The Raspberry Pi Project uses a Raspberry Pi to run BBC micro educational programs from the 1980s. The Pi is set up to run RISCOS and all the BBC programs run natively in RISCOS without emulation.

It is important which versions of RISCOS and the Raspberry Pi are used for this project;

• If the full version of RISCOS is to be used then it must be version 5.19, dated 19 March 2013 as this version replicates most exactly the BBC micro screen modes. In addition, the Raspberry Pi model used for the project is also important. RISCOS 5.19 needs a Raspberry Pi version 1B in either the 256K or 512K variants.
   

• If RISCOS Pico is to be used then it should be version 5.23, dated 21 February 2017. This version has proved to be the most stable release which replicates the BBC micro screen modes. This version of RISCOS Pico has been tested using a range of Raspberry Pi models and will work on Pi Zero and Pi Zero W, Pi 1, Pi B+ and Pi 2

Although many BBC micro educational programs will run natively on the Raspberry Pi very few will do so without modification. The modifications needed are described here.

A case study of converting a particular program can be read here.

The end result of this project will be to produce a directory and file structure that replicates as closely as possible that found on my Econet at Hartland School in Worksop, Nottinghamshire between the years 1985 to 1995. Not all of the software will be included because some has become lost over time and some included 6502 machine code or was ROM software.

The downloads below include the OS images plus the latest BBC micro software. The downloaded images should be unzipped and then written to a blank SD card. The basic images will be OK with a 4Gb card. The unzipped RISCOS 5.19 image can be written to the card with software such as Win32DiskImager. The RISCOS pico image should be copied to a newly formatted, blank SD card using your computer's operating system. The BBC Software image may be unzipped into the root folder of either RISCOS SD card or onto a USB memory stick. Brief instructions for use of the software are in the ReadMe file in the BBC Software zip image.

RISCOS 5.19 basic image

The full version of RISCOS with support for BBC screen modes. Raspberry Pi model 1B only.