| Author | Message | |||
     Anonymous |
Mr. Simon I am a great fan of yours. And I would like to ask you how to make a simple computer. | |||
| Simon Quellen Field (Sfield) |
I design and build tiny computers for fun. My favorite processor at this time is the Atmel, but if you are not yet a proficient assembly language programmer, I would suggest looking into the Basic Stamp from Parallax Inc.. | |||
| Anonymous |
Simon, could you teach us how to create a computer and then slowly give instructions to how to improve our computer. | |||
| William Beaty |
Maybe this is way too advanced a topic... but I've always wanted to actually create a computer, rather than programming something like the PIC or AVR. Some engineers have done this by emulating the old 6502 or 8080 computer chips using gate array FPGA chips. But that's for adults only. And besides, it's cheating! Instead use single transistors or even relays. Or TTL/CMOS chips, if you really must. (Cover your scratchbuilt computer circuits with LEDs, so it will look like that computer in old episodes of Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea!) At it's center, a computer is like the timer on your washing machine. The little man in the CPU just turns on five signal wires, one after the other, over and over. Then you add an extra input wire that tells him to activate five different wires instead. Then add more. Then connect some of the outputs to the inputs, and visions of "Gilligan's Island" computer technology dance in your head. Add rotating drums with aluminum foil dots. Mauchly would be proud. See: http://www.tu-harburg.de/~setb0209/cpu/4bit.html http://members.iinet.net.au/~daveb/simplex/simplex.html | |||
| Anonymous |
its | |||
| Jeff Costigan Unregistered guest |
The Paper Clip Computer - realized with Relays ! The Arkray from 1968 used such . Or the Minivac 601, from 1962 . .  | |||
| MadScientist (madscientist) Intermediate Member Username: madscientist Post Number: 37 Registered: 4-2005 |
the fun part here is the memory! heh.. Even storing something small such as your full name requires loads of transistors (using RS Flip-Flop design), particularly if you want it to be stored in compliance with the ASCII standard! It would take a set of 16 for each character (and thats excluding control circuitry!). I always thought it would be cool to make one of those scrolling marquees using nothing but transistors for the entire project. Imagine the size of such a device! The best part would be programming each letter into the memory in binary using toggle switches.  | |||
| fol67 (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted From: 207.118.226.25 |
i make computers for fun what i like to do is use cell phone cpus ust a thought :-) | |||
| Troy (Pharoah) Junior Member Username: Pharoah Post Number: 8 Registered: 3-2006 |
I have been looking to try to make the paperclip computer. Does anyone know where I can get the book "How to build a working digital computer" ? | |||
| Harris Sh (Pyrohaz) New member Username: Pyrohaz Post Number: 1 Registered: 8-2006 |
Hi i know a website that tells you step by step about making a pretty simple computer which uses electromagnets and steel plates the website is called http://howcomputers.com or if you want it in a book go to www.geocities.com/thinkorrr/howcomputerswork/p1.html hope it helps :-)
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| Harris Sh (Pyrohaz) Member Username: Pyrohaz Post Number: 11 Registered: 8-2006 |
Hey, Also i cant be bothered at the mo. to do the post that i have done above (too time consuming!) but you say that you knowhow to make computers using ATMEL and stuff, but do you know how to make a really simple computer using a PIC kind of chip? also, what really is the point for these kind of computers? Lastly, where can you get single-board computers from? I cant afford nano/mini ITX stuff!;p Thanks Haz | |||
| Michael A D (Myemailuser) Junior Member Username: Myemailuser Post Number: 4 Registered: 1-2008 |
I am decent at assmbley. What is it, Simon, that you said you did? |
PDF file of the booklet