retro News - CNX Software - Embedded Systems News

May 5, 2025May 5, 2025 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 4 Comments

OneChipBook-12 is a Cyclone EP1C12Q FPGA development platform with a built-in display and mechanical keyboard

It may look like a netbook from 10 years ago, but the OneChipBook-12 from “8086YES!” is instead an Altera Cyclone EP1C12Q FPGA development platform with a VGA display (LCD form iPad 2), a PS/2 QWERTY mechanical keyboard, a battery, and a few ports. While the OneChipBook-12 is sold as a blank FPGA development platform “with no predefined functionalities”, the hardware is similar to One Chip MSX (1chipMSX), Zemmix Neo, and uMSX systems, which are modern MSX2+ clones, and that’s the main reason people are purchasing the device. OneChipBook-12 specifications: FPGA Altera Cyclone EP1C12Q240 (from the obsolete Cyclone I family) 12,060 LEs 239,616 bits RAM System Memory – 32MB SDRAM Storage – SD card slot (FAT16 file system supported) Display – 1024×768 VGA display Video Output – VGA, S-Video, and CVBS Output interface Audio – Stereo speakers, audio output jack (8), volume control knob (9) USB – USB Type-A port […]

March 14, 2025March 13, 2025 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 4 Comments

PicoCalc Kit is a Raspberry Pi Pico handheld terminal with a backlit STM32 QWERTY keyboard

ClockworkPi has made several Linux handheld terminals over the years such as the GameShell or DevTerm, but the PicoCalc Kit is quite different since it relies on the Raspberry Pi Pico board plus an STM32 microcontroller to handle its built-in keyboard. The PicoCalc Kit is based on the ClockworkPi v2.0 mainboard that takes an RP2040-based Pi Pico H board, connects to a 4-inch IPS display with 320×320 resolution and stereo speakers, integrates a backlit QWERTY keyboard, and ships with a 32GB SD card with an optimized BASIC firmware. PicoCalc Kit specifications: ClockworkPi v2.0 mainboard Compatible boards – Headers for Raspberry Pi Pico H/WH, and Raspberry Pi Pico 2 / 2W MCU – STM32 for keyboard and backlight programmable with the Arduino IDE or STM32 official development tools Storage – SD card slot Display – Screen connector (SPI) Audio 2x speaker connectors 3.5mm audio jack 67-key QWERTY keyboard (I2C) Expansion Connector […]

January 29, 2025January 29, 2025 by Debashis Das - No Comments

SuperStationᵒⁿᵉ SoC FPGA-based retro gaming console supports MiSTer emulation platform, PlayStation controllers, CD Drive, and more

Gaming hardware manufacturer Retro Remake has recently launched the SuperStation ONE FPGA-based gaming console designed for retro gaming enthusiasts. The console is built around an Intel Cyclone V SoC FPGA and supports MiSTer FPGA core so users can replicate various retro platforms without modifications. The console has 128MB BGA SDRAM and uses a MicroSD Card and an M.2 SSD slot for storage. It features HDMI (up to 1536p/1440p), VGA, DIN10 for composite/RCA and component video output, along with 3.5mm analog and TOSLINK digital audio outputs. It also has built-in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Ethernet, and NFC integration supporting Zaparoo features. Other ports include dual PS1 SNAC ports for PlayStation controllers, three USB Type-A ports, an Ethernet port, and an IO expansion slot. The optional SuperDock adds a CD drive for PlayStation 1 discs, an M.2 SSD slot, and extra USB ports. SuperStation ONE specifications SoC FPGA – Intel/Altera Cyclone V SX (5CSXFC6D6F31I7N) […]

December 12, 2024 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - No Comments

15 Euros Olimex RP2040pc Raspberry Pi RP2040 computer board supports Apple and Oric Atmos emulation

Olimex RP2040pc is an inexpensive “all-in-one” computer board based on a Raspberry Pi RP2040 MCU with support for Apple //e, Apple ][+, and Oric Atmos emulation through the Reload emulator. The board features an HDMI port, stereo audio, four USB ports, and two UEXT expansion connectors. It’s not quite the first RP2040 retrocomputing board from Olimex, as they introduced the RP2040-PICO-PC in 2021 with an HDMI port, a 3.5mm audio jack, and a microSD card slot before launching the Olimex NEO6502, which combines a MOS6502 MCU for Apple II, Oric, and Commodore 64 emulators with an RP2040 for HDMI/DVI video output and a few other things. The RP2040pc is similar to the latter, but with more ports and features, and everything is handled by the Raspberry Pi RP2040 microcontroller. Olimex RP2040pc specifications: Microcontroller – Raspberry Pi RP2040 dual-core Cortex-M0+ MCU @ 133 MHz with 264 KB SRAM Storage – 16MB […]

