33
8-Bit Homebrew Processor (social.jlamothe.net)

So, this isn't exactly retrocomputing and it looks like it's from four years ago, but I just found it and thought that many here may find it interesting.

This guy built a simple 8-bit CPU out of essentially discrete logic circuits (from what I've see so far, nothing more complex than a 4-bit adder chip) and explained the entire process.

youtube.com/playlist?list=PLow…

top 13 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[-] kalimari 10 points 6 months ago

Oh Ben Eater? He’s got a fairly large following and his other 6502 breadboard computer series is super relevant to this forum

[-] me@social.jlamothe.net 3 points 6 months ago

Yeah, I found his videos by jumping down a 6502 rabbit hole.

[-] CanadaPlus@lemmy.sdf.org 7 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

Hmm, I can't remember now if I've linked the guy doing his own semiconductor etching in his garage. I definitely have elsewhere, and that's kind of similar.

Just in case: Sam Zeloof

[-] kalimari 3 points 6 months ago

He built his first etching setup when in high school,,, after graduating college a few years ago, he ended up starting a company with Jim Keller, the coauthor of x86-64

[-] CanadaPlus@lemmy.sdf.org 1 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)
[-] kakes@sh.itjust.works 7 points 6 months ago

I bought and built this kit a few years back. Super fun project!

[-] screwtape@mastodon.sdf.org 5 points 6 months ago

@me @retrocomputing

  1. extremely cool
  2. The thing is, while rolling back experienced computer performance/degrowthing computing clearly has to happen
    I think hand-wired 8 bit computing is an educational rather than practical thing. (Obviously 8 bit AVR MCUs are a practical thing). 32 bit physical lisp machines on fpgas! (Eventually)
[-] AllNewTypeFace@leminal.space 4 points 6 months ago

Silicon foundries use a lot of water and raw materials and contaminate the ground. Full degrowth may involve abandoning semiconductor technologies and making computers out of simpler parts, such as electromagnetic relays. They’ll be a lot slower and simpler, but with the right knowledge, one can make them from raw materials without bootstrapping a complex technology chain.

[-] Trainguyrom@reddthat.com 1 points 6 months ago

abandoning semiconductor technologies and making computers out of simpler parts

I remember reading an article a while back about basically computing using cards which block or allow light to flow as a series of logic gates. Another way to think of it is reinventing the punch card.

[-] me@social.jlamothe.net 3 points 6 months ago

Oh yeah, I can't see any practical use outside of educational, but for that purpose, it's a fantastic resource.

[-] curtosis@mastodon.social 2 points 6 months ago

@screwtape @me @retrocomputing Tbh if you’re gonna go FPGA, why not go 36-bit and keep the tag bits? (This is what I keep thinking of doing, anyway.)

[-] screwtape@mastodon.sdf.org 2 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

@curtosis
Unlike me, you should talk to @amszmidt. What do you think about the existing port/emulation of the 1985 LM-3 #MITCADR to #HDL as a starting point for a modern lisp computer (instead of the scheme things that happen sometimes)? (I've tried and failed to get involved because of excuses. ;_;).

I forgot the LM discussion of Actually Using The Extra Bits Available.
@me @retrocomputing

[-] curtosis@mastodon.social 2 points 6 months ago

@screwtape @amszmidt @me @retrocomputing I do vaguely recall it was an interesting question, though not the details. I will admit at least partial interest in the Because I Can factor of historical recreation. ;-)

this post was submitted on 03 May 2024
33 points (100.0% liked)

retrocomputing

4143 readers
31 users here now

Discussions on vintage and retrocomputing

founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS