computer building projects page

Index

• Build a computer
• EPROM projects

Build a computer

General

• alt.comp.hardware.homebuilt FAQ
• comp.arch.hobbyist FAQ
• Embedded System Design Articles - from 1991 through 1998, Scott Rosenthal of SLTF wrote a column for Personal Engineering & Instrumentation News magazine on the issues involved with designing embedded systems
• Embedded Systems Glossary
• Homebrew Computers FAQ
• Interface connects ISA bus to µP - ICs that interface directly into an ISA-bus structure can provide useful functional extensions to the M68300 family of processors that have a CPU32-style external bus
• Internet Appliance Chip Design
• Powering the big microprocessors - modern microprocessor power-supply design must furnish many amps at a tightly controlled voltage level and respond quickly to heavy load transients

Project pages

• Car computer - for almosr all cars to control motor, locs and more, text in Finnish
• EE-100 Ethernet Module - A small PCB based on Crystal/Cirrus' CS8900A-CQ Ethernet Controller that provides 8-bit interfacing to a 10Base-T ethernet LAN. The schematic is freely available, as is some example code for NetMedia's BX24 module.
• LART - small yet powerful embedded computer capable of running Linux, 250 MIPS while consuming less than 1 Watt of power
• The Handy Board - 68HC11, IR, LCD, motor control
• MC68HC11 Single Board Computer - 465k pdf file, circuit designed by Joel T. Retanan
• MS-1 Home Designed Computer

Bus

• Hot-swap your way to high availability - follow live-insertion board-design guidelines to keep the sparks from flying

Memory

• How sychronous memory (SDRAM) will impact top-level IS planning - white paper
• Information on DRAM interfacing, by Tim Olmstead

Circuit

• Microprocessor Serial Port Break-Reset Circuit
• RISC µP supports IEEE parallel-port standard - shows the logic required to implement an IEEE-1284-compliant parallel port, using the Am29202 RISC processor

Operating systems

• Katix operationg system - real time operating system for Intel 80x86 PC, Motorola 68xxx and 68HC11 family, designed for small IP networked applications

Resource pages

• Dunfield Devellopment System Distribution Files - tools and microprocessor based designs

Other related projects

• Watchdog circuit for computer

Tiny web servers

General information

• EDN Hands-On Project: Designing Web appliances on a shoestring - guidelines for designing your next Internet appliance without breaking the project budget
• Web servers in embedded systems enhance user interaction - embedded system can mimic a Web page, the system can leverage all the capability of the Internet

Project pages

• A $25 Web Server - article from Circuit Cellar Online
• IPic - A Match Head Sized Web-Server based on PIC 12C509A, implements TCP/IP, SLIP and HTTP, description of project

Software

• TinyTCP/TinyFTP - ROMable C code with minimal file-transfer

Products

• iButton
• TINI: Tiny InterNet Interface - information on one commercial product
• uClinux.com - Linux system that runs on uCsimm

EPROM

Data formats

• Intel HEX File Format
• Intelhex - Info and conversion for the Intel HEX format to binary
• Intel Hex Format - short description

Programmer/reader circuits

• Amigan eprommer - simple eprommer circuit for Amiga, programs up to 27C512
• Andrew's EPROM Programmer - connects to PC parallel port, recommended at Home-made EPROM gear
• An EPROM Reader For Under USD$5
• Eprom Programmer - works with Windows(95), programs parallel eproms 27C64..27C040/4001 and many more types
• EPROM programmer for lpt port for 2732 to 27512 - all documentation in german, zipped file
• Eprom Programmer Mark 1 - suitable for occasional home use, without the extra features found on many commercial units, will program the standard 27 family of devices, from 2716 to 27512, and can be used with any computer which has an RS232 serial port
• Eprom Programmer Mark 2 - handles 2764, 27128, 27256 and 27512, can be used with any IBM PC compatible computer as the controller and data source
• EPROM Low-Cost Cross-Platform EPROM Reader/Burner - software available for DOS, Windows and MacOS
• Flash / EEPROM Programmer
• Home-made EPROM gear - eraser and programmer
• Selbstbau-93Cx6-EEPROM-Programmierer von DL7AWL - EEPROM programmer which connects to parallel port, text in German
• Stand-Alone EPROM programmer - zipper demo file from Dunfield Devellopment System

EPROM emulators

• Centronics programmable EPROM emulator with SRAM and battery
• Design for a PROM emulator
• Eprom Emulator by Paul Stenning - originally published in ETI, December 1994
• EPROM Simulator 32 kB - includes circuit board and software for DOS and Linux
• Flash / EEPROM Programmer and Emulator

Other programmers

• Arjan's Eprom Programmer - schematic of the EPROM programmer that can be connected to the C8031 controller
• GALBlast - hobbyist grade GAL® programmer that connects to the parallel printer port of your PC, will program fusemaps stored in standard JEDEC files into GAL chips 16V8/A/B/C/D/Z/ZD, 18V10/B, 20V8/A/B/Z, 20RA10/B, 20XV10/B, 22V10/B/C/Z, 26CV12/B, 6001/B and 6002B manufactured by Lattice, National Semiconductors and STMicrosystems
• ftp.armory.com GAL directory
• PonyProg - for reading and writing almost every serial device, software for Windows95, 98 & NT and Intel Linux, supports IC Bus, Microwire, and SPI eeprom and the flash ATMEL AVR AT90SXXXX microcontrollers, and PIC micro

Other related pages

• FPGA
• PC hardware pages
• Computer hardware pages
• Microprocessors and microcontrollers page
• VHDL