The assembly was a little tricky in spots. Even the online documentation including pictures which did not show resistors from the correct angle to distinguish them for the serial board. I also purchased the backplane expansion kit and was a little disappointed to see that adding the extra headers also required soldering in 30+ extra wire links on the backplane itself to enable them. I'd have preferred to cut traces to disable things than add that much extra soldering to enable the extra headers.

Wieland | April 4, 2017

Perfect for understanding and self-engineering

For RC2014 Classic - Homebrew Z80 Computer Kit

The idea of a backplane with data and addressbus I had for myself. So this is perfect for someone like me who don't want to make all the PCBs himself. I made an "adapter" to my breadboard so selfengineering is easy.
For example did I like Grant Searles solution of making a video and keyboard-serial-intercace in use of two uC smarter (and cheaper) then using a Pi Zero.
Good to see, that required CP/M components are on their way.
As a wish I would also like to have a more detailed documentaion. Especially for CP/M.
And the ideas of S.M. Baker should also find their way to the project (Floppy-Controller, Single-Step-Timer, etc).
Very good project with a lot of possibilities. Thanks for that.

Paul | March 20, 2017

Great Kit, Prompt Shipping, Exactly what I Wanted

For RC2014 Classic - Homebrew Z80 Computer Kit

I am far from an expert when it comes to these retro microcomputers, but when I saw this kit I knew it was exactly what I needed to help learn more. After researching older computers like the Altair 8800, I was sorely disappointed to learn that originals could be tough to find, and even replicas could cost hundreds of dollars. I'd seen people construct their own homebrew computers, but this was certainly beyond my own capabilities. On discovering the RC2014, I was immediately struck by the similarities in design between it and its vintage microcomputer predecessors; I realized that it would be a perfect opportunity to not only learn about such computers, but also to practice soldering and general electronics skills.

I purchased the Full Monty kit, and found it to be wonderfully simple for a newcomer. Soldering headers is obviously not the most stimulating task, but is an excellent opportunity to practice your technique, and there are enough other components to keep things interesting. The instructions included were very helpful, and while the lack of step-by-step directions might make assembly a bit challenging for some less-experienced buyers, I would urge you not to be dissuaded by this; there is an abundance of useful information available in the RC2014 forums to assist you along the way. After assembly, I connected it to my laptop using the standard FTDI header and PuTTY, and it worked like a charm!

The modular nature of the kit and abundance of expansion slots (especially with the 8-slot backplane) fairly begs for customized peripheral cards, and I know I've already got plans in the works. There is also an active community, with many people contributing their own customized hardware and software. I would highly recommend this kit, not only as an entry point into microcomputing, but also as an inspiration for those looking for a new project.

Jac | March 13, 2017

It's simple, it's universal, it works!

For Universal Micro Keyboard

This is a great little keyboard to use with retro computing projects or home builds. Obviously it's not for all-day everyday use unless you're really masochistic :-)

I got a Matrix version for use with my Minstrel (ZX80 Replica) by Tynemouth Software (elsewhere on Tindie), thanks for the discount!

Unfortunately there's a problem, that makes me not want to give this a full five star review: The footprint of the switches is wrong.

Apparently the switches that are in the kit are not the switches that were used in the design (and in the pictures), they are a little bit smaller. So you have to bend the wires out a little to get them into the holes, and this makes it really hard to keep the switches straight while you solder them. I found that the easiest was to mount the switches near the top of the footprint, so the top two wires are all the way in/through and sort-of straight, and the bottom two wires are at an angle. In the end, I managed to make my keyboard look great but I got pretty frustrated while I was working on it. It would be great if, for future customers, you would include switches that match the footprint (even if that makes the kit cost a bit more), or change the circuit board to match the switches.

