24-12-2021, 10:26 AM
(This post was last modified: 24-12-2021, 10:27 AM by Mike Watterson.)
I designed my own Z80 eurocard in 1981-82.
I last did Z80 stuff in about 1989.
In mid 2000s I found the PIC programmed with JAL was more productive for simple embedded projects not needing an ARM and Linux (which is now a fraction of the cost of 1980s Z80 boards). I did use some off the shelf x86 and ARM boards running Linux from 2006-2009.
The old B&W Nintendo game boy can use reprogrammed 486 PC BIOS Flash DIL ICs instead of game cartridge and can be programmed with Z80 tools. There was a handheld scope that used it.
I've given up programming for fun or money since about 2016, but if I was doing something I'd use a PIC on veroboard (or cheap own design Chinese made PCB for SMT PIC) programmed in JAL, or else a Raspberry Pi. I think the Ardunio is a terrible HW form factor and for people clueless about HW. The Pi is cheap, has a choice of good few Linux, RiscOS or pointless ARM Windows and any high level language of your choice. A screen + keyboard is totally optional. I did have a Pi, original B, but gave it to one of my sons.
I'd certainly not go back to Z80 assembler, or HLL (I used Forth, Pascal, C, Prolog and Modula-2 on CP/M based Z80). I still have one of my 1982 production Z80 Eeurocards, it has RTC + NiCd + 32.768 KHz, PIO, CTC and Intel GPIO IC as used on 8080/8085 systems, RAM socket, ROM socket and header for memory expansion daughter board. Crystal runs at CPU clock x 2.
I still have some Z80 books if anyone wants them.
I last did Z80 stuff in about 1989.
In mid 2000s I found the PIC programmed with JAL was more productive for simple embedded projects not needing an ARM and Linux (which is now a fraction of the cost of 1980s Z80 boards). I did use some off the shelf x86 and ARM boards running Linux from 2006-2009.
The old B&W Nintendo game boy can use reprogrammed 486 PC BIOS Flash DIL ICs instead of game cartridge and can be programmed with Z80 tools. There was a handheld scope that used it.
I've given up programming for fun or money since about 2016, but if I was doing something I'd use a PIC on veroboard (or cheap own design Chinese made PCB for SMT PIC) programmed in JAL, or else a Raspberry Pi. I think the Ardunio is a terrible HW form factor and for people clueless about HW. The Pi is cheap, has a choice of good few Linux, RiscOS or pointless ARM Windows and any high level language of your choice. A screen + keyboard is totally optional. I did have a Pi, original B, but gave it to one of my sons.
I'd certainly not go back to Z80 assembler, or HLL (I used Forth, Pascal, C, Prolog and Modula-2 on CP/M based Z80). I still have one of my 1982 production Z80 Eeurocards, it has RTC + NiCd + 32.768 KHz, PIO, CTC and Intel GPIO IC as used on 8080/8085 systems, RAM socket, ROM socket and header for memory expansion daughter board. Crystal runs at CPU clock x 2.
I still have some Z80 books if anyone wants them.
