‘From the schematic and PCB to the chipset,’ all built from scratch. Design uses an FPGA for the chipset, bring your own i486.
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(Image credit: Maniek86 ) Share Share by: Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google A programming, electronics, and retro enthusiast has showcased an open-source Intel 486 motherboard that they claim was “made from scratch” in under six months. The M8SBC-486 isn’t based on existing designs, but on previous experimental work by the maker, Maniek86. This real Intel 486 CPU packing project originally began with the goal of creating a system that could run Linux and Doom . However, Maniek86 excelled themselves and noted that the system also runs various flavors of DOS, Windows 3.1 (kinda), various programs, and games like Prince of Persia and Wolfenstein 3D.
It is quite astonishing how quickly Maniek86 put together this working 486 system. Research on the project started in April last year, even though actual work is said to have begun in August, which adds a little more time to the achievement clock.
Another thing that helped Maniek86 was a relaxed attitude to compatibility. The target was ‘simply’ to be able to run Linux and Doom on the assembled machine. Providing a speedier route to this goal, the dev’s chipset (Codename Hamster 1) was implemented in an FPGA, as were some other essentials like input device controllers, CMOS RTC, and storage. PCB prototyping and manufacturing outfit PCBWay was also praised for its help and support.
Tiny386 emulator turns tiny microcontroller into a full i386 PC
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Reference reading
- https://www.tomshardware.com/video-games/retro-gaming/SPONSORED_LINK_URL
- https://www.tomshardware.com/video-games/retro-gaming/the-m8sbc-486-is-an-open-source-intel-486-mobo-built-from-scratch-in-under-6-months-the-original-idea-was-to-achieve-linux-and-doom-compatibility-but-it-achieves-far-more-than-that#main
- https://www.tomshardware.com
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