BBC Computer Literacy Project
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BBC Micro Model A/B (standard configuration)
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| Developer | Acorn Computers |
|---|---|
| Type | 8-bit home computer |
| Release date | 1 December 1981 |
| Retail availability | 1981-1994 |
| Introductory price | £235 Model A, £335 Model B (in 1981) |
| Discontinued | 1994 |
| Units sold | Over 1.5 million |
| Media | Cassette tape, floppy disk (optional) – 5.25″ (common) (SS/SD, SS/DD, DS/SD, DS/DD), 3.5″ (rare) (SS/DD, DS/DD), hard disk also known as 'Winchester' (rare), Laserdisc (BBC Domesday Project) |
| Operating system | Acorn MOS |
| CPU | 2 MHz MOS Technology 6502/6512 |
| Memory |
16–32 KiB (Model A/B) |
| Storage |
100–800 KB (DFS) |
| Display | PAL/NTSC, UHF/composite/TTL RGB |
| Graphics |
640×256, 8 colours (various framebuffer modes) |
| Sound |
Texas Instruments SN76489, 4 channels, mono TMS5220 speech synthesiser with phrase ROM (optional) |
| Input | Keyboard, twin analogue joysticks with fire buttons, lightpen |
| Connectivity | Printer parallel, RS-423 serial, user parallel, Econet (optional), 1 MHz bus, Tube second processor interface |
| Power | 50 W |
| Predecessor | Acorn Atom |
| Successor | Acorn Archimedes |
| Related articles | Acorn Electron |
16–32 KiB (Model A/B)
64–128 KiB (Model B+)
128 KiB (Master)
100–800 KB (DFS)
160–1280 KB (ADFS floppy disks)
640×256, 8 colours (various framebuffer modes)
The BBC Microcomputer System, or BBC Micro, is a series of microcomputers and associated peripherals designed and built by the Acorn Computer company for the BBC Computer Literacy Project, operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation. Designed with an emphasis on education, it was notable for its ruggedness, expandability, and the quality of its operating system. An accompanying 1982 television series "The Computer Programme" featuring Chris Serle learning to use the machine was also broadcast on BBC 2.
After the Literacy Project's call for bids for a computer to accompany the TV programmes and literature, Acorn won the contract with the Proton, a successor of its Atom computer prototyped at short notice. Renamed the BBC Micro, the system was adopted by most schools in the United Kingdom, changing Acorn's fortunes. It was also moderately successful as a home computer in the UK despite its high cost. Acorn also employed the machine to simulate and develop the ARM architecture which, many years later, has become hugely successful for embedded systems, including tablets and cellphones. In 2013 ARM was the most widely used 32-bit instruction set architecture.
While nine models were eventually produced with the BBC brand, the phrase "BBC Micro" is usually used colloquially to refer to the first six (Model A, B, B+64, B+128, Master 128, and Master Compact), excluding the Acorn Electron; subsequent BBC models are considered as part of Acorn's Archimedes series.
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