Cool things to do with a BBC Micro Part I

ozpass

Here's a way to 'network' a BBC Micro to your PC for backup and restore of your old disks....

1) If you don’t already have one, go purchase yourself a BBC Model B, B+ or Master 128. They’re cheap as chips- you shouldn’t have to pay more than €15 + P&P and they’re readily available through internet auction sites.

2) Soldering skills to the fore people! The lead needed for this project isn’t commercially available, so you’ll have to make one yourself. It’s a simple serial connection but the plug used by the BBC is fairly non-standard (a 5-pin ‘domino style’ DIN plug). I sourced the DIN plug, 9-pin D-Type serial connector (for the PC end) and 5-core cable from Maplin in the UK, but any good Electronics store should be able to source the parts you need with the possible exception of the DIN plug.

3) Use the following pin-out diagram in the construction of your lead. NOTE: The DIN plug for the BBC is symmetrical- pay attention to the orientation later when plugging into the BBC serial port



Pin 1 on the PC serial port (DCD) is connected to Pin 6 on the PC serial port (DSR) as a means of ‘fooling’ the handshaking process. Likewise, Pin 7 on the PC serial port (RTS) is connected to Pin 8 on the PC serial port (CTS) so the PC is fooled into thinking it’s always Clear To Send.

4) Once the lead’s made, download Angus Duggan’s excellent Xfer4 software from http://www.8bs.com/othrdnld/utilities/xferc-4.0.zip (NOTE: The archive contains additional instructions, should you need them)

6) On the BBC, type *FX2,1 (this makes the Beeb accept input from the serial port, instead of the keyboard- nice touch for a 20 year old computer!)

7) Using the command line on your PC (Start-->Run-->Cmd.exe [NT,2000,XP] or Start-->Run-->command.com [95,98,Me]) locate the folder containing Xfer4 and type:

xfer –1 –r

8) This will download a BBC Basic program to the Beeb (via the serial port) and run it (locally) on the BBC.

9) When the transfer is complete, type:

xfer

10) And the program will start. It gives you options to (S)end files to the BBC (reads commonly available .ssd formats), (R)ead files from the BBC (to back up all your old Repton disks and (*) execute an OSBYTE command on the BBC.

I can't imagine anyone finding this useful , but if you at least find it interesting I have lots more, including using a PC 3.5" floppy drive on a BBC, and how to use a BBC to make a robot.:p

For more info on BBC Micro/Master/Electron stuff, I cann recommend http://www.8bs.com and http://www.stairwaytohell.co.uk/ they're both really (large) informative sites

nadir

lol
bbc micro owns, i have one at home with loads of games(tapes), runs one mean game of elite.

Agent Smith

anything else cool to do?