Tindie

I found everything excellent in all aspects. Documentation is a bit messy, in pieces it is to be worked out like a puzzle ! It reveals to be adequate at the end.

David | Jan. 31, 2019

My review of RC2014

The kit arrived in short order and was packaged very well. I ordered the RC2014 Pro and added the I/O, twin joystick and Pi zero boards. The boards were nicely laid out and easy to solder. I am a PCB Designer and Electronics Engineer so I had very little assembling everything. I got things working first time although it was a struggle to find and collate the documentation on line. I would like to offer my thoughts regarding the kit.

As an exercise in soldering it was easy but tedious. I swapped all the IC sockets for machined pin ones. The pageable Rom board has provision for a zif socket but if fitted per the silkscreen, the handle will hit a couple of IC’s due to their height in their sockets. I ended up turning it 180 degrees so the handle is pointing out from the board. This of course works but you have to remember to put the rom chip in the same direction (which is 180 degrees on the zif socket). Also, the holes for this socket on the board could be bigger. I had some zif sockets that had much wider pins and would not fit. I ended up canaballizing a couple of other sockets to get it to fit. Having the handle stick out from the board is also not ideal as it is too easy to flip it and unseat the rom. I completed the extended slots by adding a 20 pin header to every slot. That way I can put things just where I need them. The cards with a single row connector should still be using a double row connector.
The reason is that mixing single and double row connectors results in uneven height and the holes by the chamfer on each board don’t line up. Also, the double row is much more stable and the boards don’t tend to lean over and touch each other. I added a 7805 with a heatsink but it would be nice to be able to switch between it and the USB. Replace all the jumpers with dip switches on the edge of the boards so I don’t have to keep removing them to reconfigure. I could see this project as a SBC that, instead of a backplane, was a single board that had individual sections that could be populated according to whatever you need. Some other boards that I think would be useful (and I see they were available at some tme) would be an IDE interface, 4X20 LCD or small graphic display, I2C expander, sound card.
Anyway, good job Spencer.

Charles | Jan. 27, 2019

A great taste of 70's computing, needs better documentation

I've been in to "retro home computers" for a long time... Lots of experience soldering, trouble-shooting, designing & making my own boards and custom cases, but next to no experience with CP/M.
To my pleasant surprise my daughter has developed an interest in the nuts & bolts of computers, but being 14 has little nostalgia for the 70's and 80's. As as result I thought I'd design a CP/M capable computer for the two of us to build that would be her's to tinker with, based on Grant Searle's design...
...given my total newness to CP/M, and having come across the excellent RC2014 Pro I decided a ready-made kit would be better for the both of us and so bought one. The backplane design isn't just delightfully old school while giving easy expansion potential but allowed my daughter to tackle the project in manageable chunks.

After about a week of on and off effort my daughter has become pretty decent at soldering and has a fully working machine - she's delighted, and I'm pretty darn pleased with her and the results too. She's looking forward to getting to know it and it's operation better, and is already eyeing up further options - I think Colecovision compatibility is on the cards.

So the RC2014 is an excellent little machine with a lot of potential and on that basis I'm very pleased with it. But at this point I would recommend those new to building electronics to avoid it, and even those with a bit of experience to be very careful indeed when putting this kit together.
Why? Well I consider myself to be pretty experienced when it comes to such things but even so the documentation really isn't up to the job for construction, and largely absent when it comes to leading the new user through their first steps.

As we came to the end of the build I found myself on a good few occasions having to desolder and move components about when it became apparent my initial guesses were not always right - the kit comes with no documentation, and while there is a good deal of info on the website it's often hard to track down specifics, the schematics and boards aren't all fully labeled, and there is no build guide.
I'm also somewhat glad I just spent a very frustrating weekend getting to know the absolute basics of CP/M for the first time as I suspect my daughter would have rapidly lost interest if that frustration had been hers. Some first steps advice, especially with regard to the basics of file transfer, would have saved hours of frustrated googling on my part.

If I may be so bold to make some suggestions.
Build:
-An included build manual would be wonderful but a proper on-line one would do just fine and is certainly needed
-Labeled components would, again, be wonderful but a board-by-board BOM list would be fine if included with the above guide
-No urgency, but the next run of boards could do with including component values in all areas to help reduce confusion

Post Build:
While I was fortunate enough to spot and rectify all my mistakes and finished up with a working machine...
-An initial set up, power on, and basic trouble-shooting guide would be very helpful

First Steps:
It would be REALLY helpful if there was also a simple first steps guide...
-Want to run BASIC / CP/M? Here's how you set up the computer for that, here's a link to the documentation for this version of BASIC or CP/M, and most important of all here's a quick run-down (with examples) of some commands and software you will need to start using the machine - saving / loading / file transfer basics comes instantly to mind
-A list of links to appropriate software would also be very helpful - google is fine but if you've never seen a tree before it's hard to tell one from another and the difference is often important.