A tip for a future improvement: For use with the Minstrel, I had to short out the diodes because the ZX80 apparently had the diodes in opposite direction and Tynemouth provides those diodes on the Minstrel motherboard (that makes sense because the Minstrel can also be connected to an original ZX80 keyboard which obviously didn't have the diodes in it). It would be great if the diodes could be shorted out more easily, e.g. with a (non-populated) jumper block or SMD jumpers that you can just drop some solder tin onto. Also I would like you guys to agree on a pinout of the connectors; maybe add additional headers to make it easier to connect a Minstrel without the crazy twisted wiring. Perhaps an additional 2-row 14-pin or 16-pin header on both boards that line up with each other and connect them together with a short IDC connector and 1 inch of ribbon cable? You could also solve the diode problem that way: the dual row header could be attached "behind" the diodes so they don't even have to be shorted.

Finally, that laser cut case looks absolutely great, and it would be great if you could offer it as an option on Tindie. And I would have liked to have labels with the ZX80 BASIC keywords and graphic symbols of course, but unlike the case, I can make that myself.

Thanks for creating and sharing this project, and for the rest of the RC2014 "universe"! I definitely plan on making my own contributions in the future.

Richard | March 8, 2017

Excellent product

For RC2014 Classic - Homebrew Z80 Computer Kit

Just wish the documentation was a little more explicit for the benefit of people like me that are computer savvy but have not taken on a project like this before. More hand holding documentation would be beneficial. Apart from this the product is great and I am look forward to completing this project.

Aaron | March 1, 2017

Excellent kit, fun night soldering hundreds of pins!

For RC2014 Classic - Homebrew Z80 Computer Kit

I had been writing a z80 emulator in my spare time, and figured I should have the real thing up and running. This kit was a fantastic way to get going without having to lay out everything myself.

Kit came with all the parts I needed to get BASIC booted, after I figured out a mistake I made earlier in assembly. The documentation is fantastic and even shows the color bands on each resistor. However, the included documentation in black and white does make it hard to work out the colors. It would be nice if the color bands were described in words as well.

The boards themselves slot in to the backplane very close together. I thought I would be clever and solder on the FTDI header as a right angle header on the reverse side of the board, and when I went to put all the boards in the backplane, it didn't fit! My fault for going off script, but it would be nice if each board was aligned to give equal spacing between boards.

Assembly took about 6 hours, taking my time and chatting with friends, including finding the mistake I made (always make sure your grounds make sense!) Overall a fantastic friday night.

Kyle | Jan. 29, 2017

Its great kit!

For RC2014 Classic - Homebrew Z80 Computer Kit

I bought this to learn more about the hardware level. Ultimately, I want to program it in assembly. The kit itself went together nicely and took me about 3 hours of careful soldering to do the base build. I hooked it up and it worked flawlessly. The packaging was excellent. The instructions could use some finished product pictures, but they are available on the website anyway so no big deal. All in all I am thoroughly enjoying it.

Note. The communications rating is not real. I did not need to communicate with anyone on this.

John | Nov. 30, 2016

A seriously awesome retro experience

For RC2014 Classic - Homebrew Z80 Computer Kit

I must admit to a background in the Z80; so the idea of recreating my early days with a new kit was hard to resist!

This was simply brilliant. I soldered it together easily, and it worked 'first' time - after a quick inspection with a magnifying glass to find a missed solder joint. About the only thing I can complain about is that the provided pages of documentation are black-and-white prints of a colour web page - and because those colours indicate various aspects of the build, the web pages are far more useful than the provided documentation.

I also bought extra modules for the kit, and no documentation came with those - which was ironically a good thing, because searching for those missing pages clarified the existing pages tremendously.

One thing that the documentation mentioned that I will caution about: you can definitely decide how to assemble the individual boards. But be warned about how they will be placed on the final backplane - you can cause them to interfere with each other if they "hang" off the backplane the wrong way around.

Still: I don't care. I got mine working, and have had fun with the number of programs I've already written!

