To: 999 (all members)
From: K6Z (DICK GOODALL)
Subject:8BS MESSAGING INFO
I wish to get a printout of this file
in neat form without a lot of editing
or retyping. So far, no joy.
I've tried 2 methods.
a) *TYPE
b) READ into VIEW. Line lengths appear
very long, longer than 80 col, making
editing difficult.
Is there a simple answer ?
EDITOR....... YES! Highlight the
messaging info from the menu and press
P.
To: 999 (all members)
From: 4WL (MARTIN WILSON)
Subject: HELP WITH DISK DRIVES WANTED
Can HD drives be used with BBCs? I'm
not expecting to get the higher
density capacity but wondered if they
would work as double density
mechanisms. I realise the drive heads
are smaller and may cause the
occasional problem with protected
disks possibly but for general use
will they work? The reason I ask is
that it seems far easier to get bare HD
drives than DD drives, especially 3.5
drives.
Has there ever been a high density
interface for the BBC/Master?
What's a resistor pack for a disk
drive? I saw it described in a early
BBC magazine. Where do the resistors go
on a disk drive? Is it just for early
BBCs disk interfaces that perhaps were
not quite at the right level or for
all BBC computers?
How do you fit a 40/80track switch to
a drive? How do you recognise the
place where you solder on the
connections? Also I wish to fit a side
select switch so that I can make side
2 work as side 0 at a flick of a
switch. Again how do I find the
connections?
Are there extended format programs for
the BBC like 82 tracks 11 sectors
type formats?
To: 999 (all members)
From: D2C (ANDY BURGESS)
Subject: HELP-Wordwise+ Manuals
Can any one please help with the
sale/loan of Wordwise+ manuals. I
have the ROM fitted, but no
documentation. I would be pleased to
pay expenses involved if loaned.
Also: I would be interested in " The
Complete Wordwise Plus Handbook" by
Paul Beverley, published by Norwich
Computer Services. I have the
associated disc, but no book!
If you can help please phone me on
0117 9575168.
To: 999 (all members)
From: D2C (ANDY BURGESS)
Subject: EPSON LX-300 PRINTER
I have recently purchased this printer
new and have been impressed with its
output despite a price of £104, about
the cheapest I found. It has four
built in fonts, two NLQ and two draft.
It has both tractor feed, which can
be either push or pull, as well as
single sheet feeding. The makers
claim a draft print speed in 12cpi of
264 characters/second and 53 cps in
NLQ mode. I have not checked these,
but it is fast enough for me and is
reasonably quiet. It has paper
parking so that single sheets can be
fed while the continuous paper is
'parked'. All in all I am very
pleased with the quality which is
better than I expected from a 9 pin
machine. It has many other features
which I have yet to explore and it is
Colour upgradable with a kit.
If you are looking for a cheap printer
and do not want to risk a second hand
one I would suggest the LX-300 is
worth a look.
To: 999 (all members)
From: D2C (ANDY BURGESS)
Subject: WANTED - BBC CIRCUIT DIAGRAM
AND BEEBUG MAGS
Can any one loan me or supply a copy
of the circuit diagram for the BBC B.
I understand one was supplied with the
Advanced User Guide, but my copy has
been lost sometime in the past.
Phone no. 0117 9575168.
Any expenses will be paid of course.
Also has anyone got BEEBUG paper mags
Vol 11 nos 8 and 9 to sell so that I
can complete my set. Will pay
reasonable prices.
To: 999 (all members)
From: D2X (Ivan White)
Subject: Monitor for BBC B
Suggestions as to which monitor a BBC
B newcomer should obtain would be
welcome. The most likely usage is
word processor/spreadsheet Inter-Word
and View Professional, some
educational and games for children and
perhaps BASIC programming.
The present screen is through the RGB
sockets with a Philips TV/VDU, nicely
coloured but with rather inconvenient
definition and slight shimmering when
working closely. It measures 29x22cm.
I am assuming that a monitor would be
an improvement on this dual-purpose
TV/VDU equipment.
To: 999 (all members)
From: 4WL (MARTIN WILSON)
Subject: Info Wanted
I have a Miniscribe RLL/MFM hard drive
which I need to know what capacity it
has etc. Model No.8425, Inspected
11/5/87, Type 2. It has a normal 5 1/4
type power socket and a 34way edge
connector plus a second 20way edge
connector which I presume is standard
for RLL/MFM. Anyone know the full
details?
To: 999 (all members)
From: K4F (Brian Dunn)
Subject: Wanted
Can Anyone please help Me with the
Loan of, or photocopies of the full
instructions for the Disc Doctor ROM
All costs will be repaid
Tel 01254-391682
To: 999 (all members)
From: 176 (Eric Shuker)
Subject: HELP DISC DRIVES
I have a SEIKO 8640 5.25 disc drive
with a sixteen pin connector and two
jumper sockets. If the pins are
labelled 1 to 8 (R TO L) back row
and 9to 16 (L TO R) front row, when
the jumpers are arranged to connect
1 to 16 and 2 to 15 this drive is
drive 0 and when the drive is rotating
my second drive, a NEC FD1037A 3.5
drive is still and has no light on.
However, when I run the NEC drive as
drive 1, the 5.25 rotates but shows no
light. I am sure this should not
happen and trust someone has met this
problem and has a solution , for which
I will be eternally grateful.
