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Vintage Computers Any vintage computer systems, calculators, video games etc., but with an emphasis on 1980s and earlier equipment.

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Old 4th Jan 2017, 2:30 pm   #21
Andrew2
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Default Re: BBC Computer

We bought our model B in about 1984 I think. A fantastic machine and a big improvement over our Sinclair ZX81. We used it for all sorts for the next few years, from playing games to writing simple routines using the excellent BBC Basic. I even wrote a fax programme which would display weather maps from HF transmissions. Happy days.
It's still in the dreaded cupboard and it still works. I power it up once every year and it gives me a nice warm feeling hearing that be-boop start-up sound. I think the 100K drive has passed away though.
We had one at work, and I wrote a programme which would plot graphs from a light sensor. That ADC input was very useful.
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Old 4th Jan 2017, 5:01 pm   #22
TonyDuell
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I regard the BBC micro as being one of the best of the 8bit home micros. The only thing I don't really like is the CPU, I think a 6809 would have been better. But perhaps I am wrong. Acorn had tried the 6809 in the 'System' machines so they may have found things they didn't like about it.

I was never much into the Beeb back in the day, but I've made up for it since. I've got a fair number of machines (most with the disk controller, some with Econet), disk drives, 4 of the second processors (6502, Z80, 32016, ARM 1), the IEEE-488 interface, etc. I even have an Acorn Cambridge Workstation (BBC B+ with floppy drive, hard drive, monitor and 32016 second processor in one box with a separate keyboard).
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Old 18th Jan 2017, 9:04 pm   #23
julie_m
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Default Re: BBC Computer

Here's an interesting resource for the BBC: http://beebwiki.mdfs.net/Main_Page

It seems to be a bit of a work in progress; but, being a Wiki, anyone can fix that .....
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Old 1st Feb 2017, 9:52 pm   #24
electronicskip
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Default Re: BBC Computer

I bought 2 or 3 beeb Bs plus a couple of masters and Acorn 3000s off a school closure sale a few years ago. Still have them all in the loft .
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Old 2nd Feb 2017, 12:59 am   #25
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Default Re: BBC Computer

I think there's a lot more survivors of these than we think.

It would be a massive job now as I've used the original 'trolley' for other kit now, but it would be great to get the whole lot that I've got in one piece all together for a photo - somehow I don't think that's going to happen any time soon.
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Old 2nd Feb 2017, 7:54 pm   #26
ionburn
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Default Re: BBC Computer

Quote:
Originally Posted by TonyDuell View Post
I regard the BBC micro as being one of the best of the 8bit home micros. The only thing I don't really like is the CPU, I think a 6809 would have been better. But perhaps I am wrong. Acorn had tried the 6809 in the 'System' machines so they may have found things they didn't like about it.

I was never much into the Beeb back in the day, but I've made up for it since. I've got a fair number of machines (most with the disk controller, some with Econet), disk drives, 4 of the second processors (6502, Z80, 32016, ARM 1), the IEEE-488 interface, etc. I even have an Acorn Cambridge Workstation (BBC B+ with floppy drive, hard drive, monitor and 32016 second processor in one box with a separate keyboard).
I remember the second processors as I used one for a control project at college. I was comparing C and Forth as languages for control purposes (I built a motorised potentiometer bridge circuit for resistance measurement). It may have been more to do with the language package implementation but the 'C' especially was a pig to use. I think it was when they were pushing the BBC to it's limits. I think the processor was 8086 (or possibly 80186) but it was a long while ago and the actual hardware was not that relevant.
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Old 3rd Feb 2017, 12:42 pm   #27
dominicbeesley
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Default Re: BBC Computer

Most C implementations on the *86 were horrible until Win32 came along. Lots of messing around with short/long/far pointers to get round the fact that it was an 8 bit processor with 16bit addressing with extra address lines grafted on in the most mind bogglingly daft way.

I recently got hold of the "matchbox" second processor for my beeb, it's a small modern fpga that plugs in the tube port and has 6502, z80, arm, 6809 etc second processors on it. Great fun, I only wish I could have afforded them back in the day.

I'm in the middle of trying to port BBC Basic to the 6809 processor, which is slow going but interesting....if you like staring/swearing at assembler language for hours on end
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Old 3rd Feb 2017, 1:26 pm   #28
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Default Re: BBC Computer

x86 segmented memory was horrible. I'd completely forgotten about the pointer mess prior to the 386 coming along.

Had a Master Turbo here. Internal 65C12 second processor. Last good computer I owned apart from possibly the A440
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