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6502 PRIMER: Building your own 6502 computer

Index to sections:
 1. Intro:  Why a 6502?
 2. Address Decoding
 3. Memory Map Requirements
        plus:  why 6502 goes low byte first
 4. Interrupt Connections: IRQ and NMI
 5. 74xx Logic Families and Timing Margins
        plus:  "Do I Need Bus Transceivers?"
        and:   static-handling precautions
 6. Clock Generation
 7. Reset Circuits
 8. What Do I Do With the "Mystery" Pins, SYNC, RDY, S.O., Φ1, MLB, BE, and VPB?
 9. Construction:  Avoiding AC-Performance Problems
10. Expansion Buses and Interfaces
11. Getting More On a Board
12. Answering Wire-Wrap (WW) Questions and Doubts
13. What About Custom PC Boards?
14. I/O ICs
        plus:  extra info on 6551 ACIA clocking options
15. Displays
16. Where to Buy 65-Family Parts
17. General Steps For A Successful Project
        plus:  tips on getting help on the 6502.org forum
18. Program-Writing: Where Do I Start?
        what to put in your .ASM file
19. Debugging
20. Tips For Programming the 65(c)02 (some affecting hardware design too)
21. Basic Workbench Equipment
22. Circuit Potpourri

Happy building!


Mostly written in 2003, pulled out of mothballs and updated and published in 2012.  Go figure.  I update it constantly though.  If you find dead links or inconsistencies, or want something else covered or something clarified, or want to suggest additional related links, material, photos, or diagrams, email me at wilsonminesBdslextremeBcom (replacing the B's with @ and .).  For discussion, use the forum.

this index page last updated Dec 12, 2022