Sinclair ZX81 Made Out of Lego

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Sinclair ZX81 Made Out of Lego

Posted by samzenpus on Monday January 30, 2012 @10:51AM from the blast-from-the-past dept.

An anonymous reader writes "I used Lego's Digital Designer software to build a model of a Sinclair ZX81 — the computer that kicked me off on my interest in such matters way back in 1981. Until very recently, the software allowed you to upload your model, buy it and get a boxed set with all the pieces to build it (as well as instructions). The ZX81 model is as close to the shape of the original as I could make it, considering that Lego is quite a lo-resolution modelling tool. I even made it so that you can lift off the lid and see a representation of the PCB in side. I have also posted the model to Lego's Cuusoo site — a place where you can post ideas, and if they gain enough support they will be considered for production."

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Wow.... by ZigZagJoe · 2012-01-30 10:55 · Score: 5, Insightful

...and this is slashdot worthy, why?
1. Re:Wow.... by Anonymous Coward · 2012-01-30 10:59 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  Absolutely agree... when I first saw this I had assumed he was using mechanical logic or something to simulate the instruction set, but... a black box?!? Why in the world would anyone over the age of 6 care about this?
2. Re:Wow.... by Dogtanian · 2012-01-30 11:12 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  Absolutely agree... when I first saw this I had assumed he was using mechanical logic or something to simulate the instruction set, but... a black box?!?
  It still has twice as much processing power as an actual ZX81, though.
  
  --
  "Slashdot - News and Chat Sites Deviant". (Click "homepage" link above for details).
Re:Why would anyone care about this? by Anonymous Coward · 2012-01-30 11:02 · Score: 5, Funny

You'd only waste them.
Re:Obligatory by The+Grim+Reefer · 2012-01-30 11:11 · Score: 4, Funny

but..does it run Linux?
Not even with the 16K RAM pack upgrade.
And no, I cannot imagine a Beowulf cluster of them either.
Even better by hawguy · 2012-01-30 11:20 · Score: 5, Funny

I just snapped together 3 black legos to create a nearly exact replica of an I.C... at least as close to the original as I could make with legos.
If I can find a few more black legos, I think I can make a replica of the 40 pin DIP package of the Z-80 CPU that drives the original poster's ZX81 computer.
Re:Why would anyone care about this? by AngryDeuce · 2012-01-30 11:36 · Score: 4

I want the last 30 seconds of my life back.
If couldn't have taken much longer than that to build the fucking thing in the first place. It's a black box for Christ's sake...
The fact that this was considered /. worthy by anyone has me torn, I don't know whether to laugh or cry.
Re:Why would anyone care about this? by Master+Moose · 2012-01-30 12:52 · Score: 5, Interesting

I must be the only one in the world excited by this - Only because it taught me about the existance of the Lego Digital Designer - and it runs in wine!

--
. . .gone when the morning comes
Re:Why would anyone care about this? by shastamonk · 2012-01-30 15:09 · Score: 5, Informative

No kidding. Just downloaded and played with it for a bit, this program is awesome! I think it serves as a great introductory step towards 3D modeling for children, learning how to navigate a simple 3D space in the context of positioning pieces, and most kids are already very familiar with lego pieces, not so much with vertices and polygons.