AIM 65 clones by Peter Renaud
MC-65
An AIM65 compatible 65C02 CPU based computer, the MC-65. With a 6532, 6522, terminal I/O, cassette interface, and in theory possible to run the original AIM 65 ROMs.
For AIM 65 ROMS and manuals, see the AIM 65 pages!
An AIM 65 compatible 65C02 CPU based computer, the MC-65. With a 6532, 6522, terminal I/O, cassette interface, and in theory possible to run the original AIM 65 ROMs.
For AIM 65 ROMS and manuals, see the AIM 65 pages!
Technical specifications
– Built-in full sized QWERTY keyboard
– 20 character alphanumeric LED display (16 segments)
– Integrated 20 character thermal printer
– 20mA current-loop serial interface (can be adapted to RS232)
– Expansion connector (KIM-1 compatible)
– Application connector with 6522 VIA chip
– 4 KB RAM
– 5 sockets for 4 KB ROM/EPROM chips
Repackaged as OEM product by Siemens as PC100, with German documentation. Hardware identical.
The AIM memory map is:
$0000-$9FFF: RAM (early Rockwell versions only had $0000-$0FFF on board).
$A000-$AFFF: I/O scratchpad memory; some areas can be made available for more RAM.
$B000-$CFFF: Optional Language ROMs (BASIC, Forth, PL/65, Pascal).
$D000-$DFFF: Optional Assembler or Mathpack
$E000-$FFFF: Firmware and monitor program
Rockwell produced the AIM 65 until 1985, and manufactured by Dynatem under license in early 1986 after Rockwell had ceased production. Though the Revision 4 AIM 65 is quite similar to earlier iterations, the subsequent Revision 5 hardware features a redesigned clock generator and support for newer RAM and ROM IC types which became available over the production lifespan of the AIM 65. Relative to Rockwell-manufactured examples, the Dynatem AIM 65 is quite rare. See the Manuals and Software page for circuit diagrams revisions.
Hardware bug on pin Z
There is a hardware bug in early AIM-65 boards. The problem was in rev 1 and rev 0 AIM boards, and it was definitely fixed on rev 4 boards Basically the RAM_R/W signal (pin Z on the Expansion connector) had the inverted Phase 2 clock NAND’ed with R/W. The SYM and AIM were both supposed to follow the KIM standard, but Rockwell got this one signal wrong.
Please note that this has to be solved in e.g. RAM expansion boards by generating this signal the correct way.
See the articles on the MC-65, a AIM 65 compatible system by the German magazine MC Die Microcomputer-zeitschrift
A Dutch company, producer of many 6502 and more industrial hardware, BEM was the name one of their product lines.
Brutech Electronics Microsytems – B.E.M
Gebroeders Bruyn, Vinkeveen. Small company, custom made electronics and standard microprocessor boards and systems aimed at industry and hobbyist.
During my years with Radio Bulletin we often worked with Brutech, and I visisted their office/manufacturing plant in Vinkeveen several times. The BEM-bus became the standard bus for expansion at Radio Bulletin after the first BEM-1 card was connected to the KIM-1 by Dick de Boer. Brutech specialized in the beginning on the KIM-1/VIM/SYM-1 expansion cards, later on they made their own CPU cards and besides the 6502 CPUs like the 6809 were available.
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BEM-1 card, as used in the KIM memory expansion article November 1977 |
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The BEM bus |
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Brutech sold the VIM-1 and SYM-1, with their cards as expansions.
Review in Radio Bulletin November 1978 |
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Brutech sold also the PC100, the Siemens OEM version of the AIM 65. Again the expansions could be used, same bus.
Review in Radio Bulletin August 1980 |
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The AIM 65 and KTM-2 packaged as the Samson system,. the BEM-4 memory card, the SYMP universal programmer.
Review in Radio Bulletin November 1980 |
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BEM RTC1 card, advert in the RB CB Special 1980 |
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BEM-Impact 1000, a BEM-bus based development system, review in Radio Bulletin Oktober 1980 |
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BEM Eurocard system, article by C.J. Bruyn, on the BEM bus, BEM-MON-1 (a TIM 6530 004 system!) and other cards |
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Micro-gebeuren november 1977, BEM-1, other BEM cards |
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Micro-gebeuren April 1980, BEM-PSIO-1 USART card, BEM-AD3, BEM-AD4 |
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Micro-gebeuren Mei 1980, BEM-6 16/32K EPROM card |
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B.E.M. SBC4D(2) 6809 based CPU card on the BEM bus |
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MAiS, a system for airtraffic control, developed around the BEM SBCD4 and a custom card.
As editors of the magazine Radio Bulletin we had many conversations with them and wrote articles about their products.
For the KIM-1 and SYM-1 they had many products, some based on the so called BEM bus (DIN 31 pin connector), some as addons to the 22/44 edge connector of the KIM-1.
I stilll own this 4K RAM card:
BEM SBC4 in MAIS box
An example of a 6809 CPU board in a custom industrial application. Bought front eh HCC Forth UG in 2004.
An AIM 65 compatible 65C02 CPU based computer, the MC-65. With a 6532, 6522, terminal I/O, cassette interface, and in theory possible to run the original AIM 65 ROMs.
