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Propeller in a RetroChallenge project — Parallax Forums

Propeller in a RetroChallenge project

GranzGranz Posts: 179
edited 2011-07-11 04:38 in Propeller 1
For anyone who may be interested in RetroComputing:

retrochallenge.granzeier.com

Not a lot about the Prop, yet. I need to get the ET-3400 upgraded first. Give me a few days and the Prop will become the main attraction.

Hope you enjoy it.

Comments

  • potatoheadpotatohead Posts: 10,261
    edited 2011-07-07 21:54
    I like your write up so far.
  • GranzGranz Posts: 179
    edited 2011-07-08 12:49
    Thanks, I should have the 32K upgrade done tomorrow and then I put the PIA in so that I can interface to the Prop.

    Stay tuned for next time, same Prop time, same Prop channel...
  • Oldbitcollector (Jeff)Oldbitcollector (Jeff) Posts: 8,091
    edited 2011-07-08 13:13
    Wish I had time to enter the Retro Challenge this year, it's a lot of fun..

    @Granz, I'll be watching your progress! Here's to obtaining the prize this year with a Propeller! :)

    OBC
  • GranzGranz Posts: 179
    edited 2011-07-09 19:02
    Thanks, Jeff. It's not so much that I have a lot of time, but that I have decided that this is important to my business. I need to get practice with blogging, so that I can start blogging about projects. Then, in those projects, I can point to my store and offer a kit or collection of parts for the project to help the hobbyist complete the project. I was inspired by Nick and others on this forum.

    Like you, though, I do enjoy Retro Computing, and this is a good way to get in practice. And, I intend to bring this to UPENE to show it off there.

    Also, the 32K RAM upgrade is in and working fine. Schematic is attached to the blog.
  • HumanoidoHumanoido Posts: 5,770
    edited 2011-07-10 08:42
    Granz, Very nice! I did some work with the H89/Z89 in those days for businesses, developing their hardware and software apps. I'm more into retro-computing with the RCA CDP 1802 MPU having home brewed from a chip, parts and KCTS. Also did expansions with 4K RAM, ascii keyboard, video, TV, HEX pad, HEX display, etc. I never thought about connecting a prop to it though... :)
  • HShankoHShanko Posts: 402
    edited 2011-07-10 09:06
    There may be several of us members who had worked/played with the 1802. Like 25-30 years ago. In southern CA there was the ELF club that met at the Burbank High School. Lot of changes since then.
  • GranzGranz Posts: 179
    edited 2011-07-10 20:20
    Humanoido wrote: »
    Granz, Very nice! I did some work with the H89/Z89 in those days for businesses, developing their hardware and software apps. I'm more into retro-computing with the RCA CDP 1802 MPU having home brewed from a chip, parts and KCTS. Also did expansions with 4K RAM, ascii keyboard, video, TV, HEX pad, HEX display, etc. I never thought about connecting a prop to it though... :)

    Personally, I think that a Prop would have been a great addition to the Altair 8800, or a COSMAC Elf. I did not add a Prop to my computers back then, because I had not discovered it at that time, but if I had it would have been great! :tongue: From what I have heard, when Chip was testing the more recent prototype of the P-II, his watch started running backwards. If he applied full power, he could sell a whole bunch of Props to the people who bought computers back then.
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    edited 2011-07-11 04:38
    Granz,
    ...when Chip was testing the more recent prototype of the P-II, his watch started running backwards.

    I notice this phenomena with the Prop I already a few years back. During my first ever experiments with the Prop my clock started running backwards. Thinking my time piece was busted I didn't realize the dire situation I was in and continued. Before I knew it all I could hear was Lynyrd Skynyrd blasting out Free Bird. My screen had gone all green and the Prop had turned itself into a Z80 computer running CP/M 2. http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php?110804-ZiCog-a-Zilog-Z80-emulator-in-1-Cog

    Something was eerily strange though, not quite right, this CP/M computer was much small than anything I had seen before, http://hackaday.com/2009/12/27/zilog-in-a-matchbox/

    In a panic I cut the power to the Prop. Instantly the Skynard faded and my screen went back to it's normal Debian Linux. But wait a minute what's this? A couple of years have gone by in a flash, I've lost my job, my wife has left me and my children are about to have me committed.

    I have kept this experience a secret until today, I always tell my friends and family that I was busy writing an emulation of a historic microprocessor from long ago. They still look at me sideways though.

    Recently I have noticed that others on this forum have been a victim of this same time travel phenomena:

    Pullmoll for example: http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php?121579-qZ80-the-third-shot
    and again with a NASCOM machine:
    http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php?122017-Nascom-Z80-system

    Look around and you will find 6502 emulations, original 8085 Space Invaders and other examles of this Propeller time warp effect.

    People should be warned, start playing with the Propeller and you will soon find yourself in a Twighlight Zone of your own imagination which could have dire consequences for your well being. The toll can only get worse with the Prop II. Luckily there is a substantial self help group here on the forum.

    Secretly, late at night, when nobody can notice I sometimes fire up my Prop and take a trip back to the 1970s...

    As my old sig used to say:

    "For me, the past is not over yet"
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