A Full Computer that You Can Build:
With just 12 ICs (or 10, if you prefer) you can build a complete computer system. I had to design mine, but you can just put yours together.
You can build it on solderless breadboards, or hand-wire it up on a prototyping card. I've done it both ways.
It's got an 8085 CPU, the great-grandaddy of our present PC CPUs. It uses 8K of memory, plenty to do a LOT, but easily expandable to 64K if you want more. There's an LCD display, a hexadecimal keyboard with four function keys, 16 user inputs and outputs, and serial I/O...with 12 ICs. If you only need 8 user inputs and outputs, you can use 10 ICs to build the system.
Blogged:
If you want the quick and dirty, check out my blog entries on this project:
March 18, 2010 8085 Microprocessor Project: MAG-85
November 24, 2009 8085 Permanent Hardware Free Run Test
November 11, 2009: 8085 Project Update
October 13, 2009: 8085 Hardware Prototype Complete
September 28, 2009: 8085 Trainer Project
August 30, 2009: 8085 SDK Homebrew-Style
January 16, 2012: 8085 Resurgent: Back to the MAG-85
July 19, 2012: 8085 Monitor Code and Other Distractions
Build It:
Step by Step construction, just as I did it:
- Step 0: Preparation
- Step 1: The Free Run Circuit
- Step 2: Latching the Address
- Step 3: Adding Memory
- Step 4: Input with Interrupts
- Step 5: Interfacing an LCD display
- Step 6: Combining the LCD and Interrupts
- Step 7: Adding the Keyboard
- Current Work: OS Development
- Current Work: Permanent Hardware
- To be added: Keystroke Read Software
- To do: Implementing a Monitor Program
- ...
The Idea:
What was I thinking when I decided to do this?
Find out what this thing was built to do.
