IMSAI 8080 replica

[james_s]

Well the lights are cool, even if they have no practical use. In a more modern context, Lenovo dropped the hard drive activity light from their Thinkpad laptops and I really miss that. It's handy to see when there is heavy HDD activity, especially with SSDs which don't make any noise.

[rrinker]

 No HDD indicator, but do they still have the LED dot in the i in Thinkpad on the cover?

[wilfred]

Well the lights are cool, even if they have no practical use. In a more modern context, Lenovo dropped the hard drive activity light from their Thinkpad laptops and I really miss that. It's handy to see when there is heavy HDD activity, especially with SSDs which don't make any noise.

The light blinks so briefly most of the time it is is hard to see it. I use the performance monitor if I have a particular need to track activity.

[Howardlong]

Wayyyy back, when paper tape, 500us instruction times and three phase supplies were de rigeur in the industry, the first computer I programmed had a loudspeaker attached to the top bit of the instruction register.

With even a short experience, you could easily tell what part of a compile cycle your Algol program was at.

[james_s]

Well the lights are cool, even if they have no practical use. In a more modern context, Lenovo dropped the hard drive activity light from their Thinkpad laptops and I really miss that. It's handy to see when there is heavy HDD activity, especially with SSDs which don't make any noise.

The light blinks so briefly most of the time it is is hard to see it. I use the performance monitor if I have a particular need to track activity.

That doesn't reflect my experience. I have other machines that do have a HDD activity light and find it quite useful. I often keep my HDDs quite busy, even SSD. Besides, an LED costs what? A penny or two? There's little reason to not have one.

[Kean]

The build video (featuring me) by MickMake is finally up.


Mick was pestering me so much that I soldered the reset button to the wrong side of the PCB.  Otherwise the build went smoothly.

[SiliconWizard]

It's handy to see when there is heavy HDD activity, especially with SSDs which don't make any noise.

Problem is, nobody (MS being first here) wants you to know that your OS is constantly accessing your drive being your back. So now you don't see it. Thus, it doesn't happen.

[CatalinaWOW]

It's handy to see when there is heavy HDD activity, especially with SSDs which don't make any noise.

Problem is, nobody (MS being first here) wants you to know that your OS is constantly accessing your drive being your back. So now you don't see it. Thus, it doesn't happen.

i am sure MS has mixed feelings on this.  The flashing drive light keeps you hopeful during the interminable boot sequence, and slows the immediate departure to another OS.  But your comment is also valid.

[dfnr2]

My question is, where did he get the switches with that shade of blue?

[Kean]

My question is, where did he get the switches with that shade of blue?

Pretty sure he had them custom manufactured

[Lee Hart]

Hi all! That's a really lovely IMSAI simulator! But I have a real IMSAI, so the simulators don't interest me much.

I've been working on a little 8080 project of my own. It's called the ALTAID 8800, and it's an Altair 8800... in an Altoids tin! It has a real, 8080, a front panel with switches and blinkinlights, and is entirely built with vintage chips and thru-hole technology. We have a monitor and CP/M running on it.

"The plan" is to offer it as a kit. You can see it at http://www.sunrise-ev.com/8080.htm

[Lee Hart]

Last time I looked, C&K still lists the exact IMSAI part in their catalog. It's not a stock item, but you can special order it, subject to minimum quantities.

[ebastler]

I've been working on a little 8080 project of my own. It's called the ALTAID 8800, and it's an Altair 8800... in an Altoids tin! It has a real, 8080, a front panel with switches and blinkinlights, and is entirely built with vintage chips and thru-hole technology. We have a monitor and CP/M running on it.

"The plan" is to offer it as a kit. You can see it at http://www.sunrise-ev.com/8080.htm

Cute! I would buy one!

If you intend to spin a PCB for this, I would suggest that you design a second "PCB" as a front panel. Position the LEDs a bit higher, use switches with taller knobs which extend through the front panel, and you should be done. The front panel can sit loosely inside the Altoids can, so one can easily remove it to see the discrete chips below.

You can get very nice designs playing with the silkscreen, solder mask, and tin or gold traces. And the Chinese fabs will mill any shape and make cutouts etc. at very low cost. (The Altoids size should qualify for JLCPCB's "$2 for 10 PCBs" offer, right?)

[rrinker]

Hi all! That's a really lovely IMSAI simulator! But I have a real IMSAI, so the simulators don't interest me much.

I've been working on a little 8080 project of my own. It's called the ALTAID 8800, and it's an Altair 8800... in an Altoids tin! It has a real, 8080, a front panel with switches and blinkinlights, and is entirely built with vintage chips and thru-hole technology. We have a monitor and CP/M running on it.

"The plan" is to offer it as a kit. You can see it at http://www.sunrise-ev.com/8080.htm

 I was going to say, I know someone who did that with an RCA 1802, then I saw the name..