Shop OBEX P1 Docs P2 Docs Learn Events
A long way to the P2 — Parallax Forums

A long way to the P2

ErNaErNa Posts: 1,752
in General Discussion

I just read that March, 1971 the 4004 was announced. That 50 years now.
As I tried to find a link I got this hit: Elektronic News.
To me it's a surprise, as it' my 19th birthday. Didn't know it. I never saw a real one, just an 8008 and worked with an early 8080. So March is just nine month before November ;-)
The story of the 4004

Comments

  • DigitalBobDigitalBob Posts: 1,513

    I think I have a copy of the 4004 die artwork

  • Buck RogersBuck Rogers Posts: 2,187

    @ErNa said:
    I just read that March, 1971 the 4004 was announced. That 50 years now.
    As I tried to find a link I got this hit: Elektronic News.
    To me it's a surprise, as it' my 19th birthday. Didn't know it. I never saw a real one, just an 8008 and worked with an early 8080. So March is just nine month before November ;-)
    The story of the 4004

    It is still amazing. And here we are.

  • Francis BauerFrancis Bauer Posts: 369
    edited 2021-03-21 06:54

    I have a number of working Intel 4004 and 4040 microprocessors and their various support chips.

    When I started working in the Electronics industry back in 1977, I worked for an Electronic Scale manufacturer (NCI), who used Intel 4004 microprocessors in their early versions of their counting scales. I have a working version of one of those scales:

    Back in 2016 @AV_Tech/avretro created a Intel 4004 based robot that used a Propeller P1 to be the ROM emulator for the Intel 4004 microprocessor. By using the Propeller P1 it made it a lot easier to update/change code for the Intel 4004, rather than burning EPROMs. So AV_tech/avretro's project combined the old with the new. Here's another reference to the robot

  • JonnyMacJonnyMac Posts: 9,156

    Note that the sample sizes are powers of two -- makes division easy with right shifts.

  • Buck RogersBuck Rogers Posts: 2,187

    Now here is an idea, what about having the Prop, work at supporting the programming for an Intel I8008? As it happens I have a couple here. Never did anything with them because of time constraints.

  • Francis BauerFrancis Bauer Posts: 369

    @JonnyMac said:
    Note that the sample sizes are powers of two -- makes division easy with right shifts.

    Yes, powers of two certainly make things simpler when working with binary computers.

    A 4-bit micro-processor did reduce the overall component count of the scale, but there is still a fair amount of electronics in it:

  • Cluso99Cluso99 Posts: 18,069

    Classic pcbs of the day, complete with mod wires :)

  • PublisonPublison Posts: 12,366
    edited 2021-03-22 13:18

    I still have two 4004's and two 8008's but they are 800 miles away otherwise I would take a picture.

  • Buck RogersBuck Rogers Posts: 2,187

    I have here three 8008s, and pictures are allowed but only if the lucky number who started this would want me to do so.

  • Cluso99Cluso99 Posts: 18,069
    edited 2021-03-22 22:12

    I have a handful of 8008’s. Unfortunately they are some distance away in a landfill, along with Z80’s, etc, etc :(

  • PublisonPublison Posts: 12,366

    @Cluso99 said:
    I have a handful of 8008’s. Unfortunately they are some distance away in a landfill, along with Z80’s, etc, etc :(

    Sad, 8008 are worth a few dollars on Ebay. I used to get $125US when I had a tube of 12.

  • Cluso99Cluso99 Posts: 18,069

    @Publison said:

    @Cluso99 said:
    I have a handful of 8008’s. Unfortunately they are some distance away in a landfill, along with Z80’s, etc, etc :(

    Sad, 8008 are worth a few dollars on Ebay. I used to get $125US when I had a tube of 12.

    I bet I paid more than US$125 ea in the 70's and that's without inflation. But I realised by the time I bought all the other bits to build my micro it was cheaper to use the 6800, and by the time I actually built it I used the 6802. In the meantime I'd bought the Motorola D1 and then the D2 kits. I kitted out the D1 with a 4KB SRAM and a 6845 controller to a Motorola 5"?? video monitor and a keyboard, and "butchered" a set of interface boards into my ICL mini. Oh the "fun" days!

  • frank freedmanfrank freedman Posts: 1,983
    edited 2021-03-28 23:37

    OH C'mon guys, between my and my IMSAI and Signetics 2650 and all of the above thread, we are starting to sound like inmates er, I mean residents in an assisted living facility... NOT READY FOR THAT YET!!!!!! See me in 30 years!! (90s I hope) .

    At least we're not on to the my medical condition is ___ more than yours......

  • Buck RogersBuck Rogers Posts: 2,187

    @"frank freedman" said:
    OH C'mon guys, between my and my IMSAI and Signetics 2650 and all of the above thread, we are starting to sound like inmates er, I mean residents in an assisted living facility... NOT READY FOR THAT YET!!!!!! See me in 30 years!! (90s I hope) .

    At least we're not on to the my medical condition is ___ more than yours......

    Hello!
    I agree. Besides, what else can we talk about? An IMSAI? Wow. A Signetics 2650?!? Now I am almost jealous.

    Mascot asleep.

    "Don't stand there! That's a Yeti trail.", attributed to the Second Doctor.

Sign In or Register to comment.