Installing a Sideways ROM Board in the BBC Model B
The BBC Model B is one of my favourite retro computers. Even over 40 years after its release, there are still plenty of upgrades available that make using it even more enjoyable. One of the most useful upgrades is a Sideways ROM board , which allows you to install several ROMs at once instead of being limited to the standard motherboard sockets. In this post, I'll walk through installing one into my BBC Model B and show the finished result. What is a Sideways ROM? The BBC Model B stores much of its operating software in ROM (Read Only Memory) chips rather than loading everything from disk. These ROMs can contain things like: BBC BASIC Disk filing systems Utility software Programming languages Diagnostic software As you begin expanding your BBC Micro, you soon run out of ROM sockets. A Sideways ROM board solves this by providing additional ROM sockets, allowing multiple ROMs to remain installed at the same time. Why Install One? Although the BBC Model B is an inc...