Tindie

Name: RC2014 Mini - Single Board Z80 Computer Kit
SKU: 8169
Price: 88.00 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.82 (24 reviews)

RC2014 Mini - Single Board Z80 Computer Kit

(24 Reviews)

Single board computer kit with Z80 CPU, 32k RAM and BASIC on board

Designed by RFC2795 Ltd in United Kingdom

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2016-10-04T21:12:58.374Z-RC2014 Mini Schematic.png

2018-10-05T10:20:43.052Z-Which RC2014.PNG

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Single board computer kit with Z80 CPU, 32k RAM and BASIC on board

What is it? RC2014 Mini is a simple 8 bit Z80 based single board computer. It is based on the modular RC2014 [0], but all on a single PCB. The RC2014 itself is inspired by the home computers of the…

What is it?

RC2014 Mini is a simple 8 bit Z80 based single board computer. It is based on the modular RC2014 [0], but all on a single PCB. The RC2014 itself is inspired by the home computers of the late 70s and computer revolution of the early 80s. It is not a clone of anything specific, but there are suggestions of the ZX81, UK101, S100, Superboard II and Apple I in there.

Why did you make it?

The original RC2014 has been very popular with the homebrew computer crowd, but the modular nature of it does dictate a lot of soldering, an inefficient use of logic chips and a relatively large footprint. The RC2014 Mini requires only 45% as much soldering, has 3 less ICs and takes up 55% of the RC2014 footprint

What makes it special?

Z80 CPU
8k ROM with Microsoft BASIC
SCM Z80 Assembler on ROM
32k RAM
7.3728 Mhz
6 pin FTDI compatible header
Connect over TTL serial at 115,200bps
Add an optional Pi Zero for HDMI video output / USB keyboard input.
Optional 2x20 pin socket and 2x20 pin headers to connecto to Pi Zero
40 pin expansion header. Supplied with right angle male, right angle female and male pins for your choice of connection
0.1" header pitch (stripboad compatible)
Compatible with Backplane8 and Backplane5 backplanes
Compatible with existing RC2014 expansion modules[1]
Designed to mate with the RC2014 keyboard
Power from a 500ma USB socket. USB to barrel jack cable supplied
Equivalent of the modular RC2014 CPU, ROM, 32k RAM, Clock, Serial, Pi Terminal and Backplane all in 1 neat board.
55% less soldering than modular RC2014!

Which RC2014 Should I buy?

The RC2014 Mini, the Modular RC2014 Classic II and the individual modules will effectively give you the same computer at the end of the day. So, which one is best for you? The advantages of the RC2014 Mini are listed above, however, you should be aware that the Mini is not as flexible as the modular approach.

For example, if you wish to run at a different clock speed, or upgrade the RAM, then this can be done simply by changing a module on the Classic II.

The backplane and individual module approach has worked out better for people that want to design their own computer based loosely around the RC2014 framework, but with a different CPU for example.

If you simply want to build an RC2014 as easily as possible, plug it in and start programming in BASIC, then the Mini would certainly be the way to go.

USB CDC Serial Adapter (5v) The RC2014 is designed to work with a standard 5v FTDI cable. Most USB to Serial adapters will work just fine too, but if you don't already have one, why not add this USB CDC Serial Adapter by 8086 Consultancy to your order Or buy direct from the creator here

Items such as Backplane5, Digital IO Module, Keyboard and Raspberry Pi Zero shown in the photos above are for illustration purposes and not included. They are shown to give you an idea of some of the ways the RC2014 Mini may be used

[0] which is itself based around Grant Searles excellent Simple Z80 design (used with his express permission)

[1] Note that existing modules will be 'backwards'. This is mostly not a problem, however, for modules such as the Digital IO board, you may wish to solder the switches and LEDs on the reverse side

SCM is Small Computer Monitor written for the RC2014 by Steve Cousins

RC2014 is a trademark of RFC2795 Ltd.

No country selected, please select your country to see shipping options.

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RFC2795 Ltd Shipping Policy:

Products are normally shipped next working day, however during busy periods this may extend slightly.

