[Steeeve] just sent us his work on emulating a handful of 8080-based microcomputers on a Stellaris Launchpad, including the bare-metal to run Space Invaders. We know what you’re thinking: Is that all you folks are doing these days?!?!? There must be something in the water.
[Steeeve]’s build is based on the Launchpad with an external 64kB of SPI RAM, a nice little TFT display, and a built-in SD card for all of your storage needs. Add in an 8080 emulator and a keyboard and you’ve got a tiny microcomputer. (Is that redundant?)
What’s really neat about [Steeeve]’s project is that he’s cloned not just one target computer, but a whole bunch of computers including (GitHub links follow) the 8080-based UK101/Superboard, the CPM/80, and the machine that ran Space Invaders, as well as the 6502-based Commodore PET and Apple-1. And as a bonus, you can save the state onto the built-in SD card so that you can hibernate the microcomputer and pick up right back where you left off at a later date. Snazzy.
He’s also built a library which provides an emulation framework if you want to build on this work yourself. And did we mention he can play Space Invaders? Bravo [Steeeve]!
The commodore pet and apple 1 used a 6502 cpu, not an 8080
Thanks for catching that. I’ll fix it straight away.
“We know what you’re thinking: Is that all you folks are doing these days?!?!? There must be something in the water.”
Yup. Still, +1 gummy bears to [Steeeve]. Though I gotta say… Instead of emulating a classic machine *yet again*, I think folks should consider making their own designs for a virtual machine. Something you would have enjoyed using back in the 80’s, had it existed. Or maybe something you’d enjoy writing code for today, that could run cross-platform on a small and easily portable emulator.
I dunno, I wouldn’t say no to a Stellaris based nes emulator.
I’d love to see some outlandish VM designs, weird stuff that runs on trinary.
The 8080 was just one of the emulators he built.
Or maybe I’m just stupid.
Space Invaders is a fun one to emulate . Did it a few years ago on a pic32 . Emulated a Z80.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQlcmNUdVYw
Nice work on the PIC32!