COMX-35: Part 1 (Does It Work?)
21I remember seeing ads for this machine back in 1987-ish for about AU$99 ... I'm pretty sure. From what I can find it seems that it was released in Australia in mid-1983 for AU$299 (about AU$1010 in 2021 dollars ... ouch!)
Finally got my hands on one. These machines use the "obscure" RCA 1802 processor which is famous for being "one of the first" microprocessors sent into space. Apparently the Intel 4004 has the honour of being the first (controlling an instrument), but the RCA 1802 was the first to control a spacecraft. It is famous for being the first CMOS microprocessor.
Anyway, this quick video was to check if it actually worked.
It takes 9-12V DC in, centre-positive, and has a 7805 linear regulator to switch down. This is a PAL model and currently outputs video via UHF modulator.
Powering on you get a pleasant little tone, so promising.
So Part 2 should hopefully be replacing the 7805, converting the video output to composite and changing the "boring" red power LED to blue.
I'm also collating various articles and ads from Australian Personal Computer during 1983. I really want to find the ad (small, b&w I'm sure!) from 1986-1987 where it was being advertised for $99.
Emma 02 emulator for CDP1802 systems (BASIC ROMs & software):
https://emma02.hobby-site.com/
COMX-35 software archive:
https://archive.org/details/comx-35roms
COMIX-35 homebrew clone:
https://github.com/schlae/comix-35
And various home brew projects using the RCA 1802:
http://www.sunrise-ev.com/1802.htm
Discussion forum on the 1802 processor (and COMX-35):
https://groups.io/g/cosmacelf/topics
Assembly Programming on the 1802:
https://tomswan.com/pub/collections/
Data sheets for the CDP1870, etc.:
http://www.cosmacelf.com/publications/data-sheets/
#comx35 #comix35