I hope that helps a bit.

David | Jan. 26, 2019

Great product, and great fun assemling.

For CP/M Upgrade Kit for RC2014 Classic or Classic II

I bought the "full monty kit", and I assembled it all in a couple of hours - and it all worked fine at first power-on, much to my own surprise after so much soldering.
I did contact rc2014 support on what sort of adapter to use for the keyboard to the rc2014 pi zero, and I got a reply within a couple of minutes.

Martin | Jan. 17, 2019

RC2014 cp/m upgrade kit

The CP/M upgrade kit arrived very quickly, it's a long trip here to the colonies ;-). Unpacking the kit revealed a very precisely packaged product. It's clear great attention to detail has been taken. I've assembled the 64k paged ram board, the paged rom board and the CF adaptor board. I've built dozens of kits over the years and this is as good as any of them. I found the documentation a little fragmented, but have rewritten it (as I have for my other rc-2014 boards). Other than that minor complaint the kit is great value for money and I would recommend it to any one wanting to build a Retro CP/M system or upgrade their basic RC-2014 system. It's probably a bit difficult for a beginner, but as I have 30+ electronics experience, building the kit was a breeze. A highly recommended kit. Smarting...

Richard | Jan. 14, 2019

Excellent product but documentation needs improvement

For RC2014 ZED - Homebrew Z80 Computer Kit

Overall, this is a fun kit but it is definitely for the intermediate to advanced kit builder; mostly for the impressive number of solder points but also for the basic documentation. I wouldn't advise this kit if you can't follow a schematic, for example giving this as a gift to a young relative who only knows the basics of soldering will have a hard time.

There isn't a full-color binder included, documentation is on the developer's website and various places on the web. If building the kit for CP/M it is important to read this document first: https://rc2014.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/RC2014-Pro-Jumper-Settings-CPM.pdf It will explain which cards are to receive double header pins.

Communication is A+. Spencer is awesome and responds very quickly to questions and offers great advice. The kit itself (once it was working) is a joy use. My advice is to please spend a few hours to update and clean up the docs.

Jonathan | Jan. 6, 2019

Fun build and a good start for greater things.

Went together over the Christmas break, everything needed was in the box, just add solder. Easy build by following the online dokko. The SMD compact flash socket with its tiny pins was ready soldered so that saved a bit of a fiddle. Everything else is just standard through hole 0.1" components. If you are OK with veroboard you can build one of these.

I bought the 8 slot version and my set up takes up 7 of them so you may want to think about getting the back plane pro version with its 12 slots although I suppose it's easy enough to make an extension with some ribbon cable and veroboard.

Loaded a disk image (I used 'CP/M inc transient apps SIO2' image and Win32DiskImager to load it) onto the compact flash card easily enough, (ordered the blank card by mistake DOH!) .

Remember that the PI zero uses micro USB on the go, not normal micro USB. I spent a while playing with different USB keyboards before I realized I was using the wrong adapter. (It'll say 'can't find the keyboard' if you use the wrong one).

After getting the correct USB on the go adapter it booted up first time and I'm now in this strange world that is almost but not quite completely unlike DOS.

A real fun project all in all. Just the thing for beginning digital hardware design and microprocessor interfacing. It won't be long before there are all kinds of things hanging off it.

Nino | Dec. 25, 2018

Very friendly gentleman, terrible kit.

To be upfront: it all, finally, went up in smoke and down the trash bin, after wasting me many hours. And while I would consider myself an "advanced amateur", not a professional at all, I cannot, in good faith, recommend this kit to others.

Let us start with the documentation: essentially, that is consists of various scraps of information all over this website and the author's, which in some way correlate, in some way contradict, and mostly require you to squint your eyes and try to figure out from the photos of the various components, HOW, just HOW are you supposed to place said various components. (Want a live example? Look at the parts and try to figure out which of them have double pins and which of them have single pins.) The documentation is, essentially, as bad as possible.

Now the kit: now, you might assume, if the documentation is so bad, perhaps the parts are quite obvious to put together. Well: that is NOT the case. There are pin holes where NO components should be soldered, although this is drawn on the PCB. The pins of the components don't quite fit the holes in the motherboard, and you have to be careful where you place the "starting pin". (That defies the VERY POINT of a motherboard! And of the drawing on PCBs! WHY would you draw double pins if single pins are required?)

Furthermore, it contains apparently no such thing as fail-safe mechanisms, if anything "happens" anywhere — which is super likely due to the one million solder points and the terrible documentation and the unclear kit markings. Anything goes wrong — your kit burns, as did mine (burns = the chips start to smoke and make a glistering sound).

