digital ocean has weird pricing I dont understand, its very 'cloud' and much newer than my training.
I will probably snag the better shared hosting on sale for $2.95/mo, or a $5/mo vps or similar. linux unmanaged vps at godaddy where my domain is is $5.99, they hit you with email costs...

Ill figure something out, its a one time cost and communication here on the forum is alright for now. I just need to organize my information better. Especially if I am developing a standard or specification.

So, some of the things Im looking at are 'general hardware', nuts, bolts, screws, resistors, capacitors etc; my supply is missing
I just got a nice breadboard, I think I can get a good bench supply out of it. I have some harbor freight multimeters, no good leads. I use them to check my batteries on the solar system at the farm or in my truck. I am looking at a Fluke 37, a used 787 processmeter I dont need that will be overpriced a fluke 101 and a fluke 15+. there are a couple of other nice multimeters on techtronics and ebay.
Id forgotten about techtronics...
I need a good multimeter, I want an oscilloscope.
Really, I need to finish construction on the house and move back out there, I wont have mains power, I will have less rent and bills for awhile. I could put that money into building a better workshop and running power lines... priorities. Still, while I have an apartment, working on this old project keeps some skills sharp and see if I can get this project established. I do not expect the house to be done in six months. Id like to move back out to the farm then, this fall, or maybe next spring. We will see.

Im not in a big hurry, though I do want to get something going soon, just something hands on. Ill be running the 6502 simulator debugger emulator from Rictor/Kawalski soon and the 6502cdot online emulator with the college classes attached.

Getting some software going and libraries organized while I plan and sort things out is probably ok.
Im getting a couple of this solder practice kits, this one:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BR4B4QDY/ref=sspa_dk_detail_4?psc=1&pf_rd_p=88097cb9-5064-44ef-891b-abfacbc1c44b
specifically to work on the ERM stuff for the stylus on the Integrity. I also have a few old wacom and huion tablets I can sacrifice, they all work the same as I intend to use, building on one of wacom's expired patents. So, thats $8 and will keep me busy for a bit tinkering. Here again, a multimeter is nice, I need a 'scope really. I do not want to spend a bunch of money and get a slow, ready to die scope that has calibration problems. So, I need to spend a couple hundred or more on a good scope and Im not doing that this month, I already bought a domain for 5 years.

Gathering books. I have a lot of books, like 10,000 of them. Most are in storage (thankfully) a lot are here, especially my stuff on C, math and construction and a bunch of electronics stuff. I was temping at an HVAC place recently.

u, Basic Pulse Circuits, Electronic Circuit Essentials, Principles of electronic instrumentations, lots of stuff.
I like finite maths. Boolean Logic and Algebra, woodworking, escher, The algorithmic process, Relativity, lots of stuff nearby.
When I go to storage I am looking for my chips and wires, more books. As the house gets finished we are moving things from storage to the farm, though its a 300 mile trip. The motor in my box truck blew, its like $6k+ to fix it, so Im just using that for storage at the farm right now. Im planning to head out to the farm today or tomorrow, Im scouring for chips, maybe my servers. I have like 8 tesla cards on a dual xeon board, not 220v to run any of it, one of the racks hold like 32 hard drives, idk, I moved out of the city, I run a generator sometimes, unless I get a bunch of machines and make electronics or something in a shop in town, I run on batteries out there.

This apartment is nice, I am hoping to make progress here. I have a nice metal desk and I can set things up with a good work area here, so building a few boards, soldering a kit or two, I might get something done. I dont know if Ill get a prototype going, I should get a lot closer.

For now, Im just gathering supplies and sorting out the basics. I dont even have an old crt I can turn into a basic scope... wait, there is a tiny apple all in one something at the farm, hows that work, short the v-shift and attach a probe to either point of the yoke?

Ive discharged CRTs, I used to fix arcade machines for awhile, like a private casino type thing, video poker, keno, SBCs and bill changers. I know how to clear a cathode and not die correctly. That pop though

I might look up the bit on converting a crt to a simple scope, I hear you can turn the transformers in two microwaves into a decent spot welder. Of course Id use the golf cart for the that. Its a '50s Lehman electric. It has a vacuum tube in it, real space age george jetson technology there! We think its a rectifier for the battery charger. Air gap coils with different taps control the speed I think, how the pedal works.

Ill have to use this Capaci-tester on it...


of course that is sitting on a treadle powered singer (with motor).
Ill post pics of the cart sometime. Im not sure if I should get a better multimeter, a used bench MM, an o'scope,

I just, Im not sure I need a scope yet, what would I probe, an empty breadboard (yes, just to see how bad the interference is).

still, I need concrete I have rebar and remesh, I have gravel and tools... Id like to finish the last few PVC joins and get that floor done in the next 30 days or so, 6 weeks easy. A little at a time and I might get some of this stuff ready

stopped by the storage; I have not yet found my box of chips, there are several vintage used chips of various types, many start with 74, and just have numbers, no letters in the middle, various ages and types, a few caps and resistors. these are all just stuck in styrofoam by the person my dad was caretaking that house for. I ended getting all of the books and tapes and various kit out of there before I sold it.