Doug | Nov. 29, 2016

Excellent opportunity for both nostalgia and learning

For RC2014 Classic - Homebrew Z80 Computer Kit

I learned the rudiments of coding on the inbuilt BASIC of a C64 and purchased this kit as a gift for my 13 year old proto-hacker son. The carefully thought out design of the RC2014 makes it easy to build and troubleshoot and the simplicity of the design makes repairs, expansion and substitution of components very accessible if you have a reasonable general knowledge of digital components / can read a spec sheet.
The build is simple and the instructions easy to follow - as far as they go. This IS NOT a fully integrated learning package that will teach you either "retro-computing" or digital electronics. This IS a very elegant piece of hardware that can be used to explore Z80 resources already on line and as a tool for learning about the underlying principles and hardware.
Although there are some links to get you started and an active forum, it is pretty much up to the builder to find the resources necessary to teach him/herself. This is a good thing - not a criticism!
After watching my kid get his up and running, I started thinking about an old RCA VP3301 data terminal I've had sitting around for years and began looking for EPROM burners on ebay...
The short of it is I've ended up ordering a second RC2014 for myself.

David | Nov. 19, 2016

Fantastic kit

For RC2014 Mini - Single Board Z80 Computer Kit

I purchased the full monty kit. It was great fun putting it together, I had a problem with getting the kit working but spencer was fantastic help and I think I enjoyed the trouble shooting more than the build. The problem turned out to be an easy fix and once working the kit is great fun to use, bringing back memories of the early eighties.

The kit is great for learning how computers work, i.e clock, ram ,rom etc and I look forward to getting further modules from SPencer.

Christopher | Nov. 2, 2016

Wonderful product and great service.

For RC2014 Mini - Single Board Z80 Computer Kit

Now have the confidence to build the RC2014 although it is not quite in the form I would like, that is to run cp/m using an sd card.

Dj | Nov. 1, 2016

A cracking way to get your Z80 retro experience on

For RC2014 Mini - Single Board Z80 Computer Kit

The RC2014 Mini is a compact way of getting up and running with a retro Z80 experience, complete with a BASIC in ROM. It's a really easy build, but do use the online version of the docs as the colour coding doesn't translate to the black and white printed version. Best of all, there's a whole world of backplanes, protoboards and expansions which you can use with the Mini. And the Pi Zero expansion as an integrated terminal is just splendid.

Nicholas | Sept. 22, 2016

Neo Nostalgic Build With a Great Community

For RC2014 Classic - Homebrew Z80 Computer Kit

This thing is a ton of fun to build and play with if you want to build a computer from scratch, remember the good ole days, or just get a lot of practice soldering through hole components.

Spencer does a great job of making himself available for answering questions, and the community is surprisingly active.

Very much recommended, and doesn't take as long to assemble as you might think.

Kelly | Sept. 4, 2016

Great fun for an aging, nostagic nerd

For RC2014 Classic - Homebrew Z80 Computer Kit

Asked for this kit after seeing Spencer's 2016 video on the Computerphile YouTube channel. It coincided with a growing desire to immerse myself in early 1980's computer architecture, without a lot of free time (or knowledge / skills) available to act on it.

Got the full monty version. It arrived very quickly after ordering. Very happy with the kit and results. Really nicely designed and put together.

I can now spend time exploring the electronics, or the z80 assembly for the bootstrap / basic code at my leisure, or move onto something more complicated.

In case you're worried about the assembly, it's easy (it would have to be). Here's my experience:

I hadn't soldered anything for about 20 years but it took me only a couple of free weekend afternoons to get it going.

To assemble it just needed a cheap soldering iron with a small tip (40W soldering kit bought from Maplin), some small wire cutters and some work space.

Overall, took 2 x ~3 hours sessions, with the purchase of an FTDI cable (5v signalling version) in the middle (bought from RS). The cable was automatically supported by my Windows 10 laptop and PuTTY worked fine as a terminal.

The docs that come with it are basic and black and white, which makes them a little tricky to read in places. The information is duplicated in colour on the rc2014.co.uk website (along with lots of other information) so it's quite easy to work out what's going on and check things like the resistor colours. There's also the Grant Searle website for the z80 computer that the kit is based on for a bit more depth about how the addressing works.

