Micro-8 is my latest hobby project. A homebrew 8-bit computer I've been working on for several years. With Micro-8, let's get back to the fun of discovering a new home computer like if it were the '80s again, a time when personal computing was an adventure waiting to be explored.

Design

Micro-8 is built around the idea that a computer should be both tangible and understandable. Its physical form, real mechanical keyboard, and dedicated hardware are meant to be touched, heard, and explored. Its simple Operating System provides direct access to graphics, sound, and other hardware features without layers of abstraction. The result is a system that invites experimentation and discovery, rekindling the curiosity and hands-on spirit that first made computers magical.

At its core, Micro-8 is entirely custom-designed. The main board, the graphics and audio architecture, and even the mechanical keyboard with its everlasting laser-engraved keys have been conceived from the ground up specifically for this machine. Every subsystem was designed to serve a coherent vision of simplicity, accessibility, and control. The result is not a repurposed platform, but a computer built deliberately as a complete, unified system.

On top of the MAGIC (Memory, Audio, Graphics, and Interface Controller) custom hardware comes the Operating System. Micro-8 OS includes a built-in compiler for Lofi (custom programming language), a comprehensive API, and a suite of tools to help you make the most of the system from the get-go.

Micro-8 Built-in Code Editor and Compiler

Features

Here, you'll find a brief summary of Micro-8 features. For a deep dive, you can download the User's Manual from the forum (see below).

CPU

8-bit AVR RISC Microprocessor @ 15.34 MHz
Pure Harvard architecture
8-bit data, 16-bit address external buses

Memory

128 KiB flash ROM for the OS
4 KiB internal SRAM for the OS
256 KiB External SRAM for the user (data, graphics and code)
Up to 48 KiB RAM available for user's programs (code and data)
Additional internal buffers and registers

Audio

A genuine Yamaha 2612 FM Synthesizer chip (6 independent voices)
A custom-built two-voice, stereo, subtractive digital synthesizer. It includes:
- A multi-mode SVF filter
- Multiple waveforms and a DPCM percussion bank
- Two hardware LFOs
- Two programmable hardware envelopes

Graphics

Independent layers system, each with its own 16 colors palette
Reprogrammable high resolution text glyphs
Memory-mapped bitmap graphics
32 hardware sprites with built-in collision data and sub-pixel positioning. Hardware flipping in X and Y.
Hardware tiles system with ultra smooth sub-pixel scrolling
Raster interrupts

Interfaces

Mouse (included)
Two game controllers (included)
User port (8 lines of I/O)
MIDI in and out
Micro SD card (included)
Analog and digital video
Audio line out

Lofi

Micro-8 features a complete built-in development environment using Lofi, a compact C-like language designed for the system. Programs are written and compiled directly on the machine, with support for an immediate mode for quick experiments. The compiler generates bytecode executed by a lightweight virtual machine, allowing the entire workflow to run on Micro-8 itself. No external PC or cross-development tools required.

Tools

To ease development, Micro-8 comes with a large collection of examples and utilities, and a few handy tools. All written in Lofi and with full source code included.

Tools that are readily available (more are in the works):

Sprite Editor (sprites and animations)
Image Editor (bitmap)
Tile Map Editor
Sound Editor (currently only for the YM2612)

Fabrication

Micro-8 is not a mass-produced device. It is artisanal by design. Each unit is carefully assembled in my lab/shop, using a small set of specialized machines but relying largely on hands-on craftsmanship. Building a single Micro-8 takes hours of focused work, reflecting the care and attention invested in every detail.

What's included

Included with the machine is a power supply, a SD card, a 200+ pages, full-color printed manual, a mouse and two game controllers.

I want one !

Micro-8 is not publicly available yet. It's coming soon, I'm working on it ! Please visit regularly for the latest updates or join the forum to get the newsletter, see below.

Community

Join our small but growing community on the official FORUM.