ACORN BBC MICRO DATACENTRE EXTERNAL 2x USB AND 2x COMPACT FLASH HD UPGRADE KIT

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ACORN BBC MICRO DATACENTRE EXTERNAL 2x USB AND 2x COMPACT FLASH HD UPGRADE KIT:
$149.30

** AS SEEN AT PLAY EXPO BLACKPOOL 2014 **

This is a Buy-It-Now sale for a New ExternalDataCentre-EUpgrade kit, suitable for the BBC Model B, B+ and Master 128 Computers. The USBSection can also be used with an Acorn Electron, if you have an ACP Plus 5adaptor.

What is it?
DataCentre is our popular 5 in 1 upgrade for the BBC Computer range from RetroClinic.It is a leap forward for the BBC, bringing the connectivity of USB to theBBC Micro for use not just as a storage medium, but as a new way to connectmodern hardware to your vintage machine.

The external version of the DataCentre systemprovides all the functions of the internal version, with theconvenienceofhaving the unit housed in a separate box - no internal fitting, and easy to swapbetween machines, and it looks right at home next to a Beeb, with it\'s matchingcream plastic case.

USB Host Controller, allowing connection ofvirtually any USB device including Flash Drives, Keyboards, Mice etc.
USB Slave Port, allowing connection directly toyour PC
1 Megabyte RAM for use by drivers, filingsystems or the user.
64K Byte Non-Volatile RAM, used as a small RAMDrive for storing commonly used programs and utilities.
Dual Compact Flash slots, for use by the ADFSsystem as up to 4 large hard drives, separate from the USB storage

The DataCentre is both simple to use for the firsttime user, and highly programmable by those with the knowledge. It cuts out theextra step common to all otherstorage systems for the BBC, that of the\"transfer software\" on the PC. With the DataCentre system, you nolonger need any software on the PC whatsoever.

How does it work?
You simply use any USB storagedrive, of any capacity, be that a solid state Flash Drive, or a conventionalHard Drive in a USB Enclosure, and as long as it is formatted with the FAT orFAT32 filing system, it will be recognised. Most modern PCs, Macintoshes andLinux based machines will automatically recognise such a drive. You thendownload the software you want directly to it, or onto your PC hard drive andthen drag the files across.

Once on the USB drive, this is simply insertedinto DataCentre, and the BBC can now see all those files. With a single command,the image can be imported either to one of the 4 available RAM Drives, ordirectly onto a Floppy Disk if you have a floppy drive and interface. You canthen go on to play the game, or modify that disk image whilst on floppy or inthe RAM drive, or even use your own floppy discs, and export them back to theUSB drive in one of two standard universal formats, known as SSD or DSD. Theseimages can then be immediately used on the PC by plugging the Drive back intothe PC USB port, either to upload to your website, or use in an emulator, or toarchive on CD etc.

Below is a quick example of loading an image andcreating a disk, as demonstrated at the Acorn World show.

You don\'t even need to use an image, you can saveBasic programs and data direct to the USB drive, and those files can beinstantly read by your PC, or put any file you like onto the USB drive, and theBeeb can see it, again without having to mess with DFS Image manipulation tools.

DataCentre doesn\'t restrict you like other MMC orSD based systems. There\'s no limit to the size of device you can use, be it thelatest 64GB USB Flash drives, or a 2TB Hard drive in a USB enclosure. No huntingto find old obsolete cards and a reader to go with them, USB sticks are theaccepted standard medium for PCs, and with DataCentre, your Beeb can read themtoo. The mains adaptor supplied with the system provides enough power to allowyou to connect an external \"USB Powered\" Hard Drive, and can supplypower though a hub, up to 1 Amp.

The Compact Flash System
The DataCentre-E unit isalso equipped with 2 Compact Flash slots. You canuse either one, or both, to provide up to 2GB of online storage for ADFS, anduse it in exactly the same way as Acorn designed for the original Winchesters.The system is fully backwards compatible with my existing CF Hard Drive system,so if you have one with several cards of software, they can simply be pluggedinto the DataCentre-E and will work as they did before.

