Computer busses....

From: Huw Davies <H.Davies_at_latrobe.edu.au>
Date: Sat Apr 3 21:57:43 1999

At 20:06 31/03/99 +0100, Tony Duell wrote:

>IIRC the Altair (or is it the Imsai) frontpanel uses the CPU to do much
>of the work and forces it to execute jump instructions, etc.
>
>The Intellec panel uses the CPU for almost nothing. It's all done in
>hardware. Personnally I prefer that - it makes it easier to debug a
>machine with CPU (or more likely CPU bus buffer) problems.

This reminds me of the Intersil 6100 which had a special "front panel" mode
designed to hold code and data to run the (presumably flashy) front panel.
This got me to thinking (dangerous I know - I blame the very small Easter
egg my diet allows :-) that an interesting project might be to construct a
modern PDP8-E (or -F) using modern hardware (I guess the only difficult bit
would be getting a 6100). I did the design/layout/prototype of a 6100 CPU
board about a 100 years ago (OK, 23) and don't recall any real problems. I
guess though the real cost will be the front panel and metal work....

 Huw Davies | e-mail: Huw.Davies_at_latrobe.edu.au
 Information Technology Services | Phone: +61 3 9479 1550 Fax: +61 3 9479
1999
 La Trobe University | "If God had wanted soccer played in the
 Melbourne Australia 3083 | air, the sky would be painted green"
Received on Sat Apr 03 1999 - 21:57:43 BST