Returning a classic computing 80's icon to "service" - Acorn BBC B "restoration" project

[@RetroClaire]

What an adventure! Really lucky to find those 3 external units and a sideways rom board full of roms. I had a BBC growing up and still have it to this day. It was the first retro computer I repaired, when I started doing retro repairs. We used to go to a weekly "computer club" back in the 80s, which was really just an excuse to get together with friends and copy games 😀 I think that why I have more nostalgia for the hardware than I do the games. Nice to see it's all up and running 🙂

[@piecesof8-bit]

Yeah it was amazing - so excited to get hold of all of that! Hopefully it wasn't too "cringe" watching!!?🤣 I think I'll continue to leave the tougher jobs to the experts such as yourself... my soldering skills are "novice" at best, managed to burn my finger just putting the RF connector back on... 🤪 But yeah, they are really great machines, it's what got me into programming (that and the humble Dragon 32) - some of the "how-to" knowledge has started coming back after what must be 30 years since I last used one in anger. I think they look great too - no other machine I know that looks the same, always looked super sophisticated with the black keyboard and the red function keys...

[@RetroClaire]

You just need a plinth now for the monitor to make it truly schooltastic 🙂 There are reproduction plinths available now if you don't find an original.

[@piecesof8-bit]

@@RetroClaire I was thinking the same... actually considered making one as I have a load of wood in the garage that is left over from my office refurb. Let's face it, may schools will have had them made by the DT department to save money... 🤣😂🤣

[@RetroClaire]

Yes very true!

[@marcgoesblindgaming2076]

A 80s made British power supply that explodes Surprises no one 😂😂😂 Great to hear you managed to fix that problem With a replacement, I'm sure you will manage to find a power supply for the floppy drive, The BBC Definitely brings back memories Of Messing about At school playing games and absolutely doing nothing education on it 😂 Nice to see a game working on it at the end

[@piecesof8-bit]

LOL yeah - although to be fair to Acorn, they only blow after many many years! 🤣 (although I am reminded of Moss in IT crowd "made in Britain"). I do plan to get them refurbed and get them popped back in - those USB-C power supply options are pretty good to be fair, so good for a novice like me to not have to do any recapping and soldering! Yeah, did you spot the air quotes around educational games? 😂. I can say that now - given that I'm so old, there probably aren't many of my original teachers around (certainly not still working) that can come find me and put me on detention... 😬😂🤣

[@steve36207]

Just seeing a BBC micro takes me right back to being in junior school again and playing frogger and breakout 😊 loved watching that andi buddy your braver than me 😂 il take master system and megadrive pads apart but that's about my limit 😂

[@piecesof8-bit]

Thanks mate!! Yeah great machines - definitely the junior school vibe!… Perhaps a little braver than I should be with that reckon… although nothing ventured etc.. To be honest - I should properly recap it, but I’m scared to do that… trying to learn some basic soldering skills so I can try that, but I will probably leave the big jobs to the professionals!! So much of this stuff is irreplaceable…

[@theeveshamgamer]

Well done Andy! Now, please tell me you have Podd & Granny's Garden on floppy for the Micro 😊. I've toyed with getting one of these for years. My first experience with one was in 1983/4 at primary school. I remember typing 'auto' then pressing and holding enter and the numbers would scroll from to infinity. It blew my mind 😂

[@piecesof8-bit]

Cheers mate!! I absolutely love the Cub monitor with it - feels like a must with it. As for the game - not one I appear to have. There must be over 100 games in there... I'll have to see if I can find some more software. A lot of it comes on tape, which I don't have the ability to load - so they can be tricky to find. On the plus side - there is Elite in the box... that'll be getting checked out... still thinking about a Gotek so I can more reliably have access. Since making the video swapped over a couple of bad drives in the two double floppy units to make good double floppy unit. So now I have a double drive and a single drive in working order!