I guess he's aiming for something like this:<p><a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Breadboard_complex.jpg" rel="nofollow">http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Breadboard_complex.jp...</a><p>The 8088/8086 were probably the first - and last - "breadboardable" x86 CPUs as everything after that came in square, non-DIP packages. However, there have been hobbyists making their own electronics for x86-based computers up to the 486: <a href="http://dubel.org/computer/" rel="nofollow">http://dubel.org/computer/</a><p>Starting with the Pentium, however, things got really hairy...
Have to mention <i>Code</i> by Charles Petzold which was recommended somewhere around here. It builds up from basic logic gates (with loads of diagrams) to a rough approximation of the 8080 series processors. A great book if you want to know the principles and history of this technology.
This is awesome. I've been wanting to get into 8-bit computing and do a "ground up" build of something using an 8088, Z80, or something of that ilk for a while.<p>Since we're on the subject... can anybody recommend any good books / websites / magazine articles / etc., that cover this kind of ground? That is, starting from a raw chip (a simple one, like one of these old 8 bit ones, not a 80386 or something) and building a simple computer from scratch? I'd really like to get my hands dirty doing something like this, to get a better feel for the nuts and volts level stuff.
Author went for USB oscilloscope. Do not follow his recommendation if you like good quality usable tools. Sainsmart dds120:<p><a href="http://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/sainsmart-dds120-usb-oscilloscope-(buudai-bm102)/" rel="nofollow">http://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/sainsmart-dds120-usb-o...</a><p>"scope is advertised as 50Ms/s while the ADC runs at 40MHz"<p>40MHz sampling means its usable for signals up to ~10MHz. Its ok'ish for arduino level of tinkering.<p>If you like this type of old school hardcore hardware hacking check those links:<p><a href="http://n8vem-sbc.pbworks.com" rel="nofollow">http://n8vem-sbc.pbworks.com</a><p><a href="http://www.s100computers.com" rel="nofollow">http://www.s100computers.com</a><p>Those guys are actively building 20-30 year old computers from scratch. Most modern (and probably the fastest) is 386DX/486DLC board<p><a href="http://www.s100computers.com/My%20System%20Pages/80386%20Board/80386%20CPU%20Board.htm" rel="nofollow">http://www.s100computers.com/My%20System%20Pages/80386%20Boa...</a><p>On the other end of the spectrum is virtual hardware hacking. MAME project has a less known offshoot branch called MESS. It emulates old computers on a logic level with single clock cycle precision (not instruction, its clock accurate!). To get you idea of what that means imagine sound card emulation. Sane person would map buffers and pump samples to your host sound API. MESS people on the other hand desolder chips from old Sound Blaster 2.0, DECAPSULATE Intel microcontroller responsible for DMA, read its rom content. Emulated sound card runs this rom dump on virtual Intel 8048. Same with Keyboards - they emulate 8048 with its rom content inside keyboard, and 8051 sitting on the motherboard with its individual rom content! :)<p>This is pretty crazy and inefficient (C++), but extremely accurate. Emulated hardware ranges from 6502 (and all of its individual sub models like 6510, 6509 etc) to 486/586 processors and 3DFX cards (again emulating low level functions, no opengl mapping there).<p><a href="http://www.mess.org" rel="nofollow">http://www.mess.org</a>
The other news in this article: Jameco is still in business?! Wow.<p>They used to supply geeks throughout the US with their mail order biz; For me, it was late 70s/early 80s.