Tracked or Tracked & Signed options are available to most locations. This may not get your kit to you any quicker, but it adds peace of mind that you know where it has got to.

It is your responsibility to pay any import duty or other taxes where appropriate.

Important note for European Union customers Tindie is unable to comply with new EU tax regulations, so unfortunately I am no longer shipping to the EU via Tindie, but do sell them through a website which is does handle the VAT and tax payments.

Review Breakdown

Average Ratings

Product: (4.96)

Documentation: (4.58)

Shipping: (4.92)

Communication: (4.83)

Drew | June 17, 2021

Brilliant easily built kit

Really simple assembly instructions included. I was missing the 100uF capacitor (it happens even with the best kits!) but had plenty of my own, so no problem with assembly!
Once built worked first time! Great little module and having great fun programming it more

Kyle | Feb. 9, 2021

Great Z80 kit

This was a lot of fun to put together; it took a couple of hours, and worked like a charm. I got the CP/M upgrade at the same time, so I didn't spend much time with just this kit - but I have spent a lot of time with the CP/M-upgraded version. The instructions are well-written and easy to follow; I would definitely recommend this for anyone who wants a compact, hackable Z80 computer on their desk.

Havard | Feb. 9, 2021

Very exceptional kit!

I just spent a couple of hours soldering this kit together, and I am nothing less than amazed.
Apart from being of superb quality, it's really easy to build. Just a few components, sockets and headers, and it worked perfectly the first time I powered it on.

But most of all, it's a Z80 computer. With BASIC. And, when I finish building it, CP/M. It's what I grew up with, and it is why I've been looking at this kit from time to time over the past few years. If you've been wondering if this kit is worth it, the answer is YES. Many times YES!

I opted for the Pi Zero and my only small confusion was whether to mount the headers on the top or the bottom of the Raspberry. The first picture on my Google search gave me the answer. If I can offer one small piece of advice, it would be to get a USB-A to micro-USB adapter before you receive your kit, as the Pi Zero only has micro-USB ports. My keyboard only has the standard USB connector. A mini-HDMI to HDMI adapter is included in the kit, much appreciated. The kit even comes with an FDTI adapter.

Did I mention how great the support and documentation is? I guess I did, when saying that it worked perfectly the first time I powered it on.

I really can't believe I have a Z80 computer now. Thank you so very much for this kit!

Paul | Jan. 19, 2021

A great kit that's really well made.

I'd been looking for a Z80 kit for some time to relive the Nascom days and had previously played with an Arduino based driver with a Z80 chip which worked well but had limitations in memory and speed. This kit is ideal with full memory, monitor ROM and BASIC and a serial interface. The kit arrived promptly everthing was there (beware - the headers come as strips and you have to chop some down to make all the small ones). The soldering was easy and it worked first time. It is still a thrill to see the prompt come up as the processor resets. I decided on the mini as I didn't want to drive any external devices - just experience the fun of machine code programming again. I ordered the CPM card at the same time to complement it and actually give me a computer equivalent to an old Research Machines 3080Z. I am very impressed with the quality and the thought that went into this and the work that went into the ROM firmware. The documentation for building it is outstanding although be prepared to hunt a bit for the serial comms details and programming bits.

Stephen | Jan. 13, 2021

Excellent starter kit for Z80.

Well packed, simple to build, well documented. In terms of CPU power, quite capable. The potential connectivity to a Raspberry Pi leads to some interesting possibilities.

The ROM contains MS Basic and a monitor with a simple assembler/disassembler but the lack of a storage medium restricts its possibilities for developing you own programs. This capability is provided by the RC2014 Mini CP/M Upgrade lit.

Gassås Ab | Dec. 7, 2020

The RC2014 Mini is fantastic!

I loved everything about it... from the building of the kit to the reliving of my CP/M memories from my childhood!

Scott | Nov. 22, 2020

High quality product

Great product and clear easy to follow instructions. Great feeling when you finish all soldiering and power up the unit for the first time see the BASIC prompt.

