Minimalist Europe Card Bus (MECB)
Overview
Europe Card Bus (ECB) is a Retro CPU Bus standard from the late 1970’s / early 1980’s.
The “Minimalist Europe Card Bus” (as I’ve called it), is a Retro 8-bit CPU Bus and PCB design standard that I decided to define & document. The purpose of which is to provide a modular platform for me to re-experience the fun of experimenting with the different 8-bit CPU’s, and the various video and peripheral devices, that I grew up with in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s.
My goal is that of a robust and modular design platform which allows me to create interchangeable PCB cards, based on time proven reliable bus connectors and modern low-cost prototype PCB manufacturing.
i.e. A robust, flexible, and low cost way for me to re-create some of the early microprocessor circuits, that I’d originally built using Wire-Wrap methods back in the day.
As evident from the name, the Bus itself is based on a Minimalist implementation of the original Europe Card Bus (ECB) standard.
It is my intention that as I add & test new card designs, I’ll add relevant card specific resources to the MECB GitHub repository.
Discussion (including product Roadmap)
MECB Related Blog Post Links
Below is a list of MECB related Blog posts (with their associated YouTube Videos), listed in chronological order.
- MECB Background & Introduction
- MECB Standardised PCB Board – Mechanical Specifications (pdf)
- MECB on GitHub – Board Mechanical Specification / KiCAD Template / Card Specific Resources
- A MECB Backplane Design
- A MECB Prototype Card Design
- Simplified / Flexible Address Decoding Glue Logic (ATF16V8)
- A MECB TMS9929A /TMS9928A VDP RGBS Video Card Design
- A MECB MC6809 CPU Card Design
- Optimising our Retro CPU Reset Design
- A MECB 6809 / 6809E CPU Card (v2.x)
- A MECB 6809 / 6809E CPU Card – v2.2 Update!
- A MECB Motorola I/O Card + Sound Design
- MECB – 6809 Testing, Coding, Sound!
- MECB – Let’s push our 6809 speed!
- MECB – Some 6809 BASIC Fun
- MECB – Bus Pinout Documented!
- MECB – 1MB ROM Expansion Card (Part 1)
- MECB – 1MB ROM Expansion Card (Part 2)
- MECB – 6809 or 6309 CPU Card – v2.3 Update!
- MECB – TMS992x or TMS9918 VDP Display Card – v2.0 Update!
- MECB – MOS 6502 or WDC W65C02 CPU Card
- MECB – 6502 CreatiVision re-Creation (Part 1)
- MECB – Improved Prototype Cards!
- MECB – 6309 PLCC packaged CPU Card
- MECB – Backplane v1.2 Updates!
- MECB – 6502 CPU Card v1.3 Update!
- MECB – 6502 CreatiVision re-Creation (Part 2)
- MECB – 6502 CreatiVision re-Creation (Part 3)
- MECB – 6502 CreatiVision re-Creation (Part 4)
- MECB – Backplane Extension
- MECB – V9938 or V9958 VDP RGBS Display Card