"New" PDP-8

From: Ben Franchuk <bfranchuk_at_jetnet.ab.ca>
Date: Sat Mar 30 14:51:03 2002

Loboyko Steve wrote:
>
> Well, no, it isn't. Because the cost of getting a PCB
> made is less than the cost of a good electronics
> technician, I think it started to die in the late
> 80's. And, of course, its practically impossible to WW
> BGA chips, etc.

PCB's are easy make since one still can get the DOS PCB program easytrak
for laying out a PCB. While you can get newer ones they all seem to have
DEMO mode of no more than 3" x 4". I am laying a out PCB for a FPGA CPU
/ motherboard with a 1.25 MHZ clock
using a 600 MHZ PC running a 10 year old dos program. It is hard to
belive that PC's are over 100 x faster than in the 1980's. ( The
software seems be the same speed if not a tad slower :( since the
1980's). The board will be about 8" x 7" and $175 canadian for two
prototype boards. Wire wrap sockets/wire/protoboard would cost me $100
thus the PCB is a good deal. I like debuging on computer screen a bad
route than finding a bad wire on wire wrap board. Note I would be using
TTL for the CPU but they just don't make the 74LSxxx chips I wanted.
Still most of the chips on the PCB are for the front panel as only real
computers have them ** ducks **.
Received on Sat Mar 30 2002 - 14:51:03 GMT