Whilst the USB and RamFS system required notransfer software to get your images onto the Beeb, for the Compact Flashsystem, several programs are supplied on the CD to aid in getting your softwareonto the CF system. These specially written programs allow you to plug the CFcard into your PC, via any USB Multi Card Reader, and take an image of the cardfor backup purposes, and write the image back to the same card, or another oneof the same size. The Image these programs create are fully compatible with JonWelch\'s ADFS Explorer, whichallows you to load the image, browse it, add and delete files from downloadedfloppy disk images, change the size of the drive for larger CF cards, manipulateit in almost any way you wish. You can then save that image, and reload it backto a CF card, and presto, your files are instantly ready to use on your Beeb inADFS. And as it\'s an external unit, noopening the lid everytime you wantto change card either! The backup and restore programs are supplied free withthe kit, but DFS & ADFS Explorerare shareware, and whilst trialversions of both are included on the CD, they require a small registration feeto the Author for full functionality, please see his website for details. Samplehard drive images containinga selectionofpublic domainsoftware and games are also on the CD for you to try and use as a basis for yoursystem. You can also use the USBsystem to transfer software directly onto the CF Hard Drive using the Beeb, ifyou prefer to do it that way.

You can add the system to virtually anyspecification of Machine, and it connects via the 1MHz bus port. You will alsoneed one or two free ROM sockets, one for RamFS, the software that drives theRAMdiscs and the USB system, and another for a modified version of ADFS, if youwish to use the Compact Flash system. The Ram Filing system that comes with theboard does not use up main memory, so PAGE is kept as it was before, &E00 ona Master and on a standard B, no Sideways RAM is needed. You don\'t even need tohave a disk system, with the 4 x 200K RAM Drives available,youinstantlyhave access to virtually every peice of disc software ever written for the Beebon the net. ADFS for the Model B in ROM does use up some of the system memory,but a version that uses Sideways RAM is also supplied, which does not eat up anyprecious memory. The Master version of ADFS does not use any system memory.

What else can it do,besides storage?
The DataCentre system is not just a \"Storage Only\" upgrade - it\'s afully functional USB 2.0 specification host, and as such, you can use virtuallyany USB device in it you like, including Keyboards, Mice, Joysticks, Hubs etc.DataCentreopens up the Beeb to a whole new world of connectivity. As with any USB device,drivers are needed, and a sample USB Mouse program is included to get youstarted in programming your own device drivers for your application.

The DataCentre system is not a \"closed\"Environment. The 102 page printed manual gives you all the technical details youneed to program the USB system yourself, as welldetails onusing thefull 1MB of RAM for your own application. Full specifications on the hardwareused for the USB controller are all included in the kit. If you\'ve got a USBgadget on your PC and you fancy running it on the Beeb, well now you can! Thecommands to communicate with ANY USB device are built into the system, all youhave to do is write the software to do what you want it to do!

What comes with it?
The full kit contains the following items, as shown in the photobelow:

DataCentre-E Main System Box with built in 1MHzBus ribbon cable
Mains power adaptor with UK plug (Euro adaptorscan be supplied on request, or a power lead for connection to the Beeb AUXpower socket can be provided in leiu of the external power supply at noextra charge)
1 x 27256 ROM containing RamFSand theCompact Flash formatting utility
1 x 27256 ROM containing ADFS 1.33 and ADFS1.53
USB A Plug to B Plug Cable
102 page printed and bound User Guide
New ADFS User Guide, covering use of the CFHard Drive system (Not Picutred)
Utility CD, contating a multitude of extramanuals, samples and other programs

Updates to the Firmware on the board can be doneby the user, and details for this are given in the instructions. Updates to theRamFS ROM are free of charge to all users, again details on this is given in theinstructions in the kit. More info can be found on mywebsite. If you require extra sets of ROMs, so you can move the externalunit between machines, these can be supplied either at time of purchase, or at alater date.

The unit is also available with an external 1MHzbus pass thru socket on the rear for an extra £10.00. Please ask for the EPversion when placing your order if you require this.

** Please see my responseand see what other people who have baught the DataCentre system thinks of it -you will not be disappointed! **

** FREE SHIPPING TO UK BY ROYAL MAIL SPECIAL DELIVERY **

PayPal accepted with NO surcharge. Please see thephoto below to see what is included in this kit. Thanks for looking, and anyquestions, please ask!

Kits are also available for you to upgrade yourAcorn BBC B, B+ or Master 128 with the internal version of theDataCentre, as well as 1770 Disk Upgrade kits, and other refurbished BBC ModelBs and Master 128s pre-fitted with the DataCentre system, if you prefer not todo it yourself. I canrefurbish Model B and Masters to your specification.I also do repairs to Arcade Video game PCBs, including Pre-Model 2 Sega andVector Atari PCBs. Please check my other items for sale, or if they\'ve sold outon my listings, please contact me for details, and I will re-list them for you.