I have been carefully selecting books, though nothing super specific to this.
Programming, calculators, electronics, etc
Cables, odds and ends, still can't find my boxes of chips and components...

I did get a ot of things organized, going back tomorrow, I might actually be able to go through all of the storage contents, I am uncertain my new chips are in there. If not, I'l go through the farm again, its a lot of campers and shed to go through,...

I may have to order another set of prototyping supplies :shrug:


Ill post pics and progress tomorrow.

Pics from my storage raid here:

The unit so far:


It goes back pretty good:


Narrow gaps:


The Back Wall:


I did not find my chips, I did get a few good books and a few odds and ends:



This came out of an X-Ray Machine:


http://www.jacomed.com/product/ge-amx-i ... ay-system/


This is why I have this stuff:

So for my breadboard I am hunting:

32.768 kHz oscillator Can (for low speed tests, PCI spec recommends either being 'static at 0, or at 32k or above' to avoid certain duty cycles. the idea is, at a certain point, the edge times are what matters and for me, anything much faster than about 20 Hz, Im not going to see on LEDs and such. In audio, sure, so, 1-3 Hz pushing a button, 32.768 kHz for 'bench speed' and I get a fun clock out of it, and then Ill go 1MHz, 3 or 6MHz (aiming for ISA) and then Ill hit 12 Mhz on 'real metal'

should I get a 6502 or a 65816 as the 'first chip Im liable to break?'
they are both ~$10, so one is inherently better than the other...
...its also more complicated in some ways, though extensible
I am also getting a 6522 and probably a RAM IC

My initial plan is to do a basic memory test, like a double/check/count system to determine maximum space available (plus its a basic counter loop to do early in ASM), and then write a bank of LEDs, read a 8-gang DIP switch (I might get a bunch of these, like 10-16 maybe to make a few bytes of ROM), and then I want to poll/read a D-Pad/switch to binary-shift-left/right, and increment/decrement the number, and display this on the LEDs along with status. some of this I will do in software emulator, others will be in hardware as I get parts, a $10 usb PIC-stick or whatever on the 'bay looks really useful, or the red programmer/debuggers they have

Thats my goal to get running first. A really simple counter, and a funky LED binary calculator, Ill add stuff to later.

After I get this running, I will add a small screen and other function.

What other parts might I gather or BOLO for?

grabbed a couple of basic kits on the 'bay, just "Bojack" brand for now, transistors and a 74HCxx assortment to blink LEDs with. it was not expensive by any means, I paid half the going rate on the exact same brand and kit.

https://uspto.report/TM/88357953

"Bojack", because you wont care if they catch fire on your breadboard!

I got a bunch of these for the cost of 4-5 chips + shipping on mouser and it has several things I know I need and stuff I want to tinker with.

not ordering much else for awhile, I did find a few odds and ends.

I got this:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/144785447206
https://www.ebay.com/itm/393612711070
https://www.ebay.com/itm/374397681863

I am also considering picking up a set of 2x each of nice set of op-amps, audio amps etc, its $20 and I see a few things I want to use out the gate, namely some power circuits.

Some of these I could get a better deal on buying a stick of ICs on mouser, once you add shipping and cost per item, it adds up. so for now, just to have things on hand to tinker with.

I did not order 4000 CMOS chips, I should have a box or two of those somewhere. If I cannot locate them in a couple of weeks I can order a $15-20 4000 series assortment. It is much easier for me to have a few things I can reach for and have on hand than get things 1 at a time and wait for shipping. When I get to PCBs I am going to get better quality ICs, I was hesitant to buy these, I did get lucky with US sellers though. So I think I did "better" this way hunting for a deal instead of grabbing an off the shelf kit. i am still under budget for a "benita PC". Some of those youtube videos really do break down the basics on some things.

I need a small mcu I can use that pairs up well to the 6502. I am a bit of a perfectionist here and want to "breadboard chip" to cover a lot of ground, ROM for one. that I can program with a USB is nice.. it may need to be a ROM for both the mcu and the 6502 probably, even if not complex mcu code. giving RAM to the 6502 would be good too,
I do not need a lot of I/O lines. running static is almost a must

I am looking into an STM7/8. the STM7 is really very close to the 6502 in many ways.
its ridiculously similar.

The 8150 is a good fit for the 65xx, however it is complicated in some ways, it is 'slow'
however, it is like a 6522 with a turbo charger. I am really interested in this.

