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Retro chips info

z84c00APS

My processor chips collection (Eng)

Chips collection Some people collect old computer systems, I did too but space becomes an issue very soon. Its easier to collect the different microprocessors and support chips and so I decided to do that. Sometimes it is hard to get an old microprocessor, sometimes you can still buy them. But a lot of old microprocessors I get from disassembling old computer boards. Some microprocessors are special to me and they have their own page on this website. I also try to tell something about these processors and try to link to other information like wikipeadia and datasheets that I also collect. The collection is organized according to the first year the microprocessor came out.

Computers and chipsets

There were a lot of different home computers between the 70ties and 2000, they all used different chipsets, but some computers shared the same microprocessor or the same chips or video controller. In this table I have made a list of the most common computer systems and their cpu and chipset ordered by year.

Work in progress, any input is welcome!
YearSystemCPUChipsets / Memory
1974Altair 880080808224 / 8212
Vid: Leds
256 bytes Ram
1976Apple 165026520
Vid: Hardware
4 or 8 kB Ram / 256 bytes Rom
1977TRS80 Model IZ80–
Vid: Hardware
16 kB Ram / 8 kB Rom
1977Apple II6502–
Vid: –
–
1977Atari 2600 6507–
Vid: Custom TIA
128 bytes Ram
1977Commodore PET 65026520 PIA / 6522 VIA
Vid: MOS 6545
4–96 kB Ram
1977MK14Z80
Vid: 7 segment displays
2 kB Ram / 2 kB Rom
1978ABC 80Z80SND: SN76477
16-32 kB Ram / 32 kB Rom
1979TI-99/4TMS9900–
Vid: TMS9918
–
1979Atari 4006502-B–
Vid: Custom
8 kB Ram
1979Atari 8006502-B–
Vid: Custom
48 kB Ram
1979Acorn System 16502–
Vid: Seven segment
1152 bytes Ram / 512 bytes Rom
1980Sinclair ZX80Z80–
Vid: –
–
1980HP-85Capricorn (Custom)Custom
Vid: Custom
16 kB Ram
1980TRS-80 CoCo 1MC6809EMC6883 / SN74LS783 / SN74LS785 / MC6821/22
Vid: MC6847
4 – 512 kB
1980Acorn AtomMos 6502–
Vid: MC6847
2 – 12 kB Ram / 8 kB Rom
1980Acorn System 26502–
Vid: Seven segment
32 kB Ram / ? Rom
1981Sinclair ZX81Z80–
Vid: –
–
1981Commodore VIC 206502Custom
Vid: MOS 6561
5 kB Ram / 20 kB Rom
1981Philips P2000Z80–
Vid: SAA5050
1981TI-99/4ATMS9900–
Vid: TMS9918A
1981BBC Computer6502 / 12SND: SN76489
Vid: SAA5050
32–128 bB Rom / 16–128 kB Ram
1981Dragon 32/64 (TRS80 CoCo clone}MC6809EMC6883 / SN74LS783 / SN74LS785 / MC6821/22
Vid: MC6847
32 – 64 kB
1981NEC PC-6000NEC µPD780C-1 (Z80)SND: AY-3-8910
Vid: Hardware
16-32 kB Ram / 20 kB Rom
1981MPF-1NEC µPD780C-1 (Z80)SND: AY-3-8910
Vid: Hardware
16-32 kB Ram / 20 kB Rom
1981Aamber PegasusMC6809c –
Vid: Unknown
4-64 kB Ram / ? kB Rom
1982MSX 1Z80–
Vid: –
–
1982ZX SpectrumZ80–
Vid: Custom ULA
–
1982ColecoVisionZ80SND: SN76489A
Vid: TMS9928A
32 kB Rom / 16 kB Vram / 1kB Ram
1982Sord M5Z80SND: SN76489
Vid: TMS9918
8 kB Rom / 16 kB Vram / 4 kB Ram
1982VectrexMC68A09SND: AY-3-8912
Vid: Custom
1 kB Ram
1982Oric-16502SND: AY-3-8910
Vid: Custom ULA
16 kB Rom /16-48 kB Ram
1983Commodore 646502–
Vid: –
64 kB Ram
1983HP1508088–
Vid: –
256 kB tot 640 kB Ram
1983COMX-351802–
Vid: CDP1869
16 kB Rom /35 kB Ram
1983Memotech MTXZ80SND: SN76489A
Vid: TM9918
32 kB – 128 kB Ram
1983Sega SG-1000Z80SND: SN76489
Vid: TMS9918A
1 kB Ram
1983Sega SC-3000NEC D780C (Z80)SND: SN76489
Vid: TMS9918A
32 kB Ram
1983Spectravideo 318Z808255
SND: AY-3-8910
Vid: TMS9918A
32 kB Rom / 16 kB Vram / 16 kB Ram
1983Casio PV-2000 {MSX1 compat}Z80SND: SN76489AN
Vid: TMS9918A
4 kB Ram / 16 kB Vram
1983TRS-80 Model 1008085–
Vid: LCD HD44102CH / HD44103CH
32 kB Ram / 32 kB Rom
1983TRS-80 CoCo 2MC6809EMC6883 / SN74LS783 / SN74LS785 / MC6821/22
Vid: MC6847
16 – 64 kB
1983VTech Laser 200 {TRS80 mod-1 clone}Z80–
Vid: MC6847
22 bB RAM / 2 kB VRAM / 16 kB ROM
1983TRS-80 MC-10 (Cheap CoCo)MC6803
Vid: MC6847
4 bB Ram
1983Tulip System 18086
Vid: MC6845
128 KB up to 896 KB
1984Apple MacintoshMC68000–
Vid:
128 kB Ram
1984Amstrad CPCZ80SND: AY-3-8910
Vid: MC6845 + Custom
64 – 128 kB
1982Oric-Atmos6502ASND: AY-3-8910
Vid: Custom ULA
16 kB Rom /16-48 kB Ram
1985Atari ST68000–
Vid: –
512 kB Ram
1985Comodore Amiga68000Custom
Vid: Custom
256 kB Ram
1985Nintendo NESRicoh 2A03 (6502)Custom PPU
Vid: –
2 kB Ram
1986MSX 2Z80–
Vid: –
–
1986TRS-80 CoCo 368B09EMC6883 / MC68B21
Vid: VLSI ASIC
128 – 512 kB
1982Oric-Telestrat6502ASND: AY-3-8910
Vid: Custom ULA
16 kB Rom /64 kB Ram
1987IBM PS/2Intel 8086 16550
Vid: VGA
512 kB Ram
1987Acorn ArchimedesARMCustom VIDC
Vid: Custom VIDC
512 kB – 16 MB
1988Laser 128 (Apple II kloon}6502–
Vid: –
128 kB Ram
1989Atari LynxWDC65C02Custom chip
Vid: Custom chip
64 kB Ram
1990Sega Game GearZ80SN76489
Vid: –
8 kB ram / 16 kB Vram

