RE: [N8VEM-S100:554] Best place to start building S100 computer?

["John Monahan" <mon...@vitasoft.org>]

Welcome on board Dieter.
You can use the transformer/bridge rectifier/capacitor approach. However
also do consider the switching power supply approach.  While more expensive
they definitely are a easier to implement and burn off less heat!
I have written up a short account here:-
http://s100computers.com/My%20System%20Pages/The%20Box/The%20Box.htm#The_Pow
er_Supply

Good luck
John


John Monahan Ph.D
mon...@vitasoft.org

-----Original Message-----
From: n8vem...@googlegroups.com [mailto:n8vem...@googlegroups.com] On
Behalf Of W3DRK
Sent: Tuesday, December 20, 2011 11:49 AM
To: N8VEM-S100
Subject: [N8VEM-S100:554] Best place to start building S100 computer?

Greetings!

I am a long time computer user dating back to the days of the 8088.
Back then I saw at least one S100 type computer but never personally owned
one.  The thought of owning one has always intrigued me a little bit, and
now thanks to the hard work of Andrew and John as well as others, it looks
like that may be possible with a little bit of work and patience!

I'd like to start by collecting the basic "core" parts such as a power
supply and motherboard and build up from there.

Fortunatly I am friends with someone in the custom transformer field so
getting a decent transformed sized just for this purpose should be pretty
strait forward, and perhaps even less expensive then using 2 or
3 seperate SMPS units.  I already have heavy heatsink mounted rectifier
diodes, filter caps, etc so that helps too.

Besides the power supply I guess the next steps would be ordering a
motherboard PCB, Z80 Master CPU PCB, Serial I/O PCB, and a RAM PCB as well
as all nessessary componants.  It sounds like the serial I/O PCB is
available now but I'd have to go on a waiting list for the others.

I am fully equipped to build and test these boards--my workbench consists of
EPROM programmers, digital and analog oscillioscopes, function generators,
counters, SMD rework station, etc.  I did have a decent logic analyzer until
my old Tek 7603 frame died and took my
7D01/DF2 modules with it.  If the need arrizes I guess I can source one of
those USB units.

Does this approach seem like a reasonable place to start?

Thanks!
Dieter Kedrowitsch - W3DRK