Note also that
if you've got a serial cable, you can easily make the BBC
accept input from the serial port as if you'd typed it (*FX 7,6 and *FX
8,6 to receive/transmit 4800 baud, then *FX 2,2 to receive from the
serial port), so you can get large BASIC programs over to the machine.
XFer is a good candidate for this since it lets you transfer disk images
back and forth over the serial link. One version's available from here:
http://regregex.bbcmicro.net/
Ha. It figures. I have just last month given away all my old serial
cables, sent for recycling in a big clearout.
The serial cable for the BBC Micro could be something of a problem. The
serial port socket on the Beeb is the 'RS423' port on the back, this can
be connected to a nromal RS232 port with no electronic circuitry. The
problem is the connector itself. It's one of thsoe 5 pin quincuncial DIN
plugs (also known as a 'tpye C, 270 degree, 360 degree, or 'domino' 5 pin
DIN plug). Is it nor the much more common 180 degree Tpye A or 240 degree
type B one.
This leads to 2 problems :
1) The plug is getting very hard ot find. Maplin don't list it.
Crickelewood electronics have the sockets but not the plugs (I guess they
are selling off old stock). RS Components have discontinued it. Farnell
still list it, but I don't know if they will be stocking it in the future.
2) DIN plgus are not easy to solder. They are one mf my least favourite
ocnnectors in this respect (OK, mini-DIN are much worse...). The normal
DIN plug pins do not take solder easily. And the plastic insualtor melts
far too easily. I suspect from what you have said before that you might
have rather more problems.
I've not looked ot see if Beeb serial cables (aka modem cables) turn up
on Ebay. They possibly do. That might be the easiest way to get one.
-tony
