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What is a breadboard computer?
A thin plastic board used to hold electronic components (transistors, resistors, chips, etc.) that are wired together. Used to develop prototypes of electronic circuits, breadboards can be reused for future jobs. They can be used to create one-of-a-kind systems but rarely become commercial products.
Can you make a computer with a breadboard?
While it’s best to learn to pick up this skill at some point, it’s not always necessary, even for big, complicated projects like [DerULF1]’s full 8-bit computer that he built entirely on breadboards. For a fully featured 8-bit computer, this build goes deep into the details of how the computer works.
What is a 6502 computer?
The MOS Technology 6502 (typically pronounced “sixty-five-oh-two” or “six-five-oh-two”) is an 8-bit microprocessor that was designed by a small team led by Chuck Peddle for MOS Technology.
How does an 8-bit computer work?
8-bit CPUs use an 8-bit data bus and can therefore access 8 bits of data in a single machine instruction. The address bus is typically a double octet (16 bits) wide, due to practical and economical considerations. This implies a direct address space of 64 KB (65,536 bytes) on most 8-bit processors.
Is 6502 still used?
It’s Still in Production These are being used in all sorts of commercial devices, including external sound interfaces from companies like MOTU, medical devices and scanners, hand-held games and more. Bill Mensch is one of the holders of the 6502 patent, so who better to work on it today than him.
Can a full 8 bit computer be built on a breadboard?
While it’s best to learn to pick up this skill at some point, it’s not always necessary, even for big, complicated projects like [DerULF1]’s full 8-bit computer that he built entirely on breadboards. For a fully featured 8-bit computer, this build goes deep into the details of how the computer works.
What kind of power supply do I need for breadboard computer?
If you’re interested in following along with my 8-bit breadboard computer videos and building your own, I’ve assembled kits that include all of the components I used in the videos, including the Arduino nano (used to program the LED and control EEPROMs) and a 5 volt power supply. It’s a challenging but extremely rewarding project.
Why did Ben Eater make a breadboard computer?
The build was inspired by some of [Ben Eater]’s projects which famously focus on using logic gates and TTL chips to perform complex tasks, such as another breadboard computer which plays snake on a small display. It’s certainly a great way to learn about the inner function of computers, and better still that no soldering is required.
Do you need breadboards to make a video?
If you’d like to start without committing to the entire project, you can also just get the individual kits: All of these kits include the high quality breadboards and other components that I use in the videos. I’ve found that high quality breadboards are important for such a large project with many connections.