If you just want to assemble the basic kit there are a couple of bits where I found I had to confirm some things for myself:

1) The logic chip numbers on the instructions/schematics didn't quite match up with what I was sent. A quick check on wikipedia confirmed the ones I'd been sent were correct (and the ones mentioned on Grant Searle's site too, with some reasoning there about why).
2) The backplane board is designed for further expansion. Because it wasn't completely spelled out, I had to read things a couple of times to confirm I didn't need to solder any horizonal links on the bus for the basic assembly. Also, didn't need to do anything about external power (since I had the FTDI cable) so didn't bother with the barrel connector.
3) The reset button can be soldered to the backplane or the clock board. I elected to put it on the backplane, but either I incorrectly soldered a 2k2 resistor unnecessarily to the clock board, or the kit I was sent was missing one 2k2 resistor. It seems that the resistor is not critical - reset worked without.
4) All of the right-angled connectors are too long need to be cut down. The pins that have been cut off are used on the clock board. Same deal with the jumper connectors. I was glad I'd invested in some super-small cutters: I suspect the ones I had for household electrics would have been too big.

Matthew | Aug. 29, 2016

An Easy & Fun To Build Z80 Micro. Highly Recommended!

For RC2014 Classic - Homebrew Z80 Computer Kit

Building a backplane based Z80 microcomputer seems to be the project perpetually on my "back burner." With several Z80's of varying vintage, a motley collection of SRAM chips and plenty of 74 series logic in my "junque" box, I was sure there was a micro in there just aching to get out.

But as with everything, it's a matter of competing priorities. I still had to overcome the lack of cheap ISA prototyping boards to go with the passive backplane I have on hand. And without a PROM burner, I found the mechanical construction of a switch panel for loading instructions one at a time a bit daunting.

With the RC2014, I had the perfect opportunity to scratch my hardware retro-computing itch for less that it would cost to lure a working machine out of my assorted parts.

With the right tools the kit goes together quickly and there is nothing especially tricky about it. If you don't have experience soldering at the .1 inch spacing I would recommend practicing on some sacrificial material before committing the iron to your RC2014.

Using a FTDI-to-USB serial cable, the micro came to life the first time power was applied and there I was in BASIC, ready to code like it was 1979. Like the systems it's reminiscent of, the modularity of the '14 lends itself well to experimentation and expansion.

The great thing about computers like the RC2014 is that it's possible for one person to understand the whole thing, hardware & software. Even today's Raspberry Pi's and Arduinos while excellent for learning and building, have so many layers of abstraction that it's really hard for a normal person to grok to the whole thing. Let's not even get into desktops and servers, those things left me behind somewhere around 80286.

The only little hiccup, if you want to call it that, was that I had to order some jumper shunts (I opted not to hardwire them). Turns out modern PC's aren't packed full of those little things like they were in the old days.

You can find plenty of emulators online that perform the functions of the Z80 systems of old, but that's not the point. The point is to build something, have it work, and optionally understand how it works. The RC2014 provides that opportunity for you if your interested in (or nostalgic for) early microcomputing or if you want a platform for understanding stored program computers from a hardware and software level.

Note: I gave the printed documentation an "Ok" rating only because 1) I grew up building Heathkits and 2) The schematics are reproduced so small given the available space that they are nearly impossible to read. I had to look at the online versions to actually read them. However, the printed assembly guide is quite sufficient for building a working computer.

P.S. Spencer seems like a real nice fellow. I wish him success with this project and look forward to seeing where he takes it.

Herbert | Aug. 23, 2016

Excellent service

For RC2014 Classic - Homebrew Z80 Computer Kit

Excellent service, would purchase from the ventor in the future. Vendor was very responsive to emails.

Ross | June 29, 2016

A great advanced kit

For RC2014 Classic - Homebrew Z80 Computer Kit

My kit arrived today! I spent a couple hours putting it together, and it works!

Assembly-wise, the RC2014 is dirt-simple to make. All components are through-hole, all chips are in sockets, and the machine is split into six self-contained modules. The documentation assumes a little bit from the user, like knowing that a 74HCT04 is the same thing as a 74LS04. One component was missing, a 3k3 resistor, but the value doesn't seem to be that vital, and I have a resistor kit I pulled a 2k2 out of. If you're considering this kit those probably aren't big issues for you.

Other than the missing resistor my only real complaint is that shipping didn't have a tracking number, but, it got to me (in the US) in about a week and a half, so I wasn't waiting too long.

