Emulation (Was: Emulators of Classic Computers)

From: Gordon JC Pearce <gordonjcp_at_gjcp.net>
Date: Thu Jan 15 11:59:08 2004

On Thu, 2004-01-15 at 16:53, Brad Parker wrote:
>
> Gordon JC Pearce wrote:
> >
> >There are PDP-8 emulators out there already, better ones than this too.
> >But I wanted one that was *mine*! (Shh, little secret, keep it under
> >your hat but it's an experiment, maybe a precursor to building an 8 in
> >TTL).
>
> I'm probably high, but I'm still dreamy from the work the XKL guys did :-)
>
> If you want to do it in an FPGA (well, CPLD), let me know - I'll help!

I really want to do it in discrete logic. Call me crazy, enough people
do as it is...

Actually, I'd probably do it in 40xx CMOS, simply because I don't want
to have a +5V supply the size of a MIG welder lying around.

> You can get some simple cpld kits from Xilinx for $99. I'd plop some
> SRAM next to one and use a JTAG compliant port to load up the memory...

Might be another nice intermediate stage

> (and, well, you'd obviously need a bunch of LEDS also, otherwise, what
> would be the point? :-)

What indeed... Now, Maplin do some nice 13mm LEDs, how big do you think
we could make a panel? How about the 3" LED clusters they use as tail
lights on buses round here? Make a PDP-8 6' across, like the giant
MS-20 that Korg made for demo tours in the 1970s?

Gordon.
Received on Thu Jan 15 2004 - 11:59:08 GMT