From: Andrew Carol Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: Are AMD2901 bit slice chips still available? Date: Sun, 25 Mar 2001 18:34:34 -0800 Organization: Apple Message-ID: User-Agent: MT-NewsWatcher/3.1 (PPC) X-Complaints-To: newsabuse@supernews.com Lines: 14 Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!newsfeed-zh.ip-plus.net!news.ip-plus.net!news.tesion.net!news.belwue.de!news-stu1.dfn.de!news-koe1.dfn.de!news-was.dfn.de!news-spur1.maxwell.syr.edu!news.maxwell.syr.edu!newsfeed.stanford.edu!sn-xit-01!sn-post-01!supernews.com!corp.supernews.com!aaecaroll Xref: chonsp.franklin.ch alt.folklore.computers:77471 I am considering cloning an old HMP-1116 (an Interdata compatible box the Air Force used) and would need several AMD 2901 4-bit bit slice chips. Sadly their days seems to have passed. Does anybody know a source for them today? Is there a "surplus" market for them? I would consider other bit slice chips also. The closest I've found is a macro for use on an FPGA chip, but that's way to much overkill for what I need. Any advice? --- Andy ###### Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers From: Terry Kennedy Subject: Re: Are AMD2901 bit slice chips still available? X-Complaints-To: Email abuse@spc.edu if this posting is inappropriate User-Agent: tin/1.4.2-20000205 ("Possession") (UNIX) (BSD/OS/4.1 (i386)) NNTP-Posting-Host: gate.tmk.com Organization: St. Peter's College, US Message-ID: References: X-Trace: spcuna.spc.edu 985585970 18081 terry [204.141.35.61] Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2001 05:52:51 GMT Lines: 17 Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!newsfeeds.belnet.be!news.belnet.be!newsfeed00.sul.t-online.de!t-online.de!news-spur1.maxwell.syr.edu!news.maxwell.syr.edu!newsxfer.eecs.umich.edu!panix!newsmaster.cc.columbia.edu!phl-feed.news.verio.net!news.verio.net!news.spc.edu!not-for-mail Xref: chonsp.franklin.ch alt.folklore.computers:77434 Andrew Carol writes: > Sadly their days seems to have passed. Does anybody know a source for > them today? Is there a "surplus" market for them? I would consider > other bit slice chips also. Tony Duell will hate me for this, but... The PDP-11/44 floating point (FP11-F, 1 board, M7094) and CIS options (KE44-A, 2 boards, M7092/M7093) have large numbers of 2901's, conveniently socketed. I think there's 16 on the FP11F and 8 on the KE44-A. A quick web search shows a M7094 at Discount Computer Products for $75. If I'm right and there's 16 pieces on there, that works out to be $4.69 each. See http://www.d-c-p.com/productlist/2O0LML4Q.htm Terry Kennedy http://www.tmk.com terry@tmk.com Jersey City, NJ USA ###### From: bhk@dsl.co.uk (Brian {Hamilton Kelly}) Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: Re: Are AMD2901 bit slice chips still available? Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2001 11:56:45 GMT Organization: Dragonhill Systems Ltd Message-ID: <985607805snz@dsl.co.uk> References: X-Trace: mail2news.demon.co.uk 985618591 mail2news:26363 mail2news mail2news.demon.co.uk X-Complaints-To: abuse@demon.net X-Mail2News-Path: news.demon.net!dsl.demon.co.uk X-Newsreader: Demon Internet Simple News v1.31 Lines: 34 Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!news.maxwell.syr.edu!newsfeed.icl.net!dispose.news.demon.net!news.demon.co.uk!demon!mail2news.demon.co.uk!not-for-mail Xref: chonsp.franklin.ch alt.folklore.computers:77467 In article aaecaroll@coastside.net "Andrew Carol" writes: > I am considering cloning an old HMP-1116 (an Interdata compatible box > the Air Force used) and would need several AMD 2901 4-bit bit slice > chips. > > Sadly their days seems to have passed. Does anybody know a source for > them today? Is there a "surplus" market for them? I would consider > other bit slice chips also. AMD2901s; cor, that takes me back. (Before going on, let me hasten to say that I'm unable to assist you in your quest.) Back when I started working at RMCS almost 20 years ago, there was a PhD student there who had built a home-brew (should that be lab-brew?) system with literally many dozens of 2901s: the intent was to perform DSP analysing, believe it or not, the "chirps" of migrating locusts. The system was rigged up as a target to a PDP-11/60 running Unix V7; it had all the chips on the outside of the chassis, and felt like an electric radiator --- it must have shoved about 2kW of heat into the room! I know that system is no longer at RMCS, so it's not available for you to cannibalize: it went with the post-grad when he moved off to UKC to finish his PhD. -- Brian {Hamilton Kelly} bhk@dsl.co.uk "We have gone from a world of concentrated knowledge and wisdom to one of distributed ignorance. And we know and understand less while being incr- easingly capable." Prof. Peter Cochrane, formerly of BT Labs ###### From: Tim Shoppa Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: Re: Are AMD2901 bit slice chips still available? Date: 26 Mar 2001 05:47:46 -0800 Organization: Newsguy News Service [http://newsguy.com] Lines: 24 Message-ID: <99nha201amd@drn.newsguy.com> References: NNTP-Posting-Host: p-864.newsdawg.com X-Newsreader: Direct Read News v2.65 Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!enews.sgi.com!pln-w!spln!dex!extra.newsguy.com!newsp.newsguy.com!drn Xref: chonsp.franklin.ch alt.folklore.computers:77444 In article , Andrew says... > >I am considering cloning an old HMP-1116 (an Interdata compatible box >the Air Force used) and would need several AMD 2901 4-bit bit slice >chips. > >Sadly their days seems to have passed. Does anybody know a source for >them today? Is there a "surplus" market for them? I would consider >other bit slice chips also. BG Micro (www.bgmicro.com) lists the AM2901 as available for $1.50 each. It's not clear exactly which package or speed grade this part is, but at a price that cheap it's worth a try. As long as we're talking about obsolete but "neat" chips, BG Micro also has the TI 76477 sound effects generator available at the moment. I also seem to recall that Al Kossow has a link to the datasheet for this chip at http://www.spies.com/arcade/schematics/index.html - I'm tempted to buy a couple of these chips and rig up the "universal demo box" in the Radio Shack data sheet with dozens of buttons and switches on it for my kids to play with. Tim. ###### From: Andrew Carol Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: Re: Are AMD2901 bit slice chips still available? Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2001 06:39:24 -0800 Organization: Apple Message-ID: References: User-Agent: MT-NewsWatcher/3.1 (PPC) X-Complaints-To: newsabuse@supernews.com Lines: 36 Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!news.maxwell.syr.edu!sn-xit-03!sn-post-01!supernews.com!corp.supernews.com!aaecaroll Xref: chonsp.franklin.ch alt.folklore.computers:77469 In article , Terry Kennedy wrote: > Andrew Carol writes: > > Sadly their days seems to have passed. Does anybody know a source for > > them today? Is there a "surplus" market for them? I would consider > > other bit slice chips also. > > Tony Duell will hate me for this, but... > > The PDP-11/44 floating point (FP11-F, 1 board, M7094) and CIS options > (KE44-A, 2 boards, M7092/M7093) have large numbers of 2901's, conveniently > socketed. I think there's 16 on the FP11F and 8 on the KE44-A. > > A quick web search shows a M7094 at Discount Computer Products for $75. > If I'm right and there's 16 pieces on there, that works out to be $4.69 > each. See http://www.d-c-p.com/productlist/2O0LML4Q.htm > > Terry Kennedy http://www.tmk.com > terry@tmk.com Jersey City, NJ USA That would almost feel like a crime! (That would be my uttermost last resort) After I made my post I found Rochester Electronics who seems to have a stash, with prices between $25 to about $300 depending on the exact slice chip. Unfortunatly the "extra" supporting chips (AM2904, etc) are the most expensive. It's a shame that to do anything interesting today it's can't be in a DIP I can put in a protoboard. Everythigh is either all integrated into a single chip, or an ball-mounted FPGA which is sort of overkill. Thanks! --- Andg ###### From: Andrew Carol Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: Re: Are AMD2901 bit slice chips still available? Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2001 08:15:06 -0800 Organization: Apple Lines: 27 Message-ID: References: <99nha201amd@drn.newsguy.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: andrew1.apple.com X-Trace: news.apple.com 985623257 26505 17.202.13.88 (26 Mar 2001 16:14:17 GMT) X-Complaints-To: usenet@news.apple.com NNTP-Posting-Date: 26 Mar 2001 16:14:17 GMT User-Agent: MT-NewsWatcher/3.1 (PPC) Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news.dplanet.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!enews.sgi.com!paloalto-snf1.gtei.net!news.gtei.net!forum.apple.com!news.apple.com!aaecaroll Xref: chonsp.franklin.ch alt.folklore.computers:77459 In article <99nha201amd@drn.newsguy.com>, Tim Shoppa wrote: > BG Micro (www.bgmicro.com) lists the AM2901 as available for $1.50 each. > It's not clear exactly which package or speed grade this part is, but > at a price that cheap it's worth a try. I would wonder if that's the same chip. It's almost too cheap. I suppose I should call... The part that depresses me is that I want to use some of the support chips and they're really tough to find, or cost over a hundred bucks a pop! I'd need four 2904's, one 2910, and probably four 2930's. I am wondering if it might be worth it to get a programmer and try to burn some PLD's to build some work arounds for the glue. I don't think I can get enough complexity in a DIP package though. All the action seems to be in ball mount packages with I/O in the hundreds. I want to stick with DIP packages. Does anybody know if there is anything which can be burned at home but offers useful complexity in a DIP package? --- Andy ###### From: "Geoffrey G. Rochat" Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: Re: Are AMD2901 bit slice chips still available? Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2001 12:10:53 -0500 Organization: The Internet Access Company, Inc. Lines: 9 Message-ID: <99nq5e$lbf@news-central.tiac.net> References: <99nha201amd@drn.newsguy.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: 204.180.74.29 X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 4.72.3110.1 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V4.72.3110.3 Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!news.maxwell.syr.edu!newsfeed.cwix.com!howland.erols.net!news-feed1.tiac.net.MISMATCH!news-peer1.tiac.net!posterchild2.tiac.net!news@tiac.net Xref: chonsp.franklin.ch alt.folklore.computers:77452 > >> BG Micro (www.bgmicro.com) lists the AM2901 as available for $1.50 each. >> It's not clear exactly which package or speed grade this part is, but >> at a price that cheap it's worth a try. > Also try Unicorn Electronics, www.unicornelectronics.com . ###### Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!not-for-mail From: Neil Franklin Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: Re: Are AMD2901 bit slice chips still available? Date: 26 Mar 2001 21:18:56 +0200 Organization: My own Private Self Lines: 61 Message-ID: <6uofuo5of3.fsf@chonsp.franklin.ch> References: NNTP-Posting-Host: chonsp.franklin.ch X-Trace: chonsp.franklin.ch 985634336 863 10.0.3.2 (26 Mar 2001 19:18:56 GMT) X-Complaints-To: news@chonsp.franklin.ch NNTP-Posting-Date: 26 Mar 2001 19:18:56 GMT X-Newsreader: Gnus v5.7/Emacs 20.4 Xref: chonsp.franklin.ch alt.folklore.computers:77472 Andrew Carol writes: > The closest I've found is a macro for use on an FPGA chip, but that's > way to much overkill for what I need. Put the entire HMP-1116 into an FPGA? OK, that does not result in an old-fashioned looking board full of small chips, if that is what you are after. > It's a shame that to do anything interesting today it's can't be in a > DIP I can put in a protoboard. Everythigh is either all integrated into > a single chip, or an ball-mounted FPGA which