* * * Sinclair QL - Build Standards, PCB Issues, Chipset, Firmware & ROM versions * * *

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Added: February 28th 2002 | Last updated: June 18th 2024

Sinclair QL Design and Production Review by a CTO

About Build Standards, Serial Numbers, Motherboard, Chipset, Firmware & ROM versions

Machine Build Standards & Serial Numbers Sinclair QL professional computer Build Standards & Serial Numbers do follow the following notation and format: Dxx-yyyyyy or S*xx-yyyyyy where: D stands for manufacturer named Datatech, short for (Thorn EMI) Datatech. Earliest machine ever seen (in December 2019) is D02-001058. Original D02 build standard QLs had ZX8302 chips manufactured 8414. Latest machine even seen (in June 2019) is ##8-123538 where ##8 is a misprint of D18 (ZX8302 chip manufactured 8534). S stands for manufacturer named SAMSUNG. Earliest machine ever seen (in September 2013) is SG18-001002. Latest machine ever seen (in July 1990) is SG18-010800. * in S*xx-yyyyyy is optional, stands for the designated target market, only use case was G for German Edition. xx is the build standard number, where D machines known to exist are in the range 02 (most likely also on earth at one time was 01) to 17 plus ##8 which is a misprint of D18 (the only machine ever seen is ##8-123538); S machines known to exist are having their own build standard 13 (S13 for North American markets) - this is based on the D14 build standard - and 18 (SG18 for German speaking markets) - this is based on the D17 build standard. To sum up, 20 different build standards were created. yyyyyy is the sequential serial number, per manufacturer (Datatech), respectively per manufacturer Edition (SAMSUNG), each starting from 001000 (or 001001). The S13 Build Standard machines have the following FCC ID: EHF 9QN QL-US-85010, issued 1985-04-25. PCB (Motherboard) names, dates and issues Sinclair QL PCB (Motherboard) names, dates and issues have the specifics as following: (Thorn EMI) Datatech made Dxx-yyyyyy QLs have seen 7 PCB issues. Known to exist are ZX-83 1983 ISS.2 with date code 8350 (see pictures above), still dated 1983, still named by the QLs codename ZX-83, ISS.4 from now on dated 1984 and named QL (see pictures above), ISS.5 (earliest date code 8415), ISS.6 (earliest date code 8447) and ISS.7 (5). Most likely also on earth at one time were ISS.1, ISS.3 (2, missing in action). SAMSUNG made S*xx-yyyyyy QLs have seen 9 (!) PCB issues. Instead of ISS which is short for issue, they are issued as US which is short for United States Edition. Known to exist are US3, US5, US5.1, US5.2, US5.3, US6 (6). Most likely also on earth at one time were US1, US2, US4 (3, missing in action). SAMSUNG made QL had the inside of the plastic case silver-coated and had other measures to make the QL comply with stronger US FCC and German VDE standards. Such measures include capacitors added piggyback on some chips or at some lines, diodes added piggyback on the RGB video signal pins of the ZX8301. Sinclair introduced IC38 (a HAL) on ISS.6 in autumn 1984 with build standard D14. ISS.6 was the starting point for the SAMSUNG made PCBs with the naming US*. US stands for United States (the initial target market for SAMSUNG made QLs), not to be confused with ISS which stands for issue. US5 is not an issue 5 (ISS.5) board, it's more a derivate from ISS.6. Chipset Sinclair QL Chipset components and issues are named as follows: ZX8301 Master Chip (MC). Made by Plessey in the UK. 2 issues are known to exist CLA2310 (1st gen, used in Dxx QLs) and CLA2345 (2nd gen, used in all S*xx QLs and late Dxx QLs). ZX8302 Peripheral Chip (PC). Made by NCR in the USA. 2 issues are known to exist 0371725 and 0380323 (ZX8302A). 8049 Intelligent Peripheral Controller (IPC). Licenced Intel 8049 with 2KB custom firmware by Sinclair Research Ltd., chips made by either PHILIPS or NEC. 4 original Sinclair versions of the embedded custom firmware are known to exist 0.7 (used in chips made by PHILIPS and NCR), 1.2 (used in later chips made by NEC only), 2.0 (used on an 8749 which came with Jonathan), 3.19 (used on an 8749 which came with Steve). ROM versions At least 13 different ROM software versions have been produced by Sinclair Research Ltd. Each is identified by a version name within its SuperBASIC part, which can be queried using the static variable VER$. Known versions are: FB (missing in action), FB.2 (first 32KB missing in action), PM, AH, JM, TB, FH (last 16KB missing in action/dead EPROM), JS, JSU, MGx, EFP, TY05, TY06. Those written in italic were only produced in EPROM form. The earliest seen masked ROMs are VTi made gold-plated CERDIP with date code 427 (1984 week 27) which contain the AH software. Trivia Gold-plated CERDIP Sinclair ICs were only used for sampling, for very first runs of the chip production. They were replaced by pure CERDIP and later by plastic package. Gold-plated CERDIP Motorola MC68008 ICs were only used for the first 100'000 QLs. Then Sinclair purchased and used the cheaper plastic package. Very early QLs often have a handwritten number on a small white round sticker on the UHF modulator which