4 ms·

I wish there was a modern version of the S-100 bus. I don't have a use case but I've always thought that form-factor was really cool.

jacquesm 6y ago
In industrial applications there are still plenty of systems built on good old ISA and PCI buses with the host on one card and a whole pile of IO of all kinds of plumage on others.
- pezezin 6y ago
  Don't forget good ol' VME.
  - jacquesm 6y ago
    Yes, that will never die, if only because it is a staple in the defense and aerospace industries and I wouldn't be surprised at all if there is still development done in that arena, iirc even the A380 had a VME rack somewhere in its guts.
    - pezezin 6y ago
      I'm working at a particle accelerator, and we still have a few VME racks, but we plan to get rid of them next year. Industrial and scientific control systems are full of really old stuff.
      - a9h74j 6y ago
        Is there still CAMAC?
        pezezin 6y ago
        I have never heard of it, so I guess no.
PAPPPmAc 6y ago
I'm not sure if it's what you mean, but the RC2014 ecosystem ( https://rc2014.co.uk/ https://rc2014.co.uk/ ) is a modern-retro design fairly heavily inspired by S100 systems. It's a backplane + boards Z80 system (...with a few other CPU boards made for it) intended for modern hobbyists. Little bit expensive because it's boutique (Minimal system is about $100, a big nice CP/M box with good I/O would be $300ish). I haven't had the disposable time and money for one, but they look like good fun, and honestly pretty easy and cheap compared to real period equipment these days.
- stevekemp 6y ago
  I've long been interested in that particular project; but as you say it is just that little bit too expensive. So instead of spending the money I've been spending my time, making something similar (but much much simpler). I'm having fun, even with just a clock, Z80, and EEPROM. My next step will be handle I/O with a keyboard and LCD, hopefully by the end of the month.

jacquesm 6y ago

In industrial applications there are still plenty of systems built on good old ISA and PCI buses with the host on one card and a whole pile of IO of all kinds of plumage on others.

pezezin 6y ago
Don't forget good ol' VME.
- jacquesm 6y ago
  Yes, that will never die, if only because it is a staple in the defense and aerospace industries and I wouldn't be surprised at all if there is still development done in that arena, iirc even the A380 had a VME rack somewhere in its guts.
  - pezezin 6y ago
    I'm working at a particle accelerator, and we still have a few VME racks, but we plan to get rid of them next year. Industrial and scientific control systems are full of really old stuff.
    - a9h74j 6y ago
      Is there still CAMAC?
      - pezezin 6y ago
        I have never heard of it, so I guess no.

PAPPPmAc 6y ago

I'm not sure if it's what you mean, but the RC2014 ecosystem ( https://rc2014.co.uk/ https://rc2014.co.uk/ ) is a modern-retro design fairly heavily inspired by S100 systems. It's a backplane + boards Z80 system (...with a few other CPU boards made for it) intended for modern hobbyists. Little bit expensive because it's boutique (Minimal system is about $100, a big nice CP/M box with good I/O would be $300ish). I haven't had the disposable time and money for one, but they look like good fun, and honestly pretty easy and cheap compared to real period equipment these days.

stevekemp 6y ago
I've long been interested in that particular project; but as you say it is just that little bit too expensive. So instead of spending the money I've been spending my time, making something similar (but much much simpler). I'm having fun, even with just a clock, Z80, and EEPROM. My next step will be handle I/O with a keyboard and LCD, hopefully by the end of the month.