The journey is the reward! Steve Jobs
Q&A in our DiscordSmartyKit interactive assembly Step 0
Follow steps to assemble your SmartyKit – navigate using "Next→" and "←Back" buttons. Get tooltips by hovering scheme's elements.
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0 Power
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1 Quickstart
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2 Terminal
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3 CPU 6502
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4 Memory
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5 I/O&POST
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B Computer
Milestone Power
Connect all boards, power rails, power-on LED with battery pack.
Current step Element
Description of the step
Board.row.col (e.g. 1.a.5)
Show/hide parts of scheme
Current step
Element
Board.row.col (e.g. 1.a.5)
Description of the step
Board 5.y61 ⟷ Board 5.w61
Board 5.z61 ⟷ Board 5.x61
Board 4.y61 ⟷ Board 4.w61
Board 4.z61 ⟷ Board 4.x61
Board 3.y61 ⟷ Board 3.w61
Board 3.z61 ⟷ Board 3.x61
Board 2.y61 ⟷ Board 2.w61
Board 2.z61 ⟷ Board 2.x61
Board 1.y61 ⟷ Board 1.w61
Board 1.z61 ⟷ Board 1.x61
Board 5.y59 ⟷ Board 4.w59
Board 5.z60 ⟷ Board 4.x60
Board 4.y57 ⟷ Board 3.w57
Board 4.z58 ⟷ Board 3.x58
Board 3.y5 ⟷ Board 2.w5
Board 3.z6 ⟷ Board 2.x6
Board 2.y59 ⟷ Board 1.w59
Board 2.z60 ⟷ Board 1.x60
Board 1.h5 ⟷ Board 1.x5
Board 1.g4
Board 1.w4
Board 4.a7
Board 4.f5
Board 4.b5 ⟷ Board 4.y5
Board 4.b7 ⟷ Board 4.b9
Board 4.c10
Board 4.a10
Board 4.a11
Board 4.i8
Board 4.b12 ⟷ Board 4.z12
Board 4.b13 ⟷ Board 4.y13
Board 4.b15 ⟷ Board 4.z15
Board 5.i21
Board 5.h32 ⟷ Board 5.z33
Board 5.h33 ⟷ Board 5.y34
Board 5.h25 ⟷ Board 5.y25
Board 5.h26 ⟷ Board 4.j26
Board 5.h27 ⟷ Board 4.j27
Board 5.h28 ⟷ Board 4.j28
Board 5.h29 ⟷ Board 4.j29
Board 5.a30
Board 5.a31
Board 5.b30 ⟷ Board 4.j30
Board 5.b31 ⟷ Board 4.j31
Board 4.a33
Board 4.c34
Board 4.a34
Board 4.a35
Board 4.i32
Board 4.b36 ⟷ Board 4.z36
Board 4.b37 ⟷ Board 4.y37
Board 4.b39 ⟷ Board 4.z39
Board 5.b54
Board 5.b55 ⟷ Board 4.j55
Board 5.c54
Board 4.a21 ⟷ Board 4.a47
Board 4.a23 ⟷ Board 4.a45
Board 4.b24 ⟷ Board 4.b48
Board 4.b25 ⟷ Board 4.b49
Board 4.b26 ⟷ Board 4.b50
Board 4.b27 ⟷ Board 4.b51
Board 4.b28 ⟷ Board 4.b52
Board 4.b29 ⟷ Board 4.b53
Board 4.b30 ⟷ Board 4.b54
Board 4.b31 ⟷ Board 4.b55
Board 4.i56
Board 4.a60 ⟷ Board 4.z60
Board 4.a59 ⟷ Board 4.y59
Board 4.b44 ⟷ Board 4.j60
Board 4.c46 ⟷ Board 4.j59
Board 2.x3 ⟷ Board 2.j1
Board 2.c4 ⟷ Board 2.y4
Board 2.f1
Board 2.j4 ⟷ Board 2.j11
Board 2.j7 ⟷ Board 2.j10
Board 2.c5 ⟷ Board 2.y5
Board 2.f5
Board 2.a7
Board 2.x9
Board 2.x10
Board 2.x11
Board 2.x15 ⟷ Board 2.j15
Board 2.i9
Board 2.a36 ⟷ Board 2.z36
Board 2.a37 ⟷ Board 2.y37
Board 2.g48
Board 2.a57 ⟷ Board 2.z57
Board 2.a58 ⟷ Board 2.y58
Board 2.j41 ⟷ Board 2.j56
Board 2.j44 ⟷ Board 2.j52
Board 2.i52 ⟷ Board 2.i53
Board 2.i54 ⟷ Board 2.i55
Board 1.f9
Board 1.j36 ⟷ Board 1.x36
Board 1.j37 ⟷ Board 1.w37
Board 1.h25 ⟷ Board 1.h43
Board 1.g42 ⟷ Board 1.g43
Board 1.g39 ⟷ Board 1.g40
Board 1.j44 ⟷ Board 2.i57
Board 2.a9
Board 1.h47
Board 1.a57 ⟷ Board 1.z57
Board 1.a58 ⟷ Board 1.y58
Board 1.i40 ⟷ Board 1.i57
Board 2.a41 ⟷ Board 1.a49
Board 2.a42 ⟷ Board 1.a50
Board 2.a43 ⟷ Board 1.a51
Board 2.a44 ⟷ Board 1.a53
Board 1.a54 ⟷ Board 1.y54
