element14 presents | AirborneSurfer's VCP Profile | Project Videos
Matt longs to relive the "glory days" of hobby computing, but he can't decide which direction he wants to go to fill the retrocomputer-shaped hole in his heart. After seeking some inspiration from his muse, William Shatner, he decides to go all the way back to the beginning of the microcomputer revolution by building a working replica of the O.G. personal computer: the MITS Altair 8800. In this Arduino-based build, he'll put his love for LEDs and toggle switches to the test during marathon soldering sessions getting all of the external functions of the Altair working accurately so he can play a few rounds of "Kill The Bit" on the front panel. |
Supplemental Content:
- Designing An Altair 8800 Replica Case
- Soldering The Altair 8800 Front Panel LED Drivers
- Troubleshooting The Altair 8800 Front Panel
Bill of Material:
| Part | Manufacturer | Quantity | Buy KitBuy Kit |
|---|---|---|---|
Arduino Due, AT91SAM3X8E MCU, 54 3.3V I/O, 12 Analogue Inputs, With Headers | ARDUINO | 1 | Buy NowBuy Now |
Premium Female/Male 'Extension' Jumper Wires, 40 x 3" (75mm) | ADAFRUIT | 1 | Buy NowBuy Now |
| Bipolar (BJT) Single Transistor, NPN, 40 V, 300 MHz, 625 mW, 600 mA, 35 hFE | ON SEMICONDUCTOR/FAIRCHILD | 36 | Buy NowBuy Now |
| LED, Red, Through Hole, T-1 3/4 (5mm), 10 mA, 2.1 V, 650 nm | MULTICOMP | 36 | Buy NowBuy Now |
| LED Spacer, 11.4 mm, 5.1 mm, To Be Advised | BIVAR | 36 | Buy NowBuy Now |
| Through Hole Resistor, 10 kohm, LR Series, 250 mW, ± 1%, Axial Leaded, 200 V | TE CONNECTIVITY | 36 | Buy NowBuy Now |
| Through Hole Resistor, 150 ohm, MCMF0W4 Series, 250 mW, ± 1%, Axial Leaded, 250 V | MULTICOMP | 36 | Buy NowBuy Now |
| Toggle Switch, On-On, SPDT, Non Illuminated, 1MS Series, 5 A, Panel Mount | MULTICOMP | 17 | Buy NowBuy Now |
| Toggle Switch, (On)-Off-(On), SPDT, Non Illuminated, 1MS4T1B1M1 Series, 5 A, Through Hole | MULTICOMP | 8 | Buy NowBuy Now |
| DC Power Connector, Plug, 4 A, Cable Mount, Screw | VELLEMAN SA | 1 | Buy NowBuy Now |
| DC Power Connector, Socket, 4 A, Cable Mount, Screw | VELLEMAN SA | 1 | Buy NowBuy Now |
| Stripboard, Single Sided, Thermoplastic, 1.57mm, 117mm x 368mm | MULTICOMP | 2 | Buy NowBuy Now |
Additional Parts:
| Product Name |
|---|
Laser-cut acrylic |
Custom screen-printed front panel |
RJ232 Serial adapter |