is sort of overkill. Even modern FPGAs are also available in TQFP208/240. Older FPGAs still come in PLCC84 for the smaller (and for your use sufficient ones). And then there are CPLDs available from PLCC44 on upward And EPLDs are available from DIP24 on upward. And 22V10 of course still comes in DIP24. > I am wondering if it might be worth it to get a programmer and try to > burn some PLD's to build some work arounds for the glue. I don't think > I can get enough complexity in a DIP package though. So long you do not need too many Flip-Flops (for register bits) you can put an entire processor into modern CPLDs. And registers can go (at performance cost) in CPLD-external RAMs. Even 22V10 should be enough for an 4bit slice. > All the action seems to be in ball mount packages with I/O in the > hundreds. I want to stick with DIP packages. The newly introduced stuff of the last 1 or 2 years is BGA. But there are still over 10 year old FPGAs and CPLDs being offered in PLCC anf TQFP. > Does anybody know if there is anything which can be burned at home but > offers useful complexity in a DIP package? Altera EP610 has 16 macrocells in an DIP24 (or PLCC28) [1] Altera EP910 has 24 macrocells in an DIP40 (or PLCC44) [1] Altera EP1810 has 48 macrocells in an PGA68 (or PLCC68) [1] Atmel ATV750 has 10 dual-FF macrocells in DIP24 (or PLCC24) [2] Atmel ATV2500 has 24 dual-FF macrocells in DIP40 (or PLCC44) [3] [1] http://www.altera.com/document/ds/classic.pdf [2] http://www.atmel.com/atmel/acrobat/doc0301.pdf [3] http://www.atmel.com/atmel/acrobat/doc0249.pdf Neil "planning at TQFP208 Xilinx XC2S200 FPGA for cloning [4]" Franklin [4] http://neil.franklin.ch/Projects/PDP-10/ -- Neil Franklin, neil@franklin.ch.remove http://neil.franklin.ch/ Hacker, Unix Guru, El Eng HTL/BSc, Sysadmin, Archer, Roleplayer, LARPer ###### From: Andrew Carol Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: Re: Are AMD2901 bit slice chips still available? Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2001 10:09:26 -0800 Organization: Apple Lines: 19 Message-ID: References: <99nha201amd@drn.newsguy.com> <99nq5e$lbf@news-central.tiac.net> NNTP-Posting-Host: andrew1.apple.com X-Trace: news.apple.com 985630118 26985 17.202.13.88 (26 Mar 2001 18:08:38 GMT) X-Complaints-To: usenet@news.apple.com NNTP-Posting-Date: 26 Mar 2001 18:08:38 GMT User-Agent: MT-NewsWatcher/3.1 (PPC) Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!news.maxwell.syr.edu!newsfeed.stanford.edu!paloalto-snf1.gtei.net!news.gtei.net!forum.apple.com!news.apple.com!aaecaroll Xref: chonsp.franklin.ch alt.folklore.computers:77514 In article <99nq5e$lbf@news-central.tiac.net>, "Geoffrey G. Rochat" wrote: > > > >> BG Micro (www.bgmicro.com) lists the AM2901 as available for $1.50 > each. > >> It's not clear exactly which package or speed grade this part is, but > >> at a price that cheap it's worth a try. > > > Also try Unicorn Electronics, www.unicornelectronics.com . > You are a God! I just ordered four at a decent price. Thanks! Now I gotta track down an AM2910.... -- Andy ###### From: "Geoffrey G. Rochat" Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: Re: Are AMD2901 bit slice chips still available? Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2001 13:40:58 -0500 Organization: The Internet Access Company, Inc. Lines: 27 Message-ID: <99nveg$9fm@news-central.tiac.net> References: <99nha201amd@drn.newsguy.com> <99nq5e$lbf@news-central.tiac.net> NNTP-Posting-Host: 204.180.74.51 X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 4.72.3110.1 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V4.72.3110.3 Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!news-fra1.dfn.de!news.tele.dk!128.230.129.106!news.maxwell.syr.edu!cpk-news-hub1.bbnplanet.com!news.gtei.net!howland.erols.net!news-feed1.tiac.net.MISMATCH!news-peer1.tiac.net!posterchild2.tiac.net!news@tiac.net Xref: chonsp.franklin.ch alt.folklore.computers:77506 Andrew Carol wrote in message ... >In article <99nq5e$lbf@news-central.tiac.net>, > "Geoffrey