MICRO-PROFESSOR

INFO :  This page is the information details page about the Flite Electronics International, Ltd (archive) project. Here you will get the overview and zoomed in details.

 

2024-05-11

 

This is the first INFO post update. Still working on a system that would serve this pages needs.

 

BAD NEWS

1)  The Z80 is Dead! Long Live the eZ80

 

Yes it's true ZILOG decided to end the production of the Z80 after 48 years, they are still making the more modern eZ80. As sad as that seems to us Retro computing and Embedded computing enthusiasts, ZILOG could not hold out for another 2 years to announce the end after 50 years productions which would sound even more impressive.

 

https://www.theregister.com/2024/04/26/long_live_16_bit_z80/

https://www.mouser.com/PCN/Littelfuse_PCN_Z84C00.pdf

 

https://thechipletter.substack.com/p/captain-zilog-crushed-the-story-of

 

 

SCHRODRINGER'S CAT NEWS

2) The status of the official Micro-Professor MPF-1B is in a Quantum Uncertain State at the moment

 

I spoke to Max (Max Soffe the owner of the MPF-1 IP) a few days ago, about the Micro-Professor.org Flite archive and what was being done and in what sequence, namely the MPF-1X project (The Experimental expansion of the MPF-1B Microprocessor Training system and turning it into a fully functional general purpose computer through its system bus). The question of the fate of the official MPF-1B did not come up in that chat but previously I have suggested to Max that we build a limited number of the MPF-1B as a special edition. I will get back to Max on this matter and report back here what those details are.

 

So until Max signs the order with our manufacturing plant in Havant, the MPF-1B  is neither DEAD nor ALIVE,  or LIVE and DEAD at the same time according the Schrodring's Cat.

I need to get onto the Guiness Book of Records people and find out if we qualify as the longest computer still in production. It's not over until Max says it's over.

 

GOOD NEWS

3) Development of our ideas for use of an FPGA in the MPF-1X has reached a pre-starting point

 

Flite Electronics International has been involved with XILINX and ALTERA (and other PLDs) for many years now, since the 1980's and we have just made a decision to experiment with the older ALTERA Cyclone 4 FPGA in conjunction with our MPF-1X ideas. We are also experimenting with the newer XILINX ZYNQ 7000 FPGA + ARM9 processor, but the older Cyclone 4 is dirt cheap and easy to use. We have got JLCPCB to make us a batch of Cyclone 4 basic boards which came to about $25 each board fully assembled and tested. Spoke to Max about our 20th Century MPU's interfacing with the 21st Century Programmable Logic, more details of our FPGA / MPF-1X experiments later.

 

NEWS

4) The content of this site is being rolled out and updated

 

The basic outline of the Micro-Professor.org site has been initiated. The content for our collection of MPU, MCU, FPGA is going to be uploaded starting with the scanned copies of our manuals being converted to PDFs. The master ROM's have been got out of storage and are being read into HEX files, Software for the different systems will be forecoming.

 

 

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This page is currently under construction but it will become the hub of the archive project.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Currently under construction. Check backlater.cs