A PIC 12/16/18 is a choice for the 6502. finding 'just the right one' is not so easy.

msp430 is not turning up a lot of searches that fit the 6502 right now,

I am trying to aim for a 'helper chip' that will not only offer RAM/ROM, it will have a few functions in the long run for other uses
the Breadboard chip, does not need to be the same as a later in production device chip, though it makes sense for it to be.
Really, a sub-$5 chip or break out board should be sufficient.

I did find a couple of kits to use,




and here




I dont guess I should take the Elenco apart for components... nice to have in the collection, the tiny chip on the old breadboard is a 555, and Im hoping the power supply works still.

starting, to look like my old workspace in here. its very strange after living off grid for 5 years.

The wonderful thing about programmable logic like Altera EPM7064SLC44 is you only need to buy a few plus a $10 programmer then you are done with random logic--no needs for large inventory of TTL logic. The tricky part is finding EPM7064S that can be reprogrammed but eBay has excellent return policy so you can just keep buying & returning until you find a supplier that sell used CPLD that can be re-programmed.
Bill

4000 Series logic has some unique properties (such as the ability to run on a supply voltage of 15V or even higher) but its very slow propagation delays limit its utility in microprocessor-related circuitry. So, buying an assortment of these chips may not be your best use of funds. (But if you already have a box or two then fine -- keep 'em!)

-- Jeff

_________________
In 1988 my 65C02 got six new registers and 44 new full-speed instructions!
https://laughtonelectronics.com/Arcana/ ... mmary.html

yeah I was going to do a couple of things with the 250 transistors, and at least somewhere, something called for a 4017 or such, I think it was a decade counter for a clock. I use a few in some audio and I think some power circuits. Its on the list with the pile of op-amps and darlington arrays. I would love to get enough power electronics to build a solar charger, a good one. Being able to stabilize and regulate a PSU or a bus spec that requires +/-12v, or even 20v (usb-3) would be a good skill, and I do want to build some music equipment. I will probably pick up the op-amp kit later, and yeah, I dont want to build 40x 4000 cmos chips again if I don't have to. I will check my list, its just 1-2 4000 chips I need for something or another, probably add those to a mouser order or such.

Ive never worked with 74xxx series chips, it was next on my list of things when I sold the old house and moved off grid. That was so much more slow going than expected, I know it contributed to the delays I have faced lately. Solar has come down, almost 30% in cost and increased in efficiency, I have ~600w, lived on 400w for years running a laptop and cell phone. I took online classes and got a few grad certificates. I got certified to conduct human trials. I could recertify if I took a few tests on the website for it. Two years of classes with the head of medical research for that one. plus another certification in organizational psychology, non-profit management. Solar is how I will probably live for a long time, might get a windmill. hard to run machines, motors, compressors. everything else is fine.
Generator for A/C or bad winters is worth its weight in gold. Couple bucks of gas ran the radiator and the TV and game all night out there with the owls and raccoons.

for this, the apartment, I am taking out my full sized bed, and swapping it for a twin in the box truck out at the farm. I got my file cabinets and desk from storage, so I will have two desks again for my workspace. A LOT of my time needs to go to construction on the house, I want concrete in that floor before anything comes up and hits the savings. its like, 15' of roof left, the concrete, a clerestory, gables, some plumbing, couple walls doors and windows and its a solid post frame 1 bedroom cottage that will pass inspection (I had a building inspector come out. my county has no adopted building codes so its just for insurance). my dad built many, many houses. I have built a few. so getting that done, getting the plumbing going to the septic system, wiring and a propane line (Ive done gas pipe and lots of plumbing) and the chimney for the wood burner... the wood burner and propane lines are like, 12+ feet apart in different rooms mind you.

anyway, its not going to get built overnight. I will probably be in the apartment another 6 months or so, maybe longer.
I am probably going to buy a $150 3d printer. it will pay for itself in a few months. I have a lot of experience in 3d modeling and animation, other computer graphics software, CAD is 'wonky' though I can use a few of the packages out there. one of my biggest complaints about many $1000 3d softwares out there is the lack of absolute and precision coordinates and numerical entry. lots of them look great, yet are really a dynamic relative coordinate system that is very hard to do precision work in. great for animating super heroes in your virtual action figure playset, not so great for physical design. I expect to print a slew of small decorative objects, prototype cases, knobs buttons and clips.

I am considering building a 2-bit computer that moves crumbs around on my breadboard...

got my "Bojack" transistor kit, its 10 types, 5 NPN, 5 PNP, and 25 of each. these feel like higher quality than the generic breadboard kit I ordered with LEDs and buttons, it is SSuuppeerr cheap. I do not think I have ever felt anything so flimsy, that "Bojack" brand parts are better by comparison...

