advisorability
Member
- Joined
- Sep 6, 2019
- Messages
- 12
I'm just starting to learn about S-100 computers, and I had a few questions. (And I have seen www.s100computers.com)
Is it reasonably possible, using certain combinations of cards, to build a system that is compatible with various early 8 and 16 bit commercial systems?
For example, could I get a 6502 card, memory card, keyboard io card, and storage io card and use it to run Apple II software? Then could I install a (theoretical) video processor card with an ANTIC chip, switch a bunch of dip switches, and run Atari 8-bit software? Same question goes for VIC-20 and a 6560 video processor card, etc.
I would also be interested in the same sort of thing, but applied to some interesting z80 systems (MSX2 comes to mind, I know the S-100 website has a schematic for an MSX video card), as well as 68k systems (Atari ST, and any sort of 68k mac).
OSes of interest include any variant of 68k Unix, SymbOS, TOS, CP/M, Mac OS, Fuzix, Atari DOS.
I'm basically looking for something that's a combination of:
* The philosophy of the Commander X16 (ie not using any FPGAs or emulation if at all possible, and using new production chips if at all possible).
* The modularity of the S-100.
* Collecting my favorites of the 8 and 16 bit home micros (but not taking actual vintage systems off the market).
I don't mind soldering all my own boards, designing pcbs, etc. (Although I would prefer to avoid soldering QFP if possible, I realize for the memory board and for certain specialized chips this probably can't be avoided.)
Finally, I wouldn't mind using FPGAs to replicate certain rare or out of production video chips, if it came down to it.
What exactly is possible in this realm?
Is it reasonably possible, using certain combinations of cards, to build a system that is compatible with various early 8 and 16 bit commercial systems?
For example, could I get a 6502 card, memory card, keyboard io card, and storage io card and use it to run Apple II software? Then could I install a (theoretical) video processor card with an ANTIC chip, switch a bunch of dip switches, and run Atari 8-bit software? Same question goes for VIC-20 and a 6560 video processor card, etc.
I would also be interested in the same sort of thing, but applied to some interesting z80 systems (MSX2 comes to mind, I know the S-100 website has a schematic for an MSX video card), as well as 68k systems (Atari ST, and any sort of 68k mac).
OSes of interest include any variant of 68k Unix, SymbOS, TOS, CP/M, Mac OS, Fuzix, Atari DOS.
I'm basically looking for something that's a combination of:
* The philosophy of the Commander X16 (ie not using any FPGAs or emulation if at all possible, and using new production chips if at all possible).
* The modularity of the S-100.
* Collecting my favorites of the 8 and 16 bit home micros (but not taking actual vintage systems off the market).
I don't mind soldering all my own boards, designing pcbs, etc. (Although I would prefer to avoid soldering QFP if possible, I realize for the memory board and for certain specialized chips this probably can't be avoided.)
Finally, I wouldn't mind using FPGAs to replicate certain rare or out of production video chips, if it came down to it.
What exactly is possible in this realm?