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Some BBC Love from the USsa

mbliss11

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Just wanted to give some BBC love there are not a lot of forum posts on these cool computers. I received mine several weeks ago and after replacing rifa caps in the power supply I tried to get a Turbo MMC working in mine. No matter what I tried I could not get the MMC working in it.

I later learned that my system is a very early example and shipped with the first version of basic and the os roms. The seller who provided me with the turbo MMC graciously burned some new os and basic roms for me and sure enough worked like a charm after that. Just a heads up to future beep fans that can’t get their turbo MMC working check your os and basic versions.

Also just joined the thread after lurking for a while awesome community hope to share more with you all!
 

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Hi

They are very complete machines. Its worth getting Iain Birnbaums Assemble Language Programming book as that opened my eyes to correct programming using OS calls.

Odd to have that OS in an Issue 3 ? Was OS 0.1 in a single or multiple EPROM ?

I had it in an early issue 2, and they came with multiple EPROMS's as I remember and I had to buy OS 1.2 but I thought that came out really soon ?

I have the MMC, but I find a Gotek is also very useful, especially as you can save things with it (though of course you need the disk upgrade to make it work)

Reminds me, I must get my Black 'Linear' PSU BBC A up and running.
 
It was in 1 eprom. I did research and found that the case badging on mine is of an older style as well. I purchased it online from its original owner she said it was her family’s first computer and got it in the early 80’s but didn’t have any more info than that.

I’ll have to check out gotek for it will need the upgrade for disk capabilities most of my other systems have a gotek drive (just upgraded my cpc6128 with one and about to put one in my trash 80 model 3)
 
Yes, the original units had 'BBC' on them which had to change to British Broadcasting Company due to some problem overseas with 'BBC'. I do remember at the time, the comments about the original OS using up the sideways ROM sockets as it came in four slow EPROMS. As I recall, the way it was arranged meant the BASIC was in the OS socket and permanently selected, with access to the OS only possible at 1MHz in this configuration. The OS should be in IC51 socket, is your EPROM in this socket ?

http://chrisacorns.computinghistory.org.uk/docs/Acorn/Manuals/Acorn_BBCSMOct85_Sec1.pdf section 4 certainly indicates is was four. Strange. Yours is certainly not a US model as their boards were completely different to achieve FCC approval.

Just done some reading and there seems to have been a right old mix of OS ROMS, including OS 0.1 in 4 and 1 EPROMS and OS 1.0 in 2 EPROMS mounted on a daughterboard plugged into the OS socket !

Shame I lost my original issue 2 machine, but I do have a my Linear PSU model A issue 2 and an issue 7 with a couple of Master 128's and I also have the 65C02 second processor too, but its only use really is for Elite.
 
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I would have to check on where it was plugged in I had since removed it and upgraded to 1.2. Yea not a US model imported from the UK
 
The US market version had additional metal shielding, which made them heavier than the UK version.
I saw a number of them ship out in New Zealand, when they were used to fill local demand.
 
I'm late to the party but I'm another US based BBC B owner. I moved here in 1996 but I left all my computer stuff at my parents house and I eventually told them to get rid of it. The BBC was going bad and who needs 8 bit technology anyway? Worse decision of my life. Not thinking about it, it had the bulletin board I wrote for computer studies exam, loads of games, modem, mouse, 10mb hard disk, solidisk swr with real time clock, JP101 printer, Music 500, Music 5000...

I was gutted once I saw these things making a comeback in the retro world. I've been slowly clawing back the hardware I used to have but some things are going to be gone forever. I'm finding it impossible to locate an autoanswer modem and, of course, all the software I wrote myself is gone. I've forgotten more BBC Basic than i know!

Now I have a BBC B Issue 7 with an Integra B board, Gotek, JP101 printer again, Co-processor. double sided 40/80T floppy drive. I've been kindly lent a Music 500 but I also have a Music 5000 reproduction board that I need to get a power supply and case for then I'm good.
 
Nice

Have you found replacement cartridges for the JP101 ? I loved mine but even in 1987 I found getting them hard. I did try putting a 6B pencil graphite in a spent tube but it didn't really work.
 
Nice

Have you found replacement cartridges for the JP101 ? I loved mine but even in 1987 I found getting them hard. I did try putting a 6B pencil graphite in a spent tube but it didn't really work.
I've not actually got it out of the box it came in yet. I don't have space until I do some cleaning up. I was concerned about the ink also and wondered if graphite would do the trick. I'm not sure what they used in the original. In fact, I'm not even sure how it worked. I know there's a spark (that's why it's a spark jet lol) maybe something pushes the "ink" out and the spark fuses it to the paper. Will have to look more.
 
It has a solid stick of some sort of graphite that it puts a charge down, just in front of the paper there is an earth bar and the spark jumps from the end of the graphite, up the tube and down to the bar. Some of the graphite is broken off the end by the spark but travels in a straight line and hits the paper.

It needs something conductive and soft enough to break up and stick to the paper. Not sure exactly what they used.

It was actually a rebadged Olivetti PR-2300
 
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I always thought it was powdered graphite that was tightly compacted but it makes sense since there was a spring that pushed it down. Maybe a highly compressed powder that would break off easily.
 
Probably your right. Would be hardish to make today but not impossible. As I say, a standard 4B from a pencil didn't work but maybe ground and compressed in a mould. As to the actual physics of the graphite leaving the tube ?
 
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