Last night I was checking my personal (long) to-do list, specifically my retrocomputing to-do list, and one of the tasks included was to get some information about a modern 8-bit computer called Agon Light 2. Maybe you already know about it. So I checked this YT video and learned more. It was fun watching it and when I saw that this cool board computer features a port (from 6502 to Z80) of the BBC Basic, I instinctively thought about the implementation of the BBC BASIC language. I did learn in the recent past about all the great features and powerful functions of this version of BASIC in the Acorn computers of the 80s, but the implementation of the language for this particular computer is simply astounding. At least so it seems, watching the video and perusing the official website contents. The computer itself features a very unique hardware specifications and it's probably the fastest ever built. The aim of the designer is that the architecture should be "open" and fully available to user's modifications, both in OS and software apps. Here's the official web page, if you'd like to get deeper into it: https://www.thebyteattic.com/p/agon.html I know, time is always an uncontrollable variable and there are so many things to look at in the retrocomputing world, but I thought that this board was worth mentioning.
Sounds mega interesting, desirable and tempting, Daz... I will check this out tonight too amongst Utd's vital home match vs Copenhagen and Bev's Mackems away at Leicester. As you say, so much to do and so little time to do it in Blitz speed BBC Basic, Daz - and not surprising with the 18mhz clock speed CPU - this thing is unreal! Very very impressive... if only I had one of these when doing my High School Computer Project back in 1983!! That political party voting poll program may have propelled Labour to victory and Maggie Thatcher would have been zapped by aliens coming out of one of these Argon Death Ray machines! I'm going into the realms of fantasy again... I'll get me coat
Yes, that is the "console" version which features two working joystick ports and wi-fi, IIRW. You can go for it if you are more of a gamer than a programmer/tech guy (and that's me!). Some people already ported some games to Agon, like Space Invaders, and platform games, next up is Lemmings, just to give you an idea. After all, it is based on an eZ80 running at about 18 MHz. I don't know if the weird management of the video graphics and audio/music (performed by an ESP microcontroller) makes it hard or easier to run games smoothly or even to code on. As I said in my main post, it is certainly a piece of hardware worth mentioning and worth your two-minute attention.
I certainly like the idea of it and dropping you right into a BBC Basic prompt. Don't know if I would have much use for it personally but can certainly see the attraction.
The console version is much more expensive than the basic version (which is about €50 only). The main board of the Agon Light also provides the users with a programmable GPIO port similar to the one featured on the Raspberry Pi. And it is indeed programmable from BBC Basic. You can also run CP/M on top of the MOS ground operating system instead of BBC Basic, which, like in the home computers of the 80s, includes OS commands into the language. In order to run games you have to quit BBC Basic (*bye) and load & run the binary program. I think I'm gonna get this as my own personal XMas gift to myself.
Sorry Alex, I'd comment, but I've never heard of it till now. Not really my sort of thing but looks a smart bit of kit.
