Pico/ELF
Posted by musovern on Apr 10th, 2018 in Cosmac-Elf, Single Board Computers | 0 comments
The Pico/Elf is a Micro/Elf derivative. By eliminating the displays and switches (as well as associated circuitry), Mike Riley has been able to add the IDE, Serial port, and Eprom socket. Circuitry has been added to allow the computer to boot from rom by swapping 32k banks until the upper 32k is accessed. This machine also includes the Version 2 Micro/Elf expansion connector. This is an excellent small comptuer for running Elf/OS.
Read More...MPF-1 (MicroProfessor 1)
Posted by musovern on Apr 4th, 2018 in Micro-Professor, Single Board Computers | 0 comments
The MPF-1 (MicroProfessor 1) was a computer system specifically designed by Multitech (now known as Acer!) as a learning tool for use in the teaching of microprocessor, microelectronics, and control technology. In the 80’s it was sold as an Z80 CPU learning and initiation system, and believe it or not, it is still in production and sold by http://www.flite.co.uk/.
The capacities of the system were quite poor. The standard model could be programmed only in machine code through a small hexadecimal keyboard. When sold in it’s original package it had the particularity to look like a book when closed.
There was an EPROM socket, which can be compared to a cartridge slot. A mini-Basic EPROM and some other utilities and languages were available as options.
There are in fact two models: MPF-1 (later called MPF-1A) and MPF-1B. The MPF-1(A) is machine code programmed only whereas the MPF-1B offers a really crude version of BASIC (one button = 1 command, as per the early TRS-80) in addition to the machine code capabilities.
Read More...Dream 6800
Posted by musovern on Apr 4th, 2018 in Dream 6800, Single Board Computers | 0 comments
The DREAM 6800 (Domestic Recreational Educational and Adaptive Microcomputer incorporating the Motorola 6800 microprocessor) was designed by Michael J Bauer from Brisbane’s Deakin University. It is not particularly sophisticated but at the time offered those handy with a soldering iron the opportunity to build a simple computer that would be a lot of fun to use. It offered programming in two languages: native 6800 machine code and a strange but quite powerful language called CHIP-8 (Comprehensive Hexadecimal Intetpretive Programming- 8 bit).
Read More...Heathkit ET-3400
Posted by musovern on Apr 4th, 2018 in Heathkit, Single Board Computers | 0 comments
Heathkit ET-3400
The Heathkit/Zenith Microcomputer Learning System model ET-3400 was a very popular item designed to teach principles of computers and programming at Universities in the 1970s., and to educate the students of internal computer hardware and software components by self-assembly and programming the machine in pure Hexadecimal language.
It was delivered in assembled or kit form. It also featured a prototype area and could be used as a design aid for developing special interface circuitry with common 6820 parallel interface or 6850 asynchronous chips.
Several software in ROM were also available, among them an Assembler and a Tiny BASIC.
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