Omnimaga
General Discussion => Technology and Development => Other => Topic started by: LincolnB on September 21, 2011, 09:55:03 am
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Hey, I've been thinking about this and the more I think about it, the more I think I can actually do this. My idea is basically this: Make a functional computer out of an Arduino Uno microcontroller.
My only goal for this computer is the ability to edit and execute BASIC programs. That's all. I only want it for the programming, as that's just about the only thing I'm interested in right now :)
So the way I see it, I'll need three main hardware components: 1) some form of a display (VGA screen or something), 2) some way to register keyboard input, and 3) some way to store data to external memory. Does anyone know of any way to do this? I know of ways to display to a screen, but I don't know a good API/hardware component to register keyboard input or to store external memory.
I'm going to need a lot of help on this. Can anyone help me out and offer ideas and useful tips and suggestions for good hardware / a good open source library, or two, or three, or ten?
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Arlight, here are my suggestions:
1) TV-OUT library, http://code.google.com/p/arduino-tvout/
2) PS2 keyboard, easy to interface. Info at http://www.practicalarduino.com/projects/ps2-keyboard-or-mouse, or just do a google
3) There are plenty of ways to access an SD card without to much work (I think there is a built in lib for that )
Hope this is a help :)
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Thank you. +1 for clear, direct information and links, exactly what I was looking for.
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Hook up external RAM and ROM and you could just implement a (probably slow) Z80 emulator.
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Hey, that would be useful, so I wouldn't have to write all my own software for the box.
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You could produce pirate graphing calculators based on a microcontroller and still turn a profit. [insert rant about overpriced educational materials here]
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lol :)
http://hairbrainedprojects.blogspot.com/ is the blog address for anyone interested.