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From: ifarqhar@mqccsunc.mqcc.mq.OZ (Ian Farquhar)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Re: 1802 et al.
Summary: Are old MPU's a collector's item.
Message-ID: <138@macuni.mqcc.mq.oz>
Date: 21 Jan 90 10:45:15 GMT
References: <3218@uceng.UC.EDU> <914@xroads.UUCP> <1874@neoucom.UUCP> <78519@psuecl.bitnet>
Sender: news@macuni.mqcc.mq.oz
Reply-To: ifarqhar@mqccsunc.mq.oz (Ian Farquhar)
Organization: Macquarie University, Sydney
Lines: 51

In article <78519@psuecl.bitnet> peg@psuecl.bitnet (PAUL E. GANTER) writes:
>> The Z-80 and the ubiquitous 6502 are available for just a couple of
>> dollars and are quite easy to assemble into simple systems.  There
>> are a lot of books tageted at the two aforementioned chips.  The
>> 65C02 is nice to work with because the desing is fully static and
>> does not have any maximum durations on clock states.

An interesting point about old MPU's is that they tend to become very
cheap, and then get expensive.  For instance, the 4004 is almost a
collector's item nowadays, and the 8080 is going that way.  As the Z-80
and 6502 are still used in imbedded applications (the Sega system uses
the Z-80, as do hundreds of terminals) then they will stick about for a
few years yet.

[Deleted some about the 6802 and 6803]

>Finally, the 6802 is similar to the 01/03/701, but has no serial port or
>timer.
>
>Although these MCU's are rather slow (1.25MHz max--I've never tried pushing
>them), they are easy and fun to use.  I use them now in lots of projects,
>and I have Z-80 and 6500 series stuff lying unused.

Not really, the BBC Micro has a 6502 running at 2 MHz, and the new Atari
Lynx has a custom 6502 + ??? that runs at 4 MHz.

>If you want additional info., get in touch.  I will supply schematics
>for a simple 6803 system to you or anyone interested--even though you
>will learn a lot figuring it out yourself!!

I'm interested.  How could I get this?

You know, in ten years time we may have a man holding a small 40 pin
chip saying: "You know, there used to be millions of these little
TMS1000's, but this may be the last one left... I'll sell it for twenty
grand..."  :-)



All hail Saint Fubar, parton saint of computer programmers.

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