numbers the machine's PCBA before the machine was assembled and its serial number was heat stamped, e.g. the QL with S/N D02-001071 has the number 72 written on this small sticker on the UHF modulator, indicating that the first serial number was 1000. Such early QLs have another small white round sticker with a blue / near the CTL2 socket on the PCB. QLs that were not completed on the production line and QLs that received a replacement case bottom during rework or repair do not have a heat stamped serial number. QL reworked/refurbished/repaired after DOA return have a white rectangular sticker with a printed number in the format AR1zzzzz, where A stands for AB Electronics, R stands for Rework and zzzzz is the sequential number of the rework. In case only 32KB of the ROM code is in place, then the QL typical boot splash screen - the one where it prompts F1 and F2 - appears with no text (F1..., F2..., 1983...) in the windows. Misinformation and misconceptions (fake news) For decades many people and media stated that in the recall of early QLs by Sinclair Research Ltd. to swap the EPROMs to ROMs with updated software, those early QLs were just scrapped at Sinclair and the customers got new/fresh replacements machines. This is simply not true, most of those QLs got reworked and sent back to the customers. Only if the rework failed, the machine not passing the QA tests, or the machine got damaged or lost, then the customer got a replacement machine. A table to sum all this up BS SN range (seen) Case type PCB ISSue MDVs CPU package/date code ZX8301 model/package/date code ZX8302 model/package/date code IPC model/date code ROM version/package Major change/Notes D01 (none) D02 001058-001103 (4) 6 feets, no ventilation openings at top rear 4 unchained CERDIP gold-plated/8349 CLA2310/CERDIP/8402 NCR0371725/xxx INTEL8749/v0.7 FB.2 (QDOS 1.0x)/EPROMs/dongle Machine D02-001071 was sent to Sinclair and upgraded to JS ROMs D03 001107-001123 (3) 6 feets, no ventilation openings at top rear 4 unchained CERDIP gold-plated/83xx CLA2310/CERDIP/84xx NCR0371725/xxx INTEL8749/v0.7 PM (QDOS 1.02)/EPROMs/dongle Machine D03-001123 still had the original PM EPROMs D04 001141-001454 (7) 6 feets, now ventilation openings at top rear 5 unchained CERDIP gold-plated/83xx CLA2310/CERDIP/84xx NCR0371725/xxx xxx/v0.7 xxx/EPROMs/dongle new heat sink, now ventilation openings at top rear D05 001610-004188 (7) 6 feets 5 unchained CERDIP gold-plated/83xx CLA2310/CERDIP/84xx NCR0371725/xxx xxx/v0.7 xxx/EPROMs/dongle D06 001610-008963 6 feets 5 unchained CERDIP gold-plated/83xx CLA2310/CERDIP/84xx NCR0371725/xxx xxx/v0.7 AH (QDOS 1.02)/EPROMs/pickaback D07 007703-010358 6 feets 5 unchained CERDIP gold-plated/83xx CLA2310/CERDIP/8409 NCR0371725/8417 PHILIPS8049/v0.7 JM (QDOS 1.03)/EPROMs/pickaback D08 (none) AH (QDOS 1.02)/ROM+EPROM Most likely to consume the remaining 27128 EPROMs D09 007381-036519 6 feets 5 xxx CERDIP gold-plated/83xx CLA2310/CERDIP/84xx NCR0371725/xxx xxx/v0.7 AH (QDOS 1.02)/ROMs D10 009120-032116 6 feets 5 xxx CERDIP gold-plated/83xx CLA2310/CERDIP/84xx NCR0371725/xxx xxx/v0.7 JM (QDOS 1.03)/EPROMs D11 036659-042772 6 feets 5 xxx CERDIP gold-plated/83xx CLA2310/CERDIP/84xx NCR0371725/xxx xxx/v0.7 JM (QDOS 1.03)/ROMs D12 042422-100539 6 feets 5 xxx CERDIP gold-plated/83xx CLA2310/CERDIP/84xx NCR0371725/xxx xxx/v0.7 JM (QDOS 1.03)/ROMs tfs reported a D12-018150 D13 035922-121641 6 feets 5 xxx CERDIP gold-plated/83xx CLA2310/CERDIP/84xx NCR0371725/xxx xxx/v0.7 JM (QDOS 1.03)/ROMs D14 068287-111885 x feets 6 xxx CERDIP gold-plated/83xx CLA2310/xxx/84xx NCR0371725/xxx xxx/v0.7 JM (QDOS 1.03)/ROMs D15 094920-122652 x feets 6 xxx CERDIP gold-plated/83xx CLA2310/xxx/84xx NCR0371725/xxx xxx/v0.7 JS (QDOS 1.10)/ROMs D16 101798-122815 4 feets 7 xxx CERDIP gold-plated/83xx CLA2310/xxx/84xx NCR0371725/xxx xxx/v0.7 JS (QDOS 1.10)/ROMs tfs reports some low SN to have BS D16 D17 (none) D18 123458-123528 (2) x feets 7 xxx CERDIP gold-plated/83xx CLA2310/xxx/84xx NCR0371725/xxx xxx/v0.7 JS (QDOS 1.10)/ROMs __8 123538 (1) x feets 6 xxx plastic/8452 CLA2310/CERDIP/8420 NCR0371725/8534 PHILIPS8049/v0.7 JS (QDOS 1.10)/ROMs Instead of D1 they engraved two neutral positions, most likely because the built in a ISSue 6 PCB S13 001153-005861 4 feets, 2 attachable stands USx xxx plastic/xxx CLA23xx/xxx/xxx NCR0371725/xxx NCR/PHILIPS8049/v0.7 JSU (QDOS 1.10)/ROMs Made by SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS for the US market S1G18 001002-010800 4 feets, 2 attachable stands USx xxx plastic/xxx CLA2345/xxx/xxx NCR0371725/xxx NCR/PHILIPS8049/v0.7 MGG (QDOS 1G13)/ROMs Made by SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS for the German market Data source: Tony Firshman's services (tfs) database (7209 customers as of 2010), Urs König's (COWO) data (20th century) and current research. As a proof of the above, browse the Details and Story folders of the Picture Gallery (SQPG) and view the pictures. Please also see the next chapter About some of my QLs of this webpage. Although the original Engineering Specifications are lost, the original Service Manual holds most of the Engineering Specification.

