NobodyIsHere
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Dec 21, 2006
- Messages
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pretty similar ideas, and not bad. They sound intriguing, and alleys to be explored if what I want to do doesn't pan out. I'm going to end up with something like an SBC, anyway, with a display and expansion slots. It'll be a large, expensive board, but really, isn't it just as expensive to get 2 or 3 different boards for the same circuits?
Hi!
Well with either approach you can build something and get it working (N8VEM or P112) which is worthwhile. I recommend an incremental build rather than doing everything all at once. I think building on an existing platform and leveraging it may be a lower risk, lower cost method than a pure "from scratch" ground up approach.
Making a large PCB is expensive and risky. Making several smaller ones is also expensive but in a different way. The difference is by using several smaller boards you can better customize and isolate problems easier. With a single large PCB, you have to design everything all at once *and* get it right the first time since there is no going back. Changing the circuit in a PCB after it is manufactured is difficult and messy. It can be done with "cuts and jumpers" but I try to keep those to a minimum.
The WaveMate Bullet and Ferguson Big Board are "all in one" SBCs and they are fine but represent some high end expertise to create such a complex devices.
Now that EBC to S100 circuit, how easily could it work the other way? Adding EBC slots to an s100 computer? I would think it's mostly just matching up i/o lines, right? I'm not familiar at all with the EBC, and my Google Fu is weak tonight, apparently.
Yes. S-100 to ECB would be similar but I don't have a circuit schematic. Since ECB is basically just the Z80 bus fully buffered it would be easy to just export the Z80 pins to an ECB connector. Due to the timing issues, it would probably be more difficult to go straight from S-100 to the ECB but I am sure it is possible. I don't have a design to do that though and have never heard of or seen one either.
Well, the nice thing about "re-inventing" it is that I understand every bit of it from the ground up. The only reason I choose to use someone else's schematics at all is because I don't think I've had enough classes in electronics to design it completely from scratch, though I've had enough to know what the components are doi8ng where they're placed, to an extent. I'm using this as a way to teach myself. I want to understand what every "wire" is there for...even if I never physically build it, I learn. That's why I'm getting ready to print out these ZPU schematics on 11 x 18 and hunt down a seemingly reliable version of the s100 bus and spend probably an hour or two just making notes on which lines on the schematic do what...though this'll probably wait until I finish downloading all the datasheets for the components. Darn this dialup! I live like 3 miles away from where I'd be able to get DSL...and no cable, either.
Yes, few things will teach like building your own home brew computer. I have learned much with TestPrototype and now the N8VEM project.
Good luck with your project and let me know if I can help out.
Thanks!
Andrew Lynch
PS, the P112 (as is the SB-180) is a fine SBC and they are very nice, however, it is my understanding they are not available. Possibly you could find a used one for sale or incomplete kit or broken unit? If so, please let me know as I would like to get one myself. However, I do not think they are available and have not ever seen one for sale in any form. Please let me know if this is incorrect. Thanks!
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