Ferguson BigBoard revived!

From: Tom Uban <uban_at_ubanproductions.com>
Date: Tue Jan 27 14:27:49 2004

The BB I is: 8.5"x13.75", the same size as an 8" disk drive.
I've heard of, but never seen and know nothing about the BB II.
I might be interested in it...

--tom

At 01:56 PM 1/27/2004 -0500, you wrote:

>As far as I know, yes.
>
>I can measure it for you.
>
>
>Curt
>
>
>Tom Uban wrote:
>
>>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
>>> >
>>
>>
>
>--
>
>
>Curt Vendel & Karl Morris
>-----------------------------------------------------------------------
>The Atari Museum
>http://www.atarimuseum.com
>
>The Atari Explorer
>http://www.atari-explorer.com
>
>
>
>
>
>
Received on Tue Jan 27 2004 - 14:27:49 GMT

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