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Better not join a hardcore BBC Micro user group and call the Electron a "baby BBC". It may result in some obscenities, as I have understood at least some of the true Beeb users consider the Electron not much more than a microswitch donor for repairing BBC Master keyboards.

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Here is a cool video of a BBC micro with an built in SD card reader and 65 pages of games ready to go...

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FunVINQS0Rw

Hahahahahah!!!!!only 65 pages!!!!!, not bad but I am pretty sure mine totals more than 65 pages, I do have mine archived twice though, once alphabetically by game title and once by software house.

I am pretty sure I have most of the magazine cover disks as well as a shedload of utilities.

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Better not join a hardcore BBC Micro user group and call the Electron a "baby BBC". It may result in some obscenities, as I have understood at least some of the true Beeb users consider the Electron not much more than a microswitch donor for repairing BBC Master keyboards.

When I call my Electron "baby BBC or baby Beeb", I mean it as a term of endearment. :)

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Hahahahahah!!!!!only 65 pages!!!!!, not bad but I am pretty sure mine totals more than 65 pages, I do have mine archived twice though, once alphabetically by game title and once by software house.

I am pretty sure I have most of the magazine cover disks as well as a shedload of utilities.

 

You know, having all the software is something I believe helps sell these old Classic Computers and brings people back to the fold. You could have the best computer in the world, but it would be worthless without software. Now days many people just do not have the time, patience or inclination to hunt down a keister load of software and then install it all. If more 'packages' like this came out for various other classic systems, I think not only would the memory units sell, but there might be an increase in old computers sold too... once word got out.

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You know, having all the software is something I believe helps sell these old Classic Computers and brings people back to the fold. You could have the best computer in the world, but it would be worthless without software. Now days many people just do not have the time, patience or inclination to hunt down a keister load of software and then install it all. If more 'packages' like this came out for various other classic systems, I think not only would the memory units sell, but there might be an increase in old computers sold too... once word got out.

Very true, the BBC has it well covered though, the website link below takes you to a site where just about every commercial disk image is available for free download, the site is no longer upated but there is a link to a new forum/site. I am quite fortunate that my MMC drive came pre loaded with the archive and a CD was also included with all disk images on it, I also have them on my PC where I use them with an emulator called Beebem.

 

http://www.stairwaytohell.com

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This one is for Kevan's eyes only ;)

 

This is the first time I have seen one of these on Ebay.

 

Shame about the price!!!

 

 

No kidding, the exchange rate will kill you! That comes to $419.19 USD before shipping, which is only free over there. I can see that easily exceeding $500.00 USD with shipping. I'll get one SOMEDAY, but not today. I bought an item from Poland a few days ago and thought I got hit hard with the Euro, but the Pound, wow, the buck only buys 60p.

 

Thanks for bringing it to my attention though. :)

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That's awesome it's a US model (for me that would be $555.65 shipped!). I love the fact that Retroclinic installed a simple ROM switch in there due to the incompatibilities. That certainly makes it more usable. With that said, unless you really want to collect the US version, you're still better off getting a standard UK version for probably half that price, and maybe even with a few upgrades. I feel fortunate I got my Electrons and various BBC Micros when I did, because it really seems like prices have shot up a bit in the past year.

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http://chrisacorns.computinghistory.org.uk/docs/Mags/AU/AU_Sep86_32016.pdf

http://ri.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=A7x9UnsHee5TIBYARSl3Bwx.;_ylu=X3oDMTByaGwzcXNvBHNlYwNzcgRwb3MDOARjb2xvA2lyMgR2dGlkAw--/RV=2/RE=1408166280/RO=10/RU=http%3a%2f%2fchrisacorns.computinghistory.org.uk%2fdocs%2fMags%2fPC%2fPC_Oct85_32016.pdf/RK=0/RS=idMS8wsze.y7aV0z58wAh51qTmU-

 

Couple of documents here-one is a review of the hardware and the other gives actual benchmark comparisons with all the other BBC micro 2nd processors. There does seem to be a considerable speed gain-which can't be bad considering the bare bones machine usually always murdered the competition in benchmark comparisons.

