2.8M views · Mar 9, 2016 · 6:53 · 14 HN recommenders · 15 mentions · discussed 2017–2023
Ben Eater's short update announcing his plan to build another 8-bit computer from scratch on camera. It kicks off the breadboard computer series that became widely known.
Why Hacker News points people here: HN repeatedly recommends the series it launched as the best way to understand how a CPU works, praised for Eater's clear teaching.
“I think I learned more from Ben Eater’s “Building an 8-bit breadboard computer” series [0] than my intro to computer architecture course at university.”HN comment, 2022
“I find Ben Eater's 8-bit computer from scratch series really wonderful, mainly because of his skills as an educator”
Great educator and effort in material.
I find Ben Eater's 8-bit computer from scratch series really wonderful, mainly because of his skills as an educator and the effort he puts into the material: this video Check out his latest videos on low-level data transmission techniques as well.
“As a pure software guy I found it very enlightening.”
Enlightening CPU-from-logic-gates series for software people.
I love this guy's videos, I've been watching them for a year or so now. He also made a series [0] where he built the CPU, microcode and all using logic gates and components. As a pure software guy I found it very enlightening. [0] this video
“the video series on building an computer from scratch is fantastic.”
Valuable foundational hardware knowledge regardless of career.
1) the video series on building an computer from scratch is fantastic. It's valuable information no matter where in the tech stack you wind up in (or even if you don't wind up in tech) but also having a deep knowledge of these systems will be of considerable value down the line, because we aren't training kids in hardware as much anymore. this video 2) If their interest is a bit higher in the stack (like robotics e.g.), and they don't mind getting in the weeds and asking for help in the community, I would target learning with a raspberry pi system. My preferred target is Nerves; it's a bit more bare-bones, and there aren't drivers for everything, but the community is fantastic (the elixir slack / nerves is the place to be), and it's easy to get to a point where you are dropped into an IDE and you can just code .
“Ben Eater (Author of this Video) is fantastic. Learned so much on electronics and computers through this series”
Taught the commenter a lot about electronics.
Ben Eater (Author of this Video) is fantastic. Learned so much on electronics and computers through this series this video
“(which are amazing and everyone should watch)”
Amazing videos everyone should watch.
Love this kind of build, so I'm working on a little breadboard one myself link similar to the Ben Eater 8-bit CPU videos this video (which are amazing and everyone should watch)
“I think I learned more from Ben Eater’s “Building an 8-bit breadboard computer” series [0] than my intro to computer architecture course at university.”
Taught more than a university architecture course.
I think I learned more from Ben Eater’s “Building an 8-bit breadboard computer” series [0] than my intro to computer architecture course at university. Highly recommended. [0] this video
“I really enjoyed the series Ben Eater has produced making his 8 bit computer.”
Enjoyable series building an 8-bit computer.
Don't really know. But if you decide to do so, please make a video series about it. I really enjoyed the series Ben Eater has produced making his 8 bit computer. [1] [1] this video
“Ben Eater's great YouTube series on building an 8 bit computer.”
Great series on building an 8-bit computer.
If this interests you, you'll probably really like or already have seen Ben Eater's great YouTube series on building an 8 bit computer. (2016 as well) this video
“I find that his explanations are quite good as well.”
Breadboard 8-bit computer with good explanations.
I have a feeling you might like this: link It's a popular course about building a computer from nand gates and eventually building a Tetris like game on it. All of this is done on a hardware simulator of course. If you are keen on real hardware, you might find this interesting: this video It's a series of videos where Ben Eater explains how to build an 8-bit computer using breadboards and basic elements of circuits. I find that his explanations are quite good as well.
“Ben Eater's YouTube series on building an 8 bit computer is great to help build understanding how a microprocessor works.”
Helps understand how a microprocessor works.
Not 100% sure this is precisely what you're looking for but Ben Eater's YouTube series on building an 8 bit computer is great to help build understanding how a microprocessor works. [1] this video
“If you're looking to get a much better understanding of /why/ things work, you should check out Ben Eater's videos on YT”
Explains why things work.
If you're looking to get a much better understanding of /why/ things work, you should check out Ben Eater's videos on YT this video
“Really fun project”
Fun project evoking early home computing.
I recently had the feeling of those early home-computing days from the Ben Eater's "8-bit computer from scratch" videos/kits. Really fun project: this video
“Ben Eater's fantastic video series on building a breadboard 6502 based computer and an 8-bit breadboard computer from scratch”
Fantastic series on breadboard computers.
Ben Eater's fantastic video series on building a breadboard 6502 based computer and an 8-bit breadboard computer from scratch might be appreciated in this thread. 6502 playlist: link 8-bit build playlist: this video He also sells kits if one is interested in playing along.
“I find Ben's Eater series on building simple 8-bit breadboard computer using 6502 CPU very educating and entertaining.”
Educational, entertaining breadboard 6502 computer build.
Starting procedure on MOS6502 is not that simple as it is told in the article. It spends some 7 clocks on doing internal initialization and only then fetches address of first jump from reset vector (0xFFFC/0xFFFD). I find Ben's Eater series on building simple 8-bit breadboard computer using 6502 CPU very educating and entertaining. this video
“Ben Eater did a fantastic job of making these videos, explaining each concept”
Ben Eater's series builds Malvino's SAP computer.
This was so cool as a book. Ben Eater did a fantastic job of making these videos, explaining each concept, but the computer he builds (the SAP, or Simple As Possible) is directly from "Digital Computer Electronics" (c) 1977 by Albert Paul Malvino. He even goes so far as to mention it and shows a copy of the book in his first video: this video I stumbled across the book 4 years ago when I followed this instructable: link The instructable is nowhere near as detailed as Ben's videos, but it was all I had at the time, and it recommended that book. Note: when I purchased the book 4 years ago, it was only $5, now I'm seeing it for upwards of $99: link The paperback is only $22, but it lists an additional author not present on the 1977 version, so I don't know if it's the exact same book.
