What lies beyond the micro-computer? BBC Hardware Projects, published by Melbourne House, priced £8.95 or Thomas Nunns' Sensing And Control Projects For The BBC published by Micro Books, priced £5.95 or Interfacing The BBC Microcomputer by Brian Bannister and Michael Whitehead, published by Macmillan, price ­7.50.

Sensing And Control Projects will prove a popular read for the beginner, hobbyist or student. A kit of parts is available and all programming and construction reduced to bear bones simplicity. Hardware Projects is more difficult to get into and is undoubtedly for the more experienced computer/electronics buff. It efficiently packs in details about the BBC interfaces alongside construction projects, circuit and layout diagrams and component lists.

Interfacing The BBC Microcomputer by Brian Bannister and Michael Whitehead once again brings the academic world to bear on our humble microcomputer. Of course, the BBC plays an important role in school and college laboratories, acting as and controlling test equipment. Thus it is not really a surprise to find these gentlemen from Hull University explaining in considerable depth how to connect our micros up to a variety of outside devices.

This book should also prove useful for the enthusiastic hobbyist. The information on hardware and programming is presented in a fashion which makes it applicable to the individual project involved. We are not strapped to a components list. Appendices on machine code and transistor-transistor logic mean that a beginner could work his/her way through the book. For the more advanced there are data sheets on the relevant I/O chips and diagrams of pin connections.

After a look at the main I/O ports of the BBC a section on actual applications serves as a guide to the would be experimenter. Probably the best guide to interfacing the BBC now available.