Opus Challenger 3

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Opus Challenger3 (front)  

Opus Challenger3 (right)   

 Opus Challenger3 (back)  

 Opus Challenger3 (open)  

 Opus Challenger3 (RAM disc)  

The Opus Challenger 3 is a 5.25" floppy disc drive, a 256KB or 512KB RAM drive and a disc controller all in, what appears to be, a double floppy drive case. Unusually the Challenger 3 does not connect to the BBC's floppy drive port but connects to the 1MHz bus and includes a pass through socket so devices can be daisy chained. The Challenger 3 has a WD1770 disc controller. The board is labeled OPUS BBC 512 issue 2.
 
The pictures show:

1. The front of the challenger case
2. The right side ofthe case with cooling slots at the back.
3. The back of the case showing the ribbon connector to the 1MHz bus and the 4 wire power cable which plugs into the power socket underneath the BBC micro.
4. The Challenger 3 with the case removed showing the floppy disc drive with, just viible, the circuitboard beneath it. The floppy disc drive is a Mitsubishi M4853-342MG which is, I think, double sided double density, 80 track.
5. The Challenger 3 circuit board with 256K RAM in the right middle and sockets for another 256K below. The WD1770 is above the RAM. The floppy disc drive connector is on the right edge and there is a connector for a second drive (?) next to it. The 1MHz bus cable goes under the circuit board and connects to the left edge with a connector for a pass through cable behind it.

A Hires picture of the Opus Challenger 3 ciruit board is available HERE 

The Opus Disc Manual for the BBC Micro using Opus Peripherals is available HERE .
The Opus Challenger 3 ROM image v1.03 is available HERE .