The Story of a Lifetime

[@zilog1]

It turns out that one of my co-workers at a computer recycle shop I work at in Seattle is actually a co-author of one of the z80 books from radio shack. Jim. I'm going to get him to autograph One of my books. 😅😊

[@reggietheporpoise]

re-pc?

[@zilog1]

@@reggietheporpoise Shhhhh

[@ExplainingComputers]

Wonderful video. I learnt so much on Z80 machines, including writing machine code on a ZX81 and Spectrum. Good computing days! :)

[@DesandSam]

Me too, my friend. Me too.

[@ChrisCowley1]

Almost brought a tear to my, that. End of an era, and the end of the only CPU I feel even vaguely competent at writing assembly language for.

[@fredsmith1970]

I cut my programming teeth on Z80 computers in the early 80's - ZX81, ZX Spectrum and CPC464 - learnt assembly language on them too. Although I've been nowhere near a Z80 computer in almost 40 years, and probably never would again, it's still sad to think that it now truly is a thing of the past. RIP

[@John_Ridley]

I wrote so much Z80 assembly as a teen and early 20s. I had a TRS-80 and the serial interface and other stuff on it had crap to no drivers. I also couldn't afford to buy the assembler, so I hand assembled everything, converted to decimal and put all the drivers in data statements and poked them into memory in the startup phase of my programs. I knew Z80 assembler better than any subsequent processor, out of pure need.

[@esra_erimez]

I showed this video to my dad and he saw your comment. He did the same thing himself as a kid. He used the Zaks book which is still in our basement.

[@John_Ridley]

@@esra_erimez Yup I definitely had that book. ED B0 all the time!

[@fredsmith1970]

Same - I hand compiled Z80 code for an Amstrad CPC464 - wrote the assembly out on paper, translated the code to the equivalent hex codes and poked directly into memory. (Which was really hard to then debug!! 🙂)

[@himselfe]

You just made me shed a tear for an ISA I didn't even like. 😢 RIP Z80, long live 6502!

[@IanScottJohnston]

Got into the electronics side of the Oil Industry aged 19 in 1984......the company's products revolved around the Z80A, then the Z280, add to that the home computing revolution that I got into also (ZX Spectrum). Goodbye Z80, we will not forget you.

[@martin.pokorny]

Funny thing ... I have a new job as a Java developer and at the job interview we were talking among other things also about the Z80 assembler. Programming in Z80 assembler is still fun. Z80 is not trully gone. I'm not sad, I'm happy for the Z80. Great video, Ben!

[@rwslaugh]

Thanks Z80 for introducing me to the world of electronics, via my first computer, the TRS-80

[@kalimaa999]

I was just 3 years old when my dad bought me my first Z80. It fit so perfectly into my little hands. I dreamed of all the things that could be accomplished with the little guy, but ultimately I swallowed it. My mother was a bit worried, so she waited to see if it'd come out of the other end... It never did. She waited weeks, but still nothing. Both my parents decided I ought to get a scan to see if it was lodged inside. When the doctors presented us with the scan results, they noticed it had been fused into my heart. It was too risky to try and remove because it was now controlling my blood pressure. When I pass, I'm thinking of donating my heart to the North Korean Institute of Future Sciences. If not, then I've asked my children to bury my heart separately in the hopes of growing a Z80 tree. God Bless.

[@zilog1]

And this is where Protogens come from.

[@dfbess]

Aww..that was a great tribute. Terry Jacks song fit perfectly..

[@maltronik]

This song was the first thing that came to my mind when I saw the news... That's so weird...... Aaa.. what a lovely video... Thanks Ben..❤

[@whollymindless]

Hard to imagine the world without it...

[@rivards1]

Really great video, Ben. Totally respectful of the end of a product that touched all our lives.

[@theforthdoctor7872]

Very moving Ben, I'm almost crying here. Well done.

[@KeithVeleba]

I gotta admit, this hit me right in the feels. Nice video.

[@AlessandroCussino]

My beloved Game Boy uses a variation of the Zilog Z80

[@LG_Prd]

Thank You Z80, you basically teachs Brazil how to play games (the master system is still a thing over here). My overly-modded master system and me bow in respect to you and all the fond memories! (Press F to pay respects)

[@vxidastronaut]

Brazil took to the MasterSystem like Afghanistan took to the Toyota Hilux

[@joerhorton]

Glad to see the Z80 and from a brit, the ZX Spectrum. Sad to see it go.

