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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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4th Jan 2017, 2:30 pm | #21 |
Nonode
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Dukinfield, Cheshire, UK.
Posts: 2,038
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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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Andy G1HBE. |
4th Jan 2017, 5:01 pm | #22 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Biggin Hill, London, UK.
Posts: 5,215
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Re: BBC Computer
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). |
18th Jan 2017, 9:04 pm | #23 |
Dekatron
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Derby, UK.
Posts: 7,735
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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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If I have seen further than others, it is because I was standing on a pile of failed experiments. |
1st Feb 2017, 9:52 pm | #24 |
Nonode
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Gloucester, Glos. UK.
Posts: 2,150
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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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2nd Feb 2017, 12:59 am | #25 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Lincolnshire, UK.
Posts: 5,000
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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. |
2nd Feb 2017, 7:54 pm | #26 | |
Heptode
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Lincoln, Lincolnshire, UK.
Posts: 583
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Re: BBC Computer
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3rd Feb 2017, 12:42 pm | #27 |
Octode
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 1,885
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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 |
3rd Feb 2017, 1:26 pm | #28 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: London, UK.
Posts: 3,687
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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 |