Hi forum, I have a question for my new 8086 SBC project. I want to display the current values on the address and data bus when I am single-stepping the computer, but I really don't want to use a bunch of LEDs, I would rather have something like a 7-seg display to show the values in hex.

I think what I am looking for are the TIL311 displays, as seen on Jameco here: http://www.jameco.com/webapp/wcs/st...amecoall&ddkey=http:StoreCatalogDrillDownView

I really don't want to pay $15 per display, when I will need like 10 of them to decode all of the signals I want. Is there a cheaper/easier way to do this?

 

This would eliminate a lot of circuit building to interface standard LED Hex displays for display of a bus lines contents.

Using the built in store, display support in the HEX display chip all you need to do is build a simple data buffer port, if your not already set up with a data port somewhere you might access.

It would save lots of circuit building time and board room , that's about the only advantage I could see in using it. How much $ is a plain Jane Hex segmented display going for now-a-days? If the prices are comparable, this would be cheaper and less complicated.

 

If you can get these anywhere you can use standard 7 seg displays.
I had a quick look but didn't find any for sale at my usual haunts.
http://www.datasheetcatalog.com/datasheets_pdf/M/C/1/4/MC14495.shtml

 

Failing that it would be easiest thing to do with a cheap micro. I think it could be done in about 30 instructions with a cheap PIC like the PIC16F505.
Even with buying a programmer it would be cheaper than TIL311s.
I'd be happy to write the code if you want to do it that way.

 

CD4511
7447 does BCD - 7 Segment
Dj Delorie of gEDA fame has his own http://www.delorie.com/electronics/bin2seven/
I bet DJ makes his own electrons from scratch.

But, I have to tell you that Binary to Hex conversion is very easily and quickly done visually. Even if you can't do math! Group the bits into groups of 4 bits. Write down, or memorize the table of

0000 = 0
0001 = 1
0010 = 2
etc
etc
1110 = E
1111 = F

example: 1011010111011010
1011 0101 1101 1010
b5da

 

4511 is just BCD - decimal, didn't there used to be a BCD to full hex chip?

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A b C d E F

 

Yes, the MC14495. Link to datasheet in post 3. It's most likely hard to find these days, but perfect for the job.