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Forum Index : Microcontroller and PC projects : A Very British 8 bit Question
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Rickard5 Guru  Joined: 31/03/2022 Location: United StatesPosts: 463 |
I just sold my Timex/Sinclair 2068 ("the American Speccy") on ePay for Stupid Money (more than $2.00). So when I listed it, I set the buy it now at 3/4 of the Lowest Buy it now Price I could find, as a goof. It was gone in 18 hours :) Anyhow I got on a Binge watching Youtube Videos about British 8-bit micros, and I'm thinking I'm going to add a BBC micro Emulator to my Pi 400, Can any of you BBC Micro Guys recommend the best one and maybe if there is a good Software Repository? Why do you guy think was the best British 8-bit? I may be Vulgar, but , while I'm poor, I'm Industrious, Honest, and trustworthy! I Know my Place |
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| IanT Regular Member  Joined: 29/11/2016 Location: United KingdomPosts: 86 |
Easy Peasy - The Nascom II  IanT |
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Mixtel90 Guru Joined: 05/10/2019 Location: United KingdomPosts: 6781 |
Can't argue with that, IanT. :) I have three of them now (but only one worked last time I tried it). There was no way I could afford one at the time - I'd spent all my money on the Nascom-1 and upgrades! However, those were the days when you didn't get far without a fairly detailed knowledge of address & data buses, R/W, MREQ, IOREQ etc. :) BBC Micro emulators all fail in some way, usually teletext mode graphics. Anyway, it didn't use the Z80 so it's obviously inferior. ;) (Dives for cover as the CPU wars start up again) The "best" British 8-bit? It all depends on what you want. The Sinclair family have probably had more games written for them than anything else, particularly the Spectrums. The Amstrad range were pretty good machines - some ran CP/M. The MK14, Nascom & Gemini machines have had more hardware hackers. The Camputers Lynx was probably one of the most underrated (and had the shortest lifespan). Mick Zilog Inside! nascom.info for Nascom & Gemini Preliminary MMBasic docs & my PCB designs |
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thwill Guru Joined: 16/09/2019 Location: United KingdomPosts: 4036 |
Hey @Rickard5, I've recently sold my BBC Master 128 because whilst a thing of beauty which made me smile every time I looked at it I'd probably only used it for 4 hours in the last 3 years, otherwise it was just gathering dust. If/when I'm inclined again I will be doing so via emulation. For an emulator I believe BeebEm is well regarded and I suspect that @Mixtel90's comment regarding "all fail in some way" is outdated. For software repositories: - https://www.bbcmicro.co.uk/ - https://www.bbcmicrogames.com/ - https://www.stairwaytohell.com/ (closed to new submissions) And I think that the BBC Master 128 was probably the (all be it pricey) pinnacle of 8-bit computing, which does not mean it had the best games. Best wishes, Tom Game*Mite, CMM2 Welcome Tape, Creaky old text adventures |
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| Rickard5 Guru Joined: 31/03/2022 Location: United StatesPosts: 463 |
Thanks Everybody :) I love how you guys are so supportive of Dumb Squirrel shiny object Ideas! you guys are Great! I was just playing with my Pi 400 and Watching Youtube videos of No US Computers, and It hit me hard why it's so appealing to put together emulators.I really think it's because when You grow up with an Apple ][, a C64, an Atari, etc.. it's so just everyday uninteresting, but with emulators I can have all the experience of exotic foreign machines with no investment or responsibility. I'm gonna Try BeebEM :) I may be Vulgar, but , while I'm poor, I'm Industrious, Honest, and trustworthy! I Know my Place |
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| al18 Senior Member  Joined: 06/07/2019 Location: United StatesPosts: 205 |
I’ve seen the BBC Master on the YouTube channel Adrian’s Digital Basement. The machine looks interesting because you could install multiple application ROMs and I think it was popular because of BBC BASIC. You can run BBC BASIC on many current computers including the Raspberry Pi https://www.bbcbasic.co.uk/bbcsdl/index.html |
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| Mixtel90 Guru Joined: 05/10/2019 Location: United KingdomPosts: 6781 |
The BBC computers were the ones that people (mainly parents) would have liked. The Speccy was the computer that people could afford. MSX wasn't a bad compromise for a Z80, but it wasn't a British computer. A bit cheaper than a BBC. A lot of schools got the Research Machines RM380Z, but it wasn't available outside education as the government paid half the cost. Mick Zilog Inside! nascom.info for Nascom & Gemini Preliminary MMBasic docs & my PCB designs |
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| Rickard5 Guru Joined: 31/03/2022 Location: United StatesPosts: 463 |
Dave over at Usagi Electric is a Semi Local guy in fact he did a work shop 2-3 weeks ago @ Vintage Computer Fest Southwest here in Dallas he just did a video on his COOL NEC MSXish Computer I'm not so Particular about British computers jus ones that use English I may be Vulgar, but , while I'm poor, I'm Industrious, Honest, and trustworthy! I Know my Place |
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| Mixtel90 Guru Joined: 05/10/2019 Location: United KingdomPosts: 6781 |
MSX was a "standard" computer that was manufactured by several companies (mostly Japanese as it started in Japan). It specified a minimum hardware and software level, but individual manufacturers could add to it if they wished. They all had to use a Z80 and run the same MSX BASIC language, which was actually pretty good and supported the graphics and sound that were also part of the specification. Some of the machines had all sorts of additions, particularly the ones using the later MSX2 spec. There were special addons for video handling, additional sound stuff, even video disc. Mick Zilog Inside! nascom.info for Nascom & Gemini Preliminary MMBasic docs & my PCB designs |
