Hi,
I don't have any kind of hardware skill, but I'm interested in running my programs on real hardware. Are there any pre-made kits available that someone like me can work with? I really don't know what's out there.
Are there some that can have programs uploaded and debugged through a USB port? Are there some that are like consoles with video memory and video out? (composite, s-video, etc). I'd prefer something like NES or Turbografx-16 level hardware, so a 6502/65C02-level CPU.
Thanks!
Shawn
Pre-made 6502/65C02 computers/console kits?
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GARTHWILSON
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Check out the board Daryl (forum name 8BIT) offers at http://sbc.rictor.org/sbc31/info.html .
If you have no experience, you might find it hard because you will have the same problem I am having and everyone else has. I would suggest buying an Arduino or "What is a Microcontroller?" kit by Parallax because you will have to learn (1) programming in machine language and (2) electronics. The problem is that this hobby costs money; $99 is the lowest I've found for a surface mount soldering station with re-work station, you can spend $2-$3 hundred on an Eprom programmer unless you get a Willem programmer and everything adds up quickly. You will probably need to search some of the sites for an SD card adapter that would work with a breadboard / circuit board unless you get one of those small hard drives for an iPod. You should probably invest in a regulated power supply for the 6502. You might even need a multimeter, an antistatic wrist strap and some stainless steel tweezers for handling static sensitive chips.
(1) Search Amazon or Ebay for books on programming the 6502.
(2) Digikey sells the Xeltek programmer but you might be able to get a cheaper Willem Eprom programmer as one sold for $16 on Ebay.
Futurlec does sell some components but the biggest problem I have is finding fast enough Eproms with some memory for a 65C816 that I want to use that would also work with the Willem programmer. The second problem is bootstrapping the computer so it will boot up and also so that you can make improvements without always burning a new Eprom.
WesternDesignCenter has some FPGA based developer boards but I think they are for people with experience.
Apatco sells a computer but it has an LCD display. They were working on hooking it up to a tv monitor but I haven't heard anything yet:
http://ncs.apatco.com/shop/index.php?productID=1
Briel Computers sells a Micro Kim computer which was basically a trainer for the 6502:
http://www.brielcomputers.com/wordpress/?cat=5
Unless you find an old computer to salvage chips from, you will probably have to find another microcontroller or audio chip capable of making sound since Commodore is out of business and Apple no longer makes the 6502 line of computers.
You might want to go to the library and start reading "Nuts and Volts" or some books by Forrest Mims like "Getting Started in Electronics".
You might want to look at this technical manual:
http://patpend.net/technical/6502/6502ref.html
What you can do can be done if you have a lot of time and patience but you are probably going to have to build some of the systems for your computer from already available parts. I've already looked at a lot of alternatives for video / graphics:
viewtopic.php?t=1588
But for something quick and $70 you can get an open source Fuzebox which is not based on the 65xx (6502 based chip platform) and you might have more luck with many more people being involved in it but I feel the graphics are limiting for what can be done with the 65C02 or 65C618 based systems. It has been two years since I started studying the current situation of what is available.
If you don't know anything, that is okay but people in the business advised me to go get an Arduino and learn on it. Read everything and there are a list of basic things like blinking an LED which you have to do to get an understanding of how it works. I've been on the same quest you are on and I can probably help you find what I've found already.
(1) Search Amazon or Ebay for books on programming the 6502.
(2) Digikey sells the Xeltek programmer but you might be able to get a cheaper Willem Eprom programmer as one sold for $16 on Ebay.
Futurlec does sell some components but the biggest problem I have is finding fast enough Eproms with some memory for a 65C816 that I want to use that would also work with the Willem programmer. The second problem is bootstrapping the computer so it will boot up and also so that you can make improvements without always burning a new Eprom.
WesternDesignCenter has some FPGA based developer boards but I think they are for people with experience.
Apatco sells a computer but it has an LCD display. They were working on hooking it up to a tv monitor but I haven't heard anything yet:
http://ncs.apatco.com/shop/index.php?productID=1
Briel Computers sells a Micro Kim computer which was basically a trainer for the 6502:
http://www.brielcomputers.com/wordpress/?cat=5
Unless you find an old computer to salvage chips from, you will probably have to find another microcontroller or audio chip capable of making sound since Commodore is out of business and Apple no longer makes the 6502 line of computers.
You might want to go to the library and start reading "Nuts and Volts" or some books by Forrest Mims like "Getting Started in Electronics".
You might want to look at this technical manual:
http://patpend.net/technical/6502/6502ref.html
What you can do can be done if you have a lot of time and patience but you are probably going to have to build some of the systems for your computer from already available parts. I've already looked at a lot of alternatives for video / graphics:
viewtopic.php?t=1588
But for something quick and $70 you can get an open source Fuzebox which is not based on the 65xx (6502 based chip platform) and you might have more luck with many more people being involved in it but I feel the graphics are limiting for what can be done with the 65C02 or 65C618 based systems. It has been two years since I started studying the current situation of what is available.
If you don't know anything, that is okay but people in the business advised me to go get an Arduino and learn on it. Read everything and there are a list of basic things like blinking an LED which you have to do to get an understanding of how it works. I've been on the same quest you are on and I can probably help you find what I've found already.