To: 999 (all members)
From: K3H (ALBERT SCHOFIELD)
Subject: TAPE TO DISC ON THE BBC 'B'
Another game that will not work
without control codes in the filename
is ALIEN BREAKIN. This is in three
parts. A-B-IN, ??? and A#B#IN. The last
part being separated by the underline
character. The first part is a BASIC
program so load this from cassette and
alter the last line 1400 to:-
1400*KEY0 *??? |M*RUN A#B#IN |M
Then add line 1410*FX138,0,128 and
line 1420END and save to disc.
Then load in the second part from
cassette using *LOAD""2E00 and save to
disc using *SAVE ??? 2E00+5FC 3300.
Then load in the third part from
cassette using *LOAD""1900 and save to
disc using *SAVE A#B#IN 1900+2097 22CA
B6A. This last part will need to be
downloaded.
If you now run the game it will
probably work as the control codes
have been entered during transfer but
if you switch the computer off and on
then it will not work.
The control codes are 8E 8B 90. So
you could alter line 1400 in the first
part to 1400*KEY0 !&3B2=&908B8E|M*???
|M*RUN A#B#IN |M and it would then
work. But a better way is to use a
sector editor. On part two, where at
location &530 you will see the control
codes in reverse order. Replace these
with zeros. Also if you want music you
will see at location &5A8 the filename
for the last part with the A missing.
Replace the missing A. And that's
about all. More next month.
To: 999 (all members)
From: K2K (Peter Davy)
Subject: *CONFIGURE SCROLL AND
*CONFIGURE NOSCROLL ON MASTER-128 AND
A-3000 COMPUTERS.
If an M-128 is configured NOSCROLL a
new line is not generated if a
character is printed on the screen at
the end of a line. The effect of being
configured NOSCROLL can be demonstrated
by repeatedly pressing a character key,
the A key say. Each time an A is
printed the cursor moves to the right
of it to show where the next A will be
printed until an A is printed at the
end of the line when the cursor stays
under the A. The cursor only moves to
the next line when the A key is pressed
once more.
If the M-128 is configured SCROLL and
the A key is pressed repeatedly, when
an A is printed at the end of the line
the cursor moves immediately to the
beginning of the next line.
So far so good. Everything as expected.
But when the same experiment is carried
out on an A-3000 (and on one or two
other Archimedes machines to which I
have had access) it makes no difference
whether you configure SCROLL or
NOSCROLL. Whichever configuration is
set the computer behaves as though it
is configured NOSCROLL.
I discovered this unexpected behaviour
as a result of the failure to work
properly of an A-3000 version of my
program HIGHWAY CODE MIX. (BBC-B and
M-128 version is on TBI-46-3). The
program assumes scrolling and therefore
fails on the A-3000 which does not
scroll even though configured to do so.
The program fails in exactly the same
way if run on an M-128 configured to
NOSCROLL.
To make sure that the program will run
on a Master-128 or A-3000 irrespective
of scroll configuration I have now
slipped in a line to test whether
scrolling takes place:
305 CLS:PRINT TAB(39,0)"A";:IF VPOS=0
THEN scroll=FALSE:CLS ELSE scroll=
TRUE:CLS
The flag scroll is used subsequently to
send program execution along the
appropriate route to ensure correct
working.
Please can anyone throw any light on
the seemingly anomalous behaviour of
the A-3000?
To: 999 (all members)
From: 3PM
Subject: Keyboard Switch Supplier.
I recently purchased some keyboard
switches from Maplin Electronics of
Preston, 01772 258484, to replace a
temperamental key on my Master 128.
Till receipt as follows:-
1 DM76
KEYBOARD SWITCH 74-59
Price? 39p +vat each (excluding the
keycap). These are identical to those
of Beebs/Masters. It is very simple to
de-solder and replace the existing
switch having removed the keyboard
unit as outlined by Chris in a recent
8BS issue. Note that their keycaps are
not Beeb black, but if you've lost
yours they are supplied separately.
To: 999 (all members)
From: D2N (VIC HORGAN)
Subject: WANTED & HELP (Again)
A voice crying in the wilderness.
My plea for information on the
availability of:-
(1) CDS Software Ltd.'s COLOSSUS 4
CHESS for BBC & Master 128 on 5.25in
discs.
(2) A New,Unused, or even hardly Used
MASTER 128 COMPUTER to use as a spare
when,inevitably, my present 128 goes
on strike.
(3) The name of a firm,organisation,
shop or member that will mend tired
and ageing BBCs & Masters.Preferably
not in the Outer Hebrides or Scilly
Isles (I live near Oxford).
which I sent in last month was
probably too late to be published in
Issue 41.This is just a reminder to my
new-found associates that I am still
in a highly fraught condition
-expecting my computer to blow up any
minute,being consistantly thrashed at
chess and constantly reading the
glossy brochures about the Archimedes.
Never one to miss an opportunity, I
would like to add a comment which
really should be in another section.
This is my second Disc Magazine
issue and I find it even more
informative and interesting than the
first.Chris Richardson and his
helpers are doing a great service to
all faithful Beeb owners.
Victor J.Horgan
24 Kings Lane,Harwell Village
Didcot, Oxon. OX11 OEJ
Tel: O1235 834544.
EDITOR........ Your first message did
not quite make issue 41 Victor. It was
on this issue until just now!
To: 999 (all members)
From: D2R (John Olway)
Subject: PRINTER Ribbons
I have an AMSTRAD DMP3160 9pin dot
matrix printer. Where is the best
place to buy spare ribbons?
Are pattern ribbons as good as
original ones and is the extra cost of
original ribbons against pattern
ribbons justified?