MCL65 – a cycle exact 6502 in an FGPA
Posted by jpluimers on 2017/11/24
MicroCore Labs MCL65 6502 core
The MC65 is an ultra-small footprint, microsequencer-based, 100% instruction-set compatible, cycle-exact NMOS 6502 core that can be implemented in any FPGA or ASIC technology which can utilize as little as 252 LUTs (0.77%) of a Xilinx Spartan-7 FPGA. It has also been ported to a Xilinx Spartan-3 device where it uses about 10% of the part.
The MCL65 is instruction set compatible with the original NMOS version of the 6502 which was the processor used in computers and game machines such as the Commodore VIC20, Apple II, Atari-2600, and the Commodore-64 as well as many others.
It runs inside an Apple ][ fine: see the below videos by MicroCore Labs
- [WayBack] Download
- [WayBack] MCL65 Working!: The MCL65 is currently running inside of a Commodore VIC-20 computer! I have no game cartridges at the moment, so I am just running the classic a=a+1 BASIC counting program…
- [WayBack] MCL65 running on VIC-20: Here are a few pictures of the MCL65 running on a VIC20. Video is available at MicroCore Labs YouTube Channel
- [WayBack] MCL65 in a Spartan-3: Just ported the MCL65 to a Xilinx Spartan-3 board which contains an XC3S250E. 490 LUTs are used, which is 10% of the device.
- [WayBack] MCL65 running on Atari 2600: The Atari 2600 just arrived in the mail, so replaced the MOS6507 CPU with the MCL65 core which is fitted the Xilinx Spartan-7 board and then to a 28-pin header for the 6507 package…
- [WayBack] MCL65 works in Apple II+: Received the Apple II+ in the mail today but it did not come with any diskettes. I used a terrific tool, ADTPro, to transfer disk images from my PC over to the Apple using the cassette port…
- [WayBack] MCL65 running Apple II+ Programs:I uploaded some videos of the system running a few applications and games. My hope was to test the MCL65 on a variety of programs that could demonstrate the instruction as well as cycle accuracy…
Via:
- [WayBack] This week, we bring you a new cycle-accurate 6502 core for FPGA. Ted from MicroCore Labs has demonstrated the core working in a VIC-20, an Apple II, and Atari 2600… – mos6502 – Google+
- [WayBack] 6502.org: The 6502 Microprocessor Resource – Forum » Programmable LogicAll times are UTC MCL65 – A tiny, cycle accurate 6502 core.
–jeroen
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