Notices by Paolo Amoroso (amoroso@mastodon.technology)

@zladuric Some hashtags provide good lists of users who consistently toot about certain tech topics, such as #retrocomputing or #linux

Two-Bit History is a computer history blog "intended primarily for computer people". It's unique because unapologetically technical and in-depth.

https://twobithistory.org

#retrocomputing

The Z80-MBC2 kit I ordered is being assembled. Still a few days until it's shipped, then I should receive it in a week or so.

Can't wait to play with this Z80 homebrew computer.

I bought this awesome homebrew Z80 single-board computer:

https://hackaday.io/project/159973-z80-mbc2-a-4-ics-homebrew-z80-computer

It was mostly an impulse buy but there are other motivations I explained here:

https://journal.paoloamoroso.com/i-bought-a-z80-mbc2-homebrew-computer

#sbc #z80 #retrocomputing

It works!

I made chromeOS detect the Z80-MBC2 Z80 computer connected via USB by... re-plugging the board. In the screenshot, see the Z80-MBC2 booting up CP/M 3.0 in a Minicom session under Crostini Linux. More details here:

https://journal.paoloamoroso.com/success-with-connecting-the-z80-mbc2-to-chromeos

Time to play with this awesome little gadget. The "Z80 inside" logo alone is worth the product.

#sbc #z80 #retrocomputing

I finally received the Z80-MBC2 Z80 homebrew computer and connected it via USB serial to my Chromebox (at right in the photo).

So far the Z80 device is not recognized neither under Chrome OS, nor Android, nor Linux. I'm investigating.

#sbc #z80 #retrocomputing

I ported to CP/M my Intell 8080 Assembly demo of a twirling bar animation.

Here is the demo running under CP/M 3.0 on the Z80-MBC2 Z80 homebrew computer. The Minicom session controlling the Z80 board is in the Crostini Linux container of chromeOS on my Chromebox.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oyh4_6kPShQ

#retrocomputing #cpm #sbc

I've been using the Z80-MBC2 Z80 homebrew computer for over a week, so I posted my early impressions about the device, its value and potential, and the issues I'm facing.

https://journal.paoloamoroso.com/z80-mbc2-first-impressions

#retrocomputing #z80 #sbc

Playing with the Z80-MBC2 is a fun retrocomputing project. So here are the obligatory vintage cool-retro-term screenshots of this Z80 homebrew computer running CP/M 3.0 and a couple of games.

#retrocomputing

In this Minicom terminal emulation session, an Intel 8080 Assembly hello world demo runs under CP/M on a Z80 homebrew computer.

Nothing fancy, but for me it's an incredible personal achievement. I assembled the demo's 8080 source with an assembler I wrote myself. I posted a bit more about the project here:

https://journal.paoloamoroso.com/a-hello-world-assembly-demo-running-on-the-z80-mbc2

#z80 #assembly #retrocomputing

I posted some notes on porting to CP/M, building, and running an Intel 8080 Assembly demo on the Z80-MBC2 Z80 homebrew computer. The demo is an ASCII animation of a twirling bar.

https://journal.paoloamoroso.com/porting-a-twirling-bar-demo-to-cp-m

#retrocomputing #assembly #z80

I created a YouTube playlist about the Z80-MBC2 Z80 homebrew computer.

The videos are screencasts demonstrating various features of the device and my projects with it, such as feature walkthroughs, running programs, programming sessions, and so on. So far there are only a handful of videos, but I'll publish more.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdrSRFPEwMupuDpNmOkXyObBNtkAb-b2K

#retrocomputing #z80 #sbc

8bitnews featured my Z80-MBC2 projects in issue 55. This is so cool, many thanks to the editors Jan and Bastian!

8bitnews.io is my favorite retrocomputing newsletter.

https://8bitnews.io/archive/2022-07-01/happy-birthday-atari

#retrocomputing #z80 #sbc

I'm having a lot of fun playing with the Z80-MBC2 Z80 homebrew computer.

To document what I learn, I'm publishing to my blog a series of posts with updates, resources, code, tips, videos, and more on my journey to explore the device. These posts are grouped here, where new ones will show up:

https://journal.paoloamoroso.com/tag:z80mbc2

#retrocomputing #z80 #sbc

This is pretty cool: the Serial USB Terminal Android app on chromeOS on my ASUS Chromebox 3. The terminal is running a CP/M 3.0 session on a Z80-MBC2 Z80 homebrew computer connected to the Chromebox via serial USB.

#retrocomputing #android #chromeos

I'm playing with UCSD p-System, one of the operating systems that come with the Z80-MBC2 Z80 homebrew computer. Here's a demo program that plots a sine wave.

The menu system is easy, but I'm not sure I understand how to go back one level. Pressing Q works most of the times but not all. I tried ESC, Backspace and a few more keystrokes without success.

#retrocomputing #z80 #sbc