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gloriouscow.bsky.social
Developer of MartyPC - a cycle-accurate IBM PC/XT Emulator https://github.com/dbalsom/martypc and fluxfox - a PC floppy disk image library https://github.com/dbalsom/fluxfox Retro enthusiast and shameless computer geek
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Which type of geek are you? 🅰️ I diligently use my anti-static wrist strap and grounding mat 🅱️ I build PCs on the carpet in my socks

submitted 3 days ago • 2 comments

On my continued quest of "what is the most ridiculous thing you can control with an Arduino". The 386EX is hooked up to the Giga. But will it work? #retrocomputing

submitted 5 days ago • 0 comments

The UV erase window of an M27C1001 EPROM. #retrocomputing

submitted 6 days ago • 1 comment

Here's a Fritzing diagram of how I plan to connect an 286 CPU to an Arduino Giga. The Giga's analog pins are not 5V tolerant so I reserve them for inputs to the CPU. They're somewhat conveniently located anyway. The loooong IC is a PLCC86->DIP-68 adapter. #retrocomputing

submitted 9 days ago • 1 comment

I gave ArduinoX86 a screen! For now it'd basically 'hello world' - showing the detected CPU type. Eventually I'd like a slick looking readout of CPU pin status and final register contents.

submitted 11 days ago • 1 comment

Electroniq WIP. I'm a sucker for *detailed* information while debugging my Acorn Electron 6502 asm code. Visual indication of the electron beam? Check. Current PAL field, scanline and exact 2MHz cycle within that scanline? Say no more, I got you covered... and then some! 🤣

submitted 13 days ago • 2 comments

I've got a new blog post up where we explore how 16-bit bus access works on the PC/AT. martypc.blogspot.com/2025/06/expl... #retrocomputing

submitted 13 days ago • 0 comments

I recently discovered that the Arduino Giga has (mostly) 5V tolerant GPIO. Don't go sticking 5V in your Giga willy-nilly as this is only true for a subset of the ports. Check the ARM reference, I don't want to be responsible for anyone's burned out Arduino.

submitted 13 days ago • 1 comment

I was at O'Hare airport and Bob Eubanks used the urinal next to me.

submitted 13 days ago • 0 comments

Connected an 8087 to the 8086 on an ArduinoX86. We can now execute FPU instructions, get cycle traces from the 8087, and investigate the bus request/grant mechanism as the 8086 and 8087 talk to each other. It also opens the door for 8087 test generation. #retrocomputing

submitted 16 days ago • 1 comment

Is there any software designed to help with connecting something ancient and slow to the web? Like an 8088-powered web server. Obviously in practical terms, only one person can use it at a time, so there would need to be some sort of queuing system.

submitted 16 days ago • 1 comment

My first computer was a Compaq Portable. Portable in the sense that there was a handle on it. I was totally in awe of it and I've been hooked on computers ever since.

submitted 16 days ago • 0 comments

Oh hey #retrocomputing did you know the FAA still uses floppy disks? just in case you hadn't noticed on your feed yet.

submitted 18 days ago • 1 comment

I've published an emulator Test Suite for the Intel 8086 CPU consisting of 646,000 single-step opcode tests with initial and final register and memory state. github.com/SingleStepTe... #emulation

submitted 18 days ago • 0 comments

What's the most inefficient way you can calculate 1 + 2? Here we're calculating it on an Intel 80L186 CPU controlled by an Arduino DUE. We halt after the calculation, which the control program on the Arduino detects, waking the CPU back up via the NMI line to read out the final register state.

submitted 18 days ago • 0 comments

In light of my impending support for the 80186 and future plans to support the 80286, I've renamed my Arduino8088 project ArduinoX86. github.com/dbalsom/ardu... ArduinoX86 is a way to execute X86 code on a real CPU hosted on a socket on a HAT for your Arduino DUE! #retrocomputing

submitted 19 days ago • 1 comment