Using a DVD player screen, a rewired toy keyboard and toy laptop looks like it made a great start to this DIY Parallax Propeller Laptop.This project demonstrates the power of the Propeller microcontroller. Full documentation is available so that you could make your own.
"This is a Propeller laptop – with a 6502 co-processor and 64K of static RAM! The Propeller handles all I/O for the 6502 and runs an integrated debugger so you can program the computer. The Propeller serves as the programmable chipset for this 6502 laptop. You could use an FPGA in this capacity, but could you easily do this and implement visual debugger software inside an FPGA? Over the years hardware prototyping has evolved from building-block hardware (TTL) to programmable hardware (PLA’s and FPGA’s). I believe the Propeller represents the next revolution: 100% software-based virtual hardware – and I built this laptop to prove it!"
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6502? 64K RAM? Did this guy just reinvent the Apple IIc or does my recollection fail?
Note: I’m not criticizing I’m congratulating!
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Congratulations,
but why a propeller mcu?
For the same price of that bad compiler you could have installed several Atmel demo boards running linux, and get a free compiler.
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This was the first time I’ve had an erection caused by a hack. You sir, are a genius!!
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So the 6502 itself is entirely software? That’s an interesting idea, as it opens up the possibility for software to effectively modify the CPU. Microcode on steroids.
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the propeller is a great mcu and the compiler is free. Sure it costs $12 per ic but you effectively get 8 32 bit processors. Its only real down side is the 32k ram on board.
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The screen looks shopped. I can tell from some of the pixels and from having seen quite a few shops in my time.
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Wow that is one of the coolest most useful hacks I have seen yet. Cudo’s // Are we witnessing the evolution of hardware to software or what?? Very Cool!!
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Comment 7, Christopher Poole: No guarantees, but it looks photoshopped at first. I looked closely, thought about the size of most lcd tv/dvd screens and realized that probably this is “crayola-shopped”. Meaning there is a REAL screen at the top, center of the laptop and the surrounding white with schematics is actually PAPER with a printout on it. That’s my impression.
Very cool hack. I saw it in an advertisement and had to seek it out online.