Karsten | Nov. 11, 2020

Back to the eighties with a lot of fun

After one week of delivery (to Germany – this is acceptable) it took me about four hours to build up the kit. I have ordered this kit plus the CP/M extension board. The documentation (printed in 4c) is well and helps a lot, the PCB quality is almost Apple-like. :)

At the first try with my Mac and »minicom« I did'nt see any files on the cf-card. It was a software configuration problem. Now it is well connected over the »Serial« app. dBASE II, WordStar, MBasic – everything works without any issues. After hours of operation, no crashes or temperature problems.

Thanks for the fun, Spencer.

Stephen | Oct. 19, 2020

RC2014 Mini Z80 single board computer

The RC2014 Mini (Z80 single board computer) is a great piece of kit. It comes with all the parts ready sorted and clear instructions on assembly. For the most part soldering is straight forward. All chips have sockets and most of the links use pin-heads. There are one or two places where capacitor legs come close to chip socket legs so bridging has to be avoided and wire links use both North-South and East-West orientation in different places (which initially threw me) but even for some-one like me, whose soldering skills are basic, assembly proved to be straightforward and enjoyable. After careful inspection the assembly looked good and the board worked first time. The main issue I had was that with no on-board storage (i.e. no flash RAM or SD card) the board relies on a hook-up to a PC to be usable even if the Pi-zero is hooked up for keyboard and display. However I recently bought the CP/M kit with compact flash which should make the kit truly stand-alone (even if it is no longer a single board computer in this configuration). Overall I am very pleased with the RC2014 Mini and would recommend it wholeheartedly for anyone interested in simple assembly kits and retro processors.

Randy | Oct. 12, 2020

Great, well-packaged kit that was easy to build

Love this kit. Clear instructions, and it came together quickly. Worked first time. Only downside is I've now been bitten by the Z80 bug!

Michał | Sept. 11, 2020

Michal

Really easy to put together, everything described perfectly in the supplied short manual. Shipping was way faster than I expected. Will definitely buy again from this seller!

Bernd | June 11, 2020

Its very nice to see after 45 years a running Z80 again

Easy in 5 hours to build. Make it running was more difficult, if you never has seen a PC-Terminal Program and its setup.
But "Heureka" when you have found the correct settings and see the first Z80 Message on screen.

Ron | April 6, 2020

Great product, tons of fun

This thing was great fun building. Documentation is light, but overall the build is very straight forward. Love the variety of products (from the Mini, to the Classic to the Pro), all fairly compatible. Soldering was straight forward. Thanks for producing so many great products!

Bill | Dec. 27, 2019

RC2014 Mini - Single Board Z80 Computer Kit

This computer kit is very easy to build, & it is very well designed.
I chose to include the Raspberry Pi Zero for HDMI video, & a USB keyboard.
I was thrilled to see a colour rendition of the Mandelbrot Set, on my 27" monitor.
Looking forward to building, & including the ESP8266 Wifi Module For RC2014.
Thank's Spencer for all your help !!!
I'm another very happy cutomer !!!
Bill

John | May 14, 2019

Great kit, and a gateway drug into DIY retro computers.

I was excited to relive my youth spent with Z80 computers and this time build my own. I picked the Mini as it seemed the simplest and cheapest, added a Raspberry Pi Zero to handle video and keyboard support. The kit arrived in the US quickly, and although I resisted I ended up tearing open the box and soldering it all together within two hours. It worked first time! It powered-up with Microsoft BASIC, but I was also delighted to discover that by changing a few jumpers I could boot into a full Z80 monitor for assembling machine code. It was 1981 all over again! Definitely recommended, although I might end up buying the full system now to add a few more expansion cards..

Conrad | July 23, 2018

Very nice kit with easy instructions

Hello guys
I would recommend the RC2014 mini Z80 single board computer kit, a nice kit with easy instructions. I had some trouble on first boot but i had missed a solder joint.
Got my eye on the extra 512 Rom 512 Ram card for the RC2014 mini.

Thanks

Regards
Conrad

Filip | June 11, 2018

Single Board Z80 Computer Kit - Great computer kit

I have procured a single board Z80 computer kit. The kit is great, functions perfectly, is easy to assemble, and arrived in a very sturdy package.

If you are interested in a Z80 kit, I advise this kit/company very much. Professionalism as it ought to be everywhere!

