So begins my Acorn Electron unboxing... https://mastodon.technology/media/qwQ1w9W2COn7Zx1fumI
This is what the inside of those game boxes look like. There's an intro to the game and loading instructions on the inside cover. The tape itself is cut into the box https://mastodon.technology/media/Ee2XXLS6B3W0d114k58
Of course that's not what they all look like. Some are in these smaller plastic cases
https://mastodon.technology/media/p51q-ny3YWmHCtfbjz8
Here's the Electron itself. It's been in someone's garage for years so the keys look a bit mucky, some of the keys stick and the expansion connector looks a little corroded.
I see this being an interesting restoration project https://mastodon.technology/media/5YJ1BoT1sZJric0oD-c https://mastodon.technology/media/iZ2rjeBjLOuIevxLxmA
@bobstechsite That is way too cute.
@ajroach42 Thanks!
The blurry picture in bad lighting obscures the muck I'm going to have to scrub off the keys. But the box itself has no yellowing at all! (Probably because it was left in a garage for many years)
@bobstechsite Isopropal and cotton swabs do wonders for typewriters. I bet they'd work well here too.
@ajroach42 Noted.
The other thing I noticed was the "First Byte" expansion box. It seems to provide a serial port, which suggests that (if the expansion slot isn't too corroded) it can probably connect to a BBC-compatible 5.25" floppy drive.
(I'm not sure if 3.5" floppy drives with serial connectors exist or not. That would probably be more helpful in this day and age, albeit slightly less authentic!)
Also reading up on how to read/write to cassette tapes 🤓