--- title: Sinclair QL (Quantum Leap) categories: - Computers types: - Home Computer origins: - United Kingdom years: - '1984' cpus: - Motorola MC 68008 params: name: QL (Quantum Leap) image: /media/museum/photos/sinclair_ql_side_3.jpg company: /companies/sinclair company_name: Sinclair specs: - label: NAME value: QL (Quantum Leap) - label: MANUFACTURER value: Sinclair - label: TYPE value: Home Computer - label: ORIGIN value: United Kingdom - label: YEAR value: '1984' - label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE value: Sinclair Super Basic - label: KEYBOARD value: |- QWERTY / AZERTY pseudo full-stroke keyboard\ 5 function keys - label: CPU value: Motorola MC 68008 - label: SPEED value: 7.5 MHz - label: CO-PROCESSOR value: |- Intel 8049 IPC (RS232, speaker, joysticks, keyboard)\ Sinclair ZX8301 (Peripheral Control)\ Sinclair ZX8302 (Peripheral Chip) - label: RAM value: |- 128 kb (up to 728 kb without additional CPU)\ 85 kb free under Super Basic - label: VRAM value: 32 kb - label: ROM value: 48 kb (up to 64 kb) - label: TEXT MODES value: 40 x 25, 64 x 25, 85 x 25 - label: GRAPHIC MODES value: |- 256 x 256 (8 colors)\ 512 x 256 (4 colors) - label: COLORS value: 256 color effects - label: SOUND value: Beeper - label: SIZE / WEIGHT value: 47,2 x 13,8 x 4,6 cm / 1,4 kg - label: I/O PORTS value: |- 2 x Serial sockets (RS232)\ 2 x Sinclair Network sockets\ 2 x Controllers sockets\ ROM connector\ Expansion bus\ External microdrives bus\ RGB video output\ RF video output - label: BUILT IN MEDIA value: 2 x microdrives (100 kb each) - label: OS value: QDOS - label: POWER SUPPLY value: External PSU - label: PRICE value: 399£ (UK, february 1984) tabs: - photos - adverts - hardware - software - emulators - links forum_thread: 209 photos: - title: FRONT subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/sinclair_ql_front_1.jpg - title: SIDE subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/sinclair_ql_front_2.jpg - title: SIDE 2 subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/sinclair_ql_side_1.jpg - title: SIDE 3 subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/sinclair_ql_side_2.jpg - title: IN BOX subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/sinclair_ql_styro.jpg - title: BOX subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/sinclair_ql_box_1.jpg - title: MICRODRIVES CLOSEUP subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/sinclair_ql_microdrives.jpg - title: MICRODRIVES OPENED subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/sinclair_ql_microdrives_opened.jpg - title: MICRODRIVE TAPES subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/sinclair_ql_microdrives_2.jpg - title: BLANK MICRODRIVES TAPES subtitle: '' text: This little box with 4 blank microdrive tapes was delivered with the Sinclair QL image: /media/museum/photos/sinclair_ql_microdrive_coffret.jpg - title: REAR subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/sinclair_ql_rear_1.jpg - title: REAR subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/sinclair_ql_rear_2.jpg - title: MOTHERBOARD subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/sinclair_ql_mobo_2.jpg - title: MOTHERBOARD EXPLAINED subtitle: '' text: |- This is one of the very first pictures of the inside of a QL. The motherboard, still in beta-version, will undergo several modifications during the difficult birth of the QL and also during the QL's life. **(1)** Expansion connector for external peripherals and internal 512 Kb. RAM extension.\ **(2)** Connector for 32 Kb. ROM software cartridges.\ **(3)** Two 9-pin joystick connectors.\ **(4)** Two 9-pin serial RS-232 connectors.\ **(5)** TV aerial RF modulator. Through this video output, only 60 char. per line are allowed.\ **(6)** RGB video output connector. 85 char. per line allowed.\ **(7)** Sinclair local network connector. Up to 64 QLs or Spectrums can be connected together.\ **(8)** Up to six additional microdrives can be connected here.\ **(9)** Integrated microdrives.\ **(10)** Intel 8049 microprocessor in charge of keyboard, sound and serial port management.\ **(11)** Two chipsets specially designed for the QL (ZX-8301/02), in charge of video display and various Inputs/Outputs.