harshbarj Posted January 11, 2007 Share Posted January 11, 2007 I'm in the process of building a z80 based computer and just wondered if anyone here knows of a good source for z80 asm tutorials or any other online help? I already program in several versions of basic and have been programming in c++ for about 2 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooper Posted January 11, 2007 Share Posted January 11, 2007 A quick google and a little searching got me this: http://www.msxarchive.nl/pub/msx/mirrors/msx2.com/zaks/ No idea if it's any good. There are however several emulators for the Z80 that should allow you to try playing with this without too much worries. Turns out the chapters on the actual PROGRAMMING of the thing are missing. Try these PDFs instead: http://www.msxarchive.nl/pub/msx/mirrors/h...0leventhal1.pdf http://www.msxarchive.nl/pub/msx/mirrors/h...0leventhal2.pdf http://www.msxarchive.nl/pub/msx/mirrors/h...0leventhal3.pdf These parts comprise the Lance Leventhal book "Z80 Assembly Language Programming". Combined with a Z80 assembler you should be good to go. Please keep us posted on your progress. This sounds like a really fun thing to get into, and a great learning esperience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harshbarj Posted January 12, 2007 Author Share Posted January 12, 2007 Thanks. I'll look these over tonight. I'm hoping for a system like the one linked to below. http://www.retroleum.co.uk/z80-v3project.html And here is the video of the final output he got (simply amazing for a home built system with only 64k of ram. looks on par with the c64) Video demo http://web.ukonline.co.uk/p.ruston/2MBboing_with_sound.avi Version 1 of my system will be basic. #1. No sound #2. Simple text only output (likely to be on a 40x4 lcd) #3. simple keypad (or a ps/2 keyboard if i can get the parts) It will be built in a way that adding sound and better video will be as simple as dropping in a new card and re-flashing the rom. Figure I can get my hands on 8-bit isa sockets cheap so I'll use that for a bus (why re-invent the wheel) but it will not be pin compatible to the pc isa bus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kz26 Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 The TI-82/83/84/85/86 calculators are all Z80-based. You might want to try http://www.ticalc.org and see what help you can get. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rFayjW98ciLoNQLDZmFRKD Posted January 14, 2007 Share Posted January 14, 2007 The TI-82/83/84/85/86 calculators are all Z80-based. You might want to try http://www.ticalc.org and see what help you can get. I used to be really big on programing for the calc, but then I moved on to bigger and better languages. I've tried some asm, but I found it too tedious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sneaky_rupert Posted January 14, 2007 Share Posted January 14, 2007 I've tried some asm, but I found it too tedious. You kids these days have no patience :-D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harshbarj Posted January 18, 2007 Author Share Posted January 18, 2007 I'm almost to the point of the first prototype but have hit a snag at the video card. I really want a true card with it's own ram and such but whats the best way to do this? I'm thinking about making the video card a z80 based device on it's own (to do 320X200x16 or even full 480i/p at 256). For now I may just use a 40x4 lcd as they are simple to program and can run off a serial port. Once I finish the schematic I'll post it (perhaps another week, still finding errors). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rFayjW98ciLoNQLDZmFRKD Posted January 18, 2007 Share Posted January 18, 2007 Pictures? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harshbarj Posted January 19, 2007 Author Share Posted January 19, 2007 Pictures? Of what? So far I only have a huge pile of parts and a small book full of notes. Once I have a prototype I'll post pictures (remember prototypes are rarely pretty). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rFayjW98ciLoNQLDZmFRKD Posted January 19, 2007 Share Posted January 19, 2007 remember prototypes are rarely pretty are you kiddding, prototypes are beautiful if they work right Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harshbarj Posted January 25, 2007 Author Share Posted January 25, 2007 Still alive and working. What’s done Power control circuit (was harder than it sounds) Bus (could still get a few changes but I feel it's done) What I'm working on now ps/2 keyboard (sounds simple) ps/2 mouse (even simpler I think :? ) What has yet to be though about video card sound card any programming I am going to build this as an atx board(the first prototype will be just a collection of boards). It will use a standard atx case and power supply. The main board will have the processor and the ps/2 ports plus any serial / parallel ports I decide to include(might just stick with the atx standard of 2 serial and 1 parallel). I'd like the full 64k of ram but I'm not sure how to do this. I know I'm going to need some rom and that will eat into the 64k(thinking 8k rom will be enough). Also what about video memory? can a card have it's own dedicated ram and have no effect on system ram (really thinking of a z80 based video card). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keiyentai Posted February 3, 2007 Share Posted February 3, 2007 Sounds like an awesome project man. I have been wanting to do something similar. Have the parts just need the motivation :? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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