4 ms·

A History of Early Microcontrollers, Part 1

99 points by bitsavers 4y ago

bitsavers 4y ago
The whole series is interesting
- johndoe0815 4y ago
  Here are the URLs for all the nine parts, since the articles don't link the others in the series: 1. Calculator Chips - https://www.eejournal.com/article/a-history-of-early-microcontrollers-part-1-calculator-chips-came-first/ https://www.eejournal.com/article/a-history-of-early-microco... 2. TI TMS1000 - https://www.eejournal.com/article/a-history-of-early-microcontrollers-part-2-the-texas-instruments-tms1000/ https://www.eejournal.com/article/a-history-of-early-microco... 3. Rockwell PPS-4/1 - https://www.eejournal.com/article/a-history-of-early-microcontrollers-part-3-the-rockwell-microelectronics-pps-4-1/ https://www.eejournal.com/article/a-history-of-early-microco... 4. Intel 8048 and 8748 - https://www.eejournal.com/article/a-history-of-early-microcontrollers-part-4-the-intel-8048-and-8748/ https://www.eejournal.com/article/a-history-of-early-microco... 5. Motorola 6801 - https://www.eejournal.com/article/a-history-of-early-microcontrollers-part-5-the-motorola-6801/ https://www.eejournal.com/article/a-history-of-early-microco... 6. Fairchild F8 and Mostek MK3870 - https://www.eejournal.com/article/a-history-of-early-microcontrollers-part-6-the-fairchild-f8-and-mostek-mk3870/ https://www.eejournal.com/article/a-history-of-early-microco... 7. Zilog Z8 - https://www.eejournal.com/article/a-history-of-early-microcontrollers-part-7-the-zilog-z8/ https://www.eejournal.com/article/a-history-of-early-microco... 8. Intel 8051 - https://www.eejournal.com/article/a-history-of-early-microcontrollers-part-8-the-intel-8051/ https://www.eejournal.com/article/a-history-of-early-microco... 9. GI PIC1650 - https://www.eejournal.com/article/a-history-of-early-microcontrollers-part-9-the-general-instruments-pic1650/ https://www.eejournal.com/article/a-history-of-early-microco...
  - psychphysic 4y ago
    Brilliant thanks, will binge this all.
  - pwg 4y ago
    > since the articles don't link the others in the series: I wonder why so many websites do not do this (and it seems the effect is quite common with more traditional 'publishers' such as this one). "Linking" is one of the core aspects that make "the web" into "the web".
unwind 4y ago
I was first exposed to microcontrollers when I learned about the Microchip 16x84 [1] in the mid-nineties. As a 20-something CS M.Sc student with a software background it was really opening up the world of electronics in a great way. What a product. [1]: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/PIC16x84 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/PIC16x84
djmips 4y ago
I submitted a fascinating blog post featuring this same era of calculator chips but related to the first Mattel handheld electronic games https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34259747 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34259747
psychphysic 4y ago
Wish this was three times as long!

99 points by bitsavers 4y ago

bitsavers 4y ago

The whole series is interesting

johndoe0815 4y ago
Here are the URLs for all the nine parts, since the articles don't link the others in the series: 1. Calculator Chips - https://www.eejournal.com/article/a-history-of-early-microcontrollers-part-1-calculator-chips-came-first/ https://www.eejournal.com/article/a-history-of-early-microco... 2. TI TMS1000 - https://www.eejournal.com/article/a-history-of-early-microcontrollers-part-2-the-texas-instruments-tms1000/ https://www.eejournal.com/article/a-history-of-early-microco... 3. Rockwell PPS-4/1 - https://www.eejournal.com/article/a-history-of-early-microcontrollers-part-3-the-rockwell-microelectronics-pps-4-1/ https://www.eejournal.com/article/a-history-of-early-microco... 4. Intel 8048 and 8748 - https://www.eejournal.com/article/a-history-of-early-microcontrollers-part-4-the-intel-8048-and-8748/ https://www.eejournal.com/article/a-history-of-early-microco... 5. Motorola 6801 - https://www.eejournal.com/article/a-history-of-early-microcontrollers-part-5-the-motorola-6801/ https://www.eejournal.com/article/a-history-of-early-microco... 6. Fairchild F8 and Mostek MK3870 - https://www.eejournal.com/article/a-history-of-early-microcontrollers-part-6-the-fairchild-f8-and-mostek-mk3870/ https://www.eejournal.com/article/a-history-of-early-microco... 7. Zilog Z8 - https://www.eejournal.com/article/a-history-of-early-microcontrollers-part-7-the-zilog-z8/ https://www.eejournal.com/article/a-history-of-early-microco... 8. Intel 8051 - https://www.eejournal.com/article/a-history-of-early-microcontrollers-part-8-the-intel-8051/ https://www.eejournal.com/article/a-history-of-early-microco... 9. GI PIC1650 - https://www.eejournal.com/article/a-history-of-early-microcontrollers-part-9-the-general-instruments-pic1650/ https://www.eejournal.com/article/a-history-of-early-microco...
- psychphysic 4y ago
  Brilliant thanks, will binge this all.
- pwg 4y ago
  > since the articles don't link the others in the series: I wonder why so many websites do not do this (and it seems the effect is quite common with more traditional 'publishers' such as this one). "Linking" is one of the core aspects that make "the web" into "the web".

unwind 4y ago

I was first exposed to microcontrollers when I learned about the Microchip 16x84 [1] in the mid-nineties. As a 20-something CS M.Sc student with a software background it was really opening up the world of electronics in a great way. What a product. [1]: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/PIC16x84 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/PIC16x84

djmips 4y ago

I submitted a fascinating blog post featuring this same era of calculator chips but related to the first Mattel handheld electronic games https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34259747 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34259747

psychphysic 4y ago

Wish this was three times as long!