Replica 1
Encyclopedia
The Replica 1 is a clone
of the Apple I
designed by Vince Briel with permission from the Apple I's original creator Steve Wozniak
. The Replica 1 is functionally a close copy of the original, but it is designed using much more modern parts on a smaller, simplified board design. The Replica 1 is designed around the same MOS Technology 6502
chip used as the core of the Apple I. Like the original, the Replica 1 utilizes simple AV in/out to connect to a television or other similar screen, and it maintains most of the original's functionality, such as the lack of a "delete" key.
Apple had no objection to the project since Wozniak had given his approval and the design is technically Wozniak's alone since it predates the company itself. Apple had previously released all materials regarding the Apple I to the Apple I Owners Club.
Briel Computers sells the replica in two models, one pre-assembled, and another as a build-it-yourself kit. Earlier revision Replica 1 came with an available Serial I/O card which allowed programs written on or for the Replica 1 to be stored on the hard drive of any common PC
. This was needed because the Replica 1 had no other ready means of program storage, since cassette drives (the Apple I's storage device) are in short supply. The I/O card can also be attached to original Apple I computers.
The most recent model of the Replica 1 is the Replica 1 Third Edition. The Second Edition model integrated both the previous Serial I/O board plus a new USB interface into the main board. Other improvements included a wall mounted DC power supply replacing the previous model's reliance on a full PC power supply and a power on light indicator. The Third Edition model removed the USB interface and replaced the AVR microcontroller used to generate video with a Parallax Propeller
chip.
The Replica 1 includes Apple I BASIC in ROM to allow quick and easy programming, as well as the KRUSADER Assembler that provides a powerful symbolic assembly programming environment, including a disassembler and a low-level debugger.
Used for interfacing with a home computer running a terminal emulation program, such as HyperTerminal for Windows, or ZTerm for OS X. This allows for quick data inputting for large programs, which is favourable over typing in such programs by hand.
Used for connecting original or third party expansion boards to the Replica 1, such as the CFFA1 Card Reader and Multi I/O Board by Briel Computers.
Used for memory expansion boards
Home computer remakes
A home computer remake is a re-creation or re-implementation of classic home computer hardware, usually using updated technology, such as FPGAs....
of the Apple I
Apple I
The original Apple Computer, also known retroactively as the Apple I, or Apple-1, is a personal computer released by the Apple Computer Company in 1976. They were designed and hand-built by Steve Wozniak. Wozniak's friend Steve Jobs had the idea of selling the computer...
designed by Vince Briel with permission from the Apple I's original creator Steve Wozniak
Steve Wozniak
Stephen Gary "Woz" Wozniak is an American computer engineer and programmer who founded Apple Computer, Co. with Steve Jobs and Ronald Wayne...
. The Replica 1 is functionally a close copy of the original, but it is designed using much more modern parts on a smaller, simplified board design. The Replica 1 is designed around the same MOS Technology 6502
MOS Technology 6502
The MOS Technology 6502 is an 8-bit microprocessor that was designed by Chuck Peddle and Bill Mensch for MOS Technology in 1975. When it was introduced, it was the least expensive full-featured microprocessor on the market by a considerable margin, costing less than one-sixth the price of...
chip used as the core of the Apple I. Like the original, the Replica 1 utilizes simple AV in/out to connect to a television or other similar screen, and it maintains most of the original's functionality, such as the lack of a "delete" key.
Apple had no objection to the project since Wozniak had given his approval and the design is technically Wozniak's alone since it predates the company itself. Apple had previously released all materials regarding the Apple I to the Apple I Owners Club.
Briel Computers sells the replica in two models, one pre-assembled, and another as a build-it-yourself kit. Earlier revision Replica 1 came with an available Serial I/O card which allowed programs written on or for the Replica 1 to be stored on the hard drive of any common PC
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
. This was needed because the Replica 1 had no other ready means of program storage, since cassette drives (the Apple I's storage device) are in short supply. The I/O card can also be attached to original Apple I computers.
The most recent model of the Replica 1 is the Replica 1 Third Edition. The Second Edition model integrated both the previous Serial I/O board plus a new USB interface into the main board. Other improvements included a wall mounted DC power supply replacing the previous model's reliance on a full PC power supply and a power on light indicator. The Third Edition model removed the USB interface and replaced the AVR microcontroller used to generate video with a Parallax Propeller
Parallax Propeller
The Parallax P8X32A Propeller chip, introduced in 2006, is a multi-core architecture parallel microcontroller with eight 32-bit RISC CPU cores....
chip.
The Replica 1 includes Apple I BASIC in ROM to allow quick and easy programming, as well as the KRUSADER Assembler that provides a powerful symbolic assembly programming environment, including a disassembler and a low-level debugger.
Interfacing capability
The Replica 1 contains additional expansion ports for added system capability, these include:- RS-232 Serial port
Used for interfacing with a home computer running a terminal emulation program, such as HyperTerminal for Windows, or ZTerm for OS X. This allows for quick data inputting for large programs, which is favourable over typing in such programs by hand.
- Apple 1 Slot
Used for connecting original or third party expansion boards to the Replica 1, such as the CFFA1 Card Reader and Multi I/O Board by Briel Computers.
- Apple 1 Edge Connector
Used for memory expansion boards
External links
- The Replica 1
- Replica 1 article
- Photographs of the Replica 1 at FlickrFlickrFlickr is an image hosting and video hosting website, web services suite, and online community that was created by Ludicorp in 2004 and acquired by Yahoo! in 2005. In addition to being a popular website for users to share and embed personal photographs, the service is widely used by bloggers to...
- The KRUSADER Assembler
- Gagne, Ken Image gallery: Building an Apple-1 replica from scratch, ComputerworldComputerworldComputerworld is an IT magazine that provides information for senior IT leaders. It is published in many countries around the world under the same or similar names. Its publisher is International Data Group. Computerworld serves the needs of IT management via print and online...
, 2008-08-14, story with pictures for assembling a Briel replica I from a kit