v999qjvc@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu (Mazram I Mahmud) (08/16/90)
greetings, I just got microboard containing CPU,RAM,timer, and Parallel devices made by RCA microsystem and also its specification sheet. I wanted to build small system around this device so that it can communicate with external peripherals (external RAM,cassette,etc). Now, the problems are : 1). The specification sheet doesn't give enough details about CDP 1802 architecture ( bus timing, signal conditioning etc). Do you folks have Technical Manual for this kind of uP or know where can i get one. The address of RCA microsystem is definitely better. 2) This microboard has EPROM expansion built in.(up to 4 Kb) Now, do i have to write rom monitor using C lang. or Assembly. if assembly, is there any kind of Assembly routine for this uP ? System : CDP 1802 by RCA microsystem (microboard CDP 1864) 2 parrallel i/o port. 2.0 Mhz crystal shared by cpu and timer. 1 Kb internal RAM. CPU can address up to 64 Kb. User breadboard area. EPROM expansion capabilities with built in 3 sockets, accepted ROM,PROM. thanx mazram --------------------------------------------------------------------- p/s: I purchased this stuff from ALL Electronics, Cal. If you interested in getting one, please e-mail to above account so that i can provide the addresse and phone number of the company. total system is only $15.00
whit@blake.acs.washington.edu (John Whitmore III) (08/18/90)
In article <32839@eerie.acsu.Buffalo.EDU> v999qjvc@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu writes: > > greetings, > I just got microboard containing CPU,RAM,timer, >and Parallel devices made by RCA... > I wanted to build small system around this device... >Now, the problems are : > > 1). The specification sheet doesn't give enough details about > CDP 1802 architecture ( bus timing, signal conditioning etc). If you can't locate an RCA representative (in the Yellow Pages...) try Harris; they bought most/all of RCA recently. Alternately, there's a good treatment of the 1802 in 'An Introduction to Microprocessors Volume 2: Some Real Microprocessors' by Osborne/McGraw-Hill. > 2) This microboard has EPROM expansion built in.(up to 4 Kb) > Now, do i have to write rom monitor using C lang. or Assembly. > if assembly, is there any kind of Assembly routine for this uP ? > Try to get hold of 'Programmer's Guide to the 1802' by Tom Swan. Hayden Book Company, 1981. ISBN 0-8104-5183-2 This book includes source code for assembler/disassembler for the 1802 (resident, of course, on the 1802...). It will be tricky to get this working, but it should fit easily in the corner of an EPROM. You might also look into ROM-based FORTH for this machine; try posting in COMP.LANG.FORTH. John Whitmore
Chuck_M_Grandgent@cup.portal.com (08/19/90)
Do you realize the vintage of the CDP 1802 ?
I was doing 1802 stuff back in 1978 or 1979.
Also, the recent Jupiter lander from Voyager was 1802-based !
If you really can't find documentation for this chip, please
EMail me, I have original RCA manuals I would be willing to make
copies of.
BTW - I liked this chip.
Compared to 6502 which had only 3 eight-bit registers,
1802 had real 16-bit registers,
and you could change the PC to one of 16 PC values
with a one-byte instruction.
It was ahead of its time, but bad RCA-marketing crippled it.
==================================================
Chuck Grandgent, K1OM
PictureTel Corporation,
Peabody, MA
- K1OM@cup.portal.com
==================================================jeffj@cbnewsm.att.com (jeffrey.n.jones) (08/24/90)
In article <32970@cup.portal.com> Chuck_M_Grandgent@cup.portal.com writes: >Do you realize the vintage of the CDP 1802 ? >I was doing 1802 stuff back in 1978 or 1979. >Also, the recent Jupiter lander from Voyager was 1802-based ! Wasn't there a micro computer kit called the ELF that used the 1802 that you could mail order back around 1979,80? -- Jeff Jones | Prediction is very difficult, especially UUCP uunet!seeker!jeffj | about the future. Infolinc BBS 415-778-5929 | Niels Bohr
dana@lando.la.locus.com (Dana H. Myers) (08/25/90)
In article <1990Aug23.205312.10965@cbnewsm.att.com> jeffj@cbnewsm.att.com (jeffrey.n.jones) writes: >In article <32970@cup.portal.com> Chuck_M_Grandgent@cup.portal.com writes: >>Do you realize the vintage of the CDP 1802 ? >>I was doing 1802 stuff back in 1978 or 1979. >>Also, the recent Jupiter lander from Voyager was 1802-based ! > >Wasn't there a micro computer kit called the ELF that used the 1802 that >you could mail order back around 1979,80? Yes indeed. There were several varieties. The ELF was originally published in Popular Electronics, in 1976 I think. The project was a barebones 1802 with a 'front panel' made of two hex digits and toggle switches. The ELF II was a kit from 'Netronics', a nice PCB based thing with a hex keypad and a two digit hex display. The ELF II also included the RCA video chip. The ELF II was essentially the distillation of the ELF series of articles in Popular Electronics. Once again, memory was limited to 256 bytes, but the Elf II had an expansion bus. I think some interface cards were available. This kit was about $100 in 1977 when I built one. Quest Electronics, I think, had a Super Elf, which had all sorts of advanced features including a BASIC interpreter. I never actually saw on of them... I built the Elf II and taught myself machine language. I was 14 at the time; with only 256 bytes, there wasn't much one could do, but I wrote a Morse code sender (sent CQ on my ham radio with it), and a monitor of sorts (left about 80 free bytes), and a bunch of other little goodies. I still have that machine.... actually, I don't own it, but have lost touch with the owner... maybe he's reading this and will send me e-mail :-) ***************************************************************** * Dana H. Myers KK6JQ | Views expressed here are * * (213) 337-5136 (ex WA6ZGB) | mine and do not necessarily * * dana@locus.com | reflect those of my employer * *****************************************************************
Chuck_M_Grandgent@cup.portal.com (08/28/90)
Yes, there was the COSMAC ELF, from a company called Netronics. I was doing IBM System III's in RPG, and I talked my boss into buying me one of the ELF systems for maybe $200. The company was out in Western Connecticut, I can't remember the town (I was NW CT-based). The company was located in a building that used to be a motorcycle shop. It was a nice system, I had a lot of fun with it, and expanded it greatly. RCA was selling the COSMAC VIP system, which was very similar. There were some nice interpreters for the system for designing simple games. The video was DMA-based, so updating memory updated the simple video display. I probably ended up spending almost as much for that system as I did for my 286-based system.... ============================================================ Chuck Grandgent, PictureTel Corporation Peabody, Mass k1om@cup.portal.com =========================================================
johnson@dover.dab.ge.com (Christopher Johnson) (08/29/90)
You're exactly right, Dana. I own a Quest Super Elf from circa 1979. It was my first computer, and it was a neat little machine. The RCA 1802 had an elegance that was not matched until the Moto 68K, with its 16, 16-bit registers. My system was decked out to 32K dynamic, 6K graphics (same chip as TRS-80 CoCo), cassette storage (shudder), BASIC (from cassette), and lots of homemade I/O toys. But I started with 1/4 Kbyte (and you'd be surprised what you could do in 1/4K ;-) ) Those little systems are *GREAT* teachers of digital electronics and computer architecture, even today. <melancholy off> Cheers!