Collected Comp fully with their hands

Not many have remembered how in 1991, appeared on the shelves of 16-bit personal computer "search." This candy bar then conquered many. Of course, in terms of performance, he conceded IBM PC / XT, but it was ours. Blocks expansion will slightly increase its functionality. Through this PC, many people in our country began to develop programming, and generally able to gain access to high technology. Today let's talk about something similar, but assembled by one person with my own hands.

At that time, as the factory punched modern processors with hundreds of thousands of units per day, California enthusiast Steve Chamberlain (Steve Chamberlin) decided to build a processor with their own hands. As a result, for the manufacture of an 8-bit processor, similar to what was in the computers Apple II, Commodore 64, and early models of game consoles Atari, it took 18 person-months, 1000 of US $ 1'253 and connecting wires.

9 ph via bmow & 3dnews





In the manufacture of the CPU for the entire computer Chamberlain chosen wired connection instead of the track because the wires easy to replace. Because of cable clutter computer called BMOW (Big Mess of Wires - «Big pile of wires"). The processor contains three 8-bit data registers, 24-bit addressing and 12 memory addressing modes. At the command system and processor design BMOW closest to the MOS Technology 6502 processor - such processors are still used in some embedded systems. In addition, the legendary 6502 processor installed in the brain of the robot Bender of the series "Futurama" and analogues of the processor installed in the Bulgarian computers "Pravets" and Soviet PC "Agat».

The components of the CPU mounted on the panel BMOW Augat 12 × 7 inches, containing 2'832 gold contacts - author bought it in an online auction for $ 50. As a result, it was necessary to use the wire to create 1'253 2'506 individual compounds - the speed of solder was approximately 25 wires per hour. The author notes that, despite the apparent complexity of soldering wires taken away not too long. Most of the time it took to design, debug and meditation.



The components of the CPU mounted on the panel BMOW Augat 12 × 7 inches, containing 2'832 gold contacts - author bought it in an online auction for $ 50. As a result, it was necessary to use the wire to create 1'253 2'506 individual compounds - the speed of solder was approximately 25 wires per hour. The author notes that, despite the apparent complexity of soldering wires taken away not too long. Most of the time it took to design, debug and meditation.



On the basis of its processor BMOW Chamberlain has created almost a full computer keyboard input, one-line LCD panel, socket USB, sound system and a three-part video output VGA. To display information on a color monitor is used chip UMC 70C171, which the author was able to find in the box for unnecessary parts in stock electronics store. All the computer is placed in the body of the computer X Terminal, popular in the early 90-ies.



Chamberlain said that with modern details to work much harder, because instead of the usual legs that can be soldered into holes on the printed circuit board used for the installation of very different technologies that are not available to fans, including wave soldering technology.



Specifications BMOW:

The operating frequency of 2 MHz, although tested at a frequency of 3MHz;
The RAM 512 KB;
Volume ROM 512 KB;
Power consumption 10 W;
Provides a resolution of 512 x 480 or 128 x 240, depending on the depth of color;
Programmable sound generator;
The keyboard has a standard connector to connect a PS / 2.



His computer Steve Chamberlain presented at the fourth annual exhibition of homemade Maker Faire in San Mateo (San Mateo, Calif., USA). More details on the progress of work on the computer BMOW can be found on the website of the Chamberlain.



That's what I understand - self-realization!



Even in games poshpilit possible)))



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