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  #1  
Old 03-18-2008, 09:03 PM
rfeecs rfeecs is offline
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Default So Many Replicas!

I compiled a short list of replica projects. Unlike Grant's remarkable kits, most of these are using new hardware to mimic the look and feel of the old times:

PDP-1 replica:
http://www.vintage.org/gallery.php?grouptag=PDP1REPLICA
PDP-8 replica:
http://www.vintage.org/gallery.php?grouptag=PDP-8
PDP-8 replica single board computer and front panel replica:
http://www.sparetimegizmos.com/Hardware/SBC6120-2.htm
Apollo Guidance Computer replica:
http://agcreplica.outel.org/
Apple 1, Kim 1 and Altair front panel replicas:
http://www.brielcomputers.com/
Apple 1 replica:
http://www.achatz.nl/catalog/product...&products_id=5
Apple 1 replica:
http://www.bytecollector.com/apple1/
Apple II motherboard replica:
http://www.willegal.net/appleii/appleii-first_page.htm
Apple II on an FPGA:
http://www.mirrow.com/FPGApple/
Altair emulator and front panel replica:
http://www.altair32.com/Altair32FrontPanel.htm
IMSAI front panel version 2:
http://www.imsai.net/products/imsai_series_two.htm
ZALTAIR Z-80 single board computer running CP/M http://www.zaltair.net/:
http://www.ez80sbc.com/index.htm

I'm sure there are many more out there.
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  #2  
Old 03-22-2008, 09:54 PM
Grant Stockly Grant Stockly is offline
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Default

The PDP-1 replica kit was going to be for sale by Sellam. He sells the front panel, switches, PCB, and some linux software that boots off of a CD.

The Apollo guidance computer is pretty cool.

I've never seen the Apple II motherboard replica until now! That's some nice work!

The Zaltair is inside of one of my cases. The Zaltair and the Altair 32 emulator front panel are pretty much the same thing, literally. I'm not sure when it will be finalized, but I have pledged to help make the rear panel of the Altair case compatible with an ATX motherboard and power supply.

Thanks for sharing those links!
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  #3  
Old 03-26-2008, 09:34 PM
sje sje is offline
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Default Pseudo replicas

Most of the replicas mentioned are really pseudo replicas as they replicate original features with modern parts in more compact and simpler configurations. None of them can truly compete with Grant's work as being (almost) true replicas, although Vince Briel's Apple I and Micro-KIM boards come very close.

I'd love to have a real pdp-11/70 machine, but I can't afford the space or the electricity for a two rack, 240 VAC current sucking monster. So a small, single board pseudo replica would be acceptable if it had the same front panel and the same functionality.
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  #4  
Old 03-26-2008, 11:47 PM
Geoff Harrison Geoff Harrison is offline
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Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by sje View Post
Most of the replicas mentioned are really pseudo replicas as they replicate original features with modern parts in more compact and simpler configurations. None of them can truly compete with Grant's work as being (almost) true replicas, although Vince Briel's Apple I and Micro-KIM boards come very close.
Don't discount Mike Willegal's beautiful Apple II replica. Although it doesn't include a case or power supply, the board itself is almost indistinguishable from the original.

Geoff.

Full disclosure: the pictures of the original Rev 0 board on Mike's site are of my machine .
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  #5  
Old 03-27-2008, 05:15 AM
sje sje is offline
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I have a real Apple IIe I bought via a Usenet ad many years ago. Alas, it no longer boots and only displays gibberish on the screen. I never used it much, so it looks like I never get around to diagnosing and repairing it.

My own little project is breadboarding a W65C02S system with a fully functional front panel. Unlike Grant's projects, it isn't a replica of anything; rather, it's just plain retrocomputing. The W65C02S is a fixed up version of the original 6502; it's implemented in CMOS and can be run or stepped at any speed. Well, any speed below 14 MHz. My idea for the front panel is to have it be run by an Atmel AVR (only $14) and include full bus display and 6502 register access. But unlike any front panel machine I've ever seen, it will have a serial link (supplied by the AVR) that will provide a complete remote access facility. Each switch on the panel will be implemented with a momentary contact and so can be operated in "soft mode". The panel could even have an IR photodiode so I can use a handheld IR remote control.

A program load can originate with a typical computer connected to a USB/RS-232 converter that connects to the front panel AVR. At 19,200 bps the typical computer can tell the AVR to load 56 KB of RAM in about 30 seconds with a nice light show as a side benefit.

