BBC printer port (ever used for anything else?)

From: Tony Duell <ard_at_p850ug1.demon.co.uk>
Date: Sun Sep 19 00:02:13 2004

>
> The only thing I remember the printer port being used for was some cheap-assed
> eprom burner, and a weird 9000Hz sound sampler. Usually manufacturers had the
> sense to use the 1 Mhz bus.


I am suprised a sound sampler used the printer port -- there's only 2
bit of input (the ACK line). Why not use the user port?

>
> I really wouldn't go to much effort to bring it off-board in your ACW. I
> doubt you'll ever get a chance to use it.

It's brought off-board. It's linked to a 24 pin Blue Ribbon connector
(looks like a GPIB connecotr, but isn't the same wiring, of course) on
the back. I will certainly make a cable to link it to a printer...

>
> By the way I'm borrowing Joe Rigdon's US Beeb so I can recover the code
> on my BBC 5.25" floppies, which is where the sideways RAM loading code
> you were looking for is stored. Unfortunately I did't have any copies

Ah, so there is a loader program. I will dig about on the 'BBC Lives'
website, I can't believe there's nothing suitable there.

> Once I get the US Beeb and can read the disks native, does anyone have
> any good suggestions on how to read and transfer disk images to Unix

If you want to transfer individual files, there is a kermit for the beeb
(and for that matter for the ACW's 32016 side...). Kermit may not be
efficient, but it's available for anything....

> over a serial line? Remembering that I'll have to bootstrap any process
> by typing the code in to the Beeb. I guess I should start wiring up
> a Beeb<->PC serial line right now!

Ah yes, that stupid quincuncial DIN plug. Fits both ways up, only 1 works....

-tony
Received on Sun Sep 19 2004 - 00:02:13 BST