Jean | April 23, 2018

Great Kit

Perfectly designed kit for a quick start at retrocomputing.
The assembly is easy (I used the online PDF): I took my time and everything went easy.
In less than one afternoon it was assembled and running... a refreshing jump back 40 years ago (this is when I got my first computer :) )

Thanks!

PS: instead of soldering the jumpers for NMI, BUSRQ, BUSACK... I put connectors with removable pitch jumpers for future customization

Shaun | April 13, 2018

Nice little board with a lot of potential

I've always wanted to build a real computer, the RC2014 mini kit offers something you just can't get from Arduino or raspberry pi, the build is pretty easy, do use the online build instructions though.

Although it would be easy to rush this kit I chose to spread the build over 2 evenings checking everything as I went, Im pleased to say it booted first time which made my day.

The RC2014 board is quite compact, I would have liked to use a 28 pin zif socket for the ROM but there's not alot of clearance on the board to fit one, but it's not a big deal.

My main reason for buying this kit is to tinker with z80 assembly and learn about addressing so I can later experiment with interfacing my 6502 home computer to the outside world, electronics plays a big part in my hobby as a ham radio operator and I'm looking forward to intergrating this board into the hobby.

If you enjoy kit building and are bored with blinking LEDs in c# try the RC2014 z80 at machine level instead.

Kevin | Nov. 24, 2017

Nifty little Z80 Single-Board Computer. Easy to build & use.

Received my RC2014 mini quite quickly, which was faster than I expected for UK to US shipping. Parts were well packaged and everything was ready to assemble. My only complaint was that the included printed diagrams were black-and-white printouts of evidently color pictures. The resistor color bands were impossible to interpret in the black-and-white photo, and the text labels were also very hard to read in some places. I ended up going to the website just to double-check everything. I color printout would be a great improvement.

Other than that, assembly was pretty easy and straightforward. Please be sure to unpack ALL the parts and lay them out before beginning—a few items were "hiding" in between other parts, leading me to wonder if they were missing before I discovered them. Sockets are included for all ICs, and there are a variety of different headers you can use depending on your application.

A USB-to-5V "barrel plug" cable is included, which lets you power the RC2014 mini directly from a USB port. There is no voltage regulator on board, so BE CAREFUL not to plug a 12V or other power adapter into the board!

You'll need a separate "FTDI-like" USB-to-Serial adapter in order to communicate with the RC2014 mini (everything is serial console I/O). If your USB-to-Serial adapter can provide 5V power, you can use that to power the RC2014 mini by setting a jumper, thereby dispensing with the USB-to-5V "barrel plug" cable. I purchased a couple of the following adapters on Tindie, which worked flawlessly:

https://www.tindie.com/products/maxtch/fused-ftdi-free-usb-to-uart-adapter-5v-m180v3/

All in all, a fun little project that was pretty easy to assemble and get working. Had my first BASIC program running in no time.

Jim | Dec. 8, 2016

Fantastic

I loved this kit. It took about an hour to solder it together. Fired right up. Had flashbacks of my youth. Loved it! I've always wanted a Z80 based computer.

David | Nov. 19, 2016

Fantastic kit

I purchased the full monty kit. It was great fun putting it together, I had a problem with getting the kit working but spencer was fantastic help and I think I enjoyed the trouble shooting more than the build. The problem turned out to be an easy fix and once working the kit is great fun to use, bringing back memories of the early eighties.

The kit is great for learning how computers work, i.e clock, ram ,rom etc and I look forward to getting further modules from SPencer.

Christopher | Nov. 2, 2016

Wonderful product and great service.

Now have the confidence to build the RC2014 although it is not quite in the form I would like, that is to run cp/m using an sd card.

Dj | Nov. 1, 2016

A cracking way to get your Z80 retro experience on

The RC2014 Mini is a compact way of getting up and running with a retro Z80 experience, complete with a BASIC in ROM. It's a really easy build, but do use the online version of the docs as the colour coding doesn't translate to the black and white printed version. Best of all, there's a whole world of backplanes, protoboards and expansions which you can use with the Mini. And the Pi Zero expansion as an integrated terminal is just splendid.

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