This is an overview of my 8 bit computer PCB where I write a small program for it and go through some of the schematics! Github: github.com/The-Invent0r/8-bit...
I've watched a ton of Ben Eater's videos about his 8-bit breadboard computer and I really find it awesome that someone built their own computer based on his but with a simple, minimalistic and slick design without having to use any breadboards or jumper wires instead by designing a custom PCB, I love it! You gained a sub :). looking forward for more and keep it up!
This is completely awesome! I'm nearing completion of the breadboard project right now and have already been thinking along these lines of how to do a more "proper" build with a PCB. I've also seen some videos about how people are doing PCB etching at home. I love how enthusiasts like yourself can showcase your work on TH-cam and help others learn. For all the problems with TH-cam, this is a benefit that makes all the trouble seem totally worth it.
Very nice version of Bens computer, I've watched all his videos and it's cool to see other people building their own computers based on his excellent videos. Subbed :)
I arrived here looking for a way to improve the connection reliability of Bens 6502 computer. I have the 8 bit computer almost finished. Your project is at such another level. Really fantastic work you have done.
I have built the computer using Mohamed's PCB design that I had fabricated by JLC PCB. Their minimum order is five boards, so I have four extras for sale. if you'd like to buy one (and you live in the UK), I'm selling them for £25 each.
The reason it didn't output on your first try, is because you wrote the jmp instruction on top of the out instruction. You forgot to increase the address before adding the jmp.
Good catch! Looks like that was the issue this time. I had the same thing happen before so I automatically assumed the problem was the missing pull-up resistor.
Nice work! I did an implementation of Ben's project as well. I toyed with the idea of doing something like this, just putting everything on a PCB, never got to it and moved on to other projects. It's nice to see it done. Just curious whats the size of the PCB?
4:25 - I had that exact problem with my build. If you followed Ben's build to the letter, the problem is indeed that the write button is left floating (as you said at 5:37). A simple pull up resistor solved it for me. I made a YT video explaining my problem here: th-cam.com/video/gtbuEwZmirM/w-d-xo.html ..and I made a follow up video explaining the solution here: th-cam.com/video/n71zgHrWBUk/w-d-xo.html
people have passion and patience - amazing! so much of work just to "see" how that works - I am sure it could be done with modern approach with 5 lines of code for any modern MCU but then, where would be the "fun factor"? ;-)
Thanks, this computer is essentially Ben Eater's computer, I just made a PCB out of it after finishing the breadboard version. He does a much more thorough job of explaining everything in detail than I probably could, so I encourage people to go check out his videos. I do have all the schematics for the PCB in my github link in the description though if you're interested in checking that out.
@@MicrobyteAlan I hear Steve Wozniak talk a lot about the pdp-8 small computer handbook as being his introduction to computers so that's pretty neat that you have similar roots. Also I'm curious what you do as a hardware engineer, do you work in embedded systems, and design PCBs?
@@invent0r137 I’ve been a computer field service engineer for 50 years. Now I’m working at CMS laser as a systems integration specialist. Cmslaser has a TH-cam channel. Check out some of our machines. Toggling in a memory address and the data is where I started. 😊
5:21 there is it. you wrote 0100 again with 0101 values. and what i would do is changes addres 0101 and hit write button when dip switches is ready LOL. then go back 0100 and change that
The clock speed can be adjusted but I haven't measured the fastest setting. All the opcodes consist of multiple microinstructions (shown at the bottom right of the board) and at each clock cycle a certain set of microinstructions are executed. Some opcodes might take 3 clock cycles and other might take 5 clock cycles. Here's a good video that goes into more detail about it: th-cam.com/video/dXdoim96v5A/w-d-xo.html
Ben Eater is selling the whole kit for the breadboard version on his website. The tutorials to build it are also on his TH-cam channel. I posted the schematics for the PCB on my github.
Hello brother, i have built the exact same model using your design. But the problem is i have soldered Common anode 7 segment display instead of cathode. So what can i do instead of desoldering them??
I don't think there is a fix for that because the traces on the PCB connect to ground, so they're wired specifically for a common cathod display. I think the only way to fix them is to desolder and replace them with a common cathode display. By the way it's great to hear that you built it, I'm curious to see how it turned out, can you share a video or some pictures?
5:43 not matter you leds change after you click button they should be same as you wrote, bcoz its reading them from memorry? and you just wrote data wrong address xD
![Build an 8-bit retro computer powered by a Z80 ! [Zeal 8-bit]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/n_eEDAQWMdY/mqdefault.jpg)
I've watched a ton of Ben Eater's videos about his 8-bit breadboard computer and I really find it awesome that someone built their own computer based on his but with a simple, minimalistic and slick design without having to use any breadboards or jumper wires instead by designing a custom PCB, I love it! You gained a sub :). looking forward for more and keep it up!
Thanks!!
Bro this is absolutely beautiful, very nice work!
Thanks!
This is completely awesome! I'm nearing completion of the breadboard project right now and have already been thinking along these lines of how to do a more "proper" build with a PCB. I've also seen some videos about how people are doing PCB etching at home. I love how enthusiasts like yourself can showcase your work on TH-cam and help others learn. For all the problems with TH-cam, this is a benefit that makes all the trouble seem totally worth it.
Thanks, happy to help!
Very cool! Thanks for making this video and explaining more about how this neat machine works. 🙂
Very nice version of Bens computer, I've watched all his videos and it's cool to see other people building their own computers based on his excellent videos. Subbed :)
Very impressive. Respect and congratulations!
This is amazing, well done.
Well done it’s a work of art!
I arrived here looking for a way to improve the connection reliability of Bens 6502 computer. I have the 8 bit computer almost finished. Your project is at such another level. Really fantastic work you have done.
