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Retro Z80 CPU Board

This project was designed to run CP/M 2.2 from an SD card. It should be an attainable goal for anyone that can solder through-hole parts to assemble it. Note that J10 is an optional header that allows a Sparkfun SD card breakout board DEV-13743 to used instead of soldering on the surface-mount SD socket part.

Here is an easy-to-find direct link to the PDF of the schematic for a quick view.

Where to get Boards & Software

  • You can order boards from any prototype PCB vendor. For example, I show how you can order these boards from JLCPCB or OSHPark by uploading the gerber files found in the releases of this and the flash programmer projects as shown in this Z80 Retro! - How To Order PC Boards video on YouTube.

    • Gerber files for the CPU board: 2063-Z80-v3
    • Gerber files for the FLASH programmer: 2065-Z80-programmer-v2 (This is used with a Raspberry PI to program the FLASH chip on the CPU board.)
  • Software for this project can be found in my 2063-Z80-cpm repo.

  • Note that the FLASH programmer has been designed to work with a Raspberry PI in the event that you don't already own such programmer. This companion programmer PCB should cost about $2 more when it is ordered at the same time as the CPU board from JLCPCB or other similar proto-board shops as shown in the Z80 Retro! - How To Order PC Boards video on YouTube.

Links to Related Material

  • A youtube playlist discussing this project and how to build your own can be found in John's Basement
  • A PDF version of the schematic can be found here.
  • Here is the as-built BOM with links to the datasheets for all the parts.
  • Here is another BOM with links to sockets for the chips.
  • To configure a new PI for use with this programmer board as well as to develop Z80 code for the Z80 Retro board, see this PI Setup Guide
  • More software for this project will be added as it evolves.

Links to Related Datasheets Seen On YouTube

Serial Port Cable Parts

Parallel Port Cable Parts

Ribbon Cable

  • 40-conductor (Amazon) - peel off a 26-pin strip and a 10-pin strip to make one parallel and one serial cable (cut the 10-pin strip in half length-wise to make two serial cables.

PC Board Image

Release Notes

V4.4.0

  • Change footprint for SD socket to increase the pad size for mounting the case.
  • Label R15 and R16 as DNP.
  • Move the diffs into their own directory.
  • V4.3.3 to V4.4.0 schematic visual diff
  • V4.3.3 to V4.4.0 PCB visual diff

V4.3.3

  • Increase the values of the RS232 charge pump (on U12) capacitors to improve filtering.
  • V4.3.2 V4.3.3 schematic visual diff
  • V4.3.2 V4.3.3 PCB visual diff (no changes)