Q1/Lite: looking for manuals/schematics etc

[Roland Langfeld]

Most recently I got a Q1/Lite desktop computer (1979, Z80 CPU, 48 k RAM). The computer turns on and displays "Q1/Lite at Your Service". Unfortunately it does not react to any keyboard input.

Does anyone have documentation/schematics/manuals for this type of computer ?

Roland technikum29

[Dennis Boone]

Post by Roland Langfeld
Most recently I got a Q1/Lite desktop computer (1979, Z80 CPU, 48 k
RAM). The computer turns on and displays "Q1/Lite at Your Service".
Unfortunately it does not react to any keyboard input.
Does anyone have documentation/schematics/manuals for this type of computer ?

You've probably found this already, but there are clearly a number of
former Q1 employees still around:

https://www.old-computers.com/museum/forum.asp?c=1286&st=1

Perhaps you can find a way to contact some of them. Sadly, all
Bitsavers seems to have is a product glossy.

De

[Roland Langfeld]

thankyou ! I just posted a request for information in that forum. And yes, the product glossy at bitsavers I found already,

Roland

Post by Dennis Boone

Post by Roland Langfeld
Most recently I got a Q1/Lite desktop computer (1979, Z80 CPU, 48 k
RAM). The computer turns on and displays "Q1/Lite at Your Service".
Unfortunately it does not react to any keyboard input.
Does anyone have documentation/schematics/manuals for this type of computer ?

You've probably found this already, but there are clearly a number of
https://www.old-computers.com/museum/forum.asp?c=1286&st=1
Perhaps you can find a way to contact some of them. Sadly, all
Bitsavers seems to have is a product glossy.
De

[D.J.]

On Fri, 3 Jun 2022 07:32:43 -0700 (PDT), Roland Langfeld

Post by Roland Langfeld
Most recently I got a Q1/Lite desktop computer (1979, Z80 CPU, 48 k RAM). The computer turns on and displays "Q1/Lite at Your Service". Unfortunately it does not react to any keyboard input.
Does anyone have documentation/schematics/manuals for this type of computer ?
Roland technikum29

There are folks on youtube that restore old computers.

I don't know if he has anything on the Q1, but he does have videos for
the Altair 8800 and several Z80 computers. Along with a television
typewriter.

Tech Time Traveller is the name of the channel.
--
Jim

[Robin Vowels]

Post by Roland Langfeld
Most recently I got a Q1/Lite desktop computer (1979, Z80 CPU, 48 k RAM). The computer turns on and displays "Q1/Lite at Your Service". Unfortunately it does not react to any keyboard input.
Does anyone have documentation/schematics/manuals for this type of computer ?

.
I have copies of "Q1/LMC Systems Software Manual" and "Advanced PL/I Programmers Manual".

[Roland Langfeld]

Dear Robin,

we (www.technikum29.de) are interested in all kind of documentation for this systen ! If it is in digital form pls. send it to my e-mail ! Thankyou so much !

Roland

Post by Robin Vowels

Post by Roland Langfeld
Most recently I got a Q1/Lite desktop computer (1979, Z80 CPU, 48 k RAM). The computer turns on and displays "Q1/Lite at Your Service". Unfortunately it does not react to any keyboard input.
Does anyone have documentation/schematics/manuals for this type of computer ?

.
I have copies of "Q1/LMC Systems Software Manual" and "Advanced PL/I Programmers Manual".

[Robin Vowels]

Post by Roland Langfeld
Dear Robin,
we (www.technikum29.de) are interested in all kind of documentation for this systen ! If it is in digital form pls. send it to my e-mail ! Thankyou so much !
Roland

Post by Robin Vowels

Post by Roland Langfeld
Most recently I got a Q1/Lite desktop computer (1979, Z80 CPU, 48 k RAM). The computer turns on and displays "Q1/Lite at Your Service". Unfortunately it does not react to any keyboard input.
Does anyone have documentation/schematics/manuals for this type of computer ?

.
I have copies of "Q1/LMC Systems Software Manual" and "Advanced PL/I Programmers Manual".

[Robin Vowels]

Post by Roland Langfeld
Dear Robin,
we (www.technikum29.de) are interested in all kind of documentation for this systen ! If it is in digital form pls. send it to my e-mail ! Thankyou so much !

The manuals are not digitised. It would take some time to do that.

What is your email address?

[Roland Langfeld]

Dear Robin,

thankyou very much for your help !

You can send the scans either to my private address rolandlangfeld(at)gmail.com or directly to our mueseum's address: kontakt(at)technikum29.de
If possible any kind of schematics are of most importance, followed by descriptions how to start/use the system.

Roland

Post by Roland Langfeld
Dear Robin,
we (www.technikum29.de) are interested in all kind of documentation for this systen ! If it is in digital form pls. send it to my e-mail ! Thankyou so much !

The manuals are not digitised. It would take some time to do that.
What is your email address?

[Quadibloc]

I had never heard of the Q1, but in searching old Datamation magazines for something else, I happened to run
across a new products announcement for it. Apparently the original Q1 was one of the very first microcomputers,
which looked a lot like a typewriter, and which was made at such an early date that it must have been built
around an 8008.

