Has anyone created a copy machine of an old system using an FPGA? I was wondering if it would be possible to take an entire SWTPC 6800 and compile the schematics and have it run on an FPGA board.? Wouldn't even have to be the latest Xylinx product, I suspect.
using an FPGA to emulate a vintage computer
Started by ●February 5, 2010
Summary
This thread discusses the feasibility and existing examples of using FPGAs to replicate vintage computer systems, specifically the SWTPC 6800.
This thread discusses the feasibility and existing examples of using FPGAs to replicate vintage computer systems, specifically the SWTPC 6800. Participants explore whether to aim for functional equivalence or internal structural replication while providing numerous resources for established retro-computing projects.
The consensus is that most 8-bit and even some 16-bit era systems can easily fit onto entry-level FPGAs, though documentation and software preservation remain the primary challenges for older "mainframe" class machines.
- Several contributors highlighted successful FPGA clones of the Atari ST, Apple II, Amiga 500 (Minimig), and MSX2.
- The SWTPC 6809 has already been synthesized by John Kent using Xilinx FPGAs in the System09 project.
- Documentation for 'heroic era' machines like the Atlas or Stretch is the biggest hurdle for authentic structural replication.
- Modern low-cost FPGA development boards like the Spartan-3E are considered more than sufficient for 8-bit computer logic.
Retro-computingSystem-on-Chip (SoC)Xilinx SpartanDigital Archeology
Reply by ●February 5, 20102010-02-05
On 05/02/2010 18:19, in article badc12c3-cb2b-4ce9-9543-237d60fc22d5@o8g2000vbm.googlegroups.com, "Eric Chomko" <pne.chomko@comcast.net> wrote:> Has anyone created a copy machine of an old system using an FPGA? I > was wondering if it would be possible to take an entire SWTPC 6800 and > compile the schematics and have it run on an FPGA board.? Wouldn't > even have to be the latest Xylinx product, I suspect.I think such a project would valuable, and perhaps even more valuable if it aimed to recreate a machine of the "heroic" era -- a 7094, an Atlas, or a KDF9, say. Perhaps even a Stretch. KDF9 had about 20K transistors, a few K logic transformers, and a comparable number of diodes; less than 50K devices in total. I imagine this would be easily accommodated on a modern FPGA. The big question would be whether to go for functional equivalence, or whether to try to replicate the original internal structures. Documentation would be the main challenge for the latter. -- Bill Findlay <surname><forename> chez blueyonder.co.uk
Reply by ●February 5, 20102010-02-05
["Followup-To:" set to comp.arch.fpga.] Eric Chomko <pne.chomko@comcast.net> wrote:> Has anyone created a copy machine of an old system using an FPGA? I > was wondering if it would be possible to take an entire SWTPC 6800 and > compile the schematics and have it run on an FPGA board.? Wouldn't > even have to be the latest Xylinx product, I suspect.There are several such projects, eg. this Atari ST clone: http://www.experiment-s.de/en/ so most systems from the 8-bit era should be no problem at all. cu Michael
Reply by ●February 5, 20102010-02-05
On Fri, 5 Feb 2010 10:19:25 -0800 (PST), Eric Chomko <pne.chomko@comcast.net> wrote: |Has anyone created a copy machine of an old system using an FPGA? I |was wondering if it would be possible to take an entire SWTPC 6800 and |compile the schematics and have it run on an FPGA board.? Wouldn't |even have to be the latest Xylinx product, I suspect. John Kent has done a lot of work using Xilinx chips and synthesizing a 6809 version of the SWTPC onto a chip. See his webpage here http://members.optusnet.com.au/jekent/system09/ There is also a yahoo group that is centered around the Tandy CoCO3 on a Digilent Spartan 3 starter board with the XC3S1000 chip option. The yahoo group is known as CoCo3fpga I think. james
Reply by ●February 5, 20102010-02-05
In comp.arch.fpga Eric Chomko <pne.chomko@comcast.net> wrote:> Has anyone created a copy machine of an old system using an FPGA? I > was wondering if it would be possible to take an entire SWTPC 6800 and > compile the schematics and have it run on an FPGA board.? Wouldn't > even have to be the latest Xylinx product, I suspect.I haven't done it yet, but I am interested. I have a Digilent Spartan3E board for that purpose. I think it is big enough for the whole system for many of those machines. -- glen
Reply by ●February 5, 20102010-02-05
Eric Chomko wrote:> Has anyone created a copy machine of an old system using an FPGA? I > was wondering if it would be possible to take an entire SWTPC 6800 and > compile the schematics and have it run on an FPGA board.? Wouldn't > even have to be the latest Xylinx product, I suspect.No fpga, but same idea: http://www.grc.com/pdp-8/pdp-8.htm -- Mike Treseler
Reply by ●February 5, 20102010-02-05
"Eric Chomko" <pne.chomko@comcast.net> wrote in message news:badc12c3-cb2b-4ce9-9543-237d60fc22d5@o8g2000vbm.googlegroups.com...> Has anyone created a copy machine of an old system using an FPGA?There have recently been some discussions along these lines in the comp.lang.modula2 newsgroup regarding different ways of re-implementing a Lilith. Also MiniMig is an Amiga 500 re-implemented using an FPGA. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minimig -- Chris Burrows CFB Software http://www.cfbsoftware.com/modula2
Reply by ●February 5, 20102010-02-05
Eric Chomko wrote:> Has anyone created a copy machine of an old system using an FPGA? I > was wondering if it would be possible to take an entire SWTPC 6800 and > compile the schematics and have it run on an FPGA board.? Wouldn't > even have to be the latest Xylinx product, I suspect.I did. Some 8 years ago. http://alexfreed.com/FPGApple/ And then a few other vintage computers. -Alex. --- news://freenews.netfront.net/ - complaints: news@netfront.net ---
Reply by ●February 6, 20102010-02-06
"Mike Treseler" <mtreseler@gmail.com> wrote in message news:7t3rmlFhriU1@mid.individual.net...> Eric Chomko wrote: >> Has anyone created a copy machine of an old system using an FPGA? I >> was wondering if it would be possible to take an entire SWTPC 6800 and >> compile the schematics and have it run on an FPGA board.? Wouldn't >> even have to be the latest Xylinx product, I suspect. > > No fpga, but same idea: > http://www.grc.com/pdp-8/pdp-8.htmLooking at the PDP8 picture brings back bad memories of me helping to clear out the computer lab at my old University which was full of PDP8 and PDP11, it all went into the skip......;-( Hans www.ht-lab.com> > > -- Mike Treseler
Reply by ●February 6, 20102010-02-06
On 5 Feb, 18:19, Eric Chomko <pne.cho...@comcast.net> wrote:> Has anyone created a copy machine of an old system using an FPGA? I > was wondering if it would be possible to take an entire SWTPC 6800 and > compile the schematics and have it run on an FPGA board.? Wouldn't > even have to be the latest Xylinx product, I suspect.Like Alex Freed this person made an Apple 2 on FPGA http://www.cs.columbia.edu/~sedwards/apple2fpga/ An amazing project however one looks at it. The power consumption figures are interesting. James