November 21, 2024November 20, 2024 by Tomisin Olujinmi - 1 Comment

ESP32 Rainbow is an open-source, ESP32-S3-powered ZX Spectrum single board computer (Crowdfunding)

Retrocomputing enthusiasts will be delighted to learn that a new ZX Spectrum replica is on the market: the ESP32 Rainbow. The single board computer swaps the Zilog Z80 for an ESP32-S3 microcontroller chip running an emulator, bringing the classic 80s computer back to life with a modern twist. It features a built-in color display, a microSD card slot for storage, a built-in touch keyboard in the ZX Spectrum style, and a USB Type-C port for power and data. The keyboard was recreated using full-color UV printing and is the most true-to-life component of the ESP32-S3-based ZX Spectrum single board computer. The touch keys won’t likely offer the best typing experience but that is reminiscent of the original ZX Spectrum. A lovely cherry on top is that the onboard USB-C port supports HID and the device can be used as a keyboard on another computer. The ZX Spectrum is one of […]

August 22, 2024August 23, 2024 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 22 Comments

ODROID-M2 low-profile SBC features Rockchip RK3588S2 SoC, up to 16GB LPDDR5, 128GB eMMC flash

Hardkernel has just launched the ODROID-M2 low-profile SBC based on a Rockchip RK3588S2 octa-core Cortex-A76/A55 AI SoC with up to 16GB LPDDR5, 64GB eMMC flash, an M.2 PCIe socket, support for three displays through HDMI, USB-C, and MIPI DSI interfaces, gigabit Ethernet, and more. The ODROID-M2 follows the ODROID-M1 and ODROID-M1S single board computers based on respectively Rockchip RK3568 and RK3566 quad-core Cortex-A55 processors, but a significantly more powerful Rockchip RK3588S2 processor, and a larger 90x90mm form factor to accomodate for extra features and interfaces. ODROID-M2 specifications: SoC – Rockchip RK3588S2 CPU – Octa-core processor with 4x Cortex-A76 cores @ up to 2.3 GHz (+/- 0.1Ghz), 4x Cortex-A55 cores @ up to 1.8 GHz GPU – Arm Mali-G610 MP4 GPU @ 1 GHz compatible with OpenGL ES 3.2, OpenCL 2.2, and Vulkan 1.2 APIs VPU – 8Kp60 video decoder for H.265/AVS2/VP9/H.264/AV1 codecs, 8Kp30 H.265/H.264 video encoder AI accelerator – 6 […]

June 28, 2024July 1, 2024 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 2 Comments

Sipeed Tang Mega 138K Dock is a lower-cost GOWIN GW5AST FPGA + RISC-V development board

The Sipeed Tang Mega 138K Dock is a low-cost version of the Tang Mega 138K Pro development board launched last year with the GOWIN GW5AST FPGA + RISC-V SoC, two SPF+ cages, a PCIe 3.0 x4 interface, and DVI Rx and Tx ports. The new Tang Mega 138K Dock keeps a GW5AST FPGA SoC but with a 484-ball package that fits on a smaller system-on-module, and does without the SPF+ cages, replaces the PCIe 3.0 x4 interface with a PCIe 2.0 x4 interface, and only uses a single HDMI port for DVI Rx or Tx. Sipeed Tang Mega 138K system-on-module Let’s first have a look at the specifications of the SoM itself: SoC FPGA – GOWIN GW5AST-LV138FPG484A with 138,240 LUT4 1,080 Kb Shadow SRAM (SSRAM) 6,120 Kb Block SRAM (BSRAM) Number of BSRAM – 340 298x DSP slices 12x PLLs 16x global clocks 24x HCLK 8x transceivers at 270Mbps to […]

June 25, 2024June 25, 2024 by Debashis Das - 2 Comments

Olimex NEO6502 is a W65C02 and Raspberry Pi RP2040-powered retro computer with HDMI, USB, and more

Olimex has recently launched NEO6502 an open-source hardware retro computer designed for educational and entertainment purposes, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be used for retro gaming. The board is very unique as it’s built around a 65C02 MPU and Raspberry Pi Pico RP2040 MCU in a dual-processor configuration. The MOS6502 handles the Apple II, Oric, and Commodore 64 emulators whereas the RP2040 handles everything else including HDMI (DVI) video output using the PicoDVI project. Previously we have written about similar retro computer kits such as the CERBERUS 2100, TinyLlama x86, DevTerm with ClockworkPi v3.14, Olimex AgonLight2, and many others feel free to check those out if you are interested in retro tech with a modern twist. Olimex NEO6502 board specifications Processors Western Design Center W65C02S 8-bit microprocessor @ 6.25 MHz with 64kB RAM, 32kB Graphics RAM Raspberry Pi RP2040 dual-core Cortex-M0+ MCU @ 133 MHz with 264 KB SRAM Storage […]