Posts by tomcom@mastodon.nl
(DIR) Post #AaImUlbkvf1UtNc3N2 by tomcom@mastodon.nl
2023-09-30T19:06:27Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@lowqualityfacts ChatGPT was trained on data from before September 2021. You didn't even make your account until 2022.
(DIR) Post #AcfXtXbhyD4Y1S7FK4 by tomcom@mastodon.nl
2023-12-10T10:32:20Z
0 likes, 2 repeats
Happy 30th birthday to Doom!So lets celebrate all the random crap we've managed to get it running on. Top picks include:1. A pregnancy test2. A calculator powered by old potatoes3. An ATM (cashpoint)Truly testaments to human ingenuity!Here's to another 30 years of porting doom to everything under the sun🥂#DOOM
(DIR) Post #AhccoG5tKK6CnSs7Si by tomcom@mastodon.nl
2024-05-06T16:34:26Z
1 likes, 1 repeats
On the massive tech layoffs:People keep saying that these layoffs are because of AI, but if you go to any of these companies you won't see AI actually being used, so that's clearly a lie. I'm convinced that what we're really seeing is corporations realising they never needed a significant part of their workforce. How long before everywhere else realises this? Could this be the beginning of the end for capitalism's golden age?#fakejobs #capitalism #bigtech
(DIR) Post #AjrtRddMVAc1v0c0bQ by tomcom@mastodon.nl
2024-06-15T08:44:30Z
8 likes, 7 repeats
LittleFuse (Zilog's parent company) took the last orders for the #Z80 yesterday. After 48 years of constant production, #Zilog will no longer produce the Z80 as LittleFuse is unable to keep producing the current Z84Cxxxx series using the 4-micron (4000 nm) CMOS process. The legendary chip, designed by the legendary Federico Faggin in 1976 was largely responsible for the microcomputer revolution and is still beloved by electronics hobbyists today. It had one hell of an impact! RIP Z80
(DIR) Post #AjrtVh2tl5B9etURkm by tomcom@mastodon.nl
2023-12-04T21:07:30Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
Finally got my 320 by 200 #VGA video card PCBs last week. Glad to be off the breadboard!Here's a view of my hex editor on my #Z80 machine using it.
(DIR) Post #AjrtViY8ARkwK36u4e by tomcom@mastodon.nl
2023-12-04T23:05:42Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
At the start of October I started my quest create the first 320 by 200 #VGA video card... at least for an #8bit #homebrew computer. After six weeks of work (and several weeks of waiting) it's finally complete!
(DIR) Post #AjrtVjhjsD2Hu8c5gm by tomcom@mastodon.nl
2023-12-05T18:09:52Z
1 likes, 0 repeats
The best part is that this #TTL video card is entirely made out of cheap, readily available 74-series logic! It is capable of outputting #1bit colour (one of 8 colours for each state) and doesn't steal a single cycle from the CPU. It also fetches bytes from the frame buffer during the DRAM refresh stage of each instruction so the #Z80 can run at full tilt, even when the screen is being drawn.With this schematic you can make one your very own! Be sure to pop me a message if you do :)
(DIR) Post #AjrtX8XT1dVtDTTcG0 by tomcom@mastodon.nl
2023-08-22T16:00:21Z
1 likes, 0 repeats
The #nixie tube clock is complete! .....for now
(DIR) Post #AjrtXegRVnhsuZvEgq by tomcom@mastodon.nl
2024-05-30T11:59:09Z
1 likes, 0 repeats
Mastodon, here's my Z80 machine!Specs:• Z80 @ 8MHz• 64kB of RAM• 32kB of ROM (technically FRAM)• 128kB of serial EEPROM• 320 by 200 VGA bitmapped graphics• 8-bit synth sound card:• Custom mechanical keyboard• Serial I/O (RS232)• Custom switch mode power supply with 9V battery backup. On top of all that I've got a lightweight operating system running it all, with a scheduler, drivers, and programs such as a hex editor and a RPN calculator.#Z80 #8bit #electronics #DIY
(DIR) Post #AjrtaWZs6eDOdkDVA0 by tomcom@mastodon.nl
2023-11-04T17:12:26Z
1 likes, 0 repeats
#AM #radio circuit summary:Here is the entire circuit. You can implement it however you like and I'd love to hear about any upgrades or modifications people made to it. I added a small capacitor to the tuning circuit that I could insert/remove using a switch to change between high (550kHz to 800kHz) and low (800kHz to 1.5MHz) bands.Enjoy!
(DIR) Post #Ajs30Y522ctWPuHAIa by tomcom@mastodon.nl
2024-06-15T10:38:08Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@KimSJ wow, nice to see someone who used it back in the day. And yeah it's sad to see the Z80 go, especially since it's what got me into electronics.Funnily enough the 6502 is still being produced by WDC, and they're using a much newer process node so hopefully it'll be around for a long time to come🤞
(DIR) Post #AsU5kxLzbvO5fOhY4u by tomcom@mastodon.nl
2025-03-26T19:02:17Z
1 likes, 0 repeats
By designing the icons for the 1984 #macintosh Susan Kare added a much needed personal touch to the computer industry.Her icons were incredibly descriptive given they were just 32 Ă— 32 pixels, and at that resolution she may also have been paid the most money-per-pixel of any digital artist in history! (I hear apple did pay her well)Happy #MARCHintosh