Recreated 80s Development System

[deanb01]

I've just recreated the Spectrum/Amstrad development system I used in the late 80s at Software Creations. This used a Tatung Einstein as the development system running Mike Webb's Z80 assembler. The assembled code was transferred by serial or parallel interface to the target machine (Spectrum/Amstrad).

Had to make a Z80 PIO board for the Spectrum. On Veroboard for that authentic 80s aesthetic.

Anyway, finally got the system working end-to-end this afternoon. I've blogged about it in three posts here.

http://www.breakintoprogram.co.uk/categ ... g-einstein

[fatbob_gb]

Looks interesting - I might have to get my soldering iron out.

[Preppie]

Just read your blog, very interesting.

How did you do 6502 cross dev? Was the assembler written in house (I haven't seen one around) or was it via CPM? Are you going to show us a C64 link?

[deanb01]

How did you do 6502 cross dev? Was the assembler written in house (I haven't seen one around) or was it via CPM? Are you going to show us a C64 link?

The assemblers were written in house by Mike Webb initially. I'm going to work on the C64 link after RetroFest 2024 when I've got a bit more spare time - need to service my C64 first.

[deanb01]

There's a bit more information in my Git, including the schematic - I'll be posting the source for the Tatung editor/assemblers for Z80 and 6502 there at some point over the next month or so when I get time.

https://github.com/breakintoprogram/einstein-ide

[Preppie]

Thanks, I look forward to the 6502 stuff. I'd like to get it working with an Atari 800xl but I have very little electronic knowledge, maybe I can bumble may way though it

[deanb01]

Here it is in action at The Centre for Computing History in Cambridge last weekend. Used it to assemble one of Mike Follin's source disks and get an early Magnum Lightgun proof of concept demo up and running.

retrofest_2024_34.jpg (280.8 KiB) Viewed 4350 times