Hardware Compatibility (Z50Bus)

The following table shows hardware compatibility between the various microprocessor-based cards and other modules in the SC500 series.

SC503 includes a Z180 CPU, an 18.432 MHz clock oscillator, 512k bytes of Flash “ROM”, 512k bytes of RAM, two asynchronous serial ports, and an SPI port for use with an SD memory card adapter. The ROM will typically contain RomWBW, which includes CP/M and BASIC.

SC516 includes a Z80 CPU, a 7.3728 MHz clock oscillator, 32k bytes of ROM, 128k bytes of RAM, and an asynchronous 9600 baud serial port. The ROM will typically contain the Small Computer Monitor (SCM) and a version of BASIC. SC516 is CP/M ready.

SC527 is very similar to SC516. It has been designed primarily to use a more readily available ROM chip. It also has the option of either a can oscillator or the more traditional crystal oscillator.

SC518 includes a Z80 CPU and a 7.3728 MHz clock oscillator. A separate memory card is required.

HARDWARE
COMPATIBILITY
SC503

Z180
Processor
SC516
SC527
Z80
Processor
SC518

Z80
CPU

Standard backplanes

SC503
SC516
SC527

SC518
SC501 – 7-slot, narrow
SC507 – 3-slot, narrowThis image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is tick-small.jpgThis image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is tick-small.jpgThis image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is tick-small.jpg
SC508 – 10-slot, wide
SC515 – 14-slot narrow

Modular backplanes

SC503
SC516
SC527

SC518
SC513 – 6-slot, power
SC522 – 6-slot, narrow
SC517 – RC2014 adapterThis image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is tick-small.jpgThis image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is tick-small.jpgThis image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is tick-small.jpg

Power supply cards

SC503
SC516
SC527

SC518
SC502 – 12-volt input
SC526 – 5-volt input

Processor cards

SC503
SC516
SC527

SC518
SC503 – Z180 processorThis image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is cross-small.jpgThis image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is cross-small.jpg
SC516 – Z80 processorThis image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is cross-small.jpgThis image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is cross-small.jpg
SC527 – Z80 processorThis image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is cross-small.jpgThis image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is cross-small.jpg
SC518 – Z80 CPU onlyThis image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is cross-small.jpgThis image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is cross-small.jpg

Memory cards

SC503
SC516
SC527

SC518
SC519 – Z80 memoryThis image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is cross-small.jpg *1
SC523 – Firmware dev.This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is cross-small.jpg *1 *1

Storage cards

SC503
SC516
SC527

SC518
SC504 – CompactFlash
SC503 – includes SD cardThis image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is cross-small.jpgThis image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is cross-small.jpg

Serial port cards

SC503
SC516
SC527

SC518
SC511 – Z80 SIO + CTC
SC521 – Z80 SIO
SC520 – 68B50 ACIA

Digital I/O cards

SC503
SC516
SC527

SC518
SC506 – 8 in, 8 out
SC509 – Z80 PIO

Prototyping cards

SC503
SC516
SC527

SC518
SC510 – Prototyping
SC512 – Breakout

Other cards

SC503
SC516
SC527

SC518
SC505 – RTC and I2C
SC514 – Z80 CTC timer

= Compatible without modification
This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is cross-small.jpg = Not compatible (eg. mutually exclusive functions)
*1 = Compatible if one or more socketed chips are removed

Check software/firmware details for software support. While hardware compatibility is indicated above, software support may not be included.

Homebrew 8-bit retro computing