Board 1.a55 ⟷ Board 1.y55
Board 3.a50 ⟷ Board 1.j55
Board 3.h43
Board 3.a59 ⟷ Board 3.z59
Board 3.a60 ⟷ Board 3.y60
Board 3.a51 ⟷ Board 3.y51
Board 3.a45 ⟷ Board 2.j54
Board 3.a46 ⟷ Board 2.j57
Board 3.j11 ⟷ Board 3.i54
Board 3.j54 ⟷ Board 4.b21
Board 3.j18 ⟷ Board 3.j55
Board 3.j40 ⟷ Board 3.i47
Board 3.j47 ⟷ Board 4.b45
Board 3.j25 ⟷ Board 3.j51
Board 2.j35 ⟷ Board 3.a47
Board 2.j36 ⟷ Board 3.a48
Board 3.h0
Board 3.a11 ⟷ Board 3.z11
Board 3.a12 ⟷ Board 3.y12
Board 3.w12 ⟷ Board 3.j12
Board 3.a2 ⟷ Board 2.j17
Board 3.a3 ⟷ Board 2.j18
Board 3.a4 ⟷ Board 2.j19
Board 3.a5 ⟷ Board 2.j20
Board 3.a6 ⟷ Board 2.j21
Board 3.a7 ⟷ Board 2.j22
Board 3.a8 ⟷ Board 2.j23
Board 3.a9 ⟷ Board 2.j24
Board 3.j2 ⟷ Board 4.a24
Board 3.j3 ⟷ Board 4.a25
Board 3.j4 ⟷ Board 4.a26
Board 3.j5 ⟷ Board 4.a27
Board 3.j6 ⟷ Board 4.a28
Board 3.j7 ⟷ Board 4.a29
Board 3.j8 ⟷ Board 4.a30
Board 3.j9 ⟷ Board 4.a31
Board 3.i15
Board 3.x21 ⟷ Board 3.j21
Board 3.w22 ⟷ Board 3.j22
Board 3.j19 ⟷ Board 4.b23
Board 3.j24 ⟷ Board 4.b47
Board 3.a19 ⟷ Board 3.a24
Board 3.b24 ⟷ Board 3.b37
Board 3.i28
Board 3.a39 ⟷ Board 3.z39
Board 3.a40 ⟷ Board 3.y40
Board 3.x39 ⟷ Board 3.j39
Board 3.a30 ⟷ Board 2.j26
Board 3.a31 ⟷ Board 2.j27
Board 3.a32 ⟷ Board 2.j28
Board 3.a33 ⟷ Board 2.j29
Board 3.a34 ⟷ Board 2.j30
Board 3.a35 ⟷ Board 2.j31
Board 3.a36 ⟷ Board 2.j32
Board 3.a37 ⟷ Board 2.j33
Board 4.a48 ⟷ Board 3.j30
Board 4.a49 ⟷ Board 3.j31
Board 4.a50 ⟷ Board 3.j32
Board 4.a51 ⟷ Board 3.j33
Board 4.a52 ⟷ Board 3.j34
Board 4.a53 ⟷ Board 3.j35
Board 4.a54 ⟷ Board 3.j36
Board 4.a55 ⟷ Board 3.j37
Board 5.i0
Board 5.j22 ⟷ Board 5.c30
Board 5.j23 ⟷ Board 5.c31
Board 5.c2
Board 5.a2
Board 5.a3
Board 5.b4 ⟷ Board 5.z4
Board 5.b5 ⟷ Board 5.y5
Board 5.a15
Board 5.a1 ⟷ Board 4.g7
Board 5.i34
Board 5.x48 ⟷ Board 5.j48
Board 5.w49 ⟷ Board 5.j49
Board 5.a49 ⟷ Board 5.z49
Board 5.a47 ⟷ Board 5.y47
Board 5.a45 ⟷ Board 5.y45
Board 5.j21 ⟷ Board 5.a48
Board 5.b2 ⟷ Board 5.a46
Board 5.b10 ⟷ Board 5.a36
Board 5.b11 ⟷ Board 5.a37
Board 5.b12 ⟷ Board 5.a38
Board 5.b13 ⟷ Board 5.a39
Board 5.b14 ⟷ Board 5.a40
Board 5.b15 ⟷ Board 5.a41
Board 5.b16 ⟷ Board 5.a42
Board 5.b17 ⟷ Board 5.a43
Board 5.i56
Board 5.w59 ⟷ Board 5.j59
Board 5.j42 ⟷ Board 5.j60
Board 5.c18 ⟷ Board 5.a60
Board 5 Power rails – Minus
Board 5 Power rails – Plus
Board 4 Power rails – Minus
Board 4 Power rails – Plus
Board 3 Power rails – Minus
Board 3 Power rails – Plus
Board 2 Power rails – Minus
Board 2 Power rails – Plus
Board 1 Power rails – Minus
Board 1 Power rails – Plus
Board 5&4 Power – Minus
Board 5&4 Power – Plus
Board 4&3 Power – Minus
Board 4&3 Power – Plus
Board 3&2 Power – Minus
Board 3&2 Power – Plus
Board 2&1 Power – Minus
Board 2&1 Power – Plus
Power-on LED – Plus
Power-on LED (round 3mm)
Power-on resistor (220 Ohm)
Video controller RESET pull-up resistor (10K Ohm)
Video controller RESET Button
Video controller RESET Button – Minus
Video controller RESET wire
Video controller crystal (16MHz)
Crystal capacitor (22pF)
Crystal capacitor (22pF)
Video controller Module
Video controller power – Plus
Video controller power – Minus
Video controller AVcc – Plus
Display Module
Display Module power – Plus
Display Module power – Minus
Display Module A0 (CS) – Minus
Display Module A1 (RST) – Video controller
Display Module A2 (DC) – Video controller
Display Module A3 (MOSI) – Video controller
