The N8VEM Home Brew Computer Project

The N8VEM Single Board Computer (SBC) is a home brew Z80 small computer project. It is made in the style of vintage computers of the mid to late 1970's and early 1980's using a mix of classic and modern technologies. 

Its purpose is to entertain through education.  It is intended to be used to teach and promote principles of electronic computer design.  It is a solely non-profit educational project and is not intended for any commercial application.  The N8VEM SBC and related peripherals would be ideal as a school project or could be used to teach basic computer hardware and software principles.

The web site is a repository of information, documentation, and files pertaining to the N8VEM Home Brew Computer Project.  It is intended to be the canonical place for this information.

Low cost development and assembly by hobbyist amateurs is encouraged by using common tools such as 25 watt soldering iron, VOM, logic probe (optional), and common hand tools.  An oscilloscope is recommended but not required.  Some basic electronic skills are good but the PCBs are designed for relative beginners.

For more details, see the Design Overview page.  There is a discussion forum also, see the N8VEM Google Group.  If you need to reach someone please send me an email at LYNCHAJ@YAHOO.COM

There are eight PCBs available; the N8VEM SBC, the ECB backplane, the ECB bus monitor, the ECB prototyping board, the Disk IO board, the Zilog Peripherals board, the 6809 host processor, and the Video Display Board.  Please see the sidebar for links to more information and also the folders for related photos and files on the various N8VEM components.  Schematics, parts lists, PCB layout, software, and various forms of documentation are available here or on request. 

If you are interested in purchasing PCBs to make your own N8VEM system please contact LYNCHAJ@YAHOO.COM  All Eurocard ECB format PCBs are $20 plus shipping which is $2 per board in the US and typically $5 per board overseas.

In addition, there are S-100 products being developed.  An S-100 backplane ($32 each) PCB and an S-100 prototyping board ($25 each) are complete, although currently on wait list status.

Combining multiple PCBs in an order will reduce shipping charges based on weight.  Special arrangements are available for groups and/or institutional educational purposes.  Please email for details.

See also the Sidebar to the right for a table of contents.