7 ms·

I'm building his SAP-1 8-bit computer, it's an amazing experience.

sho_hn 3y ago
I've done that too. The real fun start when you expand it with bigger memory, add a stack pointer, make the ALU a bit more capable by swapping in different chips, etc. Very rewarding project. Like doing nand2tetris, it completely demystifies computers to many programmers. It also gives you RSI issues from bending solid core wires if you're not careful. Take breaks! :-) And you can stuff it in a frame and have some cool wall deco! I eventually added a boot loader and "punch card reader" to mine which works with some photo diodes. I print out a programming strip on an ink jet and can slide it through the reader to load a program. When I have geeky visitors I give them a program to load. Ben Eater may just be one of the greatest educators of his generation. There's going to be so many good old engineers 20 years from now who trace it all back to his videos.
- lagrange77 3y ago
  > It also gives you RSI issues from bending solid core wires if you're not careful. Take breaks! :-) Too late :D > And you can stuff it in a frame and have some cool wall deco! Right, i have already got a ground plane to mount it on. Do you have a glass/acrylic plate on your frame like this https://monster6502.com/ https://monster6502.com/ ? > I eventually added a boot loader and "punch card reader" to mine which works with some photo diodes. I print out a programming strip on an ink jet and can slide it through the reader to load a program. When I have geeky visitors I give them a program to load. That idea is really cool, maybe i'll try that too in the future! I have thought about adding a diy discrete UART of some sort. Oh and upgrade it to an SAP-3 in the future.
rahen 3y ago
Not exactly his. SAP is Malvino's teaching computer from the late 70s. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simple-As-Possible_computer https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simple-As-Possible_computer But indeed, Eater is the one who made it famous thanks to Youtube.
- lagrange77 3y ago
  Right, Malvino introduced the SAP concept/architecture, by his i meant Ben Eater's implementation.

I've done that too. The real fun start when you expand it with bigger memory, add a stack pointer, make the ALU a bit more capable by swapping in different chips, etc. Very rewarding project. Like doing nand2tetris, it completely demystifies computers to many programmers. It also gives you RSI issues from bending solid core wires if you're not careful. Take breaks! :-) And you can stuff it in a frame and have some cool wall deco! I eventually added a boot loader and "punch card reader" to mine which works with some photo diodes. I print out a programming strip on an ink jet and can slide it through the reader to load a program. When I have geeky visitors I give them a program to load. Ben Eater may just be one of the greatest educators of his generation. There's going to be so many good old engineers 20 years from now who trace it all back to his videos.

lagrange77 3y ago
> It also gives you RSI issues from bending solid core wires if you're not careful. Take breaks! :-) Too late :D > And you can stuff it in a frame and have some cool wall deco! Right, i have already got a ground plane to mount it on. Do you have a glass/acrylic plate on your frame like this https://monster6502.com/ https://monster6502.com/ ? > I eventually added a boot loader and "punch card reader" to mine which works with some photo diodes. I print out a programming strip on an ink jet and can slide it through the reader to load a program. When I have geeky visitors I give them a program to load. That idea is really cool, maybe i'll try that too in the future! I have thought about adding a diy discrete UART of some sort. Oh and upgrade it to an SAP-3 in the future.

rahen 3y ago

Not exactly his. SAP is Malvino's teaching computer from the late 70s. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simple-As-Possible_computer https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simple-As-Possible_computer But indeed, Eater is the one who made it famous thanks to Youtube.

lagrange77 3y ago
Right, Malvino introduced the SAP concept/architecture, by his i meant Ben Eater's implementation.