Date   : Sat, 19 May 2001 16:14:44 +0100
From   : "Chris Thornley" <C.J.Thornley@...>
Subject: Re: Have I killed my Beeb?

A common fault with some BBC including mine was a degraded or cracked
keyboard ribbon cable. In my case it was cracked to the right so the bbc
constantly beeeeeeeeeeeeep! when I switch it on. You cannot seems to find
any single sided IDC connector any more in order to make a new one but you
can try the two way idc cable and header connector. A quick check you could
try is to reverse the ribbon cable with the circuit board to see if the
problem moves.

You mention you have a 32k swr board fitted. I had one of these and a common
thing I noticed was that its leads would desolder or detach them selves from
the legs of the ics then where fitted on. Also clean the contacts (edge
connector) of the swr card with a rubber and reinsert it.

Chris

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-bbc-micro@... [mailto:owner-bbc-micro@...]
Sent: 19 May 2001 07:43
To: bbc-micro@...
Subject: [BBC-Micro] Have I killed my Beeb?


Yesterday I got a BBC Microcomputer for free. Apparently it is a Model B
although it does not say this anywhere on the case. I didn't get any
documentation with it, just the computer and the cable, so I stupidly decied
to take a stab at setting it up myself. Unfortunately, rather than plugging
the RCA plug of the cable into 'UHF out' and the Co-ax and into the TV, I
plugged the Co-ax end into the BBC's "video-out" port and the RCA jack into
my VCR's input (from where it would filter down into my TV).

I turned the Beeb on and the Caps Lock light lit up. There was a
"brrrroing!", the Shift Lock light flickered momentarily, and then
"BBBBEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEWWWP!!" This second sound lasts for around 5-10
seconds and is mind-piercingly loud. Once it stops the computer did nothing,
only a faint buzz comes from the speaker. If I press BREAK I hear a feeble
beep when I release it. Otherwise, the BBC doesn't respond.
I have an evil socketed TV so until I get an adaptor, I can't properly
connect the BBC to it. In the meantime, I've tried switching it on without
the TV to see what happens. I get the same thing every time. I made a post
about this on comp.sys.acorn.misc. It was suggested that I try the
following:

Press Ctrl-G and see if it bleeped. It didn't. This, I gather, is bad.

Type:
*TAPE
* MOTOR 1
*MOTOR 0
 and see if it affected the cassete motor light and if I could hear the
cassete relay click over. Nothing happened.

I opened 'er up and saw that it has an "Issue 7" board though I have no idea
of the relavence of this. A "32K Sideways RAM Module" has been fitted and
wires run from it to just infront of the keyboard connector and to a chip
near the power supply. There are three empty chip sockets, one next to the
Sideways, and two near the Power Supply. In front of these last two sockets
is a thin multi-pin connector (PL14) which is not connected to anything.

My questions are:

1. Is the BBC dead?

2. Is it my fault?

3. Is there anything I can do about it?

and
4. What are my chances?

Hoping desperately that comeone can help.

Regards,
Adam.