4 ms·

I love this art/engineering project. The whole concept of extra-large unintegrated circuits is just so amusing. The team behind this project sells kits for two

I love this art/engineering project. The whole concept of extra-large unintegrated circuits is just so amusing. The team behind this project sells kits for two classic ICs, the 741 op-amp [1] and the 555 timer [2]. Sadly, they've said the Monster6502 is too big and complex to make a practical kit. [1] https://shop.evilmadscientist.com/tinykitlist/762 https://shop.evilmadscientist.com/tinykitlist/762 [2] https://shop.evilmadscientist.com/tinykitlist/652 https://shop.evilmadscientist.com/tinykitlist/652

lnx01 3y ago
The Apple A8X, found in the iPad Air 2, contains about 3 billion transistors. (This is comparable to the number of transistors in modern desktop computer CPUs as well.) At the scale of the MOnSter 6502, that would take about 885,000 square feet (over 20 acres or 8 hectares) — an area about 940 ft (286 m) square.
- MBCook 3y ago
  I wonder how slow it would have to run and how many kilowatts it would use.
  - mrguyorama 3y ago
    It takes about a full microsecond for a signal to go from one edge of the "wafer" to the other, so that constrains your cycle time considerably.
- xcv123 3y ago
  The Apple A8X is 10 years old. The current iPhone processor (Apple A17) contains 19 billion transistors. So now we have 126 acres in a pocket. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_A17 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_A17
floating-io 3y ago
There's also the fact that they were recently acquired [1], unfortunately (IMO). I've said it before: I would totally buy one of those just to hang on my wall. It's a truly awesome project, and I love blinkenlights! [1] https://www.evilmadscientist.com/2024/bantam-tools/ https://www.evilmadscientist.com/2024/bantam-tools/
allenrb 3y ago
Unintegrated or, perhaps… Dis-integrated?
- Max-q 3y ago
  The correct term is discrete circuit. We used to have circuits, and when integrated on one piece of silicone, we called them "integrated circuits", while the old ones became "discrete circuits".
sumtechguy 3y ago
I have been kicking around the idea of doing this to something like a NES. Then selling them preassembled. But then I remember I can solder at all and it is decently expensive to do.
- JPLeRouzic 3y ago
  You don't have to solder yourself, some PCB providers can do it for you (indeed they buy components).

lnx01 3y ago

The Apple A8X, found in the iPad Air 2, contains about 3 billion transistors. (This is comparable to the number of transistors in modern desktop computer CPUs as well.) At the scale of the MOnSter 6502, that would take about 885,000 square feet (over 20 acres or 8 hectares) — an area about 940 ft (286 m) square.

MBCook 3y ago
I wonder how slow it would have to run and how many kilowatts it would use.
- mrguyorama 3y ago
  It takes about a full microsecond for a signal to go from one edge of the "wafer" to the other, so that constrains your cycle time considerably.
xcv123 3y ago
The Apple A8X is 10 years old. The current iPhone processor (Apple A17) contains 19 billion transistors. So now we have 126 acres in a pocket. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_A17 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_A17

floating-io 3y ago

There's also the fact that they were recently acquired [1], unfortunately (IMO). I've said it before: I would totally buy one of those just to hang on my wall. It's a truly awesome project, and I love blinkenlights! [1] https://www.evilmadscientist.com/2024/bantam-tools/ https://www.evilmadscientist.com/2024/bantam-tools/

allenrb 3y ago

Unintegrated or, perhaps… Dis-integrated?

Max-q 3y ago
The correct term is discrete circuit. We used to have circuits, and when integrated on one piece of silicone, we called them "integrated circuits", while the old ones became "discrete circuits".

sumtechguy 3y ago

I have been kicking around the idea of doing this to something like a NES. Then selling them preassembled. But then I remember I can solder at all and it is decently expensive to do.

JPLeRouzic 3y ago
You don't have to solder yourself, some PCB providers can do it for you (indeed they buy components).