Homemade Z80 COMPUTER running elementary BASIC language

Hi, I finally wrote a Basic language for my Z80/AM95 8-bit NANO COMPUTER in order to easily program it.
I called it "8BASIC" because everything must clearly fit the 8 digit LED display.

The video shows all commands and statements, plus two famous benchmarks vs. contemporaneous 1970's-80's computers.
Due to the strong mathematical support of the AM9511 math processor, the BASIC interpreter runs reasonably fast for a 2.5 MHz machine, offering seven significant digits floating-point arithmetic.

Everything you see in the video is the result of almost three years of work (or fun?!). All data reproduced in the video are for educational and non-commercial purpose, following fair-use guidelines. Music is royalty-free (Kevin MacLeod: "Pinball Spring").

G.G., Italy -- 2011



____________________________________

DESCRIPTION:

◦ Manufacturer: homemade by GG

◦ Model's name: Z80/AM95 8-bit NANO COMPUTER

◦ Typology: training microcomputer

◦ Number produced: 1

◦ Country of Origin: Italy

◦ Year: 2008-2010

◦ Style: vintage 1980's original components on perfboard

◦ Price: $0 -- (Not for sale)

◦ Ultimate aim: hobby and recreation, educational, chip-oriented retrocomputing, DIY electronics, 'Homebrewing' (designing and building of retro-styled computers)
____________________________________

SPECIFICATIONS:

◦ Processor: Zilog Z80 (Mostek MK3880P-10 8 bit CPU, ceramic purple, 2.5 MHz, -40° to +85°C)

◦ CPU Datacode: 1980

◦ CPU Speed: 2.5MHz

◦ Co-processor: AMD AM9511 (Intel C8231A 16 bit Arithmetic Processing Unit @ 2.5MHz)

◦ Co-processor capability: 16-Bit Integer, 32-Bit Integer, 32-bit Floating Point. In addition to the four basic operations, AM9511 can implement transcendental functions.

◦ Data bus width: 8 bit

◦ RAM: 16K SRAM (or 8K NVRAM to keep programs + 8K SRAM)

◦ ROM: 8K Eprom (or 8K E2prom)

◦ Storage: NVRAM and/or external IBM PC disk equipment

◦ Display: six chars numeric red LED 7-segment display (TFK CQX87),
eight chars ASCII red LED 16-segment display (DL2416),
COKIN P003 filter to enhance LED's light

◦ Sound: on board 555 chip tone generator (seven notes of the major scale) with speaker

◦ OS: 8BASIC (C) an interpreted BASIC dialect resident in ROM : 7 Commands, 51 Stetements (of which 23 floating point mathematical functions),
built-in menù functions,
machine code (HEX)

◦ I/O Ports: bidirectional RS232 Serial Interface (USART 8251),
bidirectional PC IBM LPT parallel port (nibble mode 8255 PIO with software ACK),
memory mapped 8 bit parallel I/O

◦ Error detecting mode: RAM test (bit-to-bit memory and adjacent cells),
ROM test (checksum control),
Serial communication (parity bit, buffer size control and checksum control),
Parallel communication (software acknolegment and checksum control)

◦ 16 bit Checksum algorithm (c):
CheckSum = 65535 - Sum [(CheckSum [t0] + 8bit Data [t+1]) Mod 65280]

◦ Input: on-board hex keypad (74C923),
Dip-switches for binary programming

◦ Software on CD-ROM: Serial & Parallel interface communication with an IBM PC (running in Visual Basic for Windows XP using inpout32.dll and MSCOMM32.OCX)

◦ BIOS PROM programming: built-in hardware and software burner for EPROM and E2PROM, equipped with ZIF sockets

◦ Briefcase Computer Case for Z80 machine

◦ Circuit protections: fuse, low dropout voltage regulators, schottky diodes in reverse bias, 1.5KW transient voltage suppression (TVS) diodes

◦ Power Supply : 220 V - 20 VA
____________________________________

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• z80
• am9511
• z-80
• 9511
• 8231
• diy
• homemade
• cpu
• computer
• basic
• programming
• language
• homebrew
• retrocomputing
• retrocomputer
• 1980'S
• 1970'S
• Z80/AM95
• 8-bit
• nano
• microcomputer
• electronics
• electronic
• coprocessor
• microprocessor
• 8basic
• 8bit
• digital
• display
• led
• zilog
• intel
• amd
• 8080
• vintage
• chips
• dip
• circuit
• integrated
• ttl
• 8bits
• hobby

[bruno5467]

how many day for build this computer and do the electronic shematic ?

combien de temps cela vous a t'il pris pour faire l'assemblage et la conception ?

[ggunderscoreit]

@bruno5467 This project tooks almost three years: two years for the hardware, one year for the software. But please consider two or three hours a day in average, not full time! Thanks.

[kiyotewolf]

To quote Dave Jones on the EEVBlog, .. "this is sex on a stick!"

I particularly love the way you're able to condense entire BASIC commands into a fixed area like that. I also love the funky pink color, brought about by the protective plastic & light of the LED combined.

This screams cool.

[ggunderscoreit]

@kiyotewolf Thank you for your comment. To enhance the displays' red light I used Cokin P003 red photo camera filter. Regards GG

[hanrinch]

can i play cysis on this machine XD

[ggunderscoreit]

@hanrinch

Of course!! :-)

[iLife64]

whats name of song?

also nice choose using the suitcase as the casing

[SomeAssholeOnYT]

@senorverde09 6502 is epic.

[SomeAssholeOnYT]

@SuperSwaggkid21 No he said about 3 dumbass.

[SuperSwaggkid21]

jk



[SuperSwaggkid21]

it took u 21 year to do that

lol

[senorverde09]

I loved how you actually used chips manufactured from that era (as I noticed that was one old Z80 you had on that board!). Maybe one of these days I'll match you with a 6502 based homemade computer. :)

[prehistoricBanana]

I would love to make my own computer one day from a 16 bit cpu, it's a shame I'm too lazy and probably will never gain the knowledge but good job to you.

[lovelplants]

cool i'll do it myself. ty

[HelpMyFellowPeople]

Suitcase bomb!

[SomeAssholeOnYT]

@maiznieksmaize It is a basic computer that can add and do very simple programs. It is useless compared to computers made now but some people like me like to take a look into the past, I find computers like these facinating. This is my nephews youtube by the way so don't reply.