Display Module A4 (SCK) – Video controller
Video controller I2C pull-up resistor (2K2 Ohm)
Video controller I2C pull-up resistor (2K2 Ohm)
Video controller I2C - 1
Video controller I2C - 2
Keyboard controller RESET pull-up resistor (10K Ohm)
Keyboard controller crystal (16MHz)
Crystal capacitor (22pF)
Crystal capacitor (22pF)
Keyboard controller Module
Keyboard controller power – Plus
Keyboard controller power – Minus
Keyboard controller AVcc – Plus
Low-rate clock LED resistor (220 Ohm)
Low-rate clock LED wire
Low-rate clock LED (round 3mm)
Video controller 'Print char' input (D3) - Keyboard controller 'Key ready' output (BIT7) (D5)
Video controller 'Next char' output (BIT7)(D5) - Keyboard controller 'Get key' input (D3)
Video - Keyboard controller data bus (D0)
Video - Keyboard controller data bus (D1)
Video - Keyboard controller data bus (D2)
Video - Keyboard controller data bus (D3)
Video - Keyboard controller data bus (D4)
Video - Keyboard controller data bus (D5)
Video - Keyboard controller data bus (D6)
Video - Keyboard controller data bus (D7)
PS/2 connector
PS/2 connector power – Plus
PS/2 connector power – Minus
PS/2 connector Data – Keyboard controller
PS/2 connector Clk – Keyboard controller
Generator power – Plus
Generator power – Minus
CPU Clock Generator (1MHz)
CPU Clock
CPU RESET signal
CPU RESET Button – Minus
CPU RESET Button
CPU RESET pull-up resistor (3K3 Ohm)
CPU RDY pull-up resistor (3K3 Ohm)
CPU IRQ/ pull-up resistor (3K3 Ohm)
CPU NMI/ pull-up resistor (3K3 Ohm)
CPU SO/ to Plus
CPU 6502 Module
CPU 6502 Module power – Plus
CPU 6502 Module power – Minus
NAND R/W gate Module
NAND R/W gate Module power – Plus
NAND R/W gate Module – Minus
CPU F2 signal - NAND R/W
CPU RW signal - NAND R/W
CPU RW signal as second input for NAND
Read (R) signal as input for forming W (Write) signal
Memory (ROM+RAM) Module
Memory (ROM+RAM) Module power – Plus
Memory (ROM+RAM) Module power – Minus
RAM select (A15)
RAM enable (Output Enable (OE/) and Chip Enable (CE/)
ROM enable (Output Enable (OE/) and Chip Enable (CE/)
RAM write (CPU writes to RAM signal)
Address&Data bus connector
Memory decoder Module
Memory decoder Module power – Plus
Memory decoder Module – Minus
ROM select ($F0)
Address -> Memory decoder (A12)
Address -> Memory decoder (A13)
Address -> Memory decoder (A14)
Address -> Memory decoder (A15)
Memory decoder E2/ – Minus
Memory decoder E3/ – Minus
Memory decoder $D0 –> Ports decoder
Ports decoder Module
Ports decoder Module power – Plus
Ports decoder Module – Minus
Decoder 4-16 E2/ -> Minus
NAND R/ –> Decoder 4-16
NAND W/ –> Decoder 4-16
Ports decoder -> Video port Video signal
Ports decoder -> Video controller Video signal
Ports decoder -> BIT7 Video7 signal
Ports decoder -> Keyboard port Kbd signal
Ports decoder -> Keyboard controller Kbd signal
Ports decoder -> BIT7 Kbd7 signal
CPU address (A0) –> Decoder 4-16
CPU address (A1) –> Decoder 4-16
Video port Module
Video port Module power – Plus
Video port Module – Minus
Video port Module OE/ – Minus
CPU -> Video port data bus D0
CPU -> Video port data bus D1
CPU -> Video port data bus D2
CPU -> Video port data bus D3
CPU -> Video port data bus D4
CPU -> Video port data bus D5
CPU -> Video port data bus D6
CPU -> Video port data bus D7
Video port -> Video controller data bus D0