You'll also want an FTDI cable, or all it will do is turn an LED on. With a cable so you can talk to it though, the thing is an actual computer, not just a microcontroller blinking some lights or something. And you can design new components for it! The backplane board has three empty slots, and everything is clearly labeled.

If you've built blinky-light kits, graduated to microcontroller-doing-something-cool kits, and are wondering what's next, this thing is it.

Phillip | May 29, 2016

Excellent introduction to Z80 Retrocomputing

For RC2014 Classic - Homebrew Z80 Computer Kit

Stumbled across this kit when looking for a new direction, and it has led to my burgeoning interest in Z80 retrocomputing.

The kit (full monty) was delivered with all parts required. There are two options for building the Reset circuit, either on the Clock PCB or on the Back Plane PCB. I chose to build it (solder button and resistor) on the Back Plane as it will get a hammering and is better located there.

Some of the instructions are very thin. But educated guesses can be made. The ROM board is delivered as the 8x option, but there's no mention of where the 3x address jumpers need to be set (all to 0 btw). This is obvious in hindsight, but it could be clear from the beginning.

Possibly some of the documentation angst could be avoided by referring more obviously to Grant Searle's web site from which the design of the RC2014 originates. The connection to Grant's 7 chip Z80 machine is made in the introduction, but it could be made more obvious, particularly regarding the use of the BASIC interpreter once the RC2014 is successfully constructed.

I'm very happy with the outcome. Highly recommended.

Robert | May 28, 2016

Awesome

For ZX SpectROM

Been meaning to review this for a while, last week finally got the old Spectrum running with a composite mod and tried out ZX SpectROM with Manic Miner onboard.... and what's to say? It's flawless - it does EXACTLY what it says on the tin, you plug the board in the back of the Spectrum, turn it on and Manic Miner is instantly exhorting you to press Enter to start.

It's flipping' awesome it is, and the only way it could possibly be more awesome is if they hurry up and release the ROM-burning kit they're mentioned. If this is the kind of thing you think might appeal to you, then I can assure you that it most certainly will do. Love it. Nice one!

Anthony | Feb. 22, 2016

Great kit!

For RC2014 Classic - Homebrew Z80 Computer Kit

This is a great DIY kit for those who would like to get into retro computing, Z80 assembly or to just learn the basic organization of a simple computer via hands-on experience. It requires a fair amount of homework getting all the ICs and other components you will need gathered together if you buy just the bare kit, but that is part of the fun. Also make sure to reference the schematics, photos and other docs on http://rc2014.co.uk/ as there isn't a compiled build guide that I am aware of. However, there isn't a huge need for it to be honest. The only issue I had was not knowing where to set the jumpers for the ROM board (0000-1FFF, of course). Also, if you want your kit to turn out like the one in the photos bear in mind that all of the boards do not face the same way when plugged in to the baseboard, but you'll want to solder the header pins to the modules all in the same orientation or else you may get a surprise when you try to plug the clock module in and find it hits the ICs on the RAM module. Just take your time and triple check everything before you start soldering.

One last tip, unless you get one of the new custom made backplanes use some masking tape or painter's tape to mask off the perfboard in nice straight lines on either side of the pins when you solder the female headers on to keep the bottom of the board from looking all sloppy.

If I get the time I will write up a guide based on my experiences and send to the store owner. I just got my hands on a EEPROM programmer and a blank EEPROM in order to do some assembly language programming. The author/store owner was very helpful in pointing me in the right direction for getting started on that.

Peter | Feb. 17, 2016

An elementary, modular Z80 computer

For RC2014 Classic - Homebrew Z80 Computer Kit

At present the Computer is just a processor, ram, rom and serial port. It runs a sophisticated Basic language and should make a great experience to someone who loves DIY in electronics, Basic and machine language.

The modular design reminds me of the old S100 computers of the 1970's and 80's.

Be very careful if you do build one to make sure the cards are the right way around before applying power with the pin 1 symbol at the right side and the reset/clock board is offset by the correct amount.

Many thanks to semachthemonkey for a cheap no frills computer and going through the hassle of making kits......

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