/nova1200-restoration

Creation of Arduino controlled frontpanel for Nova 1200 computers

Primary LanguageC++

This repository is about restoration of a 1972 Data General Nova1210 computer I proudly posses.

It came without a frontpanel, hence creation of what is the main contents sofar.

In the mean time, this repository contains several projects:

teensy_nova: for those of you who want a tiny emulated Nova1200 computer, just add a breadboard, a Teensy (3.2, 3.2, 3.5, 4.0 or 4.1) a few switches and wires and an SDI ILI9341 TFT display (note that pinouts can differ, mines are without touch and have 9 pins on one side). Also works very nicely (no wires required) on a Featherwing 2.4 inch TFT touch display with a Feather-Teensy adaptor. On the Teensy 3.5, 4.1, or Featherwing TFT  you can add an SD card and a PS2 keyboard. Runs the 1969 Nova single user basic on the TFT display!

arduino_novarev1pcb: arduino code for my handwired Nova frontpanel (defunct)

arduino_novarev2pcb: arduino/teensy code for my first PCB Nova frontpanel
nova1200rev2pcb: corresponding Kikad PCB design, updated for found errors
This frontpanel is in use on my actual Nova1210 computer
See: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7GDlJNpB8Y

arduino_novarev3pcb: Teensy code for my second PCB frontpanel, also simulates a Nova!
nova1200rev3pcb: corresponding Kikad PCB design
It is designed for a Teensy 3.3, but can be used with a Teensy4.0 BUT: cut track on pin 20 of U2, wire R55 and R56 to 3.3 volt instead of 5V,
This frontpanel is NOT in use on my actual Nova1210 computer (it works though) but optionally runs a Nova simulator
See: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXXXlYzDSzM

lua_assembler: My first attempt at writing CT reconstruction in assembly languange. The required assembler is home written in Lua.
See: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7GDlJNpB8Y

Note that all frontpanels and the simulator include a monitor that allows loading software. They can read the output from my Lua Nova assembler, DG punched tapes, and this Nova assembler https://github.com/Quantx/dgnsdk using the -mv format.

10 September 2020

Marcel van Herk