Video port -> Video controller data bus D1
Video port -> Video controller data bus D2
Video port -> Video controller data bus D3
Video port -> Video controller data bus D4
Video port -> Video controller data bus D5
Video port -> Video controller data bus D6
Video port -> Video controller data bus D7
BIT7 Module
BIT7 Module power – Plus
BIT7 Module – Minus
Video controller -> BIT7 flag
Keyboard controller -> BIT7 flag
BIT7 Module connection of outputs
BIT7 Module connection of outputs to D7
Keyboard port Module
Keyboard port Module power – Plus
Keyboard port Module – Minus
Keyboard port Module C – Plus
Keyboard port -> CPU data bus D0
Keyboard port -> CPU data bus D1
Keyboard port -> CPU data bus D2
Keyboard port -> CPU data bus D3
Keyboard port -> CPU data bus D4
Keyboard port -> CPU data bus D5
Keyboard port -> CPU data bus D6
Keyboard port -> CPU data bus D7
Keyboard controller -> Keyboard port data bus D0
Keyboard controller -> Keyboard port data bus D1
Keyboard controller -> Keyboard port data bus D2
Keyboard controller -> Keyboard port data bus D3
Keyboard controller -> Keyboard port data bus D4
Keyboard controller -> Keyboard port data bus D5
Keyboard controller -> Keyboard port data bus D6
Keyboard controller -> Keyboard port data bus D7
Hi-res video controller Module
Video controller I2C - 1
Video controller I2C - 2
Hi-res video controller crystal (16MHz)
Crystal capacitor (22pF)
Crystal capacitor (22pF)
Hi-res video controller power – Plus
Hi-res video controller power – Minus
Hi-res video SYNC pull-up resistor (10K Ohm)
Hi-res video controller RESET wire
Shift register Module
Shift register power – Plus
Shift register power – Minus
Shift register CLR/ – Plus
Shift register CE/ – Minus
Shift register Din – Minus
Hi-res video controller -> Shift register SH-LD/ signal
Hi-res video controller -> Shift register CLK signal
Hi-res video controller -> Shift register data bus (D0)
Hi-res video controller -> Shift register data bus (D1)
Hi-res video controller -> Shift register data bus (D2)
Hi-res video controller -> Shift register data bus (D3)
Hi-res video controller -> Shift register data bus (D4)
Hi-res video controller -> Shift register data bus (D5)
Hi-res video controller -> Shift register data bus (D6)
Hi-res video controller -> Shift register data bus (D7)
Video connector
Video connector power – Minus
Shift register -> Video connector Video signal
Hi-res video controller -> Video connector Sync signal
MB
MR
MB
MR
MB
MR
MB
MR
MB
MR
SB
SR
SB
SR
SB
SR
SB
SR
SR
LED1
R5
R7
BTN2
SB
S
OSC1
C1
C2
MODX.Controller
SR
SB
SR
MODX.Display
MR
MB
MB
M
M
M
M
R10
R11
M
M
R8
OSC2
C3
C4
MODX.Controller
SR
SB
SR
R6
S
LED2
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
Connector
SR
SB
M
M
SR
SB
G1
S
S
SB
BTN1
R1
R2
R3
R4
SR
MOD4.CPU
SR
SB
MODX.NAND
SR
SB
M
S
S
S
MODX.Memory
SR
SB
M
S
S
L
Connector
MODX.NAND
SR
SB
M
L
L
L
L
SB
SB
L
MODX.NAND
SR
SB
SB
M
M
L
L
L
S
S
M
M
M
MODX.Video port
SR
SB
SB
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
MODX.BIT7
SR
SB
M
M
S
M
MODX.Keyboard port
SR
SB
SR
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
MODX.Controller
M
M
OSC3
C5
C6
SR
SB
R9
M
MODX.Shift register
SR
SB
SR
SB
SB
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
Connector
SB
M
L
Connect all boards, power rails, power-on LED with battery pack.
