Do you need a Front Panel w/all the LEDs and Switches for your RC2014 Computer?

[r4r...@gmail.com]

Hi, 

The link was posted in the S100 group:  

https://hackaday.com/2019/11/21/building-a-front-panel-for-the-rc2014-computer/?fbclid=IwAR3G8nEqEF3aVGgp25EIOz5pYyO16kE2Z2gq7VYibiDA3BJRfiJIFHFrG2k

Looks good to me!  

.

[Bill Shen]

My first computer was Altair 8800.  It had a PROM at high memory but I remember having to toggle in jump instruction at 0x0 to boot into the PROM.  That was only 3 instructions but flipping all the switches and read 16 + 8 LEDs for address and data were tedious because I had to do it EVERY power cycle or every time the program crashed and trashed 0x0.  I can't imagine manually toggling in dozens of instructions.  I think a more user-friendly front panel should have 7-segment display for addresses and data and a keyboard input for opcode.

A while ago I did a front panel for a different computer, so I'm thinking about porting it to RC2014.  I may start a new topic about a front panel for RC2014.
  Bill

[r4r...@gmail.com]

Hi,  

My Altair 8800c has a couple of PROMs at high memory to BOOT either into AMON monitor, or to the FDC+ Serial Drive Server program emulating four disk drives on my PC.  I leave the front panel switches set to FFOO and just turn the computer ON, STOP+RESET, EXAMINE, RUN.  The computer BOOTs to a CP/M prompt and I'm off and playing or actually, I'm mostly practicing programing in BASIC.  

Similar to my Altair-Duino Pro which is setup to emulate a Z80 Processor Technology Sol-20 computer.  I turn it ON, STOP+RESET, set Address/Data Switches to 00 001 000 001 000 001 AUX2 DOWN, 00 000 000 000 001 000 AUX1 DOWN and I'm at the CP/M prompt in the  Sol-20 computer ready to play TREK-80.  

Now days the best of the PROMs for BOOTing have been figured out to make using the old S-100 computers and emulators easier.  http://www.brainless.org/Altair/  

My latest project is building an IMSAI ZPU computer.  I already built an IMSAI-JAIR (available for trade), it too BOOTs even easier than the Altair 8800c.  With a different PROM BOOT MONITOR. I just power ON, STOP, RESET, RUN ... on the console keyboard I hit "C", then after a couple of seconds <ENTER> to get to the CP/M prompt.  

BTW, since I have the Sol-20 emulator running so well, I now have a full set of Processor Technology Subsystem B boards for sale/trade.  I was pursuing three potential avenues to building a Sol-20 compatible computer, couldn't get a Raspberry Pi 4B at a normal price, the cabinet, 9-slot back plane and power supplies have been on the back of the budget list for awhile paying off car repairs so with the Altair-Duino Pro conversion now I can sell or trade that board set for another project or two.  

[Alan Cox]

Nice. Although I think I'd prefer a diode boot rom to all those
expensive switches.

Alan

[Bill Shen]

That Altair 8800 I worked with 45 years ago is likely buried in a landfill.  Years later I acquired an Altair 680 but it needs no help with power-on bootstrapping.

Pausing computer right after reset waiting for user input has educational value for people interested learning about computer such as the RC2014 community.  I just wish it is simpler than the Altair front panel.  I'll start a new post about front panel for RC2014.
  Bill