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Indigenous Kiwi Machine - the HUG 1802

PostPosted: Mon Mar 18, 2013 6:16 pm
by plaing
There's a machine I think is *really* worth saving if anyone ever sees one... It's called the HUG 1802.

Its the first computer I programmed as a kid - if programming can be described as keying into a hex keypad a program listing with no clue whatsoever what I was doing, but getting a simple game to run...

The HUG 1802 was an RCA CDP1802 based machine - designed and built by three guys in NZ. I don't know what the U and G stand for but the H stood for Hugh Anderson, who I knew as a student and later worked with at CIT in Heretaunga.

It was a pretty cool machine - I think from memory the ETI-660 (Electronics today international - an aussie electronics magazine) was a copy of this machine.

The machine I used had been purchased as parts and built up based on the HUG specs. If anyone sees one of these they should save it. It was a Kiwi design is my understanding...

It's hard to be accurate about dates going this far back but I'm pretty sure I programmed the HUG 1802 and saved a program / loaded a program from cassette before the ZX-81 was around at least in magazines / at David Reid electronics in Lower Hutt.

Just wanted to throw that out there...

Re: Indigenous Kiwi Machine - the HUG 1802

PostPosted: Mon Mar 18, 2013 6:52 pm
by tezza
Was it a bit like this one? I picked this up for a few dollars at a Wanganui mega-garage sale.

It's amazing what people were putting together back then.

Re: Indigenous Kiwi Machine - the HUG 1802

PostPosted: Mon Mar 18, 2013 8:49 pm
by TRS80
The ETI-660 / Dream 6800 used a different CPU (MC6800) but certainly the same vintage. Scans of the original articles for the Dream 6800 are at http://www.chip8.com/?page=78

I had forgotten about these machines until your post so thanks for that. I do remember the Dream 6800 articles in Electronic Australia when I was at Intermediate School. Really wanted to build one but of course had no money in those days. Might be tempted to build the circuit on a prototype board as the parts are still easily available.

Re: Indigenous Kiwi Machine - the HUG 1802

PostPosted: Mon Mar 18, 2013 9:14 pm
by ZL2AOX
TRS80 wrote:The ETI-660 / Dream 6800 used a different CPU (MC6800) but certainly the same vintage.

Not so. I have the ETI-660 scans and it definitely uses a CDP 1802 with CHIP-8 monitor. It was designed by Hugh Anderson & Graeme Teesdale.

Re: Indigenous Kiwi Machine - the HUG 1802

PostPosted: Mon Mar 18, 2013 9:30 pm
by TRS80
Sorry... quite so. The ETI-660 is not the same as the 6800 based Dream although they can both run CHIP8 software.

Re: Indigenous Kiwi Machine - the HUG 1802

PostPosted: Mon Mar 18, 2013 9:32 pm
by plaing
Right, the dream 6800 was a different beast...

One area that might cause some confusion is that there were a bunch of programs written in chip 8 a Virtual Machine more than 30 years ago. You could in theory run those progs on a different machine as long as they didnt shell out to real 1802 machine code.

I could swear Ive seen somewhere someone did a chip 8 interpreter for the 6502. Ive thought about hacking one up for the atari 8 bit. Also thought about coding up an 1802 emulator in 6502 asm. The 1802instruction set is kinda cool and its CPI is high enough I was wondering if a 6502 could emulate it at close ti native speeds...

Thanks for filling in the G from HUG was there a U as well I thought it was 3 people but maybe i remembered that bit wrong...

Re: Indigenous Kiwi Machine - the HUG 1802

PostPosted: Tue Mar 19, 2013 7:24 am
by ZL2AOX
plaing wrote:I could swear Ive seen somewhere someone did a chip 8 interpreter for the 6502.

Could it be this one?

Not sure if a CHIP-8 emulator also needs to fully emulate a 1802 (in order to support the 0NNN opcode) but I'm tempted now to code one myself, although perhaps not in 6502 asm. The 1802 CPU has always appealed; I have a couple of COMX machines in my collection - one of the few home computers to use it natively.

Re: Indigenous Kiwi Machine - the HUG 1802

PostPosted: Tue Mar 19, 2013 8:25 am
by plaing
Thats the one... nice find. The comx 35 is definitely an interesting beast.

Re: Indigenous Kiwi Machine - the HUG 1802

PostPosted: Sun Apr 21, 2013 11:51 pm
by ChickenMan
An advert in Electronics Today International Nov 1981 p41 (an Aussie magazine) :

NOW - A COMPUTER KIT FOR APPROX $99!
Developed by our parent company in New Zealand (Hug 1802) and upgraded by ETI as project 660, this simple state-of-the-art kit allows the hobbyist to get into micro-processors at minimal cost. This simple, single board micro-computer has already become the top selling micro kit in New Zealand — thoroughly tested & proven during the last 12 months. And for those wishing to expand, there are many add-on's already under development.

CLUB: Each customer who purchases a kit from us, automatically joins our 1802-660 club, and will be notified the moment additional software and hardware becomes available. Club members will also be able to swap software and interesting applications.

EXTRA: In addition, each 161 purchased from KIT PARTS will have the original 30 page HUG1802 manual included FREE OF CHARGE! (usually $10). Prices of the kit plus colour add-on's may vary slightly, so if you're interested in project 660, drop us a note now, and the moment we have the kit in stock, we'll advise you of the exact details.

NEW ZEALAND CUSTOMERS WRITE TO: HUG ELECTRONICS, BOX 6544 TE ARO, WELLINGTON.