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DIY Apple 1 replica board

Apple 1 replica

This a project I made some time ago and it works like a charm. It is an Apple 1 replica, when you look at the project it does not seem to be a standalone board, but actually it is.  The project is part of the excellent RC2014 computer kit, but this is the RC6502 Apple 1 Replica. It is a board with a 6502 processor and a 6822 PIA just like the original Apple1. There is a little more ram and rom than the original Apple 1 but the processor and surrounding hardware are the same. What’s different is that the original Apple 1 board was 80 percent video hardware, on this board this is replaced with a single Arduino Nano board. The board can be attached to a simple terminal or you can connect it with the USB port of Arduino to a PC or laptop and use a terminal emulator as input output. When you put the Wozmon and Basic in the Rom you have a very complete Apple 1 computer replica. It is low cost (around 50 euro) and a nice way to see what programming was like in the “old days”.

Apple 1 replica

This is company in Germany where you can order the PCB: https://www.pcb4diy.de/de/

You can find the project on Gethub: https://github.com/tebl/RC6502-Apple-1-Replica

You can find most of the parts in this webshop and sometimes I have a complet kit of the most important parts.

I have also written an Apple1 emulator for Windows and it is based on this board. If you already want a preview, you can download it here: https://www.heinpragt-software.com/software_development/apple1_emulator.html

VT100 terminal

To use this board you will need some kind of terminal emulation, it is possible to connect the board with a TTL to Serial USB cable to the computer and then use f.i. Putty but if you want a standalone system it is nice to connect a real VT100 (VGA) terminal board. I build my terminal board from a kit, but the project also has its own terminal board.

Relevant links