Hardware developer quasiengineer has built a modern ecosystem to support Intel’s first 8-bit CPU, the 8080, using a Microchip FPGA and an open-source approach to the entire process.
quasiengineer has documented the entire project on their GitHub and a blog (linked in the article) and has made the source materials - including schematics, PCB design and Verilog implementations - freely available.
The modern FPGA lets the 50-year vintage chip run at 3.125 MHz, and quasiengineer has created a USB-to-UART interface, a basic level-shifter, and a two-layer PCB for the project.
All the bugs, obstacles and unexpected difficulties that quasiengineer encountered - including incorrect footprints, misrouted gate drivers and thermal issues - are detailed, along with the solutions.
The article calls the project “more than a show-off build” and a “thoughtful, open-source Intel 8080 revival”.
