News
Entrance Exam Registration Deadline ExtendedWritten on 20.03.25 by Sebastian Hack the entrance exam registration deadline is extended until Monday, 24 March 23:59 |
Entrance Exam RegistrationWritten on 18.03.25 by Sebastian Hack please note that the deadline for the registration to the entrance exam is tomorrow. The entrance exam will take place 27 March 2025 14:00 in E2 5 HS I. |
Entrance Exam MovedWritten on 13.03.25 by Sebastian Hack Due to the collision with the TI re-take, we moved the entrance exam to Thu, 27 March 2025 14-16 in HS I in E2 5. |
Registration for Entrance Exam openWritten on 11.03.25 by Sebastian Hack The registration for the entrance exam is open until 19 March 2025. If you want to take this course, you need to register, attend, and pass the entrance exam. More details are on this CMS website. The exam will cover basics from logical design (digital circuits), computer architecture, and basic… Read more The registration for the entrance exam is open until 19 March 2025. If you want to take this course, you need to register, attend, and pass the entrance exam. More details are on this CMS website. The exam will cover basics from logical design (digital circuits), computer architecture, and basic programming (material that was covered in Prog 1/2, System Architecture). |
Build an 8-bit Computer from Scratch
In this lecture, you will learn some basics of computer architecture by doing. We will design and build an 8-bit CPU from scratch using mostly 74xx series TTL-logic chips.
More specifically, you will:
- design and implement an instruction set, micro architecture, peripherals
- use EDA tools to create schematics (a building plan) of your machine
- build the machine using discrete logic chips on breadboards (see here for an example)
- devise techniques to test the components of your system
- write basic/simple system software (assembler, operating system, maybe a small compiler?) to bring life to your machine an run simple programs
The ultimate goal is to have a fully working machine that can run simple programs by the end of the course. Maybe we will layout, order, and solder PCBs for our computer!
Attention!
This course is for people who are passionate about building stuff and getting it to work. It will require time, dedication, and perseverance!
Organisational
- The number of participants is limited to 16 people (4 teams of for 4 people each) due to limited lab space and equipment.
- If more students are interested, the participants are selected by the results of an admission exam that will take place 26 March 13:00 in E2 2.
- The subject of the exam will be basics from logical design (digital circuits), computer architecture, and basic programming (Prog 1/2, System Architecture).
- The exam is for admission to the course only and will not contribute to your final grade.
- The course will consist of a lab phase during the semester and one week of lectures before the course period starts (from 31 March to 04 April).
- If you want to participate in the course, you need to be present for the exam and the lecture week.
- More information will follow soon. Take a look at the time table for specific dates (pending).
Prerequisites
- Fundamental understanding of electronics from high-school physics (Ohm's law, Kirchhoff's law, resistors, capacitors). Much of that however can also be acquired on the fly.
- Basics of boolean logic, gates, flip flops (System Architecture)
- Basics of programming (Programming 1/2)