Picocomputer 6502¶
Pure 6502. No governor. No speed limits.
The Picocomputer 6502 is an open source, modern-retro gaming computer built around a real WDC 65C02. The design philosophy: keep the soul of programming a 6502 and 6522, then rethink everything else.
Community¶
Most of the activity is on Discord, where you can also get ROMs. Be sure to subscribe to the YouTube channel and share this project on social media.
Specs¶
Core — WDC 65C02 CPU and WDC 65C22 VIA; variable 0.1-8.0 MHz
RAM — 64 KB system + 64 KB extended
ROM — 1 MB of onboard flash for installing and auto-booting ROMs
Video — VGA and HD output; 16-bit color with alpha
Sound — PSG (8 voices) or OPL2 FM (9 voices)
Clock — Real-Time Clock with Daylight Savings Time
TRNG — True random number generator
Quality of Life¶
Open by Design — DIY-friendly with fully open source hardware and software
Fan-inout Console — Telnet, serial, and direct access to the console
Storage — Fast >512 KB/sec USB flash drive reads and writes
Keyboard — International keyboard layout support
Fonts — Built-in code pages for international character sets
Connectivity¶
WiFi — NTP time sync, telnet server, and Hayes modem emulation
Bluetooth LE — keyboard, mouse, and gamepads
USB Host — keyboard, mouse, gamepads, hubs, UART serial, NFC, floppy drives, and flash drives
USB Device — driverless CDC ACM for console access
Programming¶
Protected OS — 32-bit operating system; uses no 6502 RAM
FAT filesystem — read and write files on any USB flash or floppy drive
API — POSIX-like C library for familiar, portable programming
cc65 — VS Code integration for cc65
llvm-mos — VS Code integration for llvm-mos
AI Assistance — The latest models via VS Code extensions or GitHub Copilot
Build It¶
100% through-hole construction. No IC programmer needed. Hundreds of people have built one, typically for under $100 USD. You can also have a unit manufactured in China — no soldering required. All parts are currently in production; the Raspberry Pi Pico 2 is guaranteed until at least January 2040.
Hardware: Schematic and manufacturing information.
Documentation¶
The Picocomputer 6502 is a reference design for RP6502 modular hardware. The only required module is the RP6502-RIA.
RP6502-RIA: Interface adapter for the 6502, akin to CIA, VIA, and ACIA devices.
RP6502-RIA-W: Wireless features available when using the “Pico 2 W”.
RP6502-VGA: Optional video adapter.
RP6502-OS: The operating system and application programming interface.
