@m3tti a DIY electronics kit that - once it's soldered and assembled - will be a replica of the very rare #JupiterAce #8bit computer of the early 1980s. No FPGA, no microcontroller, no Raspberry Pi or similar involved - only real silicon (Z80 CPU, logic ICs etc)
See here:
Going to build Tynemouth Software's recreation of the #JupiterAce on a live stream "Minstrel 4th"
One of two kits I recently got from @rc2014, technical issues befell recording/streaming my build of the other one but this should be fine 🤞🏼
watch.thepolarbear.co.uk
#Electronics #RetroComputing
@rc2014 thanks a lot in advance!
p.s.:I know its's "just" a replica but: *OMG* I'm getting a #JupiterAce !!!
here's some code from a jupiter ace emulator i started making in my programming language
it's so cool how compact and small code in stack based/rpn languages can be
Oh, I love this one:
"Comparing #FORTH to #BASIC is like comparing a Gothic cathedral to a mud hut." - Steve Vickers
( Vickers is one of the fathers of the legendary #JupiterAce #microcomputer )
Source: https://www.theregister.com/2012/09/21/jupiter_cantab_jupiter_ace_is_30_years_old/?page=3
🚀 So, we're supposed to believe that the Jupiter Ace could have dethroned #BASIC with its Forth language magic? 😂 Spoiler alert: it didn't. Meanwhile, BASIC is over there sipping tea with #nostalgia, laughing at its wannabe competition. 🍵
https://nemanjatrifunovic.substack.com/p/the-curious-case-of-jupiter-ace #JupiterAce #ForthLanguage #TechHumor #HackerNews #ngated
As promised, here is the #jupiterace #forth interpreter and compiler:
https://codeberg.org/pgimeno/JAForth
All thoroughly tested and working like a charm.
I've also expanded the ROM disassembly present at the Jupiter ACE Archive with loads of new information, and in a format that allows collaboration easily:
https://codeberg.org/pgimeno/JupiterROMDisassembly
Next in the plans: a Forth TAP decompiler/lister in Python.
This is frustrating.
As I announced, I've worked for several days in a #jupiterace #forth interpreter, only pending some unit testing to ensure correctness. I wanted to compare the results against a real Juppy, but typing on the Jupiter is cumbersome and checking with the screen is prone to errors.
So I though, "I know, I'll write a headless JA emulator that takes input and writes output from/to file". That took me about an hour.
Now, that one does all the interpreter does and more!
Forgot to say, the port of Mazogs to the Jupiter ACE is now complete. Check it out at https://codeberg.org/pgimeno/Mazogs/releases
My Forth compiler for the Jupiter ACE in Python was too limited, so I've written a full-fledged interpreter for proper compilation. All words are implemented except:
LOAD BVERIFY VERIFY BLOAD BSAVE LIST EDIT FORGET REDEFINE INKEY BEEP PLOT AT CLS
Now COMPILER, DEFINER, LITERAL etc. work as expected, unlike the previous one. What it doesn't do is run Z80 code, of course.
Now working on unit tests. Stay tuned for more info. This one will be in its own repository.
#Tetris (Tetriz) for the #JupiterAce / #Minstrel4D and with joystick support!!
#PacMan for the #JupiterAce / #Minstrel4D and with joystick support!!
Graphical chess on a 16K #JupiterAce / #Minstrel4D
Program is actually 14K. Yes, I know 1K chess exists, but this is graphical innit.
Testing a joystick enabled #JupiterAce / #Minstrel4D game, Tetriz.
Not yet released by GLDM.
I love this simple setup with my 12" monitor on top of my #Minstrel4D #JupiterAce computer.
Beautiful (character based) vectors in this 3D Maze game on the #Minstrel4D (#JupiterAce)
Slight curved lines due to curvature of the screen and I was too close with my phone.
Pac Man for the #JupiterAce / #Minstrel4D !!!!!
My Z80 half-cycle-stepped emulator will have to wait for now. I've been working for a while on a Jupiter ACE port of the popular ZX81 Mazogs game.
As part of that effort, I've written a Jupiter ACE Forth compiler in Python, that I guess will also be useful for others who want to develop for this machine in its native language.
The compiler and all the info can be found here:
https://codeberg.org/pgimeno/Mazogs/src/branch/jupiter_ace/JACompiler
Working on a circuit-accurate Jupiter ACE software emulator, but I'm running into some difficulties. The #z80 emulation module I'm using is @floooh's cycle-stepped one, but it doesn't properly implement /WAIT, which the JA employs as the VRAM contention resolution mechanism. Therefore I've started working on a new, half-cycle stepped Z80 emulator as well, which is Mcycle and Tcycle-aware, in order to sample /WAIT and /BUSRQ at the right times.
