Date   : Tue, 25 Mar 2003 10:31:21 -0000
From   : "Dawn and Austin" <dawnandoz@...>
Subject: Re: BBC Micros, what else :)

I would imagine it to be easier to transfer the 'guts' of one BBC to the
other (i.e. the mainboard)?

I have a few working Master 128 motherboards I rescued from smashed cases
and they were a doddle to remove.  The power supplies should be
interchangeable as well, as far as I'm aware they all produce +5V, 0V
and -5V regardless of where they were manufactured.

Austin.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Kate Kneebone" <kate.kneebone@...>
To: <bbc-micro@...>
Sent: Tuesday, March 25, 2003 10:19 AM
Subject: [BBC-Micro] BBC Micros, what else :)


> Hi,
>
>  I'm quite new to this list, I've been lurking for a few weeks now, so I
> hope I don't break any list rules with this post!  Anyway, I've just
> acquired a pair of BBC Bs from a friend, and I'm attempting to tidy one
> of them up to the point where it's a nice shiny example of beeb kind and
> I can play Repton 2 on it :)  The question is, which one do I do up!
>
>  They both claim to have issue 7 boards, but other than that, they're
> quite different.  The one which is currently in the best cosmetic
> condition has a power supply made in the UK and yellow printing on the
> PCB, but no disc interface and looks like I remember Model Bs to look
> from my schooldays (I had an electron and a Master 128 at home).  The
> other one has a power supply made in Hong Kong, white printing on the
> board and an 8271 disc interface with Watford Electronics' DFS, and all
> the bits of disc interface other than the 8271 are soldered to the board
> (scuppering my attempt to move it to the other machine!).  Intriguingly
> this computer has a slightly different case from the other one, it's a
> different texture and has what looks like a space for an extra sticker
> on the bottom, on the other side from all the connectors to the normal
> sticker.  Unfortunately it's got marker pen on the lid too. It's also
> noisier than the other one, and hisses quite loudly when it's on.
>
> At the moment, I've got the lid of the UK computer on the bottom half of
> the Hong Kong one.  This doesn't quite work as they're both different
> textures and the UK lid isn't yellowed but the Hong Kong base is!  I
> have a feeling that the UK machine is the better one.  I'm intending to
> order it a shiny new 1770 disc interface from the nice blokey at 8-bit
> software. However, I'd be interested in what expert BBC people think
> about the merits of the two machines.  Oh and any upgrades you think a
> really good Model B should have and where I can get them from would be
> interesting too; I handle all sorts of electronics at work, so hopefully
> a BBC micro shouldn't be *too* tricky to upgrade :)
>
> Thanks!
>
>
> Kate
> (never thought I'd have a BBC lid in my washing up...)
>
>
>