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Grant Searle's 32k z80 with USB Serial

Building a simple z80 computer with USB serial and simplified clock.

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Now you can be on the cutting edge of technology and impress your friends... if it was 1981. The z80 along with the 6502 revolutionised the home computer market during the 80s providing a plethora of computers games console and systems based on these humble chips.

First released to the market in 1976 the z80 has been a staple in computing and is still manufactured today and used in some embedded systems making it a cheap and readily available to create either a piece of computing history or nostalgia.

I deviated from Grant Searle's original design slightly to use parts I had on hand and to reduce the chip count slightly - less wiring!

This is a simple and rewarding project to undertake and creates a simple usable computer that can be expanded.

The version I built is the 32k RAM with 8k rom using the modified nascom BASIC supplied by Grant.

  • 1 × z80 CPU DIP40 & socket
  • 1 × 32k SRAM & socket I'm using an alliance as6c62256
  • 1 × 8k EEPROM & ziff socket I'm using a CSI CAT28C256 EEPROM but only accessing 8k - can be expanded to use the 32k
  • 1 × 3.3k & 2.3k resistors I used 3 1k in series and 2 1k in series which works fine
  • 1 × 8mhz oscillator can package 4 pin you can use any clock speed the z80 can handle but be aware of baud rates

View all 8 components

  • 1
    Wiring The circuit

    Following Grants schematic wiring up the circuit. Remember check the pinout of the chips you are using as they may be in different places to Grant's - his EEPROM is a 27cxxx type which has a slightly different pinout to the 28cxxx EEPROM I used. 

    If you are using an oscillator can package you can forget the whole clock circuit on Grants schematic and just add power and ground to the can and then the output clock signal wired to the z80 and 68b50. instead of the inverter output.

    Because we are using USB we can forgo the use of the max chip and wire the adapter as Grant suggests in the schematic.

  • 2
    Burn the EEPROM

    Burn the 32krom file that Grant provides as a download. Using a programmer - I have had success with TommyPROM https://github.com/TomNisbet/TommyPROM as well as the new version of the tl866ii+ programmer.

  • 3
    Connect USB to the serial adapter

    Open you terminal program and use the setting that Grant uses except you will need to change the baud rate to match your speed. using a 8mhz clock will need a baud ratee of around 125000. Press the reset button and you should see the welcome message.

View all 3 instructions

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