A complete Printed Circuit Board (PCB) implementation of the famous 8-bit computer architecture (SAP-1) designed by Ben Eater.
Moving from breadboards to a production-ready PCB, this project demonstrates complex signal routing, hierarchical schematic organization, and digital logic design using the 74xx TTL series chips.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| EDA Software | KiCad |
| Architecture | Simple As Possible |
| Logic Family | 74LS / 74HC Series (TTL) |
| PCB Layers | 2 Layers |
| Mounting | Through-Hole Technology (THT) |
- Hierarchical Schematics: The design is broken down into modular logical blocks (Clock, RAM, ALU, Control Logic) using KiCad's hierarchical sheets for maintainability.
- Complex Routing: Managing hundreds of data and control lines on a 2-layer board required careful optimization of trace paths to minimize vias and ensure signal integrity.
- Bus Architecture: Implements a central 8-bit bus connecting all registers and the Arithmetic Logic Unit.
- Clone the repository:
git clone https://github.com/Alireza2317/8bit_computer_PCB
- Open in KiCad:
- Launch KiCad.
- Go to
File > Open Project. - Select the
.kicad_profile in the root directory.
- Explore:
- Click the Schematic Editor to see the logic.
- Click the PCB Editor to see the physical routing.
This project is based on the incredible educational series by Ben Eater.