\ **(12)** Motorola 68008 microprocessor. A 16-bit processing unit, but only an 8-bit data bus. image: /media/museum/photos/sinclair_ql_inside_1.jpg - title: KEYBOARD EXPLAINED subtitle: '' text: |- The QL keyboard is made of two semi-flexible plastic sheets with a wire network connecting each key. Under each key, the 2 sheets are separated by a ''bubble'' which keeps the wires from each sheet separated. When the key is pressed, the bubble is flattened and makes a contact between two wires. This bubble is also used to ensure the normal position of the key. This process makes it possible for the QL to offer a keyboard touch practically identical to a mechanical keyboard while keeping a very low profile. **(1)** Superior key caps.\ **(2)** Vertical guide of the key.\ **(3)** Bubble which keeps the key raised and breaks the contact between two wires.\ **(4)** Two superimposed plastic sheets.\ **(5)** Wires connecting each key of the keyboard. image: /media/museum/photos/sinclair_ql_keyboard_1.jpg - title: MECHANICAL KEYBOARD subtitle: '' text: |- This model is not a new mysterious version of the QL, but only a mechanical keyboard addon sold to replace the original and fragile keyboard. As it was very expensive, only a few QLs have been upgraded like this. The funcion keys are red, the letters keys (A - Z) are dark brown and the rest of the keys are black. Thanks to [oldcomput.8k.com](http://oldcomput.8k.com) for this picture. image: /media/museum/photos/sinclair_ql_mechanical-keyboard_1.jpg adverts: - title: QL MONITOR AD. subtitle: '' text: It was actually a rebadged Taxan monitor image: /media/museum/pubs/sinclair_ql_pub_1.jpg - title: FRENCH ADVERT subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/pubs/sinclair_ql_sicob_pub.jpg - title: 'QL CATALOGUE #1' subtitle: '' text: Thanks to [fuzzbucket](http://blogs.linux.ie/fuzzbucket/archives/p/7/more/1/c/1/Vintage-Sinclair-QL-catalogue) for this complete QL catalogue. image: /media/museum/pubs/sinclair_ql_brochure1_s1.jpg - title: 'QL CATALOGUE #2' subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/pubs/sinclair_ql_brochure1_s2.jpg - title: 'QL CATALOGUE #3' subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/pubs/sinclair_ql_brochure1_s3.jpg - title: 'QL CATALOGUE #4' subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/pubs/sinclair_ql_brochure1_s4.jpg - title: 'QL CATALOGUE #5' subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/pubs/sinclair_ql_brochure1_s5.jpg - title: 'QL CATALOGUE #6' subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/pubs/sinclair_ql_brochure1_s6.jpg - title: 'QL CATALOGUE #7' subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/pubs/sinclair_ql_brochure1_s7.jpg - title: 'QL CATALOGUE #8' subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/pubs/sinclair_ql_brochure1_s8.jpg hardware: - title: TRUMP CARD subtitle: from Miracle Systems text: This famous card allows to add a floppy disk controller to the standard QL and to add Tony Tebby's QJUMP Toolkit II commands to the standard QL's somewhat limited internal QDOS commands. image: /media/museum/hardware/sinclair_ql_trump-card_1.jpg - title: 512K EXPANDERAM subtitle: from Miracle Systems text: This card adds 512k RAM to the QL. image: /media/museum/hardware/sinclair_ql_miracle-512kcard_1.jpg - title: SINCLAIR 512K RAM EXPANSION subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/hardware/sinclair_ql_512k_ram_expansion.jpg - title: JASMIN DISK-DRIVE subtitle: '' text: |- This is the Jasmin disk-drive for the QL. It is the same as the Oric Jasmin II. 3'' floppies, double head, 80 tracks, 800kb formated. This thing cost 3500fr in 1985. image: /media/museum/hardware/sinclair_ql_disk_1.jpg - title: DOUBLE 5''1/4 DISK-DRIVES subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/hardware/sinclair_ql_diskdrive_2.jpg screenshots: - title: MONOPOLY subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/software/sinclair_ql_ss_monopoly.jpg - title: LANDS OF HAVOC subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/software/sinclair_ql_lands_of_havoc_ss.jpg - title: PIRATE subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/software/sinclair_ql_pirate_ss.gif - title: QL CHESS subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/software/sinclair_ql_chess_ss.gif - title: PHARAO ? subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/software/sinclair_ql_pharao_ss.jpg - title: VROOM subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/software/sinclair_ql_vroom_ss.jpg - title: TENNIS subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/software/sinclair_ql_ss_tennis.jpg - title: SPOOK subtitle: Pac-man clone text: '' image: /media/museum/software/sinclair_ql_spook_ss.gif - title: THE LOST KINGDOM OF SKUL subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/software/sinclair_ql_skul_ss.gif - title: SLIME subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/software/sinclair_ql_slime_ss.jpg - title: ICE subtitle: Graphical User Interface (GUI) text: '' image: /media/museum/software/sinclair_ql_ice_ss.jpg emulators: - title: Q-Emulator for Windows 95 url: http://users.infoconex.com/DANIELE/WINQL.HTML platform: Windows text: QL emulator for Windows - title: QLAY - SINCLAIR QL EMULATOR for Windows95, DOS url: http://web.inter.nl.net/hcc/A.Jaw.Venema/ platform: Windows text: (Available for Linux) - title: QPC url: http://www.kilgus.net/qpc/ platform: Windows text: Featureful QL emulator by Marcel Kilgus - title: QEmulator url: http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Heights/1296/q-emulator.html platform: Apple text: '' - title: UQLX Homepage url: http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Bay/2602/uqlx_main.html platform: Unix / Linux text: '' - title: QLem url: http://rand.thn.htu.se/~johan/qlem.html platform: Atari text: The QL Emulator for Atari ST/TT/Falcon - title: Sinclair Emulation Homepage url: http://users.aol.com/autismuk/sinclair.htm platform: Other platform text: '' links: - title: Club QL International url: http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Vista/4807/ text: Newsletter - title: Dilwyn Jones' Sinclair QL Home Page url: http://www.soft.net.uk/dj/index.html text: Impressive content. You'll find what you are seeking here ! - title: Petas Sinclair QL support page url: http://www.sinclairql.de/ text: '' - title: Planet Sinclair url: http://www.nvg.unit.no/sinclair/planet/index.html text: '' - title: QL FAQ url: http://www.uni-mainz.de/~roklein/ql/ text: '' - title: QL Users Mailing List url: http://www.soft.net.uk/dj/emaillst/maillist.html text: So you want to exchange mails with QL fans around the world ?! - title: QL Webring url: http://t.webring.com/hub?list&ring=the_quantum text: Official webring - title: Sinclair QL Spanish Resources url: http://sinclairql.es text: Sinclair QL and compatible Spanish Resources - title: Speccyalista url: http://www.sinclair.hu/ text: Hungarian Sinclair page - title: TF Services url: http://www.firshman.co.uk text: Tony Firshman's Home Page - Sinclair QL support - title: Thierry Godegroy's Home Page url: http://www.imaginet.fr/~godefroy/english text: All you need to know about the Sinclair QL is here ! - title: Web Wiz CAPTCHA url: http://www.webwizcaptcha.com text: Sinclair computers oc_id: 199 source: url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230609174746/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=199 date: '2023-06-09' --- The Sinclair QL was the first attempt for Clive Sinclair to produce a computer for business. But after the success of the [ZX-81](/museum/sinclair-zx-81/) and [ZX Spectrum](/museum/sinclair-zx-spectrum-128/), the QL can also be regarded as the first failure of Sinclair. In January 1984, Clive Sinclair presents the QL to the press, unveiling a very promising and inventive machine, based on the 68008 processor from Motorola. Indeed it was the first home computer based on a 32 bits CPU, just a few days before the [Apple Macintosh](/museum/apple-macintosh/). It was important for Clive Sinclair to unveil the QL before the Macintosh, but that was also one of the main reasons for the QL's failure... The British ICL company conceived a desktop information system based on the QL mainboard. It was sold in the U.K. under the names [One Per Desk](/museum/icl-opd-one-per-desk/) and [Merlin Tonto](/museum/merlin-tonto/). The same model was also sold in Australia, with the name **Telecom Computerphone**.