The INS8060 or SC/MP processor was my first “love” when I was 15 years old. But at that time the processor and boards were far too expensive for me. It was in my 60ties when I really went into Retro computing that I managed to buy an original (white ceramic) SC/MP chip and later I bought a INS8060, the second version that did not need the negative voltage. I kept the processors in a box, but it is always nice to have them running again, but I could not bring myself to re-building an old SC/MP project. I very rarely get a SC/MP INS8060 processor for my webshop, but if I find one I will put it in the shop!
RetroShield
I have a lot of so called RetroShield boards for the Arduino Mega board, this is a way to connect an old processor to the Arduino Mega andlet the Arduino Mega run as ROM / RAM and I/O. I found there was also a RetroShield for the INS8060 so I ordered one. After som soldering it worked as usual I rewrote the code and it runs NIBL basic for the SC/MP processor using the (very slow) serial capabilities of the IND8060 processor.
But it works and it is nice to see the old processor running. It has no practical use, but it is better than keeping the processor hidden in a box. At the bottom of the page I have a download link for the code I run in the Arduino Mega.
Download and links
My Arduino Mega sourcecode:
I did write a complet page about the SC/MP (INS8060) processor with a lot of documentation:
https://www.heinpragt-software.com/ins8060-or-scmp-processor/
And also I wrote a development IDE for the SC/MP (INS8060) processor, including an emulator, an assembler / disassembler.
https://www.heinpragt-software.com/sc-mp-processor-ide/
Have fun!
This is a very i9nteresting project and I am surprised there haven’t been any comments. But… thank you for sharing your thoughts, ideas and insights.
I bought an SC/MP around 1980 on the suggestion of a teacher. I bought a breadboard and some RAM, also a UV-eraseable Eprom. The keyboard was a simple hexadecimal keypad that had to pass through a home-built diode matrix to decode the input. The output was derived from the LED display of an old Sinclair programmable calculator. I had no access to an assembler so everything was entered in machine code. It was as tedious as it was rewarding. I learnt so much about microprocessors – lessons which have served me well in understanding much that came later.
I still have my old SC/MP setup… somewhere in a box in some obscure corner or other and I am tempted to dig it out and give it a new lease of life.
Thank you very much for your efforts. I have enjoyed reading your various articles.
Regards,
Ric