SBC6809 Lab-mate computer

SBC6809 Lab-mate computer

computer hardware

The SBC 6809 Lab-mate single-board computer was designed by Peter Bubonja, research associate in the Department of Electrical Engineering at the University of Toronto (U of T), between 1984 and 85. The computer was designed and developed at the U of T Power Group computer applications lab to enhance the capabilities of the U of T 6809 Board (a single-board computer designed at the university in 1979 and sold by Exceltronix Components and Computing of Toronto). The Lab-mate was used in digital electronics labs at, among other places, the University of Toronto and Ryerson Polytechnical Institute. One of the main differences between the U of T Board and the Lab-mate was that the latter was designed around the STD bus allowing a range of off-the-shelf STD cards to be directly used with the computer. This provided an effective way to expand and tailor the system towards the user's needs.

Technical Specifications:

CPU - Motorola 6809, 8-bit
RAM - up to 48K using six memory slots
ROM - 16K
ports and interfaces:

• two STD bus expansion ports,
• STD bus I/O port,
• two parallel I/O ports (MOS Technology 6522 Versatile Interface Adapter)
• programmable parallel peripheral interface (Intel 8255)
• universal interrupt controller (Advanced Micro Devices AM9519A)
• two serial ports (MOS Technology 6551 Asynchronous Communications Interface Adapter)
• programmable timer (Motorola MC6840)
• counter/timer peripheral (Advanced Micro Devices 9513A)
• cassette tape interface

Software - monitor, editor, and assembler in ROM

Documentation - extensive documentation including SBC6808 Operating Manual by Peter Bubonja, 1986.

The museum has two Lab-mate computers (serial numbers 18 and 19) used at Ryerson Polytechnical Institute in the second half of the 1980s.

Peter Bubonja

1986