The Zeal 8-bit Computer Complete Edition is a system that aims to bring retrocomputing to the modern age with the aid of a motherboard built around the Zilog Z80 microprocessor and several peripherals.
The Zeal 8-bit Computer project began in early 2021 and has been released in bits and pieces since then. Now, a finalized version tagged the “Complete Edition” is ready for release to the public. It promises a modern retrocomputing experience with the simplicity of retro computers and support for relatively recent features such as VGA graphics, TF cards, and NOR flash.
The Zeal 8-bit Computer Complete Edition includes the following components: the Zeal 8-bit Computer motherboard, the Zeal 8-bit Video Board, and a 3D-printed enclosure with a touch sensor for turning the board on/off.
The Zeal 8-bit Video Board is based on a Lattice ECP5 FPGA and can output up to 65,536 colors via VGA. It also has a 3.5mm jack for audio, a microSD card slot, and a volume wheel.
The Zeal 8-bit Computer Complete Edition specifications:
- Zeal 8-bit Computer motherboard, with Zilog Z80 processor @ 10MHz
- Memory – 512KB RAM
- Storage – 256KB NOR flash (upgradeable to 512KB), 32KB I²C EEPROM (writable from the Zeal 8-bit OS),
- 64K (16-bit) logical address space size, 4MB (22-bit) physical address space size
- PS/2 keyboard interface, compatible with 104-key keyboards
- PS/2 video card connector
- Other Interfaces
- 16-pin user port with I2C, UART, and GPIOs
- 50-pin extension port
- Peripherals – Game controllers, video cards, audio cards, keypads, cartridges, compact flash, etc
- Integrated I2C real-time clock module
- Power Supply – 5V @ 500mAh via USB-C
- Dimensions – 15 x 10mm
- Zeal 8-bit Video Board
- FPGA – Lattice Semiconductor ECP5 FPGA
- MicroSD card slot
- Outputs – VGA (up to 65,536 colors), 3.5mm jack
- Video
- Resolutions: 640 x 480, 320 x 240
- Color depth: 16-bit, RGB565
- Video RAM: ~80KB of internal memory
- Memory: 128KB of mapped memory
- 2x 20-pin 2.54mm pitch bus connector to connect Zeal 8-bit Computer or any other 8-bit computer.
- 2-pin 2.54mm pitch DMA connector (currently unused)
- USB Type-C power input (for development purposes)
- Misc – Volume wheel, 1x power LED, 2x general-purpose LEDs
- Enclosure – 3D-printed white resin case
The Zeal 8-bit project aims to produce “a simple, yet powerful, 8-bit computer, capable of outputting graphics, that can be used to learn about electronics and low-level programming.”
The computer can be programmed in assembly and C, with support for more languages on the way. It comes pre-installed with Zeal 8-bit OS, a portable, open-source operating system written entirely in Z80 Assembly. It also comes with a pre-installed bootloader, so you can boot different operating systems without reflashing the ROM. The Zeal 8-bit operating system is still a work-in-progress and developers/retrocomputing enthusiasts are encouraged to pitch in to help further the project.
It is possible to use the Zeal 8-bit computer without the video card by using a USB-to-UART / USB-to-TTL adapter to provide a video interface on a host Windows or Linux computer.
The Zeal 8-bit Computer Complete Edition can be bought for $180 on Tindie. You can also pay extra for a 3D-printed enclosure and several accessory boards such as a backplane, a GameBoy adapter, and an SNES controller adapter. To use the computer, you will also need a 5V USB power supply and a USB-UART adapter to transfer data to another computer (both not included).
The Zeal8bit website has much more detailed information about the platform and its progress over the years. The YouTube channel has several videos that demonstrate the 8-bit computer’s capabilities. The Zilog Z80 microprocessor featured in this computer has been discontinued after about 50 years, but other alternatives are completely compatible.
Via Hackster.io
Tomisin is a writer specializing in hardware product reviews, comparisons, and explainers. He is very passionate about small form factor and single-board computers.
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Nice! With a bit of luck, Fuzix is already supported on it or will soon be.
Probably 65536 colors nit 6536?
Yeah. That’s correct.
Dude…do you even know what you are talking about? The Z80 is available for over 40 years and only discontinued this year in 2024. You can find tons of products still using a version of Z80 in a lot of stuff which doesn’t requires lots of processing power.
Who are you responding this to ? The article mentions the recent discontinuation after ~50 years and nobody said anything contradicting this.
Sir Clive! Back from the dead?
“The Zilog Z80 microprocessor featured in this computer has been discontinued after about 50 years” … indeed. As this has the real Z80, what happens as soon as there is no Z80 supply anymore?
Why $180 hardware instead of a Z80 emulator on your Raspi (smaller & cheaper), including RP2040 (even smaller & cheaper) hardware ?