[@radarmusen]

My first home computer was a zx81 the zx spectrum later I got a Z88 so much fun it has been giving me.

[@DogRox]

I agree the perfect song for perfect video of memories that will never fade away! :-) I love it!

[@senilyDeluxe]

"memories that will never fade away" winces in Micron Technologies RAM :-D

[@McTroyd]

Wow. I can't remember the last time I heard that song. Great video to go with it, Ben. 👍

[@W4TRI_Ronny]

Someone better not tell my small stack of Amateur Rdio TNC units that will not quit! ALL z-80. I feed them a steady diet of data and the odd 2032 to keep time and memory. Fine tribute Ben!

[@MikesTropicalTech]

My first computer was a Radio Shack TRS-80 when I was 14. The "System" cassette tapes were un-copyable so I accidentally taught myself Z80 assember to read the data from the tape and write out to a blank tape. Got a Model 3 later then jumped into early cloned IBM PCs, a Zenith unit that I upgraded the 8088 with an NEC V20. Ah the good ole days.

[@johanlaurasia]

My first CPU.... started out on a TRS-80 Model 1, and first assembly language I ever learned... Z80. Cool vid Ben.

[@rolvs]

Are you a true nerd if you cry when you watch this video?

[@Sansui350A]

Nice Ben... very nice. Definitely an awesome send-off to the Z80 brother.

[@profdc9501]

Will generations know the joy of building your own microcomputer from parts? I feel old. Alll passes into history, by and by.

[@ugzz]

Goodnight Z80, you fueled many a childhood! (and interest of all ages)

[@scowell]

I shed a tear for the RatShak Model 1... cassette Edtasm, my first love.

[@strayling1]

Ah well. Still, we'll always have the 6502.

[@granitepenguin]

It's never truly gone as long as it's remembered by someone.

[@ericgillespie4062]

I don't know how you're going to top this one, Ben. Well done, sir!

[@chrissawyer1484]

Wow, so many good memories thanks to the Z80. Thank you for this, Ben.

[@erikkarsies4851]

Maybe with Pi's and 3d printers. You could build your own 'Clean garage' to produce Z80's? When I googled for it there is actually a 22 year old who did build a chip fab in his parent's garage :D

[@RetroDepot]

Hey Ben, ever seen a Z84C50, aka Z80 RAM80? Interesting variant of the z80 Zilog made for a short run. Includes some really cool features. Including 2k of internal, relocatable, RAM. I've got a couple of them in DIP-40. You might be interested in taking a look at one...hint hint...

Great homage Ben !!! I knew I had used Z80 chips... didn't know how much... :)

[@TheGameboyGTS]

Touching video, Ben.

[@DUKE_of_RAMBLE]

Sincerely. It really, _really_ was. 😢 It undoubtedly took a bit of time to track down all of those clips, which is proof enough that it came from Ben's heart! _(no pun intended by "a bit" being so close to "8 bit")_

[@johnsonlam]

Proper song with screen! Great producer Ben.

[@alanpurdom]

That was beautiful.

[@aarondcmedia9585]

Came for the nostalgia. Stayed for the key change. Vale Z80.

[@erikkarsies4851]

Nice tribute Ben!

[@geoffgranger718]

Beautiful video! Beautiful processor! So long good friend.

[@akraus53]

I dont know why i watch your videos only rarely, they're so cool and filled with love and so many nerdy and geeky comments. You're generation of hardware based electrical geeks is dying out and I'm sad to see y'all leave. I hated how slow the Z80 was at finding zero crossings in my Texas Instruments graphing calculator but I never realized how important that chip is to technology and especially to some people like you. Thanks for the eye opener ;)

[@theeggman4806]

Gotta admit I had a sniffle...lol it will NEVER die...

[@NickT6630]

The Z80 will still be around in 20, 30, 40 years time because there are so many retro computer collectors and enthusiast's.

[@JacobScherer]

Make sure to check in on your microprocessors from time to time to make sure they are ACK-OK. RIP Z80

[@DaWalkDude]

I've seen anime music videos.... but never a microprocessor music video. MMV, a new genre invented by no one but Ben himself. What a legend

[@zorochii]

How is this actually feeling like someone important just died?? Z80, I honestly don't want to see you go...

