At 12:03 am 23/08/2001 +0100, you wrote:
>> This reminds me, a place I used to work at used HP oscilloscopes, c/w
>> IEEE-488 bus. I don't know if it'd be possible to use a CBM8032 hooked to
>> an oscilloscope to diagnose a faulty 8032; but it has a nice symmetry about
>> it :)
>
>Sure, it's been done (well, using IEEE-488 controlled logic analysers
>rather than 'scopes, and probably machines other than PETs). It is
>certainly possible to have one computer control a logic analyser which
>debugs another machine of the same type.
Back in a past life, I worked on a program (written by a very clever chap
with more PhD's than I've had hot dinners) which ran on a HP computer (I
forget the model) hooked to a HP 'scope (presumably by IEEE-488) - and
determined the location of flaws in 33KV electricity cables. I was tasked
with redesigning the front end to this program, which was written entirely
in HP BASIC(!)... It was fun, apart from the fact I spent 4 of the 6 weeks
I was doing this sat in a Faraday cage while experiments to do with HV went
on around me... Mind you, the other 2 weeks made up for it - on-site on a
biscuit factory testing cables :)
>
>> >It may be painful to learn, but it's very satisfying when you breathe life
>
>Actually, FWIW, this is the sort of learning that I consider fun...
Me too. There's nothing quite like "hands-on" learning, much more
interesting than straight lectures or even student lab work.
>> into
>> >what was a "dear, departed" computer from yesteryear.
>> >
>>
>> Definitely. And with Z80s (in particular) being so cheap, as well as DRAM
>> chips, building ones own becomes quite appealing too. I know a chap who
>> already does that sort of thing (although I think he uses older Intel
>> processors on the whole); but I like the idea of a 40-pin processor - it's
>> nice and simple.
>>
>> I haven't a clue how the bus works though....
>
>Might I recomend the book 'The student manual for the Art of Electronics'
>(or some similar title), 2nd edition, by Hayes and Horowitz.
You can: Amazon is my friend... It doesn't say which edition it is, but I
assume it's the newest one.
>The last few
>sections get you to build a 68008-based computer from scratch.
A QL? :)
> I can't
>remember what chip the first edition used (8085? Z80?). The related book
>'The Art of Electronics' is, of course, well worth reading as well...
I shall order that too, I think. There's also an "Art of Electronics:
Standard Manual", does anyone have any knowledge of that one?
Thanks! Any more book recommendations BTW?
Cheers!
Ade.
--
B-Racing: B where it's at :-)
http://www.b-racing.co.uk
Received on Wed Aug 22 2001 - 19:47:39 BST