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Quick install instructions for the PiDP-8

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Software development for the PiDP-8 has taken quite some steps forward in recent years. Please visit the Tangentsoft web site (link) and spend some time getting acquainted with it all. There are various install options to prepare your Pi for its upcoming PDP-8 transformation, see the Tangentsoft page for details.

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But if you are in a hurry, below are two quick recipes at the request of people who are new to the Pi.

 

Recipe 1:

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Since March 2024, I maintain regularly updated 'ready to run' SD card images here:

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For the Pi 4: https://pidp.net/pidp8/pidp8i-32b-16gb-pi4.zip

For Pi Zero 2, Pi 2 or Pi 3: https://pidp.net/pidp8/pidp8i-32b-16gb.zip

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As these SD card images are relatively new, please provide me feedback on them? I tested thoroughly, but I'd like to be sure they work for everyone.

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Unzip the downloaded file (this matters), and use the Raspberry Pi Imager program to put the .img file on an SD card. The Imager program is self-explanatory, but after clicking on the middle button, select the last option on its scroll-down menu ('custom') to pick the downloaded image file.

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Put the freshly minted SD card in your Pi and you should be good to go. User 'pi', password 'pi'. Use 'sudo raspi-config' to set a new password, set up your wifi connection, and if you wish, expand the file system to use your entire SD card's space. This is the OS Lite version of the Raspberry Pi OS, google online if you want to download upgrades to fuller versions of the OS. It's all a matter of personal preference!

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The minimum size for the SD card should be 16GB, but as some brands have just a little variation in size, you might want to play it safe and use a 32GB card. No harm in trying a 16GB SD card though, the Imager program will tell you if it can't fit the image file.

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Recipe 2:

 

Install the Tangentsoft code on an existing Raspbian-installed SD card. These are the quickest copy&paste steps to get the PiDP-8 software installed:

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sudo apt update

sudo apt install build-essential libraspberrypi-dev libncurses-dev perl python3-pip

pip3 install pexpect pyyaml

   (if pip3 complains, use: pip3 install --break-system-packages pexpect pyyaml )
 

cd ~

wget -O pidp8i.tar.gz https://goo.gl/JowPoC

tar -xvf pidp8i.tar.gz

cd ~/pidp8i

./configure

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At this point, if you are using a Raspberry Pi 4, please do the following. Skip these steps if you use an older Pi.

cd src/pidp8i
rm gpio-common.?
wget https://pidp.net/pidp8/gpio-common.c
wget https://pidp.net/pidp8/gpio-common.h
cd ~/pidp8i

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Now, finish the installation (for any Pi) with:

tools/mmake && sudo make install

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The install script will take a very long time, as it recompiles tons of PDP-8 software and creates fresh disk images for you. The benefits of this will become clear once you spend time on the Tangentsoft web pages.

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Once the script is done, reboot the Pi and once up and running again, gain access to the PDP-8's terminal (the PDP-8 is already running, you just have to grab its screen), enter

​pidp8i

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You will see OS/8 is waiting for you. To leave the PDP-8 terminal behind, type

​CTRL-A d (Control-A followed by the letter 'd' - read up on the Linux 'screen utility to find out more)

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- and you will be back on the Linux command line of the Raspberry Pi itself. Some useful commands:
pidp8i stop
pidp8i-test (to test the PiDP-8 hardware you've just soldered up!)

pidp8i start

pidp8i

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Don't forget to look at the 'how to use' page on my site and the tons of useful pages on the Tangentsoft site! But that might be for later.

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