New Zealand Vintage Computer Forums

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...

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.

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.

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.

Sorry... quite so. The ETI-660 is not the same as the 6800 based Dream although they can both run CHIP8 software.

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...

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.

Thats the one... nice find. The comx 35 is definitely an interesting beast.

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.