NOVA64

noVa64 development diary
65816 16-BIT LAPTOP OPEN SOURCE · GNU V3 5 ENTRIES

Development diary for the noVa64 computer — a 16-bit laptop built around the 65816, designed and built in the open. The synthesis document holds the plan; this is the log of getting there.

ENTRIES
2026
GE A new beginning general · Aug 31, 2026
It’s been almost 4 years since I had this idea, and I’d barely thought about it since — until recently. Some (good) changes in my life took my lab away from me, and I haven’t be...
GE Today I did something stupid general · Aug 23, 2026
Well, maybe not stupid. Let’s call it reckless.
2022
GE So.. what’s the plan? general · Dec 20, 2022
Awesome, another very legit question! So far, there’s none, I’m afraid. I’m only gathering some random thoughts for now. The feature creep madness phase seems to be wearing off,...
AR Some random thoughts on the noVa architecture architecture · Dec 16, 2022
I’ve stumbled upon a little FPGA, with embedded DRAM. The GOWIN GW1NR-LV4 has 64Mbits (8MB) of DRAM, and offers an integrated SDRAM controller. The price is around $16. I can al...
GE How did we get here? general · Dec 15, 2022
And also, who am I? And what was I thinking? I suppose those are very valid questions. I’m a child of the ’80s. I grew up with, among many other things, an 8-bit computer. I enj...