And to be frank: you cannot say "there is no handholding" or "this requires experience", just as you cannot sell a heap of scrap.metal and say, "a little refreshment and this is a car". This is supposed to be a KIT, and it is not cheap!

As to the gentleman himself: a brilliant mind, extremely caring and fast in his replies, an absolute pleasure to deal with. — But you understand, legally, this should be a "point-in-time" contract, such is the nature of buying and selling; one should NOT NEED to contact him. His service to his buyers is GREAT. His product is NOT.

I shall buy another kit some day, I like your IDEA. I am only hoping this will motivate you to a better EXECUTION. Do not take this review unkindly, it is not meant so.

Meanwhile, I got that kit that sounds like a Greek letter (the author surely gets the hint), and — guess what — it works flawlessly.

Yours,

Nino

Paul | Dec. 23, 2018

Full Pro Kit and Pi Zero

For Backplane Pro for RC2014 - Z80 Homebrew Computer

Everything supplied arrived quickly and well packaged, circuit boards are good quality. - lots of fun to build - had 1 issue (my own fault - put the 74HCT04 in upside down on the ROM card). Boots OK to CPM from the Compact Flash card - Now for more fun - running some programs and learning more about the Z80.

Dave | Dec. 19, 2018

Perfect for more advanced RC2104 setups

I just built up the Backplane Pro I received. All the parts were well packed and went together fine. This backplane has all pins connected through and the extra headers for more complex configurations. The PCB is top quality.

Nils-Arne | Nov. 5, 2018

As good as it should

Some PCBs have silkscreen print not readable, but due to documentation and small cards it is not a real problem.
Everything that should be shipped are, and the ROM is in ESD package. (I've recently got other ICs not in ESD packages from other sources..)

Now for my part - ordering the rest of the components and solder everything together...

Nils-Arne | Nov. 4, 2018

Well worth the money.

Everything as expected and shipped as quick as should be. Quality is OK.

(BTW, I seldom place 5 stars.)

Ian | Oct. 31, 2018

Outstanding! quality product and 5 star service. Thank you.

For Backplane 8 For RC2014 - Z80 Homebrew Computer

Outstanding! quality product and service, very well designed and manufactured kit of parts. A real credit to the Retro Computer community. Well done!

Gabriel | Oct. 27, 2018

Exceptional Quality

The quality of the boards was exceptionally high. Shipping was FAST ! I have ordered boards from the internet and these are of the highest quality. I'm an still waiting patiently for parts from UTsource that I ordered in August. I'll let you know how the build goes.
/Gabe

Conrad | Sept. 24, 2018

Backplane 5 for RC2014 mini - Z80 Homebrew Computer

For Backplane 5 for RC2014 - Z80 Homebrew Computer

Backplane 5 motherboard for RC2014 mini - Z80 Homebrew Computer
Backplane 5 motherboard for RC2014 mini - Z80 Homebrew Computer

Jeffrey | Sept. 9, 2018

Complete kit!

I just received my RC2014 Pro computer kit. It was well packaged in a box about the size of a book. Everything inside is organized and well protected. It is not just a box of parts. The kit is totally complete. I was surprised that there is even a compact flash memory card included. That is quite an expense part. The kit would have still been a good value without the memory chip. Now it is on to construction.

Mike | Aug. 18, 2018

An amazing little machine (though don't expect handholding)

Ordering and delivery was a dream - despatch was almost instantaneous, and arrived safely in Austria a few days later. I'd say this kit is not for the novice. You need to figure out quite a few component placements and values for yourself with the aid of the mostly comprehensive documentation on the RC2014 website, and definitely aren't walked through construction step by step. Figuring things out is part of the fun anyway, right?

That said, construction is not difficult due to the modular nature of the computer. Some boards are trickier than others and the backplane is an excellent exercise in soldering practice as it involves about 600 joints, but once it's done you have a beautiful little machine that drips with potential for fun Z80-mungous fun. I mean, it runs CP/M and you can play Zork on it. How cool is that?

It would be nice to have a proper addressable video card in order to play with graphics, but other than that pretty much everything you need is right here.

Conrad | Aug. 15, 2018

Very good kit and easy to put together.

The 512k ROM 512k RAM RomWBW Module for RC2014 is a very good kit, well thought out and easy to put together.

Thank you Semachthemonkey

Chris | Aug. 14, 2018

Great kit.

For Raspberry Pi Zero Serial Terminal for RC2014

I'm glad I finally treated myself to this kit, despite not yet having ironed out the issues I was having with my entirely unrelated Spectrum clone build. For a fully-functional 8-bit micro, the RC2014 is pretty simple, very reminiscent of the Z80 breadboards we built when I was a youth. All required parts were supplied, instructions were clear, and the modular design makes for a kit you can build when you've got spare cycles and still feel like you're making progress. Worked first time I powered it up, and I feel like design and quality are key contributors to a successful build. I had some difficulties with the optional Raspberry Pi terminal module, which were largely due to USB keyboard compatibility -- the vendor was friendly and helpful, and there's a useful RC2014 community out there, too. I've already collected a handful of optional and 3rd party modules and a 3rd party backplane to build, too, when I get some more of that spare time.