My idea is to use 64 KB of static RAM but map the upper 8 KB of the memory space to a boot PROM and various I/O chips. (The 6502 uses memory mapped I/O exclusively.) I'm also considering adding a second AVR accessible by the 6502 for I/O, timers, etc. This AVR could also be used to implement a TCP/IP stack and a physical Ethernet connection. Another idea is to have the second AVR run a compact flash card emulation of a disk subsystem.

What else? A non volatile real time clock and calendar chip. Maybe a speaker, and maybe several piezoelectric buzzers of different frequencies. Or an X10 control node. A cassette tape interface, maybe one that controls my little solid state voice recorder and its sixty hours of indexed audio storage. A modem with caller ID support so the machine can hang up on annoying solicitors. Possibly an MP3 player, although I think this would be a bit taxing of the 6502 capabilities. And then there's the obvious possibility of a retro video and keyboard interface. A D/A converter that runs an analog front panel meter that indicates processor utilization. A papertape reader, if only I could find an inexpensive papertape punch.

It may be that the initial breadboard realization won't run at a full 14 MHz, so I'm considering a wirewrap version the second time around. (The great mystery: why do wirewrap chip sockets cost more than some of the chips themselves?) I could eventually produce a two board design (panel on one PCB, 6502 system on the other) although I might need a little help on this. A case and power supply shouldn't cost too much if appropriate off the shelf products can be had cheaply.
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  #6  
Old 04-09-2008, 01:42 PM
Aaron Teeling Aaron Teeling is offline
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Default More kits....

I originally posted this on the Vintage Computer Fourm while asking if anyone was constructing kits. I copy it here for those interested:

Everyone:

Andrew Lynch e-mailed me links to Grant Stockly site (again, outstanding work Grant): www.altairkit.com, Tod Fischer's IMSAI Series 2, www.IMSAI.net, and Mr. Roganti S-100 board reproductions at http://ragooman.home.comcast.net/rog_s-100.html. Thanks again Andrew.

It hasn't been a easy search for hardware and peripherals and hence why I ask. A google search hasn't been very fruitful and if it wasn't for an a thread in Applefritter two years ago, I wouldn't have know about Vince Briel's Replica 1 (which I enjoyed so much I sold it and built another one). Has anyone seen or heard of any European computer kits? BBC Micro or Apricot?

So... with the collective subject authority we have in this forum, please post what you know about available kits here.

COSMAC Elf Reproduction: www.sparetimegizmos.com

Apple-1 and KIM-1 Replicas: http://www.brielcomputers.com/

ZX-81 Kits from England: www.ZX81kit.com

ZX-81 Kits in New York: www.ZebraSystems.com

CF Drives for Apple-1 and Apple II: www.dreher.net

A-One, Apple-1 kit with accessories, Europe: www.achatz.nl

Semi-Virtual Disk (SVD) drive interface, various 80's computers: www.theSVD.com,
(appears as he has stopped shipping units but unclear if he is producing a newer version)
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  #7  
Old 04-10-2008, 12:46 AM
sje sje is offline
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I have one of Vince's Micro-KIM boards and it works as advertised. I'll probably get one of his 32 KB expansion boards to go with it.

----

I'm continuing with my design for a 6502 (W65C02S specifically) system with a classical front panel. I'd probably not bother with this if there were some way of getting a new (kit or built) IMSAI 8080 or Altair 8800b. At the moment I'm waiting for parts. Eventually I'll make the schematic and BOM available.
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  #8  
Old 04-10-2008, 02:46 AM
Geoff Harrison Geoff Harrison is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sje View Post
I'd probably not bother with this if there were some way of getting a new (kit or built) IMSAI 8080 or Altair 8800b.
David Griffith has a fairly nice IMSAI up on eBay right now. No disks, though.

Geoff.
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  #9  
Old 04-10-2008, 08:16 AM
Grant Stockly Grant Stockly is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sje View Post
I have one of Vince's Micro-KIM boards and it works as advertised. I'll probably get one of his 32 KB expansion boards to go with it.

----

I'm continuing with my design for a 6502 (W65C02S specifically) system with a classical front panel. I'd probably not bother with this if there were some way of getting a new (kit or built) IMSAI 8080 or Altair 8800b. At the moment I'm waiting for parts. Eventually I'll make the schematic and BOM available.

What about doing something with the 65C816? There is an affordable 512kbyte SRAM DIP too. You could use the $6 flash chips I used with the 680 to give it 512kbyte of eeprom style flash.
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  #10  
Old 04-10-2008, 05:30 PM
sje sje is offline
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Yes, the W65C816S was considered. And it still could be used in a modified design. But it just doesn't seem sufficiently retro!
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