Dream 6800 40th Anniversary
Posted by musovern on Jul 18th, 2019 in Dream 6800 40th Anniversary | 2 comments
Dream 6800 40th Anniversay vintage computer, Has been designed by David Fry (UK), has completed an elegant re-design of the DREAM using a double-sided PCB (pictured below). It has an on-board switchmode regulator for the +5V supply and a DC/DC converter for negative 5V. Memory has been upgraded to 4KB using two 6116 RAM chips. The EPROM can be a 2716 or 2732 type. Otherwise, David’s design remains faithful to the original. The download includes KiCad PCB design files and Gerber files for board fabrication.
Read More...Nascom 2
Posted by musovern on Jun 27th, 2019 in Nascom 2 | 0 comments
The Nascom 1 and 2 were single-board computer kits issued in the United Kingdom in 1977 and 1979, respectively, based on the Zilog Z80 and including a keyboard and video interface, a serial port that could be used to store data on a tape cassette using the Kansas City standard, and two 8-bit parallel ports. At that time, including a full keyboard and video display interface was uncommon, as most microcomputer kits were then delivered with only a hexadecimal keypad and seven-segment display. To minimize cost, the buyer had to assemble a Nascom by hand-soldering about 3,000 joints on the single circuit board.
Read More...Apple 1
Posted by musovern on May 27th, 2019 in Apple, Vintage Computers | 1 comment
The story of the development of the Apple I is well known and has become a “legend”.
Steve Wozniak, who was working for Hewlett-Packard at the time, wanted to build his own computer. He couldn’t afford the Intel 8080 CPU, which was very popular, as it was used in the Altair 8800 and IMSAI 8080, but was very expensive. He would have used the Motorola 6800 but it was also much too expensive. Finally he decided to build his computer around the MOS 6502 CPU, which was pretty compatible with the Motorola 6800.
Read More...Kim -Uno
Posted by musovern on May 23rd, 2019 in Kim-Uno, Single Board Computers | 0 comments
The KIM Uno is a small “open-source hardware” project to build a replica of the classic 1976 KIM-1 computer. It doubles up as a 6502 programmable calculator. It costs about $10 in commonly available parts (board & parts without case or power supply), but provides a faithful KIM-1 ‘experience’. An atMega328 (Arduino Pro Mini, actually) mounted on the back of the board contains all the logic and memory.
The KIM Uno has some of the most interesting 6502 software of that early period built in to ROMs. So you can also play chess, use it as a programmable calculator and experience some of the earliest software development tools written by pioneers like Steve Wozniak, Jim Butterfield and Peter Jennings – dating back to a period when microprocessors had only been in existence for 2-3 years. Software archaeology!
Read More...RC 2014
Posted by musovern on May 23rd, 2019 in RC2014, Single Board Computers | 1 comment
RC2014 is a simple 8 bit Z80 based modular computer originally built to run Microsoft BASIC. It is inspired by the home built computers of the late 70s and computer revolution of the early 80s. It is not a clone of anything specific, but there are suggestions of the ZX81, UK101, S100, Superboard II and Apple I in here. It nominally has 8K ROM, 32K RAM, runs at 7.3728MHz and communicates over serial at 115,200 baud.
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