G. Rochat" wrote: > >> > >> >> BG Micro (www.bgmicro.com) lists the AM2901 as available for $1.50 >> each. >> >> It's not clear exactly which package or speed grade this part is, but >> >> at a price that cheap it's worth a try. >> > >> Also try Unicorn Electronics, www.unicornelectronics.com . >> > >You are a God! I just ordered four at a decent price. > >Thanks! > >Now I gotta track down an AM2910.... Being an ace scrounge has its perks. You may hereafter refer to me, the way Porky Pig did to Duck Dodgers, as "Your Worshipfulness." Or, "Caligula" for short... ###### From: Andrew Carol Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: Re: Are AMD2901 bit slice chips still available? Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2001 14:03:12 -0800 Organization: Apple Lines: 32 Message-ID: References: <6uofuo5of3.fsf@chonsp.franklin.ch> NNTP-Posting-Host: andrew1.apple.com X-Trace: news.apple.com 985644143 28000 17.202.13.88 (26 Mar 2001 22:02:23 GMT) X-Complaints-To: usenet@news.apple.com NNTP-Posting-Date: 26 Mar 2001 22:02:23 GMT User-Agent: MT-NewsWatcher/3.1 (PPC) Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!enews.sgi.com!paloalto-snf1.gtei.net!news.gtei.net!forum.apple.com!news.apple.com!aaecaroll Xref: chonsp.franklin.ch alt.folklore.computers:77513 In article <6uofuo5of3.fsf@chonsp.franklin.ch>, Neil Franklin wrote: > Andrew Carol writes: > > > The closest I've found is a macro for use on an FPGA chip, but that's > > way to much overkill for what I need. > > Put the entire HMP-1116 into an FPGA? I briefly considered that. I'm sure it would fit. The issue is that the FPGA has to be programmed using a language that I don't know, using tools that I understand are quite expensive, using a programmer I don't own. If you tell me I'm wrong I'd be very excited to hear the options. The advantage of DIP is that I can protoboard pieces of it. Of course if I could fit it all in an FPGA, then I could just use the evaluation board! > Atmel ATV2500 has 24 dual-FF macrocells in DIP40 (or PLCC44) [3] I had been looking at that! > Neil "planning at TQFP208 Xilinx XC2S200 FPGA for cloning [4]" Franklin > > [4] http://neil.franklin.ch/Projects/PDP-10/ Very cool! --- Andy ###### Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers From: null@lycosmail.com (Fred Wedemeier) Subject: Re: Are AMD2901 bit slice chips still available? References: X-Newsreader: News Xpress 2.01 Lines: 19 Message-ID: <%IUv6.102007$lj4.2912035@news6.giganews.com> NNTP-Posting-Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2001 22:31:55 CST Organization: Giganews.Com - Premium News Outsourcing X-Trace: sv3-FlPyOp3QXBoHpkVDG2G2mTyGKfm77yTCXL6EpJEqsa2rmVRq/qjWKaEiIht7eET3PN4wgoscSRvkTw2!fSNKalHWxgqN0fl7k0C3OZWQEkf3wp6GOtF/Q8bmi8wAYn73fHeCFU38vzw+2gQzRZCHBNs6s5XZ!F6V3E6IR X-Complaints-To: abuse@GigaNews.Com X-Abuse-Info: Please be sure to forward a copy of ALL headers X-Abuse-Info: Otherwise we will be unable to process your complaint properly Date: Tue, 27 Mar 2001 04:31:54 GMT Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!enews.sgi.com!newshub2.rdc1.sfba.home.com!news.home.com!nntp2.aus1.giganews.com!nntp3.aus1.giganews.com!news6.giganews.com.POSTED!fcw138 Xref: chonsp.franklin.ch alt.folklore.computers:77508 In article , Andrew Carol wrote: -- cut -- > >It's a shame that to do anything interesting today it's can't be in a >DIP I can put in a protoboard. Everythigh is either all integrated into >a single chip, or an ball-mounted FPGA which is sort of overkill. > You might want to check Ironwood Electronics - They've got an array of adapters for SMT packages to 0.1 inch gridwork solder and wire-wrap pins. Not exactly DIPs, but they do let you build on proto boards. -- --------------------------------------------------- best regards, Fred Wedemeier null@lycosmail.com ###### Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!not-for-mail From: Neil Franklin Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: Re: Are AMD2901 bit slice chips still available? Date: 27 Mar 2001 