This page was last updated Nov 30 2024(c) Herb Johnson all rights reserved. Search my Web site to find other Web page content of interest.
I have many COSMAC 1802 Web pages on my Web site. This Web page is an index to some of the hardware related pages I have. My interest in the COSMAC 1802 in recent years, began with the 1802 Membership Card project of Lee Hart which started in 2008. at the time, I was also a volunteer tech at the about to open The Sarnoff Collection, a museum at the Ewing NJ "The College of New Jersey" near my home. That collection contained hardware from the former Sarnoff Library of the prior RCA Laboratory in Princeton NJ, and from private collections of RCA 1802 products and developments, including 1802 developer Joseph Weisbecker's collection. Meanwhile, I had accumulated some early COSMAC 1802 computers sold by RCA and by small microcomputer companies in the era. I accumulated more of them as well.
Over the following years I developed many Web pages I have about the 1802, about this prior work, and also recent work in the hobby vintage microcomputing community. Those pages were each written to support a restoration or to describe a feature - not as a directed top-down design. I will not reorganize those pages retrospectively.
This Web page points to pages of distinctions, which will reference most of the other pages. But a Web search string abouy anything 1802 related, with the addition of "site:retrotechnology.com", will search my site for specific content. - Herb JOhnson
Lee Hart established the 1802 Membership Card product line in 2009, with some encouragements and assistance from me (among others, it's not a competition) in the year prior. I've followed his products ever since with support content. All those 1802 Membership Card Web pages, are linked from one Web page that references his most-current Membership Card revision and links to every prior revision.
There's anindex of 1802 and Membership Card software pages. that also cover other 1802 computers.
Also an index of 1802 and Membership Card hardwared pages also relevant or derived from other 1802 COSMAC products.
The low power and radiation-resistant CMOS design of the RCA 1802, made it a natural processor for USA spacecraft in the late 1970's and some years later. I cover that use and specific spacecraft on my Web page of the 1802 COSMAC in early spacecraft. The RCA 1802 was either first or second in space, depending on type of spacecraft. Also, I developed my COSMAC and spacecraft Web pages in 2009, because at the time there was incorrect information (in Wikipeda and other places) that claimed the 1802 was in the Voyager and Mars Viking spacecraft. I did the research to correct that information - I believe I can claim I was first to do so, of course that's hard to prove in retrospect.
Lee Hart's Galileo spacecraft model beeps Arecibo message
Gary Camp, from COSMACs to Galileo
In 2009 I selected from public-distributed sources, one of a number of C-language cross assemblers from William C Colley III's public-domain collection. I recompiled it for Windows and made it available on my Web site as A18. I contacted Colley and in correspondence he was surprised and had no objections. Over time I added his other cross-assemblers which support the 8080, 8085, Z80, 6502 and 6800. They all use very similar C code; my 1802 version Web page points to those other versions accordingly. I've supported them ever since. Others either use my versions, or have spun off their own - as it's public-domain none of us have authority to restrict such use.
For a macro-assembler, I found ASMX from Bruce Tomlin, in 2012. It supports the 1802 and many other vintage processors, all in one executable. also, unlike A18, it is a *macro* assembler. Bruce provides the source from his Web site, and continues to support and update it on occasion. the 2.0 version I support is years older than his year 2020's version which he calls "2.0 beta 5". I believe it's substantially the same code, I believe he added more processors. I added a few to my version. For 1802 purposes, likely either assembler will do.
Most COSMAC software I have is indexed at this link.
PL/M compilers for microprocessors including the 1802
Morse Code on the 1802
2023 disassembly of Cybervision ROMs where I participated.
my 2014 exhibit of vintage COSMACs and also Intel 4004/4040 products. Among the COSMACs exhibited was the Chrysler Spark Control Computer for auto emission control. It was produced in the late 1970's with RCA's 1802 processor and RCA parts. Also known as Lean-Burn. Some units are entirely analog components, Chrysler's original design.
System 00 and FRED
System 00 interior
cosmacelf.com System 00 description
Hagley's System 00 manual
RCA prototypes of arcade machines and the Studio II/III
FRED2 at Sarnoff Collection
RCA 1802 Microkit, the ROM monitor
audio cassettes used for data, programs with COSMACs
data recovery from RCA FRED, ELF cassettes
Stephen Imms, working with an RCA 1802 kit
RCA Microboards document
TMSI BASYS and ITSABOT from 1978
Netronics ELF II
RCA MCDS and VP3303 keyboard
Cassette data support, Super ELF, ELF III
RCA Studio II
21st century ELF kit: 1802 Membership Card
notes about USB to TTL or RS-232 serial adapters
1802 processor production (and fakes)
1802 processor speed/voltage tests
Copyright © 2024 Herb Johnson