Daniel | Aug. 6, 2018

I wish to have a better documentation

The module is very simple to put together and work at the first time I plug I didn’t have a keyboard to test yet. I have order a pi zero from Amazon but is coming from China and after two week arrived

Conrad | July 23, 2018

Very nice kit with easy instructions

For RC2014 Mini - Single Board Z80 Computer Kit

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

Daniel | July 20, 2018

Best Buy

For B-Grade RC2014 PCB selection

Yes , this Grade B pcb is the Best Buy if you want to learn more about 8 bits computer because you have to find your self what is wrong , where is the mistake and for me in that way is much more easy to learn.

Duncan | July 16, 2018

Great Boards

For Digital Output Module For RC2014 Z80 Computer

Enjoyed building this boards, easier to use online documentation as it is in colour and a bit clearer. Otherwise perfect. Thanks

Milan | July 11, 2018

Very good!

For Prototype PCB for RC2014

Useful for new module prototype development...
I think my first will be 8255 or Z80 PIO module.
---
BTW - if you want CTC module, I found complete PCB here: https://easyeda.com/sccousins/sc102-z80-ctc-v1-1-for-rc2014.
What was surprising for me: obtaining of Z80 CTC chip was not problem - it is possible to buy very easy many years after 8-bits era.... Nice :-)

Milan | July 11, 2018

Very good!

It is now part of my RC2014pro. Nice as whole RC2014 project :-)
However I'm planning to make parallel port module with 8255 or Z80PIO cips...

Andrew | July 9, 2018

Excellent - highly recommended

Excellent quality product, arrived very quickly and well packaged.
I would say my soldering skills were beginner level only but the assembly was pretty straight forward - and a great way to improve my skills.
My only criticism would be that I found some of the documentation a little confusing and incomplete in places - but in hindsight, part of the fun was probably figuring it out!
After assembly I got it running pretty quickly - a couple of soldering errors to correct and jumpers to configure correctly, no real dramas.
In the meantime I've been tinkering with CP/M, BBC Basic and some Z80 assembly, all good stuff...takes me back...

Milan | July 6, 2018

100% OK

Very nice kit! Quick delivery.
Not only nostalgic 8bit computer. I think it is de-facto standard and hobby platform already. :-)

Jon | July 5, 2018

RC2014 Prototype PCB works well

For Prototype PCB for RC2014

The prototype PCB for RC2014 is a fine, high quality board that arrived quickly. As mentioned in the description, it contains 39 pins, not 40. The board is designed to allow easy wiring of dip style ICs by having some of the holes preconnected, as indicated on the PCB by the white markings, with two bus lines running the length of the board. This is great if you need to install up to three 20 pin ICs on the board, but not so good if you need to maximize the space. Overall, they are high quality, and arrived as described. Shipping was quick to the US.

The only problem I had is in finding the right-angled headers that are an EXACT match of the ones provided with the RC2014 kit. These headers are not provided with the PCB. The headers that I sourced from Digikey contain the plastic spacer on the wrong half of the header, which cause the boards to be slightly misaligned. I could not locate the EXACT header part at Mouser or Digikey. I found discussion about this problem in the forums, and people have gone with various solutions, but to my knowledge the US suppliers Digikey/Mouser do not supply an EXACT match for the headers supplied with the RC2014 kit.

In this case, it would be helpful if the Prototype PCB board came with headers that matched those included with the RC2014 kit, or if a part number for the EXACT header was listed in the description.

Karl Albert | July 5, 2018

It's must have

For Z80 CPU v2.1 for Enhanced Bus RC2014

This is one of my favorite rc2014 modules (very well done Spencer).
It replaces any RAM and ROM modules.
It will be a central part of any rc2014 rig.
The software part is maintained by Wayne Warthen.
https://github.com/wwarthen - search for ROMWBW
It is relatively expensive but according to Spencer Owens its due to the component price.
You can buy empty boards and source the components cheaper, but for most people buying the complete kit is a good value considering the time and effort gathering all components.

John | June 30, 2018

Good deal

For B-Grade RC2014 PCB selection

Nice, cheap way to expand your rc2014 platform. Couldn’t even figure out what was wrong with some boards.

Birko | June 15, 2018

Amazing product quality

The quality of the PCB is amazing and it is very easy to solder. It is always fun to build such a nice part.

Birko | June 15, 2018

Amazing product quality

For RC2014 Dual Clock Module

The quality of the PCB is amazing and it is very easy to solder. It is always fun to build such a nice part.

Birko | June 15, 2018

Amazing product quality