I had ordered a set of 74HCxx ICs and they got delivered to the wrong address, looks like they are getting redelivered today, I'll see. Ill just use the stuff I have and try to wait it out. I plan to buy 1-3 $10-25 kits a month over the next couple of months and build up my stock of parts. at this point, the weird board pulls I have are liable to be as good as anything I am getting Bojack, Chipnew and WoWoOne or whatever. I had been impressed with how much better the bojack stuff feels in comparison to the other kit I got. I did order a set of 10x 2"x3" perfboard. these fit in an altoids can, which is my next project, a mini-game and watch prototype.

before I ever, order and destroy a 6502, much less a 65816, I plan to go over my fundamentals again and relearn all the things I forgot and never did. I found a great Elenco basic electronics primer I am going to go trough and possibly document. I am really tempted to order the DIY Digital Multimeter Kit and build it into a wooden cabinet like I am building for my single socket outlet and dimmer switch. I think its a rheostat? either way, it "should" work for either a router, sewing machine, some lathes etc and my soldering iron as an variable analog control. I plan to put that in a wooden box with nice hardware, might do the same for a digital multimeter... maybe one that can run off the benchtop 9v supply?

I guess 9v is nice because you can split 5v and 3.3v out of it easily, correct?

In the long run, I want to use SMT/SMD tech on 2-layer boards, ideally top side device, and bottom side 'ground mostly' and put this in an Altoid's can. I might have covered this elsewhere, the 'Tinker' is an altoids can PC, and a mini version of the Chronos, a 'game and watch' type device. you can fit a 40 pin DIP on there and a few others, though I think the PLCC, or a QFP, and either of those or a socket might be ok. I think I can probably do some of the surface mount stuff with a fine tip and solder, or the flux->place IC->solder might be ok, I have never used hot air soldering equipment, it seems ok. Id like to get one of those print heads that places flux on the board, and you place and spot solder. Thats a long way off for an altoids can. I might even *gasp* order boards with placed parts on it.

so this is not a schematic, its a 2"x3" rectangle inside a 2.5" x 3.5" rectangle with several generic packages on it all close together to see how many I could fit, the red hatch area on the bottom right is 'user expansion' for the DIYers I hope might pick up this project and run with it, call it the 'expansion bay'. it might even be a 'sea of pads'...

point is, there looks like room for a 6502, maybe a 6522 (overkill?), an EEPROM or an MCU with room on it, a ram chip with a Real Time Clock, and probably a 3 tone generator or such, really, anything currently made that might make beeps and boops. a power unit of some kind, and support components etc.

D-pad, 4 buttons, a 2.8" (320x240) screen all fit on the front (type I)
so, a game and watch style or neo geo pocket color type Altoids can.
Now this is a good project to aim for for proof of concept, I can put a 6502 in my pocket, and do math and probably play a game or two on it, its just to take out and some to people for me, it should pick up where a lot of things drop off.


other than this, I am planning to use all these transistors to make a few adders and similar circuits.
Id like to make a little 2-bit computer and move crumbs around on my breadboard.

After I run through the elenco book, blink some LEDs, make some ANDs and NORs, I plan to grab a 4 bit unit. Im not sure what, something I can maybe 'chain' to use with the 6502 later for ISA addressing and such, idk, Im hoping going through some of this low level stuff will open ideas for multiprocessing more.

Then, after that, after I have built a computer out of paperclips and baking soda, wax paper and tin foil, then I will think about ordering a 6502.

If it's a rheostat, that's just a bloody great wirewound resistor that basically turns electricity into heat. Most things except incandescent lamps aren't likely to appreciate being powered by/through it. While a switch mode power supply - laptop supply, perhaps - will probably work there's not a lot of point to it.

Another possibility is that it's an auto-transformer; that taps a secondary coil to give an output voltage greater or lesser than the input depending on the position of the tap.

But: if you don't *need* a variable output mains supply (say for testing), these are things you should probably avoid. There are very few use cases where you'd want or need to use these in preference to a standard mains socket. (Also they can kill you if you don't know what you're doing, but then again, so can out-of-the-wall mains supply!).

Neil

yeah I think so, it just goes inline on the hot wire.
it says 'incandescent only' on it, so its probably not even good for fans.
it will just make the iron heat up a little slower and can be adjusted for my workflow.
I might add a thermocouple and MCU later though.

I got all my chips, I need capacitors though, and diodes.
I will try to build a metronome out of my single 555 chip this weekend

while running the aforementioned errand today, I happened upon a RareSight®

I grabbed essentials and marked the location. its an hour away, in a city of 100,000 people, about two orders of magnitude of anything within an hour in any direction. an hour by truck is a lot faster than two weeks by sea...


if I want a city with a million people, it will take a day's drive.
lots of trees and deer though, and the place has that going for it and that's nice.

_________________
x86?  We ain't got no x86.  We don't NEED no stinking x86!

yes, and I have tried several times to 'un-upside down it'... something something jpeg internal descriptor and I dont have IrfanView on here to change it atm.