If you’ve started your computing experience in the early eighties, you’ve probably used a ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, and/or Atari ST home computers. Those products are long gone, except for collectors, but thanks to chips4makers project’s Zilog Z80, MOS 6502, and Motorola M68K cores are coming back to life via Retro-uC open source microcontroller.

As a bonus, developers also worked on Retrino, a board following Arduino Mega form factor, and featuring Retro-uC MCU, as well as Retro-uC ProtoPlus with the chip fitted to a large Perf+ 2 style prototyping board, and Retro-uC Breadboard which can be inserted into a standard breadboard.

Retro-uC Microcontroller

Retro-uC specifications:

Open source microcontroller with a Z80, MOS 6502 and Motorola 68000 core
4 kB of on-chip RAM
72x 5V digital general purpose I/O pins
JTAG interface for programming the device
Optionally bootable from external I2C flash memory
I/O pins that can select the enabled core during reset
One or more UART, I2C and PWM controllers

For reference, the Z80 core was found in the TRS-80 and ZX Spectrum, the MOS 6502 in the Apple I/II and the Commodore 64, and the Motorola 68000 in the Amiga and Atari ST.

The project promises to be developed in the open, with all code and PCB design released as open source. You’ll be able to follow the progress via the project’s blog.

Retrino

If you don’t feel like designing your own board, Retrino board with Arduino MEGA form factor will feature the MCU.

Retrino specifications:

Retro-uC QFP chip
PCB with Arduino Mega compatible pin layout
Only digital I/O, no analog
STM32 companion chip
USB interface for powering and programming the board

Note that only the hardware is compatible with Arduino, there’s no plan to implement support for Arduino IDE at this stage. You’d need to get your hands “dirty” with assembly or C programming.

Retro-uC ProtoPlus & Retro-uC BreadBoard

Retro-uC Perfboard Breadboard — Protoboard (left) and Breadboard compatible board (right) – Click to Enlarge

Two other boards will also be offered with:

Retro-uC ProtoPlus, inspired by the Perf+ 2 board, and giving access to all I/O pins from the MCU via horizontal lines on the prototype board. all clearly marked with the pin names. Dimensions: 20 x 13 cm
Retro-uC Breadboard, a breadboard-friendly board with the QFP chip, DIP switches to select active core and whether to boot from I2C, and headers to solder to the board yourself.

Crowdfunding

The project launched on Crowd Supply a few weeks ago, with a $22,000 funding goal. Retro-uC Chip in easy-to-solder QFP package is offered for $42, while $89 is asked for Retrino, $59 for Retro-uC breadboard, and $65 for the Protoplus board. They also have bundles with several boards and chips. Prices might seem on the high-side, but keep in mind the project does not benefit from the cost savings provided by high volume manufacturing. Shipping is free to the US, and ranges from free to $8 to the rest of the world depending on the selected perk(s). Rewards are expected for March or April 2019.

Thanks to SK for the tip.

Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft)

Jean-Luc started CNX Software in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, before quitting his job as a software engineering manager, and starting to write daily news, and reviews full time later in 2011.