The problem with using an Atmel is that it's not really designed for use as a "general purpose" computer. Program memory is separate from storage memory. So there are a lot of harder limits as to what you can do.

The 816 has the advantage of a fairly large address space.

OTOH, I think there's a ...

One of these days, somebody needs to write a comprehensive architecture-neutral text about all of the ways and means to get a hobyist-level minimum-hardware video display.

Because there's about 200 different ways to do it, some of them more likely to get good results without hours slaving over the ...

The problem is that most of the other chips in the range that the Terbium is competing in have far more than a 68 pin PLCC package, which may result in a package that's even less hobyist friendly than a 68 pin PLCC.

That is true only for micro controllers . The raw processors themselves typically ...

Bigger filenames came with GS/OS in general. GS/OS 6.0 was rather nice. You could even format drives with the macintosh filesystem instead of the ProDOS filesystem and supported a logical superset of all popular filesystems internally.

The problem is that most of the other chips in the range that the Terbium is competing in have far more than a 68 pin PLCC package, which may result in a package that's even less hobyist friendly than a 68 pin PLCC.

Remember, we've moved to an era where people don't always feel the need to wire ...

Hm.

I've been messing with the AVR instead.

Yeah, I think I remember that the earlier ones were laid out by hand (to use up die space most efficently) and that the 816 was an abnormal design because it was still being laid out by hand in the age of computer-assisted layouts.

IIRC, it was laid out by hand on somebody's kitchen table. Or maybe that was the WDC version......

Don't count on it being useful for reverse engineering and it definately won't work after you do this, but if you just want to take a peek at the die, you should be able to slice at the package with a dremel. The diamond bit will definately work and the carbide or the reinforced cutting disk may ...

The next Kestrel will be substantially improved over the Kestrel 1 anyway. 64K of RAM (maybe more; I haven't yet decided). A real EEPROM to boot from (IPLing is *nice* to have, but man, having a real EEPROM to boot from is nicer). An I/O space from $0000-$0FFF or $E000-$EFFF (I've been thinking of ...

Hrmmm..

I don't even think you need an 02... Really, you could do it with just a single AVR and have an RS-232 port to hook up to your PC for bootstrapping and a parallel port to be hooked up to the 6522 when you get the 6502 machine working for self-hosted development....

I'll have to second the "use an AVR" statement.

The biggest advantage to the AVR is that they built it to run C-like languages. And it's pipelined, so it gets around 1 CPI instead of the 4 CPI that you get with a PIC. So it's altogether a nice processor. I've been messing with 'em lately ...

SDIO is part of the Secure Digital standard. Apparently the SD Association has finally realized that people hate paying for standards, so they are posting "simplified" versions of it. The SD interface is a 9-pin bus that you can either talk to it via SPI, a 1-bit mode or a 4-bit mode.

I've looked ...

My thoughts are that if you are going to sell a 1-series Kestrel, you should sell it as a kit, with the DIP parts, a breadboard, etc. No PCB, just the schematic and the confidence of knowing that if you RTFM you'll have a working, albeit limited, piece of hardware.

I do not believe that selling a ...

Hrmm...

Jameco has AHC parts in DIP packages. I tend to go through them because they are reasonably cheap and have a will-call desk that's 10 minutes from work. :)

My thoughts are that if you are going to sell a 1-series Kestrel, you should sell it as a kit, with the DIP parts, a breadboard, etc ...