Date   : Thu, 18 Aug 2011 16:46:46 +0200
From   : rick@... (Rick Murray)
Subject: Tube ROM

On 18/08/2011 13:04, Rob wrote:

> It was definitely available as a (mask) ROM - I have at least one!

...and the user guide mentions fitting it.


> I use to use HiEdit a lot in the past, too, although I generally did run
> that directly off disc/net.

I'll have to look for that.


> Putting HiBASIC into the co-processor rather flies against that
> "total flexibility" argument.

Ah, but the logic here is that the HiBASIC simply *will* *not* work if 
the co-processor isn't connected. It isn't like the Master's 
auto-relocate one, it just... plain won't work.

Therefore, I'd consider it to be more logical held within the co-processor.

However - Sprow has a point with the size of the EPROM. There's no 
reason why a bigger EPROM couldn't have been used, however 16K of BASIC 
and 2K of Tube code will leave a lot of space in the chip, and I'd guess 
in those days size=cost.


> (Interesting though just occurred to me - was there anything other
> than BBC Micros that acted as a tube /host/ ? )

In software alone, there's 65Tube.

In hardware... good question!


Best wishes,

Rick.

-- 
Rick Murray, eeePC901 & ADSL WiFI'd into it, all ETLAs!
BBC B: DNFS, 2 x 5.25" floppies, EPROM prog, Acorn TTX
E01S FileStore, A3000/A5000/RiscPC/various PCs/blahblah...