Date   : Wed, 18 Jul 2007 02:50:08 -0500
From   : julesrichardsonuk@... (Jules Richardson)
Subject: modern BBC remake

Anders Carlsson wrote:
> Back to the original question. How much of the interior in a classic
> Beeb would be possible and wanted to integrate into single chips?

*personally* the first major thing I always find goes wrong in a beeb is the 
keyboard, usually followed by memory. (I discount things like socketed chip 
swaps, PSU replacement etc. that are 'easy').

I suppose what's perhaps needed is a 'core' machine with just enough hardware 
on board for the MOS to boot. So long as a full expansion connector is 
provided, cards with functionality to suit the user's needs can be added 
easily (Econet, serial, graphics etc.).  (And as a side-effect, we've just 
reinvented the Cube Eurobeeb ;)

I have a feeling that Sprow's MiniB is tied to using the LCD, and has no 
'full' expansion support (just the 1MHz bus), so it can't be expanded with 
additional hardware to make it look like a full BBC.

I take it people have already seen Keith Howell's FPGA Atom? That's another 
approach - keep the interface logic, CPU, ROM, RAM on a board, but have an 
FPGA just doing all of the relevant logic control.
(See: <http://www.howell1964.freeserve.co.uk/logic/polymorph_project.htm> )

> 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?

That's the problem - there's still a lot of mileage left in the existing 
hardware; other than the video ULA all the parts to fix the existing machines 
are still readily available, and with resources like this list for advice, 
keeping them going isn't too difficult.

cheers

Jules