Thank you! I also made a 6502 computer PCB based on Ben's design if you want to take a look at that video!
It's the modern day equivalent of building an old Boy Scout crystal radio.
Pretty cool! such a pretty board!
I am impressed. It looks really tidy, too. Ben would approve.
Great work, It will be nice to see your ALU and Control unit designs.
Thanks! I uploaded all of the schematics on github if you wanted to take a look at them there.
Well done! Real nice
Great work!!!
Thanks!!
Sounds like you need to change the battery in your smoke alarm… Good job btw..
Very, very cool!
Keep going man!!!💪💪💪
Hey man!
I want to learn embedded system.
Can you suggest me a course on TH-cam or something??
Very nice!
Thanks!
Creative video, thanks :)
It seems like a machine from the Star Wars
I have built the computer using Mohamed's PCB design that I had fabricated by JLC PCB. Their minimum order is five boards, so I have four extras for sale. if you'd like to buy one (and you live in the UK), I'm selling them for £25 each.
Elegant!
Nice project, thumbs up. :)
That huge black board looks very cool, what material is that?
Love this ! Now I have to have one :)
Maybe worth mentioning that the links are in your TH-cam profile not in the description :)
Thanks! Is there a problem with the github link in the description?
@@invent0r137 I couldn't see a link in the description..
The reason it didn't output on your first try, is because you wrote the jmp instruction on top of the out instruction. You forgot to increase the address before adding the jmp.
Good catch! Looks like that was the issue this time. I had the same thing happen before so I automatically assumed the problem was the missing pull-up resistor.
Nice work! I did an implementation of Ben's project as well. I toyed with the idea of doing something like this, just putting everything on a PCB, never got to it and moved on to other projects. It's nice to see it done.
Just curious whats the size of the PCB?
Thanks! It was 371mmx299mm, but could definitely have been made much smaller.
@@invent0r137 Thank you! Appreciate the reply.
GREAT!!!!!
4:25 - I had that exact problem with my build. If you followed Ben's build to the letter, the problem is indeed that the write button is left floating (as you said at 5:37). A simple pull up resistor solved it for me. I made a YT video explaining my problem here: th-cam.com/video/gtbuEwZmirM/w-d-xo.html ..and I made a follow up video explaining the solution here: th-cam.com/video/n71zgHrWBUk/w-d-xo.html
In this case, it was overwritten because he actually wrote over the same address :)
this should have way more views
Thanks!
HI! You're awesome!
Thanks!
people have passion and patience - amazing! so much of work just to "see" how that works - I am sure it could be done with modern approach with 5 lines of code for any modern MCU but then, where would be the "fun factor"? ;-)
Very nice, I watched Ben’s build back in the day. My roots are in pdp-8s. Could you please show the workings, I’m a hardware engineer. 😊👍👍
Thanks, this computer is essentially Ben Eater's computer, I just made a PCB out of it after finishing the breadboard version. He does a much more thorough job of explaining everything in detail than I probably could, so I encourage people to go check out his videos. I do have all the schematics for the PCB in my github link in the description though if you're interested in checking that out.
@@invent0r137 - that’s what I thought, okay thanks. Good job. 👍
@@MicrobyteAlan I hear Steve Wozniak talk a lot about the pdp-8 small computer handbook as being his introduction to computers so that's pretty neat that you have similar roots. Also I'm curious what you do as a hardware engineer, do you work in embedded systems, and design PCBs?
@@invent0r137 I’ve been a computer field service engineer for 50 years. Now I’m working at CMS laser as a systems integration specialist. Cmslaser has a TH-cam channel. Check out some of our machines. Toggling in a memory address and the data is where I started. 😊
imagine, people standing in room infront of the bigger versions of this computer and flicking switches to do simple program
5:21 there is it. you wrote 0100 again with 0101 values. and what i would do is changes addres 0101 and hit write button when dip switches is ready LOL. then go back 0100 and change that
How do you program it to change your smoke alarm battery?
Great project, you should added the Arduino socket just to facilitate programming and experimentation, because it is sad to program manually 😑
Thanks, but the point of this project was to learn how computers and programs work at the lowest level.
What can be done with this circuit?
How many cycles per second does it run at? Does it do one op per cycle, or do some ops take more than one cycle?
The clock speed can be adjusted but I haven't measured the fastest setting. All the opcodes consist of multiple microinstructions (shown at the bottom right of the board) and at each clock cycle a certain set of microinstructions are executed. Some opcodes might take 3 clock cycles and other might take 5 clock cycles.
Here's a good video that goes into more detail about it: th-cam.com/video/dXdoim96v5A/w-d-xo.html
When you entered in your program, you did not change the address from 4 to 5. So you entered that last jump in location 4.
Yeah I didn't notice that until someone else pointed it out to me. Thanks for catching it though!
I would like to buy it as a kit
Ben Eater is selling the whole kit for the breadboard version on his website. The tutorials to build it are also on his TH-cam channel. I posted the schematics for the PCB on my github.
Hello brother, i have built the exact same model using your design. But the problem is i have soldered Common anode 7 segment display instead of cathode. So what can i do instead of desoldering them??
I don't think there is a fix for that because the traces on the PCB connect to ground, so they're wired specifically for a common cathod display. I think the only way to fix them is to desolder and replace them with a common cathode display. By the way it's great to hear that you built it, I'm curious to see how it turned out, can you share a video or some pictures?
Yeah sure i will share on reddit DM
how much layer is your PCB ?
2 layers
4:21 you made nono. you are still address 0100 when supposed program 0101
5:43 not matter you leds change after you click button they should be same as you wrote, bcoz its reading them from memorry? and you just wrote data wrong address xD
Seems like github link is bad
Should be fixed now! Thanks!
Not funny