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| Volhout Guru Joined: 05/03/2018 Location: NetherlandsPosts: 4223 |
Britisch...no..but... Maybe not ON-topic, but in the Netherlands there is quite an active support group for BBC and especially it's earlier brother, the Acorn Atom. Almost yearly new software, ports and expansions are developped for the Atom. Next month there is another ABUG meeting (Acorn/Atom BBC User Group) in Nunspeet Netherlands (ABUG24). On Ebay the Acorn Atom prices (it is a very simple, but admirably looking, unit) is often 10x higher than the BBC. It is a desired product. Actually, I was looking for one, but was discouraged by the prices they ask. End result of my search was that I learned about the MM (Monochrome Maximite) which I bought, and later gave away, and later the CMM1 (that I still own). The Atom adventure railed off to MMBasic. In some matters it is quite the opposite of the original adventure.. The Acorn Atome had hardware to do almost everything. The Mites have software to do almost everything. Volhout Edited 2024-07-15 17:13 by Volhout PicomiteVGA PETSCII ROBOTS |
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| Rickard5 Guru Joined: 31/03/2022 Location: United StatesPosts: 463 |
Well after having a look around the fleaBay about the only way I'm ever going to have a BBC Micro is an emulator, if I found one that was DEAD with a good Case and Keyboard, I could build a pretty good experience, I'd have to research but if the BBC Keyboard is a Matrix like the TI99/4a or the Apple ][, I could use an Arduino Nano as a USB Keyboard controller, a Pi 4, and my Commodore 1702 monitor to create a pretty good BBC Experience :) for a Reasonable Price I could go on for hours on a Rant about STUPID Money in Vintage computers! I feel so Dirty selling that T/S 2068 for at least 4 times what I bought it for in 1984, but hey what ya gonna do. ME I'm turning it back in to toys! Volhout, I still have the CMM2 I bought from you and it's being used and LOVED! I may be Vulgar, but , while I'm poor, I'm Industrious, Honest, and trustworthy! I Know my Place |
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| thwill Guru Joined: 16/09/2019 Location: United KingdomPosts: 4036 |
I imagine Beebs in the US are as rare as hen's teeth. The US spec. Beeb is also built like the proverbial brick s**t house with a ton of additional RF shielding; Acorn wasted a whole lot of money trying to enter the US market. Tom Game*Mite, CMM2 Welcome Tape, Creaky old text adventures |
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| Volhout Guru Joined: 05/03/2018 Location: NetherlandsPosts: 4223 |
Different cookie... you didn't ask enough...  Volhout PicomiteVGA PETSCII ROBOTS |
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| thwill Guru Joined: 16/09/2019 Location: United KingdomPosts: 4036 |
Note, as you may or not be aware (and assuming I am not horribly misinformed) the BBC Micro was during development the "Acorn Proton", Atom, Proton, Electron ... there was a theme ;-) Tom Game*Mite, CMM2 Welcome Tape, Creaky old text adventures |
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Martin H. Guru Joined: 04/06/2022 Location: GermanyPosts: 1113 |
 just saw a video about How Amateurs created the world’s most popular Processor where they also report on the development of the Proton, as a mixture of workstation and home computer 'no comment |
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| Volhout Guru Joined: 05/03/2018 Location: NetherlandsPosts: 4223 |
Acorn used 19" card cage to develop their computers. They where called system-2, system-3 etc.. until system-5 (system-1 was a single board design similar to KIM-1). The ATOM was the first consumer product spun of the card cages. During de design for production of the ATOM, the team continued to develop on their systems. That is why, when the BBC send out the tender for the computer literacy project, they could pull together the PROTON so fast. Everything was already prototyped in their system card cages. Never the less, a master achievement (if I recall correct, it was realized within 1 week). Volhout Edited 2024-07-15 21:26 by Volhout PicomiteVGA PETSCII ROBOTS |
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| thwill Guru Joined: 16/09/2019 Location: United KingdomPosts: 4036 |
@Rickard5, I assume you are familiar with Micro Men ? Best wishes, Tom Game*Mite, CMM2 Welcome Tape, Creaky old text adventures |
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| Rickard5 Guru Joined: 31/03/2022 Location: United StatesPosts: 463 |
Tom I saw it long time ago bit Right now I'm seeing it again on Youtube :). But I'm still bummed the Sinclair C5 wasn't available in the US, and doubly so now that I'm too old and too Fat for one but on the up Side, I'm am old enough to Know how to FIX one so it woulds be useable , even Good! :) :) :). But the Speccy, well there's a reason I found mine in the Closet at my Dad's house still in the Box unused for 40 Years! When I was in High School I was so Envious of you brits with your Government sponsored Computer and Computer Program! I may be Vulgar, but , while I'm poor, I'm Industrious, Honest, and trustworthy! I Know my Place |
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| matherp Guru Joined: 11/12/2012 Location: United KingdomPosts: 9110 |
For those who don't know, the first Science of Cambridge computer kit was the MK14 based on the SC/MP processor. It was my first computer - how many others of you out there started with it? |
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| Volhout Guru Joined: 05/03/2018 Location: NetherlandsPosts: 4223 |
Elector in Netherlands produced a SC/MP kit, my father build it. I never touched it… It was to expensive for me tobreak it. Volhout Edited 2024-07-16 01:58 by Volhout PicomiteVGA PETSCII ROBOTS |
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