econet
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Table of Contents
Acorn Econet
Econet is the local area networking system for BBC Micro computers. To relive our childhoods, we're going to build an Econet at the lab.
Components
- Econet clock unit. One required for each network, to generate the timing signal. We can buy this for £50, or make it ourselves with reasonably basic components.
- For each BBC Model B client: a kit of components to be soldered onto the motherboard. Kits can be bought for £30, or we can source the parts ourselves (though one IC is very rare).
- M-M 5-pin DIN (180 degrees) cables. One per client, and one between each junction box. MIDI cables can be used, as long as they are fully-wired (all 5 pins).
- Passive terminators (male 5-pin DIN with some resistors/capacitors). One at each end of the chain.
- Junction boxes. Three or more DIN sockets connected in a short-chain. The backbone (or terminator) is connected at either end of the chain, and one or more clients connected in the middle.
- File server: Level 1 (very basic) can be run on any BBC with a floppy. Level 2-3 require a second processor (which we have). Archimedes can also act as a file server with some free software.
Model B Upgrade Kit
| Quantity | Part | Supplier |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 1K 0.25W 10% resistor | |
| 3 | 1M5 0.25W 10% resistor | |
| 1 | 1K 0.25W 2% resistor | |
| 1 | 1K5 0.25W 2% resistor | |
| 4 | 10K 0.25W 2% resistor | |
| 4 | 56K 0.25W 2% resistor | |
| 4 | 100K 0.25W 10% resistor | |
| 1 | 22K x8 resistor pack | (to be identified from motherboard/circuit diagram) |
| 1 | 2.2nF ceramic capacitor | |
| 1 | 10nF ceramic capacitor | |
| 1 | 10uF tanalum capacitor 6.3v | |
| 1 | 100pF ceramic capacitor | |
| 1 | 74LS74 | Farnell 1105907 £0.51 |
| 1 | 74LS132 | Farnell 1470858 £0.54 |
| 1 | 74LS244 | Farnell 1739688 £0.72 |
| 1 | 75159 | (rare item, £3.80 from ebay, £3.17 from digikey) |
| 1 | 68B54 | (obsolete item, ordered from ebay by Al) |
| 2 | LM319 | Farnell 1094247 £0.80 each (until stock exhausted, then 9487581 £2.15 each) |
| 1 | 74LS163 | Farnell 1470787 £0.66 |
| 1 | 74LS123 | Farnell 1470902 £0.38 |
| 1 | 2764 EPROM | (will use old EPROM from Hacklab stock) |
| 1 | 5-pin DIN PCB socket | (footprint to be identified from Model B motherboard) |
| 1 | 8-way wafer plug | (looks like header pins and jumpers) |
| 7 | mini-shunts | (to be identified) |
Econet LAN Party
To show-off our network, we'll want to host some applications.
- Games archive (Elite, Repton, Granny's Garden, …)
- Hacklab Teletext
- Telnet/SSH (this won't be trivial)
econet.1379853659.txt.gz · Last modified: 2015-10-05 15:55 (external edit)