21:27:49 +0200 Organization: My own Private Self Lines: 54 Message-ID: <6uy9trrozu.fsf@chonsp.franklin.ch> References: <6uofuo5of3.fsf@chonsp.franklin.ch> NNTP-Posting-Host: chonsp.franklin.ch X-Trace: chonsp.franklin.ch 985721270 610 10.0.3.2 (27 Mar 2001 19:27:50 GMT) X-Complaints-To: news@chonsp.franklin.ch NNTP-Posting-Date: 27 Mar 2001 19:27:50 GMT X-Newsreader: Gnus v5.7/Emacs 20.4 Xref: chonsp.franklin.ch alt.folklore.computers:77523 Andrew Carol writes: > In article <6uofuo5of3.fsf@chonsp.franklin.ch>, > Neil Franklin wrote: > > > Put the entire HMP-1116 into an FPGA? > > I briefly considered that. I'm sure it would fit. The issue is that > the FPGA has to be programmed using a language that I don't know, If "language that I don't know" means VHDL or Verilog or similar, neither do I know any of them. I am using an system called JBits, which is a Java .class library for modifying FPGA configurations. So my code is standard Java [1]. [1] http://neil.franklin.ch/Projects/PDP-10/src/pdp10.java Note that using JBits is more like programming in Assembly than in an HLL as far as semantical level goes. Not logic formulas, but rather configuring individual chip elements. This I regard as one of its advantages. :-) That it runs on Linux is even better still (and the main reason for chosing it). > using > tools that I understand are quite expensive, Zero dollars for JBits (and for Java). Just send a mail to jbits@xilinx.com and get an reply with URL and password. Equally somewhat restricted VHDL/Verilog toolsets are avaiable for free from both Altera and Xilinx. But they require either Solaris/Sparc or WindowsNT/Intel. > using a programmer I don't > own. Comes with the prototype board I am intending to use. Runs off the PC LPT port. Together $120.- [2] [2] http://www.burched.com.au/bedspartan2.html > If you tell me I'm wrong I'd be very excited to hear the options. Perhaps above is enough. -- Neil Franklin, neil@franklin.ch.remove http://neil.franklin.ch/ Hacker, Unix Guru, El Eng HTL/BSc, Sysadmin, Archer, Roleplayer, LARPer ###### From: Andrew Carol Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: Re: Are AMD2901 bit slice chips still available? Date: Tue, 27 Mar 2001 12:27:26 -0800 Organization: Apple Lines: 21 Message-ID: References: <6uofuo5of3.fsf@chonsp.franklin.ch> <6uy9trrozu.fsf@chonsp.franklin.ch> NNTP-Posting-Host: andrew1.apple.com X-Trace: news.apple.com 985724794 4362 17.202.13.88 (27 Mar 2001 20:26:34 GMT) X-Complaints-To: usenet@news.apple.com NNTP-Posting-Date: 27 Mar 2001 20:26:34 GMT User-Agent: MT-NewsWatcher/3.1 (PPC) Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!enews.sgi.com!paloalto-snf1.gtei.net!news.gtei.net!forum.apple.com!news.apple.com!aaecaroll Xref: chonsp.franklin.ch alt.folklore.computers:77589 In article <6uy9trrozu.fsf@chonsp.franklin.ch>, Neil Franklin wrote: > > If you tell me I'm wrong I'd be very excited to hear the options. > > Perhaps above is enough. > That looks very exciting. I may decided to try that. Java could be a plus because I'm on a BSD system with a good Java, but it's not running on PC hardware. I don't have a parallel port however, only USB. Of course USB->Parallel ports adapters are available... I'm gonna have to mull on this. Thanks for the info! --- Andy ###### Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers From: @mb.sympatico.ca Subject: Re: Are AMD2901 bit slice chips still available? Reply-To: wtshyman@mb.sympatico.ca Organization: No Unsolicited Commercial E-Mail, Please ! References: <6uofuo5of3.fsf@chonsp.franklin.ch> <6uy9trrozu.fsf@chonsp.franklin.ch> X-Newsreader: IBM NewsReader/2 2.0 Lines: 55 Message-ID: <1Ncw6.8417$tn1.128004@news1.mts.net> Date: Wed, 28 Mar 2001 03:21:33 GMT NNTP-Posting-Host: 205.200.55.190 X-Complaints-To: admin@mts.net X-Trace: news1.mts.net 985749693 205.200.55.190 (Tue, 27 Mar 2001 21:21:33 CST) NNTP-Posting-Date: Tue, 27 Mar 2001 21:21:33 CST Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!enews.sgi.com!torn!canopus.cc.umanitoba.ca!news-in.mts.net!news1.mts.net.POSTED!not-for-mail