Circuit Break Podcast 420: The Mega IIe: A Vintage Computing Adventure with James Lewis

This episode of Circuit Break features James Lewis, the Bald Engineer, in a discussion on his ambitious Mega IIe project. Lewis dives into the technical details of constructing a functional computer around the Apple II GS's Mega II chip.

The conversation explores:

• Apple II Architecture and Nostalgia: Examining the open design and historical significance of the Apple II series.
• Mega IIe Project Breakdown: A detailed look at the project's evolution, including initial concepts, technical challenges like integrating modern microcontrollers (RP2040), and solutions for component shortages.
• Debugging and Design Decisions: The discussion covers debugging challenges encountered during integration and the rationale behind the project's shift from a simple breakout board to a modular backplane system and eventually a single-board computer format.
• Video Signal Processing: Lewis dives into the complexities of converting the Mega II chip's RGB output for modern digital video displays.
• Future Directions: The episode concludes with Lewis reflecting on the learnings from the project's extended development and potential future endeavors.

This episode offers valuable insights for engineers interested in vintage computing, hardware design, and the unique challenges of integrating legacy components with modern technologies.

Parker and Stephen also announce an exciting new contest with over $5,000 in cash prizes, themed trophies, and free prototyping from MacroFab, but the deadline to submit is coming up fast! Thanks to Mouser Electronics for sponsoring the contest prizes. 

About the Hosts

Parker Dillman from MacroFab's CircuitBreak 

  Parker Dillmann

Parker is an Electrical Engineer with backgrounds in Embedded System Design and Digital Signal Processing. He got his start in 2005 by hacking Nintendo consoles into portable gaming units. The following year he designed and produced an Atari 2600 video mod to allow the Atari to display a crisp, RF fuzz free picture on newer TVs. Over a thousand Atari video mods where produced by Parker from 2006 to 2011 and the mod is still made by other enthusiasts in the Atari community.

In 2006, Parker enrolled at The University of Texas at Austin as a Petroleum Engineer. After realizing electronics was his passion he switched majors in 2007 to Electrical and Computer Engineering. Following his previous background in making the Atari 2600 video mod, Parker decided to take more board layout classes and circuit design classes. Other areas of study include robotics, microcontroller theory and design, FPGA development with VHDL and Verilog, and image and signal processing with DSPs. In 2010, Parker won a Ti sponsored Launchpad programming and design contest that was held by the IEEE CS chapter at the University. Parker graduated with a BS in Electrical and Computer Engineering in the Spring of 2012.

In the Summer of 2012, Parker was hired on as an Electrical Engineer at Dynamic Perception to design and prototype new electronic products. Here, Parker learned about full product development cycles and honed his board layout skills. Seeing the difficulties in managing operations and FCC/CE compliance testing, Parker thought there had to be a better way for small electronic companies to get their product out in customer's hands.

Parker also runs the blog, longhornengineer.com, where he posts his personal projects, technical guides, and appnotes about board layout design and components.

Stephen Kraig from MacroFab's CircuitBreak 

  Stephen Kraig

Stephen Kraig is a component engineer working in the aerospace industry. He has applied his electrical engineering knowledge in a variety of contexts previously, including oil and gas, contract manufacturing, audio electronic repair, and synthesizer design. A graduate of Texas A&M, Stephen has lived his adult life in the Houston, TX, and Denver, CO, areas.

Stephen has never said no to a project. From building guitar amps (starting when he was 17) to designing and building his own CNC table to fine-tuning the mineral composition of the water he uses to brew beer, he thrives on testing, experimentation, and problem-solving. Tune into the podcast to learn more about the wacky stuff Stephen gets up to.