LGR - BBC Micro Computer System Review

The BBC Microcomputer was Acorn's follow-up to the Atom, and launched in 1981. Largely due to its BBC backing, the computer was quite successful in the UK, especially among schools and businesses. But is it still worth owning to a current collector of vintage computers?

This is an overview of the history, hardware, and software of the Beeb from the perspective of an American collector. How do the pros and cons stack up, and is it worth getting a Beeb over its cut-down sibling, the Electron?

Many thanks to Mark from the UK for the BBC Model B!

Also a big thanks to ImperialProductions for the Acornsoft software!

For lots of great info on the Beeb, check out Stairway To Hell:

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Photo credits: Wikimedia Commons and Phil Gyford, used under Creative Commons 2.0 attribution license. Also some from the excellent site, Chris's Acorns.

[Yorky]

My sons David and Peter were original games programmers for the BBC Micro and wrote the ROM for the AMX Mouse.

[pacon]

I know someone that used to work for Acorn. they told me that one time he had to repair a computer
and the owner said sometimes it worked and others it didn't. so he opened it up and it turned out there
was a mouse living inside it and every time it pissed the computer didn't work but when it dried up it worked!
these machines are so rugged!

[LGR]

@MrYaotubo ...this is a surprisingly deep question. I'm thinking the Amiga. Practical and trustworthy, does about everything you want to the point of being predictable, but somehow still surprises me all the time. Isn't a total skank like the IBM PC. Skanks can be fun too, but you want to settle down with one that stays true over the years.

[alwaysasn]

It's crazy for me how watchable some of Clint's older videos are. Aside from the audio quality of his mic it's often hard to tell the difference between older and newer videos.

[Rickeswe]

"Can you see a cave?"
"No"
"Yes you do."
"Do you want to go in the cave? " 
"No"
"Yes you do. "
" ;_; "

[LGR]

@ThePichu7892 The Raspberry Pi has been on my radar for about a couple years now. If I can ever get one from the massive waiting list, I hope to show it on here.

[philbateman]

I'm from the UK and thus have several Marks from the UK. I can highly recommend them, I feel they may be a successful export venture.

[alexojideagu]

The BBC Micro led to the ARM Risc processor from Acorn, which is in pretty much every mobile phone and tablet in the world and any small electronic computer device.

[eptio]

"Do you want to enter the mountain?"
"No."
"Yes you do."

essentially my mom in a nutshell

[stesilaus]

My Granny visited the UK in the early 80s and brought back a model B with her. The machine pretty much defined my childhood and my teens right until the era of IBM compatibles and MS-DOS. Afterwards I studied Computer Science at university, so perhaps it's more true to say that the BBC Micro ended up defining my life.

[jasbk]

My first ever computer was a bbc micro B 32k. My dad bought it in 1984.. i was 3.

I had it until 1997 and played it almost daily with over a hundred games... my first introduction to gaming and computers and so many childhood smiles.

Kevin Toms football manager (soccer for non brits)
Barbarian 2
The last ninja 1 and 2
Repton thru time... still one of the best and hardest games ever released.

My dad introduced me to computers and games through the BBC... i'm so glad he did. Those memories are never gonna fade

[happyguy]

Holy shit Clint you've changed! I was expecting current Clint not long haired younger Clint!

[LGR]

@techguruuk Yes, Micro Men is fantastic! I'd highly recommend it to anyone interested in these computers or just highly entertaining docudramas. It's here on YouTube last time I checked.

[cygil]

For its time, the BBC Micro was an extremely powerful, high quality computer. A generation of UK programmers grew up on the BBC micro.

[binkman]

Got suggested this. Had watched before but cool to see some of your older content. Thanks for all you do!

[CelticSaint]

Good review, thanks. There is a decent enough film (on YT) called 'Micro Men', that tells the tale of the stiff competition between Acorn and Sinclair. And what went on between them with regards to winning the contract for the BBC. Definitely worth a look. Personally I am currently undergoing a revival in 'BASIC' programming. Great fun to actually do something creative computer wise. Cheers, CS.

[richardstorer-adam]

A lot of memories in this video. We used to program these things using magazines with program listings. You literally typed the machine code into the machine one number at a time. It took hours of debugging and when you were finished it would be a very basic text adventure set in Eygpt and you were a Pharoh keeping the people happy. Happy days.

[justinholmes]

I grew up in the East Of England in the 80/90s, my primary school computer teacher was obsessed with these things.

He had this green infra red turtle that you could program to drive round a table and draw things in basic. My friend had o e in his room with a copy of Doctor Who on floppy disk.

[LGR]

@ThePwntr0n I must admit, 70's/80's programmer beards have definitely been an inspiration. As well as Nord warriors.

[chidster]

"Can you see a cave?"
"No"
"Yes you can. Do you want to go in the cave?"
"No"
"Yes you do."

I was laughing way too hard at this.