Novasaur
About the Novasaur PCB
Novasaur is an open source PCB design by ajhewitt, published on GitHub under the GPL-3.0 license. It is a 2-layer board measuring 94 × 88.9 mm, with 23 components from 18 distinct parts.
Other key parts include the 74F138, 74F574, 74F174, 74F244 and MCP1702-5002E. By type, the board carries 8 connectors, 6 ICs, 4 diodes, 3 capacitors and 2 resistors.
It belongs with the retro computing designs in this gallery.
From the project
Retrocomputer built from late-70's TTL logic chips
The Novasaur is a full‑featured personal computer built from fewer than three dozen Advanced Schottky TTL chips (circa 1979). It supports an 80‑column SVGA text display, PS/2 keyboard, programmable sound generator, RS232 serial, and an Intel 8080 byte‑code interpreter. The machine can run early 80's computer games and CP/M using a built‑in 252k RAM disk.
This repository contains the firmware, build tools and hardware designs for the Novasaur retro‑computer. At the root you'll find directories for build scripts, hardware CAD, documentation, fonts, libraries, sources and tests:
Main components on the Novasaur
Novasaur bill of materials (BOM)
23 components, 18 distinct parts.
| Qty | Part | Footprint | Refs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 74F138 | DIP-16_W7.62mm_LongPads | U1, U2 |
| 1 | 74F574 | DIP-20_W7.62mm_Socket_LongPads | U3 |
| 1 | 74F174 | DIP-16_W7.62mm_LongPads | U4 |
| 1 | 74F244 | DIP-20_W7.62mm_LongPads | U5 |
| 1 | MCP1702-5002E | TO-92_Inline_Wide | U6 |
| 2 | IN | PinSocket_1x08_P2.54mm_Vertical | J1, J2 |
| 2 | OUT | PinSocket_1x08_P2.54mm_Vertical | J3, J4 |
| 1 | On | PinHeader_2x08_P2.54mm_Vertical | J5 |
| 1 | In | PinHeader_2x08_P2.54mm_Vertical | J6 |
| 1 | KEYPAD | PinHeader_1x10_P2.54mm_Vertical | J7 |
| 1 | INTR | PinHeader_1x06_P2.54mm_Vertical | J8 |
| 2 | D_Schottky_Small_ALT | D_DO-35_SOD27_P7.62mm_Horizontal | D1, D2 |
| 1 | ~O7.4 | LED_D5.0mm | D3 |
| 1 | ~O7.5 | LED_D5.0mm | D4 |
| 2 | 1u | C_Disc_D7.5mm_W2.5mm_P5.00mm | C1, C2 |
| 1 | 0.1u | C_Disc_D7.5mm_W2.5mm_P5.00mm | C3 |
| 1 | 1K | R_Axial_DIN0204_L3.6mm_D1.6mm_P7.62mm_Horizontal | R1 |
| 1 | 680 | R_Array_SIP9 | RN1 |
Novasaur design files
The KiCad project lives in the ajhewitt/novasaur repository on GitHub; these links point at the commit this page was built from.
Novasaur: common questions
How big is the Novasaur PCB?
The Novasaur measures 94 × 88.9 mm, has 2 copper layers and is 1.6 mm thick.
How many components are on the Novasaur?
23 components, from 18 distinct parts. The full bill of materials is listed on this page.
Where can I download the Novasaur design files?
From the ajhewitt/novasaur repository on GitHub, which has the KiCad layout and the schematic; the links under Design files point to each one.
Can I use the Novasaur design in my own project?
Yes, under the terms of its GPL-3.0 license, which ajhewitt chose for the repository.
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