жыл бұрын
I was reading some of the manual-text as it scrolled by, and i think there is a way to disable the internal 2 drives and get a full 8 drive setup (with some drive-access caveats) so maybe that could get the quill program running from a differently numbered drive?
@RightWing1
2 жыл бұрын
What a great and informative video. I'd really like to purchase a retro system to brush up on my basic and assembler programming skills, something I haven't done for a while. Do I go C64, C128 or Sinclair ZX Spectrum or QL route? What are the pitfalls and is there anything that can make these systems work with modern monitors rather than the older CRT screens?
@user-pk7mb9is1e
3 жыл бұрын
very nice ..........
@SolarLantern424
Жыл бұрын
Hope you found a use for the leftover arduino. I thought the same thing. 555 timer!
@twogitsinacar4811
3 жыл бұрын
It is just a standard boost / buck converter I believe, with a dc to ac converter on the end
@ElectronGordo
3 жыл бұрын
Maybe I am wrong... but I think in the breadboard when you worked with the buzzer... it is not right connected. One pin was connected one pin out, I mean to the next one.
@10p6
3 жыл бұрын
Nice video. Did you know the Microdrives and V-drives suck as the QL version connects to the left and the Spectrum version connects on the right which makes them non interchangeable. Oh and you suck at checking your Facebook messages :-P
@chriswatson2407
3 жыл бұрын
You didn't mention what the existing buzzer on the board was for.
@decidedly_retro
3 жыл бұрын
It's only a beeper which can beep briefly when accessing the drive or use issue a command to it, such as change images.
@Mark-zj3xu
3 жыл бұрын
Did anyone see four green stripes at about 22:43. I also had this on Adrian's digital basements youtube video yesterday. Kind of wondering if its my firestick or KZitem. Very odd. Does it every time I replay it. Thanks.
@user-yr1uq1qe6y
3 жыл бұрын
Yes, on iPad Pro I see the same.
@edgarmatzinger9742
Жыл бұрын
A ground pin not connected? This is different from the minus connection of the 12v power supply? Because, you do need a plus and a minus connection....
@yaroze1401
3 жыл бұрын
Nice! :D
@IanSlothieRolfe
3 жыл бұрын
I'm really puzzled why the qdrive has a piezo sounder in it that it doesn't appear to use - an obvious use for it would have been to make the drive activity noise. Is it possible that it might be a feature thats not implemented or not switchen on?
@AlejandroJCura
3 жыл бұрын
Came to ask this!
@Irilia_neko
3 жыл бұрын
The big coil of the power supply have to be glued in place or it will broke with time.
@FernandoelChachi
3 жыл бұрын
Wow, you've made a wonderful work with the whirr unit, it sounds much better. Congrats. But... I really would like to whatch a good game running on the QL instead of such crap.
@oldguy9051
3 жыл бұрын
18:20 Could it be that you didn't get anything because you plugged the cable in the wrong breadboard row? I'm on a tiny screen right now...
@NoelsRetroLab
3 жыл бұрын
Good catch! Yes, that's from an earlier take that for some reason made it into the final video 😜 I did plug it in the right row right after and there was no signal either.
@chirchir8126
3 жыл бұрын
@@NoelsRetroLab please also replace the LED on the vdrive to match the red LED on the original microdrives. Also, is it possible to put the vdrive internally inside the QL where the first microdrive is?
@MrFixiit
3 жыл бұрын
Great sound hack noel maybe you should also add a switch to turn if off when playing games.
@N8Miniatures
3 жыл бұрын
Do you think the adapter has a power issue? I noticed that your camera flickered when you plugged it in.
@ArneRagnarsson
3 жыл бұрын
2:07 I think that small button are to restore the fuse.
@KJohansson
3 жыл бұрын
I ment to ask before, but whats the brand and modell of your eprom burner that also can test ttl chips? Great video as always!
@williamsquires3070
3 жыл бұрын
@22:01 - sounds more like a broken hard drive. 😥 Maybe not the sound to aim for, eh? And why does the vDrive need a “sound” unit when it already has a piezo-buzzer on the PCB?
@adrianohaha7659
3 жыл бұрын
Do you think it could be connected in such a way that it makes sound only when actually accessing the sd card?
@NoelsRetroLab
3 жыл бұрын
That's exactly what it's doing. When it accesses the card the LED light goes on and it powers up the sound circuit.
@adrianohaha7659
3 жыл бұрын
@@NoelsRetroLab Oh, that's great! I thought the LED was always on! Good stuff! 👌
@3vi1J
3 жыл бұрын
I'm surprised you didn't put a potentiometer on there and give the user the ability to adjust the sound to preference. ;)
@DAVIDGREGORYKERR
2 жыл бұрын
What about some type of add on that can use SD Cards.
@ford1546
3 жыл бұрын
you should have pure sine wave. class-d amplifier puts out square signal but you have a filter so you get sine wave. if you have too many volts in, the power regulator inside the computer will be hotter!
@WacKEDmaN
3 жыл бұрын
buzzers work well on square waves as they are piezo... tiny ones are horrible for normal audio coz they only produce a certain range of frequencies..eg no low end..they only like the fast stuff...eg the 30khz or so Noel had setup (which is strange coz human hearing only goes to 20khz!)
