Date   : Fri, 08 Aug 2003 10:50:07 +0100 
From   : Andrew Hancock <Andrew.Hancock@...>
Subject: Re: BBC B issue differences?

 
I purchased a Model A BBC Micro from new, waiting months for it to be
delivered. I couldn't afford a Model B - I only had a paper round delivering
free newspapers in the village, I delivered 1,500 papers for 1 pence a
paper, each week.

It arrived and was an Issue 1, 16K, OS 0.10 which occupied four rom sockets,
I think each rom was 2k (2732).

I later purchased a 16k memory upgrade kit, and OS 1.2, I also added printer
interface later on, but Model A I received never had a 6512 chip VIA (could
be wrong on the numbers - this is from memory), which wouldn't allow me to
play some games at the time, so I had to order one of those as well.

BugByte Space Warp never worked on OS 1.2, I was really disappointed!

Only, the real rich kids at the time got Model Bs, for most purposes the
Model A was sufficient for most peoples needs, as they didn't need User
Interface, Tube, 1MHz bus etc etc

Disc Interface was added many years later, when I could find an Intel 8271
chip, which seemed to be difficult to obtain, at inflated prices!

Andrew

-----Original Message-----
From: Peter Turnbull [mailto:pete@...] 
Sent: 08 August 2003 07:52
To: bbc-micro@...
Subject: Re: [BBC-Micro] BBC B issue differences?

On Aug 7, 23:01, Chris Thornley wrote:
> Wasn't an issue one board one which belong to a BBC which was 16k the
> model A. I believe you could purchase a kit to allow it to be
converted.

The first batch of BBCs, which was used to suppy schools who had placed
advance orders, were certainly Issue 1.  (50? 100? 200?  Can't remember
but it was a pretty small number)  I *think* those were Model As --
AFAIR the one at the school I worked in was.  The first machines
delivered to the public were also Issue 1.  However, I've seen Issue 1
Model Bs, and Issue 1/2/3/4/7 has nothing to do with whether the
machine is an A or a B.

-- 
Pete						Peter Turnbull
						Network Manager
						University of York