To: 999 (all members)
From: K2B (Colin Culpitt-Smith)
Subject: Z88 to BBC Archiving
I have been given the OK by a writer
of some excellent s/ware for the
Z88/BBC, to make it available to any
user. One program backs up all Z88
files into one big archive file.
However, there is a bug in this
Archiver, in the machine code part. So
before it can be offered to users via
8BS, are there any machine code
experts out there, who would be
willing to sort out what can only
be a simple problem?
Any help would be appreciated, and
will benefit many users within 8BS.
Ring me on 01738-812186, or contact me
via 8BS.
To: 999 (all members)
From: D3C (JIM MCCOLL)
Subject: MUSIC ROM/MIDI
Does anyone have any info about Music
Roms and/or Midi connections for the
Beeb? I have a Casio HT3000 keyboard
and would like to link it to the Beeb.
I would also appreciate any info on
the Music Rom, I think that it is from
Bee-Bug. I can load the Rom from disc
into the SWR but can't get to run.
To: 999 (all members)
From: 4TK
Subject: Keyboard Malfunction
Quite a few members appear to have
problems with keys not operating, this
is due in most instances to dust and
foreign bodies getting underneath
them.
I too have had this problem in the
past and have found a simple and cheap
remedy.
To clean the keyboard use a vacuum
cleaner in the following manner.
Fit the hose to the OUTLET.
Give it a good blow OUT of the WINDOW
tapping the hose along it's entire
length to remove any dust.
Place the nozzle close to the keys at
one end and let it blow while you
brush between ALL the keys with a
CLEAN dry paintbrush.
Still with the vacuum blowing from the
same end TAP all keys.
Now try them all.
Should any still malfunction - do it
again.
Once you are satisfied everything is
operating OK cover the keyboard with
a strip of CLINGFILM PERMANENTLY.
Normal clingfilm is wide enough to
cover the keyboard and the keystrip
and will adhere to the case sides in
the usual way.
One fault is that finger nails mark
the clingfilm and it has to be changed
frequently, in my case - weekly.
When you do change the clingfilm you
will be pleasantly surprised.... the
keyboard will look as new!.
For those of you who wish to do the
job professionally proper 'SEAL 'n
TYPE' shrink covers are available
from;
KADOR
Pontcynon Industrial Estate
ABERCYNON
MID GLAMORGAN
CF45 4EP
Tel: 01443 740281
These are of excellent quality and
very reasonably priced at around ten
to fifteen pounds each.
I should add that my catalogue is
probably a couple of years old now.
I bought one for my Beeb at a show for
nine pounds from them.
My best wishes to everybody,
Henry Frost.
Tel:(0181) 994 1989.
EDITOR....... Remember, 8BS has spare
key switches, keytops and keyboards for
sale!
To: 999 (all members)
From: K4U (Chris Robbins)
Subject: Help Wanted
29 Sandpit Lane
St. Albans
Herts AL1 4EW
Phone : 01727 830264
I've recently acquired a SIRIUS Model
457. It looks vaguely like a standard
PC although the keyboard layout is a
bit peculiar.
But, I have no manuals and no other
information on it, apart from three
5.25 inch discs, only one of which (a
very early version of MS-DOS) seems to
work.
Any information would be much
appreciated.
To: 999 (all members)
From: K2B (Colin Culpitt-Smith)
Subject: HELP !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Can anyone please offer help and/or
software? I have an eprommer known as
'SoftLife', but without the correct
software, I'm stuck! This eprommer
will program 8k & 16k eproms, in
voltages of 25, 21 or 12.5.
I've tried using other s/ware such as
Morley's but unsurprisingly, it won't
work properly! Any help appreciated.
Please ring 01738-812186, or contact
me via 8BS messages - Many thanks.
To: 999 (all members)
From: Andrew Fay K5P
Subject: Help Wanted
Help Wanted:Can anyone help with the
pinout ofthe serial port on a Red
Leader from a Red Box system. Or
alternatively tell me how the 5 pin to
7 pin Din lead for a Red Box system is
wired up.
I would also appreciate the pinout for
a Red three (analogue input) unit and
might even consider purchasing further
Red boxes if I was offered, especially
Red Ones.
Many thanks,
Andy Fay
(01752) 673659
To: 999 (all members)
From: Andrew Fay K5P
Subject: Help Wanted
Can anyone help with details of a
BBC FireFly Personality Card from
Quest International Computer
Technology Ltd. I believe it should
go between a SCSI Hard Disk
and the 1MHz bus. The 1MHZ bus
seems OK, but the SCSI end only
has a 40 way IDC connector instead
of a 50 way one. I would be
greatful if anyone could help with
the pinout of the 40 way IDC and
the purpose of the 8 switches,
marked A4-7, SEL 1&2, NPGFC & NPGFD.
Many thanks,
Andy Fay
(01752) 673659
EDITOR.......... These messages arrived
too late for this issue really. However
I have bunged them into one file. They
cover various subjects.
To: 999 (all members)
From: L1M (Janny Looyenga)
Subject: COBWEBS (BBC B only)!
THE SOLIDISK SIDEWAYS RAM UTILITIES.
I sent these a long time ago and
explained all in a message to Chris,
but digged it up for you, so read on..
There are not many menu's which
recognize bank E from the Solidisk
SWR, so my husband (Mr Looyenga) wrote
some handy utilities for me:
START and ROMSL.
The START program is ment as a sort of
!BOOT file. When you have a ROM image
on disc, say TD,- (a TAPE to DISC rom)
- you have to LOAD it, give a hard
BREAK for initialising and call it
with *TD. You can put all in a
!BOOT file except the *TD - this will
not work and you'll get the error
message BAD COMMAND. To avoid this all
you can use this START program.
When you make a !BOOT file and you put
CHAIN"STARTTD" in it, the TD ROM is
loaded and called by *TD.
Beware: The TD-ROM is only
suitable for use with the 8271 Disc
Controller!
You can use the START program for
different 'work-discs', for instance
word-processing: Do you use the
SCRIBE rom? List the program and
change the naam$= into SCRB1.3 and
the bank$ you want it in, the E or F.
At the end of the program you change
the *TD into *SCRIBE,then !BOOT the
disc et voila there is the SCRIBE menu
and you can start editing.
You can even load two ROMS with this
program, but you'll have to make two
files: an E-file and an F-file.
Call it E-rom and F-rom. In the
E-rom you put the ROM you want to
load into the E bank and on the last
line you chain the F-rom. In the
F-rom file you put the ROM you want
to load into the F bank and again on
the last line you place the CALL
you need to init the ROM. Use a
!BOOT file to chain the E-rom!
INTERWORD uses TWO ROMS...
I hope it is clear now; but remember
the ROM images have to be on the
discs of course.
Maybe now you understand why the file
on disc is called STARTTD?
The ROMSL will give no trouble I
suppose, just LOADs ROM images
into the wanted SWR bank (E or F)
or SAVEs them onto disc.
Btw: My husband's name is LUUT.
To: 999 (all members)
From: L1M (Janny Looyenga)
Subject: BEEBUG Volume 2.
There are some files missing on my
copy of this Volume:
Issue 1 misses Tune - part of Composer
Issue 2 misses DP1
Issue 6 misses Rapids game (damaged)
Who has the missing files for me?
Thanks.
To: 2J3
From: L1M (Janny Looyenga)
Subject: SCREEN