New Acquisition: Acorn Electron - 07-ALA01-0119136 - Elk-a-Thon

 

 

New Acquisition: Acorn Electron

Make	Model	Serial Number
Acorn Computers	Electron	07-ALA01-0119136

Overview

• Manufacturer: Acorn Computers.
• Production Years: The Acorn Electron was introduced on August 25, 1983.
• Historical Significance: The Acorn Electron was designed as a more affordable alternative to the BBC Micro, targeting the home computer market. It retained many of the BBC Micro's features, including compatibility with BBC BASIC, while offering a compact and cost-effective design.
• Architecture: The Electron was based on the Synertek SY6502A processor and featured a custom Uncommitted Logic Array (ULA) for graphics and I/O handling.

Specification

• Processor: Synertek SY6502A running at 2 MHz when accessing ROM, 1 MHz when accessing RAM.
• Memory: 32KB RAM and 32KB ROM.
• Storage: Programs could be saved and loaded via cassette tape. Optional expansions, such as the Acorn Plus 3, added floppy disk support.
• Display: Capable of multiple display modes, including:
  • 160×256 resolution with 4 or 16 colors.
  • 320×256 resolution with 2 or 4 colors.
  • 640×256 resolution with 2 colors.
• Audio: Basic tone and noise generation capabilities.
• Connectivity: Included a cassette interface, RGB video output, and expansion ports for peripherals.
• Expansion: The Acorn Plus 1 provided additional ports for joysticks and printers, while the Acorn Plus 3 added floppy disk support.
• Operating System: Acorn MOS v1.0, with BBC BASIC II included in ROM.
• Common Faults:
  • Failure of the ULA chip, which could cause display or I/O issues.
  • Degradation of the cassette interface, leading to unreliable program loading or saving.
  • Age-related wear on power supplies, resulting in instability or failure.

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How Did I Acquire It?

Where Did I Get It From?

I picked this up from a facebook group that I am a member of

How Was It Described to Me?

The post read:

Elk-a-Thon ! 

Various Electrons and parts etc
**LAST CALL BEFORE I TAKE THESE OFF TO EBAY **
There comes a point when you have just too much of a good thing ..
Now is the time to clear a little space -
All the Elks Boot to the startup prompt so all the ULA's/ram etc appear to be good.
If you're interested, payment will be by BACS (Preferred) or Paypal F&F
Postage at cost extra to anywhere - or collection from Wakefield
If outside the Britain, you must accept any import duties are your responsibility
Please comment with the number(s) you're interesting in
First come will be first served, and payment must be made asap otherwise I'll release back for sale

#2 - Issue 6 , very dirty but works.

Supplier Pictures

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Now I have it in my hands

I pciked up a set of pollys ath teh same time so when I get round to it.......

Next steps:

• Give it a clean
• Options around floppy disk drives and modern alternatives.
• Rom Upgrades

As I get to each stage I'll create a sperate blog post to document my journey.