Xref: chonsp.franklin.ch alt.folklore.computers:77554 In <6uy9trrozu.fsf@chonsp.franklin.ch>, Neil Franklin writes: >Andrew Carol writes: > >> In article <6uofuo5of3.fsf@chonsp.franklin.ch>, >> Neil Franklin wrote: >> >> > Put the entire HMP-1116 into an FPGA? >> >> I briefly considered that. I'm sure it would fit. The issue is that >> the FPGA has to be programmed using a language that I don't know, > >If "language that I don't know" means VHDL or Verilog or similar, >neither do I know any of them. I am using an system called JBits, >which is a Java .class library for modifying FPGA configurations. >So my code is standard Java [1]. > > >> using >> tools that I understand are quite expensive, > >Zero dollars for JBits (and for Java). Just send a mail to >jbits@xilinx.com and get an reply with URL and password. > >> using a programmer I don't >> own. > >Comes with the prototype board I am intending to use. Runs off the PC >LPT port. Together $120.- [2] > >> If you tell me I'm wrong I'd be very excited to hear the options. > >Perhaps above is enough. > > >-- >Neil Franklin, neil@franklin.ch.remove http://neil.franklin.ch/ >Hacker, Unix Guru, El Eng HTL/BSc, Sysadmin, Archer, Roleplayer, LARPer Just in case anyone else hasn't noticed....we live in amazing times. Here's someone about to duplicate a major CPU...using inexpensive or free! tools - on a readily available programmable gate array....for kicks. Making this CPU work was the full-time occupation of a building full of designers only a few short years ago! Truly, we walk in wonders beyond ourselves.... I'm going to stop grousing about TTL being so hard to get in DIP packages any more. Time to learn 21st-century-style hardware hacking technique. Bill ###### Message-ID: <3AC3B4D5.4163180D@ev1.net> Date: Thu, 29 Mar 2001 14:19:00 -0800 From: Charles Richmond Reply-To: richmond@ev1.net Organization: Cannine Computer Center X-Mailer: Mozilla 4.7C-CCK-MCD {C-UDP; EBM-APPLE} (Macintosh; I; PPC) X-Accept-Language: en MIME-Version: 1.0 Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: Re: Are AMD2901 bit slice chips still available? References: <6uofuo5of3.fsf@chonsp.franklin.ch> <6uy9trrozu.fsf@chonsp.franklin.ch> <1Ncw6.8417$tn1.128004@news1.mts.net> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit NNTP-Posting-Host: rsvp-208-187-72-82.ac02.dlls.eli.net X-Trace: newsa.ev1.net 985897419 rsvp-208-187-72-82.ac02.dlls.eli.net (29 Mar 2001 14:23:39 -0600) Lines: 31 Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!newsfeed-zh.ip-plus.net!news.ip-plus.net!news.tesion.net!news.belwue.de!news-stu1.dfn.de!news-koe1.dfn.de!news-was.dfn.de!news-spur1.maxwell.syr.edu!news.maxwell.syr.edu!newsfeed.skycache.com!Cidera!newsa.ev1.net Xref: chonsp.franklin.ch alt.folklore.computers:77599 @mb.sympatico.ca wrote: > > [snip...] [snip...] [snip...] > > Just in case anyone else hasn't noticed....we live in amazing times. Here's someone > about to duplicate a major CPU...using inexpensive or free! tools - on a readily > available programmable gate array....for kicks. Making this CPU work was the full-time > occupation of a building full of designers only a few short years ago! > Bonk, bonk, bonk...Hello, Bill??? Anybody home??? Have you been sleeping too much lately??? It has *not* been "only a few short years"...it has been a quarter of a century. The reason that FGPA design of a PDP-10 may seem miraculous to you and me is that...we are *older* than dirt!!! > > Truly, we walk in wonders beyond ourselves.... > For as long as we are able to walk... > > I'm going to stop grousing about TTL being so hard to get in DIP packages any > more. Time to learn 21st-century-style hardware hacking technique. > ...and it's about time you and I learned some of the 21st century stuff. Else we might as well go down to the morgue and turn ourselves in... -- +-------------------------------------------------------------+ | Charles and Francis Richmond | +-------------------------------------------------------------+