George Beckett
@markgbeckett.bsky.social
72 followers 30 following 160 posts
I am an academic, computational scientist, and research-programme manager, working in high-performance computing, though often found tinkering with 1980s 8-bit micros.
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markgbeckett.bsky.social
I am currently enjoying the simplicity and early aesthetic of #PerilousSwamp. Also, is the only game I have seen with checksum to confirm loaded correctly! #retrogaming
markgbeckett.bsky.social
And what is your game/ program of choice?
markgbeckett.bsky.social
Ultimate 8-bit maze game, now also available for #JupiterAce and #Minstrel4th. github.com/markgbeckett...
markgbeckett.bsky.social
My shift is done, but there is still a couple of hours to catch #doorsopenday at #roeopen. Last entry at 4:15pm.
Reposted by George Beckett
tynemouthsoftware.co.uk
New blog post in which I give myself a lot of work combining Z80 code from several sources to build the enhanced Forth ROM for the Minstrel 4th.
blog.tynemouthsoftware.co.uk/2025/09/revi...
An even more extra work by choosing to do it using an archaic assembler that I happen to like.
Revisiting the Minstrel 4th Enhanced Forth ROM [Patreon Preview]
When I relaunched the Minstrel 4th earlier this year, I added some more ROMs to the standard ROM image. These included the ZX80 and ZX81 BAS...
blog.tynemouthsoftware.co.uk
markgbeckett.bsky.social
And now we have a real astronomer to help answer the crazy diversity of questions people come up with. Everything from weather in Northern Chile to naming newly discovered stars! #roeopen #doorsopenday
markgbeckett.bsky.social
All set for @lsstuk.bsky.social at #DoorsOpenDay #ROEOpen #lsst
markgbeckett.bsky.social
One of coolest features of Tree Forth (and H Forth) is support for proper multitasking (on a humble #TS1000/ #ZX81). The manual includes example stack monitor, which displays current stack contents every few seconds, while you continue to debug your #Forth project, in the built-in screen editor.
markgbeckett.bsky.social
Have been delving into Husband #Forth, a replacement ROM for #ZX81. It would not run out of box on @tynemouthsoftware.co.uk #Minstrel3, so I have set out to find out why. A work in progress, but I now have both H Forth (and its TS100 predecessor, Tree Forth) running on the Mistrel3! #retrogaming
markgbeckett.bsky.social
One of these. Was great!
markgbeckett.bsky.social
When you read blog.tynemouthsoftware.co.uk/2025/08/mini..., you quickly realise there is scope to "modify" the ZX81 display to a certain extent. Here I've pushed it just a little too far, but you hopefully get the idea. #zx81
markgbeckett.bsky.social
I've re-centred the screen vertically, by adjusting the number of scanlines in each border. However, the way that Husband Forth signals the end of a scanline in the main display area makes it more difficult to centre screen horizontally. #retrogaming
markgbeckett.bsky.social
There is a near-equivalent version based on Husband Forth ROM - github.com/markgbeckett...
Reposted by George Beckett
tynemouthsoftware.co.uk
New blog post - a minimal implementation of the compute and display (or slow) mode display for ZX81 or Minstrel 3 hardware.
blog.tynemouthsoftware.co.uk/2025/08/mini...
I got this down to about 200 bytes of Z80, so let's go through all of them and see what they do.
Reposted by George Beckett
tynemouthsoftware.co.uk
New blog post - blog.tynemouthsoftware.co.uk/2025/08/pet-...
An update to the PET 2001 6540-010 character ROM replacement board, now with switch on the side to select between the versions for BASIC 2 and 4 or BASIC 1 (which was previously hidden under the chip)
Reposted by George Beckett
tynemouthsoftware.co.uk
Last day. Don't miss out.
tynemouthsoftware.co.uk
Less than a week left to take advantage of 15% off everything throughout July to celebrate 15 years of Tynemouth Software.

www.tindie.com/stores/tynem...
markgbeckett.bsky.social
And Sony still has the manual on their website (CFD-120L)
markgbeckett.bsky.social
My Sony "boombox" had a switch to change the sensitive of FM reception. The manual said something about using it in areas with densely packed FM signals? When you pressed it, the volume of the FM sound dropped a little (and I convinced myself there was less hiss)
markgbeckett.bsky.social
Long shot, but you aren't seeing the effects of a wayward interrupt in IM2?
markgbeckett.bsky.social
Today is #embraceyourgeekness day, which I will celebrate with a game of #Centipede on the #Minstrel4D; written by Colin Dooley and ported (w/ sound and joystick support) to #Minstrel4D and code for spider finished by me - github.com/markgbeckett... #retrogaming
markgbeckett.bsky.social
Candyfloss variant on #Oric1 is a good version too. "Donkeys ate all your candyfloss!"
markgbeckett.bsky.social
I think they were dropped to fit in ZX Printer support.
markgbeckett.bsky.social
Bienvenue à Montréal! #poutine