SDK85 vs TrashBox

An emulator of the SDK-85 System Design Kit issued by Intel in the mid-seventies. The kit featured an 8085 micro processor, some basic IO chips, and a UI comprised of a hexpad and a six-digit seven-segment display. There was also a ROM plugged onto the board which contained a monitor program to enter and execute machine code on the 8085. The app emulates an 8085 and executes the monitor (shippment granted by Intel as long as the app is free and educational). The original kit leveraged the serial IO pins of the 8085 to connect a TTY as a somewhat more comfortable alternative to the hexpad/ display UI used by the monitor on startup. A wipe-left gesture shifts in a simple terminal and the monitor switches to TTY mode. To use the app one needs to get a copy of the original SDK-85 System Design Kit User‘s Manual (ask Google) and work it thru. Some knowledge of the 8085 and its instruction set is helpful as well, and being a boomer nerd who loved to program micro computers when young (and still does) is key. Intel designed the monitor to run in a loop that keeps the CPU constantly busy (on a single thread). To prevent the battery from draining the app suspends executing after 15 seconds indicated by a slightly blurred display. Tapping the centered play-pause button resumes the monitor or any other program in execution. Timeout and a few other options can be changed in the app‘s entry in Settings.

Welcome to TrashBox-80 - the microcomputer nobody asked for, from Radio Smack! Step back into the golden age of home computing with a lovingly recreated TRS-80 Model I-style experience built for retro-computing fans, BASIC programmers, and anyone who misses the days when a blinking cursor was an invitation to explore. TrashBox-80 recreates the feel of a classic 48K microcomputer, complete with a green-screen display, block cursor, virtual keyboard, and Level II BASIC-style programming environment. POWER UP. GET A PROMPT. START TYPING. No accounts. No complicated setup. Just a computer, a cursor, and BASIC. PROGRAM IN BASIC Write, edit, run, save, and load BASIC programs directly inside TrashBox-80. Experiment with classic commands, create your own programs, learn old-school programming, or see just how much you can accomplish with a few lines of BASIC. Whether you remember typing programs from magazines or you are discovering classic BASIC for the first time, TrashBox-80 gives you a hands-on way to explore the roots of personal computing. BUILT-IN ARCADE Don't feel like programming? Head over to the Arcade. TrashBox-80 includes a collection of retro-inspired games designed to capture the simple, addictive fun of early home computers. Play Blockdrop, blast through space in Astro Blaster, test your luck at Blackjack and Acey-Ducey, play Hangman, explore text adventures, and more. The intentionally old-school graphics and gameplay are part of the experience. CLASSIC COMPUTER EXPERIENCE * TRS-80 Model I-inspired interface * 48K-era computing experience * Level II BASIC-style programming * Authentic green-screen presentation * Blinking block cursor * Built-in translucent virtual keyboard * External keyboard support * BREAK key support * Write and run your own BASIC programs * Save and load programs locally * Built-in retro Arcade * Quick Guide included * Works without requiring an account * Designed for newcomers and longtime retro-computing fans LEARN. CODE. PLAY. TrashBox-80 isn't just a simulation of an old computer screen. It's an interactive tribute to an era when turning on a computer meant you were immediately ready to program it. Type a BASIC program. RUN it. Break it. Fix it. Save it. Then waste the next hour playing Blockdrop. Just like nature intended. RADIO SMACK TRASHBOX-80 MICRO COMPUTER SYSTEM Modern computers have millions of times more processing power. TrashBox-80 has a blinking green cursor. We know which one is cooler. Ready?