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Mandelbrot

A project log for DIP-8 TTL Computer

Digital Information Processor - an 8-bit computer made out of 7400 series logic and some EEPROMs.

kaimackaimac 09/24/2022 at 19:072 Comments

While I wait for more parts to arrive, here's a mandelbrot program running in real time in the simulator. I had fun optimising this down from over 30 seconds to 10.5 - couldn't manage to get it below 10 though.

asm source: https://github.com/kylesrm/dip8-computer/blob/main/src/mandelbrot.asm

The terminal is https://github.com/Swordfish90/cool-retro-term. Hopefully one day the real DIP8 will be hooked up to a real amber terminal, I love the look of them.

Discussions

zpekic wrote 09/27/2022 at 03:00 point

Cool stuff! I looked at the assembly code and it is very tight, but I wonder if 8*8 multiplication can be optimized for speed? Are the input values truly in 0..255 range, or less? If less maybe could be precomputed and stored (similar to the 512 word square table). Or a table of 16*16 products (per hex digit) could be precomputed, and multiplication becomes 4 lookups and 4 additions. 

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Ken Yap wrote 09/27/2022 at 06:01 point

Or maybe two 8x4 multiplies by table lookup and an addition. Lots of time/space tradeoff possibilities....

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