Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2024/04/22/zilog-to-stop-making-classic-z80-8-bit-cpu-after-50-years.html
…
8 Likes
Oh, man! My first real job was coding Z80 assembly language to implement a LISP interpreter on a Wang OIS 100 system back in '82. It was my first real tech job; I loved it and still have fond memories of getting deep into the code.
Another milestone…
19 Likes
Zilog will still sell you the “eZ80” in various configurations. Absolutely not pin compatible, some degree of binary compatibility depending on how well or poorly your program reacts to having a significantly faster chip.
No word on whether the product line is exclusively to allow TI to continue to ship deeply undergunned calculators.
9 Likes
So many memories…
I think I still have a Z80 in my parts bin, but I doubt I’ll do anything with it. I also have a NEC V20 (8088 with funky block bitblt, math and string instructions) that would be just as easy to wire up.
8 Likes
I spent a lot of time teaching the Z80 how to do things in assembly language. Astronomical mirror polishing machine, PDP-8 paper tape emulator, handheld RF-linked data terminal, and much more. The thing we discovered about the instruction set was that there were typically two ways to write a loop using either the DE and HL index registers inherited from the 8080 or the more sleek IX and IY extensions. Either way took the same amount of code space and execution time.
10 Likes
Is it too late to start a playground war over a 50 year old chip? Because with a couple of exceptions; the 6502 was a far superior processor and easier (hah!) to program.
8 Likes
My first assembly was 6502. When I learned x86, my initial reaction was “This isn’t assembly. There’s multiply, divide, and string functions”
5 Likes
My first thought was “I need to stockpile these while I can.” My second was, “you idiot. You’ve never used a raw Z80 for anything in the 50 years they’ve been available. Plus you’ve got several of them lying around in various TS1000 machines that are spread around your place.”
Crisis averted.
5 Likes
Well, just to stir the pot, here’s one performance benchmark. The top 2 are modern retro computers: Z80 vs. 6502.
From: The Byte Attic™!: AGON™
You’re still welcome to share an 8-Bit Guy video explaining why 6502 is his favourite chip.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
2 Likes
Only if you don’t mind losing to the 6809… 
3 Likes
Tandy/Radio Shack Zilog 80 computer: TRS-80
Became the Model I. The Model III, the first computer I ever got to fiddle around with, was also powered by a Z80. Takes me back.
Motorolla 6809? I had to look that one up. It seems that chip went into the SuperPET (as a second processor along with the 6502) which just seems like sacrilege. First computer to answer the question “Can’t we all just get along?”…?
Also, it went into the Star Wars arcade game which I think just ended the debate right there. 
2 Likes
I wonder where my copy is?
1 Like
Helpful?
3 Likes
This topic was automatically closed after 5 days. New replies are no longer allowed.
