17 Aug
2023
17 Aug
'23
11:34 a.m.
On Sat, Aug 5, 2023 at 6:11 PM Cameron Kaiser via cctalk
<cctalk(a)classiccmp.org> wrote:
I have an IMSAI as well, but for me my favourite
computer of that era is the
KIM-1, and that's such a simple design there are tons of implementations
I only recently got a KIM-1 (at VCF East). It's been on my list for a
while and I was able to get it in a swap not eBay prices so I'm twice
as happy.
(though I prefer the original since some of them
apparently have edge-case
incompatibilities).
I've had a replica for a while and for running code it's an adequate
match, but, yes, there are some quirks that do matter.
One of the biggest implementation differences from 1976 to today
totally matters to me - I have an old TVT 6-5/8 Cheap Video board I
got as a kid that needs the "upstream tap" to present different memory
contents to the CPU and to the video board, and that in turn depends
on how and where the bus is buffered. Most of the simple replicas are
either total hardware emulation (KIM Uno) or are so small that they
just don't have the same bus buffer arrangement so that would have to
be hacked in.
Now that I _have_ a KIM-1, I can look at how bad the hackery is and
finally see this board in action.
-ethan