andrew@motto.UUCP (Andrew Walduck) (04/12/90)
I'm looking for information about homebrew systems that people are using to run MINIX that are based around the 680[2,3,4]0 processors. I'm looking for stories, advice, schematics, how-to, dreams etc. Why?? Does a 68030 system running Minix appeal to you?? Especially if it can be done cheaper than a PC? It could be a "generic" (if there can be such a thing ;-) MINIX machine. Totally non-proprietary, totally public-domain. If you're interested, send mail, or post. Thanx. Andrew Walduck andrew@motto.UUCP
meo@stiatl.UUCP (Miles O'Neal) (04/13/90)
andrew@motto.UUCP (Andrew Walduck) writes: | |Does a 68030 system running Minix appeal to you?? Especially if it can |be done cheaper than a PC? It could be a "generic" (if there can be |such a thing ;-) MINIX machine. Totally non-proprietary, totally |public-domain. Don't run off just because I say the N-word - this may still be applicable. There's a group doing just that, except it's with a NS532 chip set. They are now running the second set of production boards - set up for 6 serial ports, *2* SCSI channels, and room for 4 to 32 (I think) MB of RAM, with or without parity (board-selectable). Even though the 2 chips are somewhat different, it might make a good starting point. In fact, if the two groups worked together (C part of the drivers and such), things could move even quicker! They also have some good lines on all the various parts, including SCSI drives you would need. -Miles O'Neal meo@SalesTech.com emory!stiatl!meo This posting involves no company proprietary information. My employer & I speak for ourselves, not each other. Trust me.
zaft@suned1.Navy.MIL (Gordon C Zaft) (04/13/90)
In article <105@motto.UUCP> andrew@motto.UUCP (Andrew Walduck) writes: >I'm looking for information about homebrew systems that people are using >to run MINIX that are based around the 680[2,3,4]0 processors. >Andrew Walduck >andrew@motto.UUCP What's wrong with the Unix PC (TM) ? It's a 68010, it's already out there, and it's running a REAL operating system. Furthermore, it can be had for not too much money. -- + Gordon Zaft | zaft@suned1.nswses.navy.mil + + NSWSES, Code 4Y33 | suned1!zaft@elroy.jpl.nasa.gov + + Port Hueneme, CA | Phone: (805) 982-0684 + + These opinions are mine, the Navy doesn't pay me to have opinions for it. +
rainer@boulder.Colorado.EDU (Rainer Malzbender) (04/13/90)
The response about the Unix PC was appropriate, but having built several homebrew 68000 machines I for one would love to see a public-domain hardware project. Schematics would be available (in different formats) on the net, pcb's would be available at cost, and it would run something like Minix. It would be nice to use available peripherals (multisync monitors, SCSI drives, etc.) I know some outfit sells 68K motherboards that then use the PC bus and some of its controller cards, but this seems unnecessary. You could pretty easily do a motherboard with an '030, SCSI controller, 1024 x 768 (say) color graphics (256/16M), built in ethernet, wads of ram using SIMM/SIP's. One issue that needs careful thought is the bus - the PC bus is cheap, but inadequate, and better stuff like VME, NuBus, etc. is probably too expensive (ever buy a Mupac VME chassis ???) Oh yeah, it's got to have CD-quality sound and a DSP on board, and a transputer interface. Then we'll spend the next five years writing code for the beast, at which time HAL Systems will come out with the $1000 1000 mips, 100 mflops pocket PC and make us gnash our teeth. Free Hardware Foundation :-) -- Rainer M. Malzbender Just another Unix/C demagogue. Dept. of Physics (303)492-6829 rainer@hibachi.colorado.edu U. of Colorado, Boulder, USA malzbender@opus.vaxf.colorado.edu
garlick@csuchico.edu (Jim Garlick) (04/13/90)
This is wierd, but aren't there literally tons of S100 IO cards and busses out there that can be had for next-to-nothing? And wouldn't it be possible to put a 68030, SCSI interface, and SIMM sockets on one board, so the slow bus bandwidth need only be used for talking to serial cards, eprom programers, fdc's, and all that other old junk that everybody's throwing away? Remember those old Northstar Horizon's? Didn't they have nice boxes? We could port gcc, mach...
marc@lakesys.lakesys.com (Marc Rassbach) (04/15/90)
If people are really intereded in this type of project, might I suggest
you contact Lee Felsenstein at lee@Well. He had a similar project back
in 1985.
The s-100 idea for the serial/parallel/io is a good idea. But why not
2 buses? One for the 68x00, one for the I/O (like serial)
--
Marc Rassbach marc@lakesys If you take my advice, that
"I can't C with my AI closed" is your problem, not mine!
If it was said on UseNet, it must be true.
Unix - It's a nice place to live, but you don't want to visit there.pa1562@sdcc13.ucsd.edu (C. SQuibby Breyman) (04/15/90)
In article <1990Apr12.233111.3455@csuchico.edu> garlick@csuchico.edu (Jim Garlick) writes: >This is wierd, but aren't there literally tons of S100 IO cards and >busses out there that can be had for next-to-nothing? [...] Yes, but do you really want to put the effort into designing something with such a limited future. Additionally, the procurement of replacements (or even standard equipment) would dwarf the present hassles with cross-preiph compatibility. Do you like writing device drivers that much? ISA seems that it is fairly easy to get info on, it has a big user & developer base. Isn't volume production rather than obsolecence a better route to lower cost? Sinc, C. Squibby Breyman