On Jun 25, 19:30, Jules Richardson wrote:
> Acorn Technical Manual - dated 1979, for a 6502-based SBC. Display is
quoted in
> the manual as being 9 digits with the leftmost one unused, which may
identify
> the machine. Possibly a System 1-4 ??
No, it wasn't a System device. That's the original Acorn SBC, I think.
I've got the matching User's Manual.
> Acorn 6809 users manual - dated 1980, this looks to be for a SBC a
little more
> 'modern' than the one above. There are fragments of schematics in the
manual,
> plus an overview of the board layout, construction guide, monitor ROM
listing
> etc. but no complete schematic.
Mine has a fold-out circuit diagram inside the back cover.
> Atom Disc Pack construction notes, schematics etc. (anyone got a
dump of the
> ROM to go with this?)
Yes :-)
> Document called "A redefinable telesoftware format" - was that what
went on
> to become prestel in the UK?
The same basic CET (Council for Educational Technology) format was used
for BBC Telesoftware (on Ceefax), Prestel (Micronet800, Viewfax258 etc)
and a few bulletin boards (including Acorn's own Support Information
Database -- SID). It went through a few revisions, but the basics
didn't change. I wrote some software for that.
> "Operating Instructions for the Progressive Establishment Testing
System for
> the BBC Microcomputer". Blimey. Documentation for a hardware unit
that hooked
> up to the BBC machines in order to perform hardware tests on them for
engineers
> by the looks of it. Wonder if any of the hardware still exists? :-)
Probably. I'll pay money for one -- I still have most of the other
Acorn test equipment. A PET was used to diagnose faulty systems; it
could deal with pretty dead machines and/or some obscure faults --
though an experienced engineer could usually do it just about as fast
without it.
> "Operating Instructions for the Final Inspection and Test System
for the BBC
> Microcomputer". Blimey again. Did these ever even see the light of
day? Seems
> to have been another hardware unit for use by field engineers but
I've never
> heard of it before.
Yes, I've got one -- and every Beeb I've ever repaired has passed the
FIT. You need the software for it; I think the basic A version is
printed in the manual but there's a B version as well (is that also in
the manual? I've got one, but not to hand). Every Approved Service
Centre was required to have one.
There's a companion set of "Test Procedures For The ..." 6502 2P, Z80
2P, Prestel adaptor, Teletext adaptor, ... and other test equipment
such as the Watchdog for an Electron and a PIT (sort of combined
FIT/PET) for later machines, and an Econet test box.
--
Pete Peter Turnbull
Network Manager
University of York
Received on Wed Jun 25 2003 - 18:26:47 BST