Tangerine Oric 
Microtan 65  (1979)
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The Tangerine Microtan 65.

The Tangerine Microtan 65 was a 6502 based single-board micro computer, first sold in 1979. The design became the basis for the Oric ATMOS computer and its successors.

The Microtan 65 has a single step function that can be used for debugging at the hardware level. The computer was available as a kit, or as a pre-built unit. The kit required soldering the parts on the motherboard.

The major advantage of the Microtan 65 was flicker free video. Computers like the ZX81 would turn off the display on a keystroke, since the CPU handled video by software and could only perform one task. The Microtan's processor, the 6502 has a regular period in each instruction cycle when all CPU activity is inside the chip, leaving the external memory available for other things like video display. The same technique is also used on the Oric-1 and the Atmos. The Apple II Computer also used this feature of the 6502

CPU - The Motorola 6502

The 6502 is an 8-bit MicroProcessor designed by MOS Technology. The team was led by Chuck Peddle and had also worked on the Motorola 6800. The 6502 is a simplified, but faster and cheaper design than the 6800.

The 6502 was introduced in 1975 and was the cheapest microprocessor on the market. Together with the Zilog Z80, the 6502 helped start