Controller

RC1Computer

8-Bit Relay Computer inspired by Harry Porter and DipDot

General Information

This Computer, inspired Harry H Porter III, Ph.D, Paul Law, and Youtuber DipDot, is (almost) completly made out of relays, 607 of them to be exact.

Specifications

• 32 kb RAM
• It has 11 15 8 Bit Registers. Some of them can also funtcion as 16 Bit Registers.
• A clock rate Between 3 and 8 Hertz
• 8 Bit Data and Instruction Bus, as well as an 16* Bit Adress Bus _{*only 15 bits are actually used, but the 16th Bit is still usable for other Peripherals/More Memeory}

Changes in V0.2

• Changed how I managed the Bus on the RC-1. The Bus Board now encompasses all Register Signals and otherwise, except for the Timing pulses, which is only used by the Controller.
• Caught most the Routing mistakes I made in the first Version. The second run really helped spotting obvious and not so obvious mistakes.
• Added a board for the front panel functions. The switches are not mounted on the Board however, and so are the LEDs.
• I also started experimenting with Capacitor Storage. I included my initial design in this version.
• The memory board had an overhaul, with more isolation and better logic.
• The ALU has been split into two boards. I was able to do this because of the new backplane.

Future features

• I want to make some sort Storage medium. A Tape interface, similar to DipDot's design, would be nice, although for a computer like that kind of lame in my opinion. I am thinking more like a paper based interface, like the one Usagi electric build for the UE1. One Slight Problem thogh: Reading may be somewhat easy, the writing on the other hand may be a little challenge... We'll burn that bridge when we get there.
• Tape Loader has been added, function not Tested however.
• The Second thing i want to make for this project is some sort of Serial/ Terminal output. That itself is not that hard all things considered, it's nearly a chip solution. The real problem is that the Computer most likely lacks any sort of speed for that kind of outpu. So i either have to buffer the output, make it exceptionaly slow, or find some other way of sending a serial signal of of the Computer.

Links

Paul Law´s Youtube channel, and his personal Blog. Harry Porter´s Webiste, specifically, this PDF. Lastly, DipDot´s Youtube channel. He was the main inspiration for this project and his videos are well made.