Exactly!stephen_usher wrote: Tue Mar 17, 2026 11:14 amrubber_jonnie wrote: Tue Mar 17, 2026 9:15 am Well, I've managed to order a couple of 8255's for the princely sum of £7, so fingers crossed they'll fix this keyboard problem.![]()
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Acorn Atom Replica build
- rubber_jonnie
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Re: Acorn Atom Replica build
Collector of many retro things!
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
- rubber_jonnie
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Re: Acorn Atom Replica build
Hurrah!!!
The replacement 8255's arrived today and the Atom is back in the land of the living
Full keyboard functionality is restored so clearly the poor old 8255 from Radio Shack had a short but brilliant life but is now dead as a dodo
Nice easy fix though and I now have a spare to hand just in case. I will however do a little more burning in.
Next I need to focus on getting the Atom sorted for AtoMMC so I can easily load games etc.
That will be coming a little later down the line, though I can get a ROM written in the meantime to make sure its ready
The replacement 8255's arrived today and the Atom is back in the land of the living
Full keyboard functionality is restored so clearly the poor old 8255 from Radio Shack had a short but brilliant life but is now dead as a dodo
Nice easy fix though and I now have a spare to hand just in case. I will however do a little more burning in.
Next I need to focus on getting the Atom sorted for AtoMMC so I can easily load games etc.
That will be coming a little later down the line, though I can get a ROM written in the meantime to make sure its ready
Collector of many retro things!
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
- HigashiJun
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- Location: Tokyo
- rubber_jonnie
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Re: Acorn Atom Replica build
Just for fun I thought I'd seal the bad one back in it's package for the sake of nostalgia given how much time I spent in Tandy/Radioshack when I was younger
I bought a lot of Archer stuff when I was younger, though never one of these
I bought a lot of Archer stuff when I was younger, though never one of these
Collector of many retro things!
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
- HigashiJun
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- Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2020 7:21 am
- Location: Tokyo
Re: Acorn Atom Replica build
Hmm, fond memories of another time...rubber_jonnie wrote: Thu Mar 19, 2026 9:22 am given how much time I spent in Tandy/Radioshack when I was younger
- rubber_jonnie
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Re: Acorn Atom Replica build
And I'd argue a better time...HigashiJun wrote: Thu Mar 19, 2026 9:25 amHmm, fond memories of another time...rubber_jonnie wrote: Thu Mar 19, 2026 9:22 am given how much time I spent in Tandy/Radioshack when I was younger
Collector of many retro things!
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
- HigashiJun
- Posts: 2422
- Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2020 7:21 am
- Location: Tokyo
Re: Acorn Atom Replica build
Indeed.
- stephen_usher
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Re: Acorn Atom Replica build
£8.25 was a lot of money back in the 80s. Around £50-£60 now.
Intro retro computers since before they were retro...
ZX81->Spectrum->Memotech MTX->Sinclair QL->520STM->BBC Micro->TT030->PCs & Sun Workstations.
Added code to the MiNT kernel (still there the last time I checked) + put together MiNTOS.
Collection now with added Macs, Amigas, Suns and Acorns.
ZX81->Spectrum->Memotech MTX->Sinclair QL->520STM->BBC Micro->TT030->PCs & Sun Workstations.
Added code to the MiNT kernel (still there the last time I checked) + put together MiNTOS.
Collection now with added Macs, Amigas, Suns and Acorns.
- rubber_jonnie
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Re: Acorn Atom Replica build
I know, and certainly not the kind of money my younger self would likely have to spend on things I didn't know much about back in the day.stephen_usher wrote: Thu Mar 19, 2026 11:16 am
£8.25 was a lot of money back in the 80s. Around £50-£60 now.
The date code on the Tandy piece is non existent, but the catalog number suggests around '83-'85. The new parts are '88 and NEC branded. Both worked fine, which was good for £7 for two
Collector of many retro things!
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
- rubber_jonnie
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- Joined: Thu Aug 17, 2017 7:40 pm
- Location: Essex
- Contact:
Re: Acorn Atom Replica build
Quick lunchtime job, I fitted a speaker to the Atom 
It works, if a little quiet. I'm using the same sort of speaker that I put into one of my Electrons and it was fine there, however I am wondering if I need to swap it out as it's 16 Ω (What the speakers in my Electrons are) but I think I should have opted for 8 Ω.
It can stay for now but I'm considering adding a small amp into the circuit as then I'll give myself sounf on/off and volume control.
It works, if a little quiet. I'm using the same sort of speaker that I put into one of my Electrons and it was fine there, however I am wondering if I need to swap it out as it's 16 Ω (What the speakers in my Electrons are) but I think I should have opted for 8 Ω.
It can stay for now but I'm considering adding a small amp into the circuit as then I'll give myself sounf on/off and volume control.
Collector of many retro things!
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
