Date   : Wed, 18 Jul 2007 08:36:35 +0200 (CEST)
From   : anders.carlsson@... (Anders Carlsson)
Subject: modern BBC remake

John Kortink wrote:

> No, it was commissioned.

Ok, then. But if it hadn't been for Jeri's previous work, they
probably would not have come up with the idea that it could be
accomplished within reasonable costs?

On the other hand, the Atari Flashback and its much greater
successor Flashback2 also are examples of relatively cheap TV
games developed on basis of an existing system.

> I've read somewhere that they (they being the manufaturers) even
> tried to scrape off almost literally cents worth of nigh essential
> parts (like decoupling caps).

Yes, that was something the design team didn't like. The infamous
PAL colour bugs supposedly come from last minute cost reduction, and
has tarnished the reputation of C64D2TV (as opposed to NTSC C64DTV).

Back to the original question. How much of the interior in a classic
Beeb would be possible and wanted to integrate into single chips? I
find the design a bit unique (next to Apple II and Commodore PET)
in terms of it has several ROM slots inside and you can install
your own disk operating system, application programs etc. Would a
replica also require that hardware compatibility? What about all
the buses and extentions?

I see that in modern development of computer replicas, there are two
slightly different directions taken. One is represented by Vince Briel
who in his Replica 1 and Micro-KIM reimplements a classic design with
modern components, adding a bit of convenience (USB on an Apple 1 ?!)
but keeping the most essential components the same.

The other way would be represented by Grant Stockley, famous for his
Altair 8800 replica which tries to be an identical copy down to the
individual transistors. He has also made a Kenbak-1 and most recently
an Altair 680 replica using the same philosophy, just adding a few
cosmetic differences so nobody should be able to sell a replica second
hand pretending it to be an original computer.

I suppose a full-scale BBC Micro replica would best be done along the
first philosophy, to integrate and simplify non-essential parts but
keep the most important components intact.

That leads us to pricing. The Replica 1 has a list price of $149 if
bought in parts, or $189 ready assembled. It is the bare motherboard.
Since a real Apple 1 would be many more times expensive, it kind of
makes sense for anyone who wants to experience it from a different
angle than pure software emulation.

While the Acorn BBC Micros are far from the cheapest vintage computers
on the market (at least if you look outside the UK), you can get an old,
loose one for about ?3-10 plus eventual shipping costs. Around ?15-25
gets you one fitted with a disk interface plus a disk drive.

Now, assuming that someone came up with a "Beeb 2K7" motherboard design
for free, but the parts to build it costs ?65, excluding keyboard. Would
it be desireable, or just considered too expensive to be worthwhile?

Ok, I've paid in the range of ?40-70 for a complete BBC Micro w/ or w/o
disk drive, but that includes expensive shipping from the UK...

Regards

-- 
Anders Carlsson