[globular-toast]

I built Ben Eater's 8 bit computer on breadboards a few years ago. It's a challenging but super rewarding project. I felt like after years of doing computer stuff I could finally say I get how it all works right down to the level of electronics, plus I learnt some new skills and got really good at cutting little wires to exactly the right length. It takes some dedication, especially when you're building the same register module 3+ times, but I found it quite relaxing in the evenings, similar to knitting in many ways.

I'm glad to see there are more projects in case I want to do it again some day...

[Graziano_M]

I bought the kit and was making progress with it, but unfortunately you have to be extremely lucky to have it work with the way Ben wired it. He skips a lot of pull downs and such, and adding all that is such a chore. More importantly, it can’t really fit on the breadboards with the additional required circuitry, so you end up making a monstrosity that doesn’t doesn’t look anything like his, which really takes away from the value of his lessons.

[globular-toast]

Hmm... I didn't have this experience at all. Apart from dotting a bunch of capacitors around the busses I didn't have to do much differently. I was able to find the exact components he used myself on Mouser. It's been a while though so maybe I'm forgetting something or maybe I was just lucky as you say. I should really dig it out and see if it still works.

The only major thing I changed was I designed my own EEPROM programmer as I found the way he was doing it laborious.

[Graziano_M]

Maybe you were! I got the clock working well but none of the register modules worked correctly. I asked in the subreddit and apparently it’s asked a ton because Ben keeps a lot of stuff floating and for most that doesn’t work. I don’t mind having to do it but it’s annoying to have to find extra parts and extra annoying having to try to have it fit in the original footprint so that each breadboard still fits together as in the videos.

[globular-toast]

I pulled mine out to see if I could jog my memory. The floating issue rings a bell but I seem to remember the TI chips had built-in pulldown resistors. I think I found actual TI chips, was it a problem with the clones perhaps? Are there other variables in the circuitry that would make this not work for some people but work for others?

The project definitely gave me an appreciation for electronics and how much is hidden under that abstraction level. I really wish I'd kept a journal or blog while doing mine!

[Graziano_M]

I forget the details since I haven't touched it in some time, but that sounds familiar. I think I remember being annoyed that I was given clones despite buying the kit from hit directly.

You could rip it apart and do it again from scratch! You'd definitely learn some stuff you missed the first time. Of course, you could just try the project in OP's link instead.

[Joel_Mckay]

After these types of projects, most students write better software with implicit streamlined logic.

Notably, James Sharman's "Jam-1" includes an interesting series on video timing for his games.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iHag4k4yEg&list=PLFhc0MFC8M...

Best regards =3