So your Z80-based Q1/Lite is a later version!

John Savard

[Roland Langfeld]

Dear John,

you are correct, our Q1 is Z80-based and dated around 1979. And yes, Q1 Corp was one of the first companies to build microprocessor-based desptops, starting with 8008, going to 8080 and finally Z80.

Roland

Post by Quadibloc
I had never heard of the Q1, but in searching old Datamation magazines for something else, I happened to run
across a new products announcement for it. Apparently the original Q1 was one of the very first microcomputers,
which looked a lot like a typewriter, and which was made at such an early date that it must have been built
around an 8008.
So your Z80-based Q1/Lite is a later version!
John Savard

[Quadibloc]

Post by Roland Langfeld
you are correct, our Q1 is Z80-based and dated around 1979. And yes, Q1 Corp was one of the first companies to build microprocessor-based desptops, starting with 8008, going to 8080 and finally Z80.

I found the new products announcement, in the February 1973 issue of Datamation. Apparently
their first delivery was in December 1972, according to Old-computers.com. Their typewriter-like
unit, with a single-line display, was oriented to things like order entry, not general-purpose
computing, but it is claimed to be the first self-contained microcomputer.

John Savard

[Quadibloc]

A sales brochure won't be much help, but I see that the Q1 sales brochure at Bitsavers, which is all
they have on the Q1, is actually for the Q1/Lite.

John Savard

[Robin Vowels]

Post by Roland Langfeld
Most recently I got a Q1/Lite desktop computer (1979, Z80 CPU, 48 k RAM). The computer turns on and displays "Q1/Lite at Your Service". Unfortunately it does not react to any keyboard input.
Does anyone have documentation/schematics/manuals for this type of computer ?

.
I have scanned these manuals.
Should anyone desire a copy, please drop me a line.

[Roland Langfeld]

Post by Robin Vowels

Post by Roland Langfeld
Most recently I got a Q1/Lite desktop computer (1979, Z80 CPU, 48 k RAM). The computer turns on and displays "Q1/Lite at Your Service". Unfortunately it does not react to any keyboard input.
Does anyone have documentation/schematics/manuals for this type of computer ?

.
I have scanned these manuals.
Should anyone desire a copy, please drop me a line.

Robin, you did a great job in scanning all these manuals in high quality - thankyou very much in the name of all Q1-lovers !
regards
Roland

[Kerr-Mudd, John]

On Mon, 3 Oct 2022 00:24:29 -0700 (PDT)

Post by Roland Langfeld

Post by Robin Vowels

Post by Roland Langfeld
Most recently I got a Q1/Lite desktop computer (1979, Z80 CPU, 48 k RAM). The computer turns on and displays "Q1/Lite at Your Service". Unfortunately it does not react to any keyboard input.
Does anyone have documentation/schematics/manuals for this type of computer ?

.
I have scanned these manuals.
Should anyone desire a copy, please drop me a line.

Robin, you did a great job in scanning all these manuals in high quality - thankyou very much in the name of all Q1-lovers !
regards
Roland

I'd like to echo that sentiment.
Not that I've ever even heard of this device before these posts.

[Quadibloc]

Post by Kerr-Mudd, John
Not that I've ever even heard of this device before these posts.

It is only by the merest chance that I _had_ heard of it before these posts.

I was working on a set of pages on my web site that start here:

http://www.quadibloc.com/comp/histint.htm

which provide a brief history of the computer. In researching it, I came across this
important milestone, of which I included a mention.

John Savard

[Robin Vowels]

Post by Kerr-Mudd, John
On Mon, 3 Oct 2022 00:24:29 -0700 (PDT)

Post by Roland Langfeld

Post by Robin Vowels

Post by Roland Langfeld
Most recently I got a Q1/Lite desktop computer (1979, Z80 CPU, 48 k RAM). The computer turns on and displays "Q1/Lite at Your Service". Unfortunately it does not react to any keyboard input.
Does anyone have documentation/schematics/manuals for this type of computer ?

.
I have scanned these manuals.
Should anyone desire a copy, please drop me a line.

Robin, you did a great job in scanning all these manuals in high quality - thankyou very much in the name of all Q1-lovers !
regards
Roland

I'd like to echo that sentiment.
Not that I've ever even heard of this device before these posts.

.
Further information is here, including a statement from one of the designers
that he has disks for it:
.
https://hackaday.com/2022/09/28/the-first-microcomputer-the-q1/

[Robin Vowels]

On Monday, October 3, 2022 at 7:21:29 PM UTC+11, Kerr-Mudd, John wrote:
Here's a Q1 to be traded:
.
http://www.datormuseum.se/available.html

[Robin Vowels]

There's even more here: manuals, photos etc.
.
http://www.peel.dk/Q1/

[Kerr-Mudd, John]

On Tue, 4 Oct 2022 06:52:01 -0700 (PDT)

Post by Robin Vowels
.
http://www.datormuseum.se/available.html

Sorry, I'm not *that* interested in owning one.