Zusie runs an assembly program

Zusie has progressed beyond the point of microprograms - it's now possible to write simple programs in assembly language, run them through a homebrew assember and upload them to Zusie's program memory as machine code.
In the video, Zusie executes the following program:

LDLA b10101010 ; Loads this literal binary value into A
:again
NOTAC ; Negates A and puts into C
MOVCA ; Puts negated value back into A
SBR again ; Do an unconditional (short) branch back to again

Notice the alternating bit patters in the A and C registers! This means the assembly execution works, including branch logic.

I run the machine at low speed to avoid potential problems....

Much work on Zusie right now focuses around writing and debugging microcode for all assembly instructions. It will be a pretty straightforward CISC-style reasonably orthogonal instruction set.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• zusie
• relay
• homebrew cpu
• zuse

[ApolloWasReal]

What's the power supply? How much current does it draw?

[nablaman]

@ApolloWasReal I use a nice DIN mounted industrial automation power supply, 24V @ 10 amps. The maximum current draw is about 6 amps, when more or less all LEDs are on .

[captainbackflash]

Really a great work. Grats. But let me guess, the result of the calculations it is performing is 42 !?

[nablaman]

@captainbackflash I don't remember right now what the heck this particular program did :)

[ptagliamonte]

What does it use for a clock? I hear ticking in the back, and I can't tell if you hard-hacked an actual clock into it (crazy stupid, but hugely leet) or if it's a relay ticking every half-second.

[nablaman]

@ptagliamonte Clock in computing terms is the same as an oscillator, i.e. something that provides the beats that synchronizes the machine. The pulses comes from a digital ocillator right now, which then goes into a relay circuit that breaks it up into subpulses. That's the sound you hear.

[Papaconstantopoulos]

Redstone IRL? :D

[airdog77]

very impressive! 64K should be enough for everyone!

[jonchall8]

@nablaman You should take an oldschool alarm clock and hack it so that it works as a 1hz oscillator, then light it up with LEDs (bonus points if it has glow-in-the dark hands and you light it up with UV LEDs)

[poof0poop]

I have not seen that many ide cables since the 80's, and I was not even alive then!



[jimmacarthur]

This is beautiful.

[ApolloWasReal]

@nablaman Cool. Why does the expression "stone knives and bearskins" keep coming to mind? Have you considered building a computer from vacuum tubes? It would be faster -- not counting tube replacement time.

[mashersmasher]

the only computer that will survive the solar flares in 2013!

[jarblewarble]

@Papaconstantopoulos You're totally right.