VCF Build-It-Yourself Workshops

[Allison]

>
>Subject: Re: VCF Build-It-Yourself Workshops
>   From: David Betz <dbetz at xlisper.com>
>   Date: Mon, 02 Oct 2006 21:25:55 -0400
>     To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
>
>> On 10/2/2006 at 2:43 PM David Betz wrote:
>>
>>> I would *love* to assemble an FPGA kit that allowed me to experiment
>>> with various classic architectures (and maybe some modern ones!).
>>> Sign me up if you decide to have one!
>>
>> Golly, folks have been doing this for quite awhile.  The XESS kits  
>> seem to
>> be very popular.  There was/is even a fellow who was offering a
>> pin-compatible Z80 replacement implemented in FPGA.
>
>Yes, I know people have been doing it for a while. I was thinking  
>that you were suggesting a built-it-yourself session where  
>participants would learn how to do it themselves. I'm a software guy  
>and could easily write a software emulator but have less experience  
>with doing hardware design. I'd love some pointers on how to  
>implement a CPU in an FPGA.

FPGA and hardware are not exactly the same thing.  FPGA you implement
logic using software tools to compile and test not unlike writing software.
Where working with random logic (gates and flops) you have to deal with 
all of the physical characteristics such as fanout, propagation delays,
signal distortion and power distribution.

There re a number of sites on the net for FPGA experimentors.  Start with
http://www.fpga4fun.com/.


PISC is pitiful Instruction Set Computer, instructional.
http://www.zetetics.com/bj/papers/piscedu2.htm 

This page and links (web ring) from it are loaded with both random logic
implementations and FPGA designs for homebrewed CPUs both unique and classic.
http://www.homebrewcpu.com/

Allison