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I've NEVER see one of these before, I didn't even know that they existed. Cool! Do you know 'real-world' specs on how fast it actually pushes a stock model?

Programs had to be written to specifically use it or it was just a boat anchor.

Elite supported it and it's pretty fast as a result.

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Programs had to be written to specifically use it or it was just a boat anchor.

Elite supported it and it's pretty fast as a result.

There was some software available for it, first and foremost was Pan OS and some languages such as Lisp, Fortran, C and Pascal, the processor was always designed for use as a development platfrom so there would never be much in the way of commercial software for the unit.

I was not aware there was a version of Elite available for the 32016, I am aware that there was a version for the 6502 second processor.

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There was some software available for it, first and foremost was Pan OS and some languages such as Lisp, Fortran, C and Pascal, the processor was always designed for use as a development platfrom so there would never be much in the way of commercial software for the unit.

I was not aware there was a version of Elite available for the 32016, I am aware that there was a version for the 6502 second processor.

Oops... open mouth, insert foot. I thought it was the 6502 2nd CPU model.

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  • 1 month later...

 

If I could get the shipping down, I'd go for it. I have plenty of the UK models, but I sure would like that US one to add to the collection. I'll see if they can do any better than the estimate.

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If I could get the shipping down, I'd go for it. I have plenty of the UK models, but I sure would like that US one to add to the collection. I'll see if they can do any better than the estimate.

 

Yeah, that SUX! Assuming it does not go any higher, and it might, it stands at $370.39 US (with shipping). I just cannot justify that, especially when I have a few other items in the pipeline coming up soon on my TI.

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Yeah, that SUX! Assuming it does not go any higher, and it might, it stands at $370.39 US (with shipping). I just cannot justify that, especially when I have a few other items in the pipeline coming up soon on my TI.

 

Mine is .20 more. I got a response back. No option for cheaper shipping options for safety reasons. That's fair.

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  • 4 months later...

Another strange one here, it is an unsold US issue BBC that was converted back to UK spec by Acorn, all of the additional US shielding is still present as is some of the heavier cable, just wonder how difficult it would be to transfer it back to it's "original" US Spec, I imagine the Rom and Screen display would need changing again(best of luck finding those).

 

The machine is in immaculate condition, I am tempted to purchase it myself purely for the case and keyboard, then I can stick my existing "yellow" 64K Beeb+ inside it.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VINTAGE-ACORN-BBC-MICRO-MODEL-B-COMPUTER-USA-MODEL-CONVERTED-BACK-TO-UK-SPEC-/141579960370?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item20f6d2c032

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What's really sad... even if I could get it at the current $46.01 USD price, I'd have get it re-re-modded with a U.S. power supply. I'd also need the RetroClinic upgrades so it would actually be usable. After all that, there would be the shipping expense back to the U.S. I'm not sure the RetroClinic upgrades would even fit in there with the extra shielding.

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What's really sad... even if I could get it at the current $46.01 USD price, I'd have get it re-re-modded with a U.S. power supply. I'd also need the RetroClinic upgrades so it would actually be usable. After all that, there would be the shipping expense back to the U.S. I'm not sure the RetroClinic upgrades would even fit in there with the extra shielding.

 

I use European, Asian, and Australian systems without issue in the US with a simple power inverter. It's not a big deal and is a one time expense.

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Also remember most the BBC Micro's have a type of power supply that you by soldering in a link at one position can convert from 230V to 115V or vice versa, so if you or a friend of yours is able to solder and read written instructions, you would not need to replace the power supply or just a step-up adapter, just make one internal modification.

 

As for video output to get NTSC, you probably need the other upgrades to it, yes.

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