[P] MECB 68008 CPU Card

[Editor]

I've started planning for a Motorola 68008 CPU Card for MECB.

The 68008 is the 8/32-bit version of the MC68000 processor.

It was most notably used in the Sinclair QL computer.

Internally, the 68008 is a full 68000 processor, but with an 8-bit external data bus interface (hence 8/32-bit).

At it's launch in 1982, the 68008 was intended to enable designers to leverage existing 8-bit hardware designs and 8-bit wide memory, to enable a lower cost of entry to the new 68000 world.

This makes the 68008 a perfect candidate for our Minimalist design intentions. In fact, it probably represents the high-end of CPU candidates for our Minimalist Europe Card bus.

A 68008 CPU card would enable us to experiment with 68000 coding. Ideally, it would also be compatible with our existing 8-bit MECB peripheral cards.

To this end, my current thinking is to make a 68008 CPU card that implements the full addressable 1MB of fast memory, on-board, allowing full "no wait-state" processor speed. The MECB bus then being used exclusively for the legacy 8-bit peripheral support interface of the 68008.

The only downside of this approach will be to rule out using the later 68000 family peripherals. But, in the interests of having a powerful 68000 CPU to play with, whilst keeping with the Minimalist philosophy of MECB, I think this approach is the best fit for the MECB project.

Currently in early planning stage.

[bugeyedcreepy]

....!!

ohh, yeah...

[djrm]

Back in the old days after learning the basics on my Ohio C1P machines I then moved up to Sinclair QLs where the learning started all over again. Apart from the poor hardware (especially the microdrives) and slow software (68008) they had a really good and well documented multi-tasking operating system (QDOS). My QLs were pimped out with 3.5" disk drives and EPROM programmer add-ons and several software ROMs. I used to use the QL for designing custom sundials for any location and orientation. I maintained my colleagues QL for his office needs. I wonder if QDOS could be made to work on an MECB?

One of the additional boards I made was an Inmos link interface, this talked to an Transputer M212 hard disk controller with an old 5MB full height disk drive. The software was kludged up floppy-disk driver. The QL with the hard disk became a file-server talking down the twisted pair network interface to some of my other QLs. I sold most of the system to a fellow enthusiast back in around 1990 when I had moved over to PCs. I never had the same affection for them though but I did some device driver hacking and an ISA breadboard telephone interface with ADC back when Borland C was popular. I still have the card, maybee see if that still works one day ...