The MOS Technology 6502 is not a chip to be taken lightly. It served as the brain of the Atari 2600, the original NES, the Apple II, and the unforgettable Commodore 64, marking entire generations in the process. It has also been studied extensively, and it is a very popular starting point for anyone wishing to learn more about low-level hardware, but Eric Schlaepfer decided to take it to new dimensions with the creation of the MOnSter 6502, a functional large-scale version with more than 4,700 components on its surface.
It is 45 years old, but still manages to be one of the most popular hardware components in history. Of course, I am referring to the MOS Technology 6502, an 8-bit processor that found a place of privilege in multiple consoles, home computers, and embedded systems. Do you have an old Commodore 64 with a damaged 6502 or plan to use one in an electronics project? Don't worry: you can get them on eBay for less than three dollars, though you will pay extra if you prefer a rarer variant.
However, there are enthusiasts out there who are not satisfied with buying ready-made chips. Perhaps some of our readers remember the Mega-Processor by James Newman, who used nearly 40,000 transistors during its construction, but today it is the turn of the MOnSter 6502, made by Eric Schlaepfer in collaboration with the folks at Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories. The first time we talked about the MOnSter 6502 was in mid-2017, and the news is that its definitive launch will take place in the coming months. After five years of effort, with several appearances at the Bay Area Maker Faire, the MOnSter 6502 has entered its final stretch.
The MOnSter 6502 at 7,000:1 scale
Its dimensions of 30.5 by 38 centimeters place the MOnSter 6502 at a scale of 7,000 to 1 when compared to the original 6502. The exact total of components amounts to 4,769, among which stand out 3,218 MOSFETs and 1,019 resistors that maintain a 1:1 relationship with the real 6502. In terms of speed, the MOnSter 6502 is far from conventional hardware, reaching frequencies of 50 or 60 KHz (one twentieth of that initial MHz)
The ultimate goal is for the MOnSter 6502 to reach the public inside a beautiful enclosure, which besides protecting the hardware will also enable the execution of some demos. Of course... there are details about costs to resolve. The MOnSter 6502 has not been an economical project to say the least (4,000 dollars according to the most pessimistic estimates), and there will be no soldering kits. Maybe if they only sold the PCB...
Official site: Click here
