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I've always wanted to build my own computer system from "scratch", at least to the level of using ICs & the circuit design. I'm not looking to wire wrap individual transistors here lol. I've previously built a Z80-based system, but since I'm mainly a C/C++ programmer I quickly reached the limitations of a 64k address space.
 
I've always wanted to build my own computer system from "scratch", at least to the level of using ICs & the circuit design. I'm not looking to wire wrap individual transistors here lol. I've previously built a Z80-based system, but since I'm mainly a C/C++ programmer I quickly reached the limitations of a 64k address space.
  
So, this time around I'm designing a 32-bit system with 24-bit (16MB) address bus. I'll be publishing schematics and PCB information as the design progresses and documenting as much as possible here on this wiki.  
+
So, this time around I'm designing a 32-bit system with 24-bit (16MB) address bus. I'll be publishing schematics and PCB information as the design progresses and documenting as much as possible here on this wiki. I will be using "human-friendly" chips and sockets as much as possible with 0.100" (2.54mm) pin spacing, I want this design to be able to be reproduced and built by real people and not just soldering experts and machines.
  
 
==Hardware==
 
==Hardware==
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==Software==
 
==Software==
[[Software:Bootloader|Bootloader]]
+
[[Software:Bootloader|Bootloader]]<br />
[[Software:OS|Operating System/Kernel]]
+
[[Software:OS|Operating System/Kernel]]<br />
[[Software:Updater|Updater]]
+
[[Software:Updater|Updater]]<br />
  
 
==Potential Toolchains==
 
==Potential Toolchains==
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==Licensing==
 
==Licensing==
 +
Everything (information, schematics, designs, etc.) on this site is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License version 3.0 unless otherwise noted. More information on this license can be found here: [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/].
  
 
==Other Sources==
 
==Other Sources==

Revision as of 05:15, 9 March 2011

The Motorola 68000 Homebrew Computer Project

History of the Project

I've always wanted to build my own computer system from "scratch", at least to the level of using ICs & the circuit design. I'm not looking to wire wrap individual transistors here lol. I've previously built a Z80-based system, but since I'm mainly a C/C++ programmer I quickly reached the limitations of a 64k address space.

So, this time around I'm designing a 32-bit system with 24-bit (16MB) address bus. I'll be publishing schematics and PCB information as the design progresses and documenting as much as possible here on this wiki. I will be using "human-friendly" chips and sockets as much as possible with 0.100" (2.54mm) pin spacing, I want this design to be able to be reproduced and built by real people and not just soldering experts and machines.

Hardware

* Note: throughout this site if I use MB/KB/etc. I mean Megabyte/Kilobyte/etc. I will use Mbit/Kbit for Megabits/Kilobits.

CPU - Motorola 68000
ROM - 1MB
RAM - 12MB
Memory Map

Software

Bootloader
Operating System/Kernel
Updater

Potential Toolchains

GCC 4.5.2 [1] + Binutils 2.21 [2]

Licensing

Everything (information, schematics, designs, etc.) on this site is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License version 3.0 unless otherwise noted. More information on this license can be found here: [3].

Other Sources

Documentation & Tutorials

Microprocessor College Lectures: These are good starting point for those new to 68000 hardware design, busses, etc. The good stuff starts around lesson 7 or 8.

Similar Projects

N8VEM: Homebrew Computer Project: Open source design using a Z80 CPU and Eurocard backplane for expansion. Also includes M68K CPU boards and S-100 bus versions.