Power
Connect Video controller and Display to see it running startup (splash) screen.
Quickstart
Connect Keyboard controller to Video controller to print chars as on Terminal.
Terminal
Assemble board with computer’s brain – CPU (Central Processing Unit).
6502 CPU
Assemble board with Memory (read-only ROM and random access RAM). It saves instructions and data for CPU.
Memory
Assemble board with In and Out ports. Video port is outputting chars (Out) and Keyboard port is sending chars from keyboard (In).
I/O+POST
Assemble board that creates TV out signal to connect TV or Monitor via RCA cable.
TV out
Wooh! Milestone Power is completed!
Milestone Power! ✅
Connect all boards, power rails, power-on LED with battery pack.
Milestone results
Power-on LED on Board 1 is working when Power supply connected to Board 5.
Milestone tests
Switch-on Power supply to see LED working.
Wooh! Milestone Quickstart is completed!
Milestone Quickstart! ✅
Connect Video controller and Display to see it running startup (splash) screen.
Milestone results
Assembled Video output system – Video controller with Display.
Milestone tests
Power-on to see SmartyKit splash screen loading.
Wooh! Milestone Terminal is completed!
Milestone Terminal! ✅
Connect Keyboard controller to Video controller to print chars as on Terminal.
Milestone results
Assembled Video and Keyboard (Input and Output, I/O) system. After test all 10 blue wires connecting Video and Keyboard controllers should be removed (they are temporarily just for this test).
Milestone tests
1) Test Keyboard with LEDs
2) Either connect PS/2 Keyboard to Keyboard socket (PS/2 connector) either upload Leyboard driver with auto-start, type (or wait for auto-start) and see symbols appear on Display. Just like real Terminal works.
Wooh! Milestone 6502 CPU is completed!
Milestone 6502 CPU! ✅
Assemble board with computer’s brain – CPU (Central Processing Unit).
Milestone results
Assembled CPU board with CPU working.
Milestone tests
Test CPU checking 4 Address bus LEDs blinking (address lines A12–A14).
Wooh! Milestone Memory is completed!
Milestone Memory! ✅
Assemble board with Memory (read-only ROM and random access RAM). It saves instructions and data for CPU.
Milestone results
Assembled Memory board.
Milestone tests
Test of Memory is a part of overall Power On Self Test (POST) on the next Milestone:
Test 1: Testing Memory addresses decoder
Test 5: Testing RAM with Write&Read
Wooh! Milestone I/O+POST is completed!
Milestone I/O+POST! ✅
Assemble board with In and Out ports. Video port is outputting chars (Out) and Keyboard port is sending chars from keyboard (In).
Milestone results
Assembled In/Out ports board with CPU and Memory boards working. All "computing" part of computer is ready and working. It's ready to be connected to Terminal part of the computer.
Milestone tests
Test of In/Out ports board is a part of overall Power On Self Test (POST), test that checks all modules on Boards 1, 2 & 3.
In order to see the results you need to connect 8 LEDs to Video port output pins D0-D7 (at the top). Here is the list of tests with number of repetitions on the right (before the test it's number shown by blinking few times of the corresponding LED):
Completion of POST could be seen as 0101.0101 and 1010.1010 blinking pattern.
Printing of all ASCII chars could be seen only when Video controller is connected, as CPU needs to have a flag set for every char sent (so called BIT7), confirming that the char was accepted by Display and CPU can send a new one. Not having this flag set CPU waits in infinite loop.
Wooh! Milestone TV out is completed!
Milestone TV out! ✅
Assemble board that creates TV out signal to connect TV or Monitor via RCA cable.
Milestone results
Assembled computer with TV out.
Milestone tests
Connect Video connector to a TV or monitor (e.g. from Apple 2) with RCA, see startup screen and all the text repeating one on the small Display. E.g. like this Heart program running on Display module and on Monitor.