[@zilog-z80]

It was my first microprocessor for assembly language, Using Zeus Z80 Assembler on a Timex Sinclair 2068 in 1987

[@elbiggus]

All together now: "We had joy, we had fun, flicking bogies at the sun, but the sun was too hot and our bogies turned to snot." On a less childish note, AFAIK the eZ80 is binary compatible with the Z80 so with a bit of work it's probably possible to build an adapter board, and there are a bunch of FPGA implementations and some Open Silicon projects so it may be dead, but it's not stopped moving yet...

[@BenHeckHacks]

Yeah the eZ80 is basically a Z80 with a ton of modern peripherals attached (such as USB as in the TI-84 CE) Still it's crazy the OG Z80 was being made as recently as 2023.

[@pikadroo]

If you think about it. The Z80 helped us create all the modern tech we have. You could not have what we have today without it.

[@reductor_]

I haven't felt the need to collect before, but this makes me mighty tempted to start.

[@Leemonoid]

Memories... Thank you Ben.

[@cmarciales]

Great tribute. Thanks Ben.

[@juststeve5542]

RIP Z80... I was always more of a 6502 boy back in the day (how can any instruction take 12 cycles?!! 😱), but my Game Gear still works 😁

[@Nichetronix]

It was my first microprocessor for assembly language. You never forget your first LDIR.

[@michaellitscher9456]

My first computer was a Morrow Designs Z80 desktop computer with a serial terminal and dual 5 1/4 floppies that ran CP/M. It got me through the first couple years of college before I built a 486 machine.

[@Mike-B-Jackson]

Capcom CPS-1 arcade system used a z80 as the audio coprocessor.

[@MegaManNeo]

Time for FPGA Z80s to shine!

[@GrandTheftWatto]

Finally, on to the Z81

[@ibrahim.t3530]

Second to comment, why this feels nostalgic 😭 love your content Ben🌹

[@WreckDiver99]

ZX81/TS1000....yep...Had one...spent HUNDREDS of hours learning how to program that CPU. Not impressed that they are discontinuing support as there are still MILLIONS of those chips still running equipment.

[@COMATRON.]

u are the man - great idea

[@Pete292323]

Someone at Texas instruments had a heart attack when he saw the news, half of their overpriced graphing calculators run a Z80.

[@fdsman]

The new TI calculators don't use an actual Z80 anymore, they emulate it with an ARM processor.

[@JonSturm]

@@fdsman That is not true, the TI-84 Plus CE series uses an ASIC based on the eZ80 line from Zilog.

[@reasonablebeing5392]

RIP Z80. It's unfortunate that Zilog never really followed up with a competitive next generation processor. Rightly deserved or not, the semiconductor industry joke about Zilog as they released the Z800, Z8000, etc. was "Zilog adds another zero". But you still have to pay homage to Zilog for the Z80.

[@TomStorey96]

Zilog adds another zero, Intel increments by 100. The IBM PC was probably the killer application that won Intel the throne. Imagine what computing would be like today had they chosen a different processor...

[@mikemorrell7921]

Nicely done Mr Heck

[@jeffh8803]

This shit deserves an Oscar

[@theterriblegamer1228]

Realizing the impact this chip had on our modern world is mind blowing.

[@Zenas521]

Good editing on the video. A nice tribute to a grate chip.

[@BrianBoniMakes]

The first Z80 I used was on a card inserted into an Apple ][ to run WordStar. It ran exactly like it did on the college computers. Very low cost alternative at the time and when the Apple clones came the price went down even more.

[@JohnJones-oy3md]

RIP Z-80

[@mattrenegar476]

Soundtrack is incredible

[@yumann]

This is a work of beauty!

[@ruadeil_zabelin]

That song. Oof. So fitting

[@briangoldberg4439]

i think it was about his childhood friend dying of cancer or something horrible like that

[@EricFraga]

The king is dead. Long live the king!

[@Dwedit]

Not truly dead until all the clone manufactures stop making theirs.

[@LieutLaww]

It powered my Toshiba MSX HX-10, which I still have !

[@philsbbs]

great video

[@vervalkon]

what a tear-jerker

[@Gh0sTlyD3th]

The Z80 is only dead after everyone forgets about it, and everyone has forgotten how to program for it. LONG LIVE THE Z80!

