Bidule88: An 8088 Experiment

I've always wanted to build a computer!

-- Myself.

Table of Contents

Done and documented

Part 01: Introduction
Part 02: It runs!

Todo (or write)

Order not guaranteed. This is more some kind of guidelines for myself than a real plan to follow.

Part 03: I/O and a small LCD
Part xx: IRQ, reacting to the outside world
Part xx: Serial connection, maybe keyboard
Part xx: The PIT, Programmable Interval Timer
Part xx: A Real-Time Clock
Part xx: How about trying to implement DMA?
Part xx: Time to write a BIOS
Part xx: A graphic card?

Links

There are several web pages that helped me understand how to start, and that are wonderful sources of information. In no particular order:

• Quinn Dunki's Veronica project got me hooked to the idea of building a computer from scratch.
• Sergey's XT and
• Sergey's Xi 8088, its evolution.
• Homebrew 8088 was of great help in the beginning.
• The Big Mess o' Wires: not based on a 8088, but that project made me want to design my own graphics card. This project is certainly worth a look anyway!
• Helm PCB - 8088 computer is also a great resource for starting.
• Design and Construction of an 8088-based Single Board Microcomputer: A Student Project

Terms

"Bidule" is an informal French word that could roughly be translated to thingy, thingummy, thingamajig, thingamabob, ... At least for sure, it is a thing.