Ferguson BigBoard revived!

From: Tom Uban <uban_at_ubanproductions.com>
Date: Tue Jan 27 12:36:37 2004

Is the BigBoard II the same form factor as the BB I?

--tom

At 01:15 PM 1/27/2004 -0500, you wrote:

>I've got a spare Big Board II if anyone is interested in buying it or
>trading, I will post it up on to VCM with some pics
>
>
>
>Curt
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Tom Uban" <uban_at_ubanproductions.com>
>To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts"
><cctalk_at_classiccmp.org>
>Sent: Tuesday, January 27, 2004 10:16 AM
>Subject: Ferguson BigBoard revived!
>
>
> > I owned a BigBoard in college, but gave it away when I moved from
>Champaign
> > to Boston. It is a pretty cool SBC with integrated single density floppy
> > controller and video. A friend (thanks Bob) gave me an old BigBoard which
> > he had laying around a while back and I started making it work again last
> > night. So far, the crystal circuit was dead (temporarily replaced with an
> > oscillator until new parts arrive), an address buffer was dead (purchased
> > a NOS 74LS241 off the shelf at the local electronics store, mounted on a
> > piece of cardboard which is all faded from age), the video drive XOR was
> > dead (replaced with new 74LS86 from my stock bins), and all the ICs needed
> > to be re-seated in their sockets.
> >
> > So far, I have the video section working and the board boots the system
> > monitor, displaying the output on the overly tiny 3" diagonal CRT, which
> > is the only monitor that survived my numerous moves over the years. I've
> > purchased a new-to-me monitor for use on this board, but this tiny one
> > will have to due until it arrives.
> >
> > The next step will be to attach a SSSD 8" floppy and if that works with
> > some scratch floppies, I will try to boot the CP/M system floppies that
> > I got from Don Maslin oh so long ago.
> >
> > I still have a couple of articles about modifying the BigBoard to use a
> > double density floppy drive. I may have to try that at some point in the
> > future.
> >
> > --tom
> >
Received on Tue Jan 27 2004 - 12:36:37 GMT