@user-qr4db2ck7y
11 ай бұрын
why not a video about all the QL roms? like AH, FB, FF (never released), JM, JS etc...?
@anks888
3 жыл бұрын
The ac is using a modified sine wave at 60hz
@chainq68k
3 жыл бұрын
First to watch, first to like, first to comment! :) Anyway, baad Noel, baaaad... Now I want a QL again... I guessed I grew out of it since QLvember, but now it's back...
@NoelsRetroLab
3 жыл бұрын
Haha, tell me about it. I didn't grow up with the QL, but it really hit something for me. It's a very interesting system with a lot of potential. It was killed early, so we never got to see what it could have been, but the community has been active and keeping it alive. I'm really liking it. Now that I have the vDrive, I'm looking forward to checking out some of the games and utilities on it too!
@GORF_EMPIRE
3 жыл бұрын
@@NoelsRetroLab I remember considering a QL back in the day but I'm glad I went with My Atari ST.
@fcastellanos
3 жыл бұрын
@@GORF_EMPIRE Me too! When I had the money to buy a MSX, an Amstrad or a QL I freferred invest it in an Atari ST 520STFm
@GORF_EMPIRE
3 жыл бұрын
@@fcastellanos My decision was based on the fact the the Atari ST had built in MIDI( I'm a musician so that was a not brainer) and that it was Atari. I was already burned by Sinclair when I bought a TS2068, only to learn a week lter that it was discontinued. I was rather ticked off.
@chirchir8126
3 жыл бұрын
@@NoelsRetroLab you didn´t need to type any command to launch QUILL. Just put it in microdrive1 and power on the QL. You can also make your own microdrive volume autoboot in the same way.
@donaldklopper
3 жыл бұрын
15600 subscribers and counting. Soon Noel won't have time to reply to our messages personally :-(
@twogitsinacar4811
3 жыл бұрын
The vDrive looks like it is based on Arduino shields
@frankowalker4662
3 жыл бұрын
I miss my Micro-drive on my Speccy. The 10uf cap sounded better to me.
@donaldklopper
3 жыл бұрын
I also had a speccy with a microdrive. Until it fried a chip one night back in 1986. I used it as an alarm clock in high school. I guess it didn't enjoy being on every night.
@frankowalker4662
3 жыл бұрын
@@donaldklopper I fried my Interface 1 overnight as well, in the 90's. I was rendering stop motion animation and saving the frames as compressed Screen$ to M/Drive. When I got up in the morning, all 3 drives were just whirring to themselves, the IF1 ROM chip had overheated, melting the interface to the bottom of my +2. The Speccy still works to this day. :). The IF1 was toast. :(
@donaldklopper
3 жыл бұрын
@@frankowalker4662 I had a 48K Speccy, and it also fried the IF1, the Speccy still worked, even though it had left around a 1 inch melt mark on the bottom of the Speccy. I couldn't get anyone to fix it. Very sad.
@frankowalker4662
3 жыл бұрын
@@donaldklopper Yeah, No-one seemed do do repair work back then. It was classed as too old to bother with. :( I've seen a few IF1's on ebay with a shiny spot just above the ROM chip, AVOID these at all costs, it's a sign of overheating.
@DangerousPictures
3 жыл бұрын
is it just me or is the video glitching a bit (for example at at 22:43 )
@bufordmaddogtannen
3 жыл бұрын
Today we are going to take a Sinclair Culo and put some lipstick to it, while cool people use a C128. 😂🤣
@WacKEDmaN
3 жыл бұрын
cooler people use a CPC6128! :P
@bufordmaddogtannen
3 жыл бұрын
@@WacKEDmaN you mean that thing with games that look nice as long as nothing moves on the screen (or you are looking at screenshots) and are half deaf? 😁😂
@stephenvalente3296
3 жыл бұрын
Not shipping to the UK at present due to bloody Brexit!
@OTuit
3 жыл бұрын
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
@rubberduck4966
2 жыл бұрын
The 3D printed Cases of the Power Supply and the Microdrive Emulator look very bad. This can be done much better.
@VladoT
3 жыл бұрын
That looks like 2 Arduino Pro Minis and I suppose.
@zerinacuric1757
2 жыл бұрын
the sound is not good I am quite disappointed
@chrisyboy219
3 жыл бұрын
The case designs are lovely, but they are utterly let down by the 3D printing. They just look like mock up prototypes rather than finished items. With quality cases, or even higher quality professionally 3d printed cases these would look and work fantastic!
@madcommodore
2 жыл бұрын
Waste of time, none of the decent games or even most of the commercial games have been archived for free download like EVERY OTHER HOME COMPUTER because some 'businessman' licensed them all then hoarded them and threatened legal action against any kind of TOSEC project continuing.
@jensschroder8214
3 жыл бұрын
Be careful showing LEGO figures or even replicas. Their lawyers are currently making themselves unpopular everywhere. Especially when figures are not LEGO but are the same size. Even if the lawyers are worried some traders, there is now growing resistance in the community of youtubers and buyers.
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