Hi! I'd like to especially thank the hobbyists who have bought the first round of the S-100 keyboard and S-100 IDE boards. It is a brave person who will purchase the first release of any product -- especially home brew electronics. You are making these home brew computer projects possible by spreading the risk out to a tolerable level.
If we are ever going to get to more, better, and different S-100 (or any kind for that matter) home brew boards have to get past the first generation or two to shake out the problems. S100Computers.com and/or N8VEM developed home brew computers and/or boards are different from a commercial venture -- there is *no* R&D department. Those all important first adopters are paving the way for everyone to benefit by allowing us to make the boards without going broke in the process. THANK YOU!
I recognize the first batch of PCBs are basically prototypes so "cuts and jumpers" are not unusual. As much as John and I try to make the boards completely 100% right the first time in reality some errors are going to escape. Anyone experienced with S-100 systems and/or home brew computers are familiar with "cuts and jumpers" even though we try our best to prevent them. I appreciate your patience with us as we work through the issues!
There are a couple S-100 related projects in work. The next project is the S-100 SRAM/EPROM board. We've ordered and received prototype PCBs to work out the remaining kinks on the design before making a PCB manufacturing order. Hopefully this new approach will improve first time quality.
After the S-100 SRAM/EPROM board, we've got a S-100 Front Panel project. The schematic and PCB layout is done and I have a prototype PCB in autorouter optimization. We'll get prototype PCBs for it too. The S-100 Front Panel is a two part design. There will be a board that plugs into the S-100 bus for interface and logic and another mezzanine board with the displays and switches.
I would like to make some additional PCB manufacturing runs of the S-100 boards depending on hobbyist demand. So far there are five completed designs; S-100 backplane, S-100 prototyping board, S-100 buffered prototyping board, S-100 IDE, S-100 keyboard. The IDE and keyboard designs could probably use a respin but work fine with minor corrections.
Thanks and have a nice day!
Andrew Lynch