Date   : Mon, 12 Dec 2005 19:04:38 +0000
From   : Mike Tomlinson <mike@...>
Subject: Re: BBC B with a black power cable

In article <5B25D7E69C49DA118751000423C092E53532D7@...
1a.dera.gov.uk>, Littlefield Aaron <CALITTLEFIEL@...> writes

>    I've just won a BBC micro on eBay that has a black power cable. 
>    Does this signify an early Model B (or even a Model A)?

In my opinion, the machine you've won looks like a later one. The case
texture looks fairly smooth - early machines had a much rougher texture
to the case, and they've nearly all yellowed badly by now, and it has
the later-style keyboard strip with "BBC microcomputer" instead of "BBC
micro".

The likelihood is that the mains power cable has fractured at some point
in the past (usually caused by people winding the cable around the
machine to store it), and it's been replaced.

> It hasn't 
>    arrived yet so I can't test the machine out and look for tell-tale 
>    signs, but it also appears that the square ROM socket on the left 
>    hand side of the machine isn't there (unless it's taped over).

It's called the ashtray, and was a punch-out membrane on later machines.
It's quite prized to get a Beeb with it intact; make sure you keep it
like that!