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Done! PiDP-8/I, my PDP-8 replica

O

Oscar

Experienced Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2003
Messages
206
Location
Switzerland
Hi,

I just finished the first prototype of my PDP-8/I replica, in time for the VCFeX... Based on SimH running on a Raspberry Pi, it will not be everyone's cup of tea - not Real Stuff after all. But here it is nevertheless:

IMG_4658.jpgIMG_4653.jpg

I wanted to make an open-source hardware kit to get myself the PDP-8 I never had. A real one is just too expensive, and I also don't think I'm up to maintaining it responsibly...

Picture to the left: the PiDP uses a USB hub as its all-in-one peripheral. One USB slot serves as a PC8E paper tape reader/punch, two slots as RL8A disks, TU56 DECtapes, or whatever storage peripheral you want. And one USB stick acts as a disk cartridge.
The USB sticks on the photo pretend to be paper tapes with BIN Loader and FOCAL69, respectively. You make do with what you're given... but then again, the parts cost is around $120. Add a $20 Pi Model A+ and a $10 USB hub, and that's it.

Regards,

Oscar.
 
Hi All;
Good work, Oscar..
As you say not everyone cup of PDP 8, but it looks nice..
The wood finish looks very nice.. Did you make the Front Panel or is that from an 8 ??

THANK You Marty
 
Hi,

Marty said:
The wood finish looks very nice.. Did you make the Front Panel or is that from an 8 ??
Click to expand...

No, it's a replica. I worked from a series of 8/I photos off the web, made a (pretty much pixel-exact) vector graphic off them and had it produced as a photo-on-acrylic. Like some people do with favourite holiday snaps, apparently.

There was a challenge finding a printer who made such things size-exact though. Most of them rescale photos slightly, and that would not work with the PCB behind it. But it used to be that you had front panels produced by specialist shops. Having them printed along other people's holiday snaps sinks the cost to a totally different level. That was the idea :)

Regards,

Oscar.
 
Wow, that is a beautiful system!

Will you be making the parts list, schematic, assembly hints, etc. available online for others?

Congratulations of a great effort!

smp
 
Oscar,

Fantastic work, it looks great! Do you have any video's of it running?
If you do make this into a kit, I'd certainly be up for building one :)

Cheers,
Dave
 
smp said:
Will you be making the parts list, schematic, assembly hints, etc. available online for others?
Click to expand...

Yes, it'll be both a kit and 'open source hardware' that can be reprocuded freely. So schematics, PCB design file, source code and parts list will be up for download in a week or three, when I finish the final version.

I'm planning to produce a one-off batch of them as a kit, because there are quite spectacular volume discounts if I order the front panel, case and the switches in some volume.

That way the cost will - I'm pretty sure by now - go down to $120 all-in. Well, all-in with the Raspberry Pi out. The Model A+ can better be bought separately from wherever, it's about $20. I hope to have the details settled late May/early June (have to test the final version of the PCB etc first, and discover how many people are really interested in such a weird thing)...

Regards,

Oscar.
 
Looks great and I used to have a real 8i years ago. Add me to the list of people wanting a kit.
 
Oscar,
That is really well done. The console artwork and switches really make your project great. I wish I could make it to the Vintage Computer festival to see it in person. I also would be very interested in a kit, when you get to that point.

Thanks,
Mark
 
I'm interrested, at least at that price point.

It looks like the front panel is chipped in the upper left corner?
 
All,

Thanks for the encouragement! I'll be sure to send you a PM in six weeks or so when I get closer to finishing the final version and need to start ordering parts.

>> It looks like the front panel is chipped in the upper left corner?

Er yes. Not only there if you look closely. I found a case after making the acrylic panel, so I had to make the panel fit into this case. First ever time I used a router. I'm more for soldering... In fact, after cutting a slot into the acrylic to fit the switches, I'm pretty sure that is something I'd rather leave to the acrylic manufacturer next time. Or find someone with a CNC router to automate the process :)

Regards,

Oscar.
 
Oscar,

Absolutely beautiful work. I look forward to seeing it (and meeting you) at VCF East also! I'm pretty sure I'll be on your initial order list.... I'd like to see it running Adventure with a VT52 .... :)

Lou
 
Lou - N2MIY said:
Oscar,

Absolutely beautiful work. I look forward to seeing it (and meeting you) at VCF East also! I'm pretty sure I'll be on your initial order list.... I'd like to see it running Adventure with a VT52 .... :)

Lou
Click to expand...

Wish I could attend VCF East, but not this year. If I had still been in Maryland I'd have been there. Looks like an interesting list of exhibits too.

That would be cool to see it running Adventure as it really blinks those lights.
 
I'll certainly be interested in a kit or part kit. In fact judging by the popularity of Sparetimegizmos' SBC6120/FP6120 combo (even at their relatively high costs) I should think quite a few people will be interested. I used to own a couple of 8/Is but had to part with them due to lack of space and it'd be nice to see the light patterns again. The front panel looks outstanding.
 
One slight oddity I suppose is that Simh provides a PDP-8/e simulation rather than an 8/i. Not really an issue for a project like this of course and it means that Kyle Owen's OS/8 driver will work OK (IIRC it uses a BSW instruction).
 
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