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A journey into Retro land

The BBC Micro Model B is special to me as it was one of my first computers. After 25 years, I recently re-purchased one.

My gateway drug was a BBC Micro Model B, a ZX Spectrum and a nameless CPM ten-tonne monster. So as young kid, without knowing what a computer really was, I taught myself. It grew into a life-long passion and has provided me with an education and career. As I grew-up, so did the computer industry; information-technology went from the periphery of society to the pervasive center of modern life.

And it all began with a BBC Micro Model B.

Two decades later, I own one again. But this time, I have all the knowledge and resource to really do some damage. ;-)

Enter eBay and a BEEB (BBC Micro Model B)

I found a BEEB that had sat in the loft for 20 years and now it is all mine to play with. But where to begin?

MyNewToy

But where to begin?

  • Learn some 6502 assembler
  • Try to find a hi-level language other than BASIC
  • Replace the mono-green screen with a modern colour LCD Howto, With pictures
  • Identify the additional ROMs in my beeb?
  • Integrate the Beeb to my PC
    • Serial terminal RS232
    • Mount a flash disk (requires custom chip)
  • Write a 6502 app (Sokoban)
  • Find a community of like-minded people

What have I learned so far

Digging deeper:

  • Fast serial transfer utilities for the BBC Micro: UPURS

The Community

RetroBeeb.md-001.png
https://twitter.com/bbcmicrobot/status/1334242632764047361

Questions?

  • How do I load a disk image from a PC?
  • How do I load a disk image from a flash disk/usb thumbdrive?

What ROMS are these?
Roms

Then one day

  • Write a 6502 emulator
  • Write a system emulator with just a 6502 chip; but all the pins 'virtualised' by connection to a ardenio/raspi and RAM/ROM/ periferals simulated on PC.