About some of my QLs

Lucerne, Aug 23th 2002 Over the years I collected QL computers and now own 9 QLs. From 6 of them you'll find pictures concerning "Build Standard-Serial Number", "CPU/Master Chip (MC)", "PCB view" and "PCB Issue/ROM version" on this page. Based on approved information and indications, I know that at least 121,821 English QLs (manufactured by Thorn-EMI-Datatech; 15 known Build Standards from D03 to D17; last known machine is D16-122821), 4'861 US QLs (manufactured by SAMSUNG in Korea; Build Standard S13; last known machine is S13-005861) and 9,800 German QLs (manufactured by SAMSUNG in Korea; Build Standard SG18; last known machine is SG18-010800 from 05/86) were produced. I'm still searching for an English pre-D04 (up to D04-001371 which I bought on ebay in July 2002) and an English post-D16 (from D16-122418 or better any D17) QL plus other European QLs (Sweden, Denmark, Spain, Greece, Italy, France). If someone knows how I could obtain such a machine, please let me know, Thank You very much! Luzern, 23.08.2002 Mittlerweile besitze ich 9 QLs, davon sind hier 6 bezüglich "Build Standard-Serien Nummer", "CPU/Master Chip (MC)", "Platinen-Ansicht" und "Platinen-Ausgabe/ROM-Version" abgebildet. Basierend auf von mir nachgeprüften Informationen und Indizien wurden mindestens 121'821 englische QLs (hergestellt von Thorn-EMI-Datatech; 15 bekannte Build Standards von D03 bis D17; letztes mir bekanntes Gerät ist D16-122821), mindestens 4'861 US QLs (hergestellt bei SAMSUNG in Korea; Build Standard S13; letztes mir bekanntes Gerät ist S13-005861) und mindestens 9'800 deutsche QLs (hergestellt bei SAMSUNG in Korea; Build Standard SG18; letztes mir bekanntes Gerät ist SG18-010800 vom 05/86) produziert. Ich suche noch einen englischen pre-D04 (bis D04-001371 den ich im Juli 2002 auf ebay gekauft habe) und einen englischen post-D16 (ab D16-122418 oder lieber einen D17) QL sowie weitere europäische QLs (Schweden, Dänemark, Spanien, Griechenland, Italien, Frankreich). Falls jemand weiss wie ich zu einem solchen Gerät kommen kann, bitte bei mir melden, Besten Dank!

no serial number...

but a paper sticker

SERial and ConTroL ports

wrong key caps mounted

D05-002875 with D12 mods

Plastic CPU, ceramic CLA2310

no modifications

JM ROMs piggyback

paper sticker AR109323

plastic chips, CLA2345

looks good

JS ROMs

D16-122418, still sealed

ceramic CPU, plastic CLA2310

looks good

JS ROMs

S13-004737, FCC comply

factory applied mods

VHF channel select switch

JSU ROMs

SG18-002321, date printed

Power Supply for Switzerland

standard DE-9 connectors

This QL in action

Branding PCB ISS.5

Branding PCB ISS.6

Branding PCB US5

7 QLs and 3 PS in a box

QL forever!

Urs König (aka QLvsJAGUAR)

Send an eMail to Urs König's "QL" mailbox (replace -at- with @).

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