Date   : Sun, 11 Jul 2004 14:22:58 +0000
From   : "W.Scholten" <whs@...>
Subject: Re: Atomness (Was: Re: BBC Spares)

Jules Richardson wrote:

> I asked this on the Acorn hardware group but got no reply. Anyone know
> what the differences are between the Atom issues?

Keyboards are obvious, PCB differences not sure. I've seen circuit
diagrams of issue 1 & 3 only...

I've not seen an issue 3 elsewhere so don't kill this PCB...

> Couple of Atom questions:
> 
> a) Did Acorn sell power supplies for Atoms, or were you expected to find
> your own? I've never actually seen one!

See 8bs.com for one of them on an image of Chris Richardon's Atom &
Acorn PS. I have 3 different ones:
 - 2 versions of that same one, the difference being one has 'Acorn' (or
'ACORN' not sure offhand) on one side of the casing, the other has a
blank side.
 - A grey cube(ish) shaped one.

All are 'official' i.e. they have an Acorn label.

All are stated 1.8A although here in NL I can get 1.4 to 1.6A out of
them at 220V before the Atom's video output gets unstable (the machine
runs fine otherwise). There's an 1.6A PS as well, but I haven't seen it.

> b) Were expansion bus connectors an optional cost extra?

Yes. You have to fit them yourself.

> c) Anyone got an original Atom box or a photo? One of these Atoms is
> boxed, and the polystyrene bits inside certainly seem to be intended for
> the Atom. It's a plain cardboard box though, with a large sticker on the
> front which is unfortunately ripped. Writing I can make out:
> 
>   Introductory Package
>   8K + 5K ACO...
>   Plus Four Introductory Cas...

Plain + blue are the 2 ones that I know of. I have both. Also a Prophet
2 in the same brown box. Travel back in time for images on my previous
webpages :)

Oh yes, there exists a Prophet 3 as well. Use the same time machine for
images... No idea about the box of that one.

And see a previous message of mine on the ML for those intro tapes.


> Seems like it is a proper Atom box. I'm more curious as to whether it
> had a colourful outer sleeve at one time or whether Acorn weren't into
> doing that back in the early days...

No sleeve, thick carboard.


Regards,

Wouter
--
BBC/Atom/magazine scans:
  http://8-bit.summerfield-technology.co.uk/