[@OM19_MO79]

In the field of electronics and computing, end of support is death. Sure, there’ll be people using them, making new stuff for it and even making clones, but that’s just like when people look a pictures, videos, recordings or cosplays or act as a dead person; is just not the same. Flash. Analog TV Windows 7 Nintendo eShops for WiiU and 3DS. Stadia. Nintendo Network. Zilog Z80. XBOX 360 Marketplace. So much pain. So much death.

[@Kwad_rat]

Oh man. I thought that Z80 chips were still in wide use in a lot of small stuff.

[@pablofederico1978]

Amazing video! so emotional!

[@TheRealAstroChicken]

Perfect.

[@mbirth]

"We had joy, we had fun, we had Linux on a SUN."

[@Nermash]

Good ones never die

[@Slydog43UTube]

Great video

[@davidthefat]

Ben Heck, now that's a name I haven't heard in years!

[@BenHeckHacks]

"Old Ben? He's some sort of weird old hermit who lives in the wilds of Wisconsin"

[@VideoEnjoyer-m3z]

Me, as an 8-year-old: "We had joy, we had fun! We went STREAKING IN THE SUN! But the Cops they had guns, and they shot us in the buns!!"

[@PiManiac]

for me it was: We had joy , we had fun, we had {insert your rival football team here} on the run, but the fun didn't last, cause those bastards ran so fast.

[@MrDeivisD]

Does it possible to found them in some old electronics ( not asking about computers) ?

[@rimmersbryggeri]

They are everywhere.

[@Spintechfilms]

Gotta admit that the Z80 was my childhood

[@tassiebob]

Amazing video - thanks for putting that together!

[@chrism72727]

So after all these years... the C64 finally settled the win over the ZX spectrum!!! 🎉🎉🎉

[@jeffkrupke3810]

That's crazy they are stopping producing that chip.

[@caodesignworks2407]

It's crazy they produced it for 48 years

[@jeffkrupke3810]

@@caodesignworks2407 pretty good run for anything.

[@mc_cpu]

I wonder how their sales are doing as people stock pile them.

[@brentgoeller8257]

They put out a public announcement and RFO. I don't remember the final date to submit an order but I wouldn't be surprised if they ended up with more orders this year than the last few. TI stopped production of their 80 series graphing calculators last year. I'm willing to bet that's what did it in.

[@dh2032]

so how long will be before china flooding market 101% copy clones of the chip, and was very capable chip one the most documented chips out the, emulated to point, every bug and tweak's where, doable in software, thanks mainly the ZX spectrum / Timex computer and there fan bases, and it all floating in the open PDL world so any can do what like with this could make the new ARM,

[@joshsamuelson1793]

Now Texas Instruments will have to actually innovate their decades old overpriced graphing calculators.

[@RetroDepot]

Nah, there are still second source clones out there. The TI will be good to go for another 40 years.

[@CommodoreFan64]

@@RetroDepot Yep, and will still charge $100 to $200 bucks for them without a data cable in the package 🤦‍♂

[@JonSturm]

TI basically never used the DIP packaged Z80's that were discontinued and they moved to having the CPU integrated into the ASIC many years ago so ending production of DIP Z80's doesn't matter to them. Besides the fact that the latest generation Ti-84 Plus CE series uses an eZ80 based core in the custom ASIC in place of the older Z80 based one of earlier calculators.

[@CommodoreFan64]

@@JonSturm whoosh right over your head dude, it was a joke! 🙄

[@phillip5245]

Commenting before the song copyright strike.

[@BastetFurry]

You mean downloading it before copyright strike?

[@devjock]

TIme to do a full baremetal emulation on a Pi Pico. I can already smell the pcbway levelshifter daughterboards. Something something PiStorm80. The classics will never die.

[@markojojic6223]

I thought of just doing it the cool way by using an FPGA and learning the witchcraft language VHDL to cope with grief

[@50shadesofbeige88]

Great video😊

[@MrMegaManFan]

The Zed 80 will never truly die as long as we keep using it.

[@rivards1]

It's an American product, created, marketed and called the "ZEE"-80. I'll say "Zed"X-81 because it's British; you should likewise observe the official name of the American product.

[@phillip5245]

Or until the heat death of the universe, whichever comes first.