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Homebrew 8-bit computer packs in 16 cores, multitasks like a champ
It looks like Jack Eisenmann has done it again. A couple of years after the hobbyist hacker built his first 8-bit computer, he's cobbled together yet another one, but this time with a whopping 16 cores. Appropriately dubbed the DUO Mega, the multicore wonder is made with 16 ATMega328p microcontrollers, each connected to an 8-bit data bus and designed to interpret a custom bytecode that runs the software. Compiled inside a nondescript plastic bin, the machine is also comprised of 16MHz crystal oscillators attached to each of the aforementioned cores, three Arduino UNO boards, 32kb of SRAM, 512kb of flash memory, eight breadboards, an Ethernet shield, a VGA out port and a multitude of components that combine to look like that mess of wires seen above. Because of all that processing power, this relatively primitive machine multitasks beautifully and can perform complicated calculations at an impressive clip. To get a demo of what this marvelous feat of DIY computing can do, have a peek at Eisenmann's video, complete with an 8-bit soundtrack, after the break.
Jack Eisenmann's DUO Adept: a homebrew 8-bit computer built by a high-schooler (video)
We've seen some impressive case mods and some wildly inventive DIY projects, but rarely have we seen a homemade, 8-bit computer housed in what looks like a Tupperware container. Meet the DUO Adept: a project begun last summer by programmer, hardware hacker, and recent high-school graduate Jack Eisenmann. Lovingly crafted from a television, an old keyboard, 100 chips (not a single one more), and lots of wire, the system has 64K of memory and outputs a 240 × 208 black and white image. Eisenmann designed his own operating system and even wrote several games, including the Donkey Kong-esque "Get Muffin." Hit the source link for a gallery (including circuit diagrams!) and see the video below for a demonstration, complete with 8-bit era music.
