Date   : Thu, 25 Aug 2011 09:29:27 -0500
From   : jules.richardson99@... (Jules Richardson)
Subject: Tube ROM

J.G.Harston wrote:
> Rick Murray wrote:
>> Here's a question then - was there ever something non-Beeby (and not
>> FileServer) that ran on a Beeb+CoPro combo? I'd imagine you might be
>> able to run some sort of baby Unix sort of arrangement on it? You know,
> 
> With the Z80 CoPro you can run CPM
> 
> With the 32016 CoPro you can run PanOS which is a sort-of
> unix-alike.
> 
> With the A500 ARM CoPro you can run (originally) Arthur and RISC
> OS. As the A500 has it's own I/O you can set how much of the BBC
> host it actually uses (eg using BBC for disk and keyboard and A500
> VIDC for display is a bit groovey +).
> 
> With the Cumana Unicorn 68000 systems you can run real 68K unix.

Hmm, do you mean the Torch Unicorn? They used either* their Atlas or 
Neptune 68000 copro boards and did indeed run Unix (although they have a 
Z80 on board too, so should also run CP/N, Torch's CP/M 'hack'). The Tube 
interface seems to be an AM2950 IC (gleaned from photos; I do have board 
schematics, but not here with me).

* The Neptunes had slower 68k CPUs and less max memory (1MB I think) than 
the Atlas boards. I can never recall which the Unicorn had, but probably 
the Atlas, as a multi-user Unix in 1Mb would surely be rather painful :-)

The only Cumana copro I'm aware of is the 'Upgrade' board - that's a 68008 
rather than 68000 though, and runs OS-9 not Unix. The board plugs straight 
into the CPU socket of a beeb, so doesn't use the Tube or 1MHz bus connectors.

cheers

Jules