---
title: "QL: Our First Look"
type: "article"
slug: "ql-our-first-look"
url: "http://localhost/article/ql-our-first-look/"
markdown_url: "http://localhost/article/ql-our-first-look.md"
published_at: "2026-03-14T13:00:36+00:00"
modified_at: "2026-03-14T13:00:37+00:00"
featured_image:
  url: "http://localhost/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/20230809-041332.jpg"
excerpt: "Preliminary review of the Sinclair QL five months after ordering. Covers SuperBASIC command entry (typed keywords, no single-keystroke), lack of full-screen editor, DEFined PROCedures, display modes (85-column monitor vs. shrunk TV mode), video output types (RGB, PAL, NTSC), and connection of a Star printer via Serial-to-Centronics converter. Continued on back page."
category:
  - name: "Timelinez"
    slug: "timelinez"
    taxonomy: "category"
    url: "http://localhost/category/periodicals/timelinez/"
post_tag:
  - name: "Hardware review"
    slug: "hardware-review"
    taxonomy: "post_tag"
    url: "http://localhost/tag/hardware-review/"
  - name: "QL"
    slug: "ql"
    taxonomy: "post_tag"
    url: "http://localhost/tag/ql/"
model:
  - name: "Sinclair QL"
    slug: "sinclair-ql"
    taxonomy: "model"
    url: "http://localhost/model/sinclair-ql/"
indiv:
  - name: "Norm Lehfeldt"
    slug: "norm-lehfeldt"
    taxonomy: "indiv"
    url: "http://localhost/indiv/norm-lehfeldt/"
publication_r:
  id: 21571
  title: "Timelinez"
  type: "periodical"
  url: "http://localhost/periodical/timelinez/"
authors_r:
  - name: "Norm Lehfeldt"
    slug: "norm-lehfeldt"
    taxonomy: "indiv"
    url: "http://localhost/indiv/norm-lehfeldt/"
volume: "3"
issue: "10"
issues_articles:
  - id: 38827
    title: "Timelinez v3 n10/11"
    type: "issue"
    url: "http://localhost/issue/timelinez-v3-n10-11/"
pages: "1"
pubdate: "October/November 1985"
archive_link: false
---

# QL: Our First Look

Preliminary review of the Sinclair QL five months after ordering. Covers SuperBASIC command entry (typed keywords, no single-keystroke), lack of full-screen editor, DEFined PROCedures, display modes (85-column monitor vs. shrunk TV mode), video output types (RGB, PAL, NTSC), and connection of a Star printer via Serial-to-Centronics converter. Continued on back page.