RC2014 – a Z80 System – an Overview

SC110 testing

It's time for an update.

This is about the RC2014 system based on the Z80 CPU. This is not really an SBC (single board computer) system, but consists of several, flexibly combinable modules.

During the COVID-19 crisis I am constantly working from home, i.e. I have been working from home since March 13th. Not that this provides much more time for my hobby, but the time available can be divided more flexibly. In addition, no need to drive to the office and back every day - so “a little more time”.

Time, I could use for my hobby, of course - and I wanted to deal with 8-bit single-board computers in a little more detail after I have enjoyed assembly of the MBC2 und uTerm a lot.

The RC2014 System

For this I have chosen the RC2014 system. The project is open source, and the project page can be found here.

More Information and further extentions can be found on the RC2014 website at Github.

Detailed assembly instructions as well as technical information, BOM and circuit diagrams are of course also available there. 

What makes the setup particularly simple is the fact that almost all existing boards are available via the Tindie shop portal in the UK. If you want, you can also order complete kits from Tindie. Even pre-programmed ROMS, CF cards, etc. can be obtained there. However, I have limited myself to just ordering the boards and putting the rest together myself. Most of it was ordered at the German company Reichelt (of course all will be available at Mouser or Digikey, too). Only for some somewhat older or more exotic components, I had to order at eBay and AliBaba (sometimes with extremely long delivery times).

RC2014 Variants

 

RC2014 SC BOM
RC2014 SC BOM

Most modules (especially the original modules) are offered by RFC2795 Ltd.

Somewhat revised and expanded modules are also available from Stephen C. Cousins, who runs his own website in addition to the offers on Tindie.

 

The modules from Cousins already have the extended system bus (2x40 pins in contrast to 1x39 in the original version), and are integrated somewhat higher (e.g. CPU, RAM and ROM on one board). Since the documentation is also prepared in great detail here, I started with this version.

Details will follow in further blog entries, here an overview with further links:

RC2014 according to Stephen C. Cousins (Small Computer, SC)

 

RC2014 according to RFC2795
  • Backplane 5
  • Backplane 8
  • Compact Flash Module
  • 64k RAM Module
  • Digital I/O Module
  • Prototype PCB
  • 512k ROM 512k RAM RomWBW
  • Raspberry Pi Zero Serial Terminal
  • Dual Clock Module
  • Pageable ROM Module
  • Z80 CPU v2.1 for Enhanced Bus

 

Software
  • SCM, Small Computer Monitor
  • Microsoft Basic for the RC2014
  • CP/M
  • ROMWBW

 

The boards according to cousins are all completely assembled and basically tested. So far only the first 5 of the original RC2014 boards have been built and tested. The remaining boards are coming (boards and components). A more detailed study of the software is still pending.

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