5 ms·

So how many logic gates / transistors does it use in total? I tried to find this number in the article, but couldn't quite find it.

wmwragg 3y ago
Ignoring the memory, probably a similar number to the MyNOR[1] computer it's based off of, which has an all transistor implementation, the TraNOR[2], which has 2495 transistors. [1] http://mynor.org/mynor.htm http://mynor.org/mynor.htm [2] http://mynor.org/tranor.htm http://mynor.org/tranor.htm
- limikael 3y ago
  Oh... Suddenly then it impresses me less because it sounds like quite a lot for something that calls itself "minimalistic". The 6052 processor has 3510 transistors, 2495 isn't that much lower.
  - tyingq 3y ago
    "The complexity of my design is somewhere between the Intel i4004 CPU (2250 transistors) and the 6502 (3218 transistors). The i8080 already has 4500 transistors and the Zilog Z80 even has 8500 transistors, so you get an idea how small my design still is."
  - lebuffon 3y ago
    29% less transistors for similar capabilities would be good. How does the instruction set compare to 6502?
  - avmich 3y ago
    In terms of transistors I think MCPU by Tim Boscke can be hard to beat - https://github.com/cpldcpu/MCPU https://github.com/cpldcpu/MCPU , however how many transistors this 8 bit CPU has is not clear.
tyingq 3y ago
I didn't do the math, but not many. Here's the 74XX ICs from the BOM list with short descriptions of what they are: 74HC74 Dual D Flip-Flop 74HC161 4-bit binary counter 74HC541 Octal Buffer 74HC574 Octal 3−State Noninverting D Flip−Flop 74HC14 Hex Schmitt−Trigger Inverter 74HC08 Quad 2-input AND gate 74HC02 Quad 2-input NAND gate 74HC273 Octal D-type flip-flop with reset 74HC138 3-to-8 line decoder/demultiplexer 74HC139 Dual 2-to-4 line decoder Though it's not straightforward to map microcode lookup through an EPROM into "gates".

5 ms·

So how many logic gates / transistors does it use in total? I tried to find this number in the article, but couldn't quite find it.

by limikael 3y ago

wmwragg 3y ago
Ignoring the memory, probably a similar number to the MyNOR[1] computer it's based off of, which has an all transistor implementation, the TraNOR[2], which has 2495 transistors. [1] http://mynor.org/mynor.htm http://mynor.org/mynor.htm [2] http://mynor.org/tranor.htm http://mynor.org/tranor.htm
- limikael 3y ago
  Oh... Suddenly then it impresses me less because it sounds like quite a lot for something that calls itself "minimalistic". The 6052 processor has 3510 transistors, 2495 isn't that much lower.
  - tyingq 3y ago
    "The complexity of my design is somewhere between the Intel i4004 CPU (2250 transistors) and the 6502 (3218 transistors). The i8080 already has 4500 transistors and the Zilog Z80 even has 8500 transistors, so you get an idea how small my design still is."
  - lebuffon 3y ago
    29% less transistors for similar capabilities would be good. How does the instruction set compare to 6502?
  - avmich 3y ago
    In terms of transistors I think MCPU by Tim Boscke can be hard to beat - https://github.com/cpldcpu/MCPU https://github.com/cpldcpu/MCPU , however how many transistors this 8 bit CPU has is not clear.
tyingq 3y ago
I didn't do the math, but not many. Here's the 74XX ICs from the BOM list with short descriptions of what they are: 74HC74 Dual D Flip-Flop 74HC161 4-bit binary counter 74HC541 Octal Buffer 74HC574 Octal 3−State Noninverting D Flip−Flop 74HC14 Hex Schmitt−Trigger Inverter 74HC08 Quad 2-input AND gate 74HC02 Quad 2-input NAND gate 74HC273 Octal D-type flip-flop with reset 74HC138 3-to-8 line decoder/demultiplexer 74HC139 Dual 2-to-4 line decoder Though it's not straightforward to map microcode lookup through an EPROM into "gates".