Classic computing fans Ed Anuff and Josh Norrid have spent the final three years bringing the basic Apple II bang up-to-date with an HDMI output and a variety of recreated add-in regardless of taking over only a single slot: the A2FPGA Multicard Core.
“The A2FPGA consists of an Apple II peripheral card PCB that may be put in in any Apple II slot (slot-7 advisable) that interfaces a contemporary FPGA to the Apple II bus,” the mission’s creators clarify. “The FPGA interfaces with the Apple II bus to seize all accesses to show reminiscence so as to drive a 480p HDMI show as nicely a offering the performance of numerous standard peripheral playing cards in a single Apple II slot. The A2FPGA has been examined with Apple II, II+, //e, and IIgs fashions.”
Launched in 1997 because the successor to what grew to become recognized retrospectively because the Apple I, the Apple II was Apple Laptop’s first main business product. Designed by Steve Wozniak, the machine used the identical MOS 6502 processor as its predecessor — although the later Apple IIgs swapped to a 16-bit Western Design Middle (WDC) 65C816 as a part of a collection of upgrades, which launched improved audio and graphics capabilities.
Not one of the Apple II household, although, got here with an HDMI output for connection to trendy screens or TVs — an inexpensive oversight, provided that the HDMI normal would not come about till 2002. The A2FPGA, delivered to our consideration by Hacker Information, is designed to bridge this decades-long hole, delivering a 480p60 digital video output with audio by linking the unique Apple {hardware} to a contemporary FPGA.
The board gives a crisp HDMI video output, with each inside and add-in board audio. (📷: ReActiveMicro)
That is not all of the add-in board can do, although: gateware has been created that permits the cardboard to behave as a number of basic add-in boards too, together with the uncommon Synetix SuperSprite graphics board, the Candy Micro Programs Mockingboard AY-3-9810 sound board, and Apple’s personal Tremendous Serial Card — all whereas taking over solely a single slot on the motherboard, which means it may be used alongside authentic add-in boards too.
The mission is documented in full on GitHub, the place the supply is launched below the permissive MIT license — with separate licenses for recordsdata included from different initiatives. The board’s creators have additionally partnered with ReActiveMicro to launch a fully-assembled model of the board, constructed across the Sipped Tang Nano 20k FPGA board, at $199.99.