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1000! And Gigatron future

A project log for Gigatron TTL microcomputer

Just because! A home computer without microprocessor

walterWalter 05/28/2020 at 10:470 Comments

In the last year, a lot has happened. We now have 6502 emulation and the Gigatron can run Apple-1 code, such as WozMon. We have BASIC running and there's a great BASIC compiler, opening the way to create great games. Looking back on the original goal to play tic-tac-toe on a LED matrix, we are super chuffed that we have a system running BASIC that feels like an actual homecomputer from years ago - still without a microprocessor.

And today, Gigatron #1000 has found a new owner! Thanks to everybody for making happen what we could not have dreamt of when we started!

We have decided to stop selling kits once our stock has been sold, which should be in a few months. For us, the Gigatron was always about inventing new things, understanding technology, designing, fine tuning, tinkering, and also about meeting like minded people (and having fun in the process). Making it into a kit had its own charmes, writing a manual, sourcing components, designing a PCB. Packaging and sending out kits, however, resembles a plain job too much, but was needed to create a community of people that would also want to design, understand and tinker.

That community now exists, and wonderful things have already come from it, both in hardware and software. So we will stop selling and providing support in a few months. Does that mean you can no longer get a Gigatron? No, you still can, because the PCB layout, the schematics and the software have all been open sourced. The only thing you probably cannot get is the wooden case that we had tailor made for the Gigatron. Somewhere in July or August, the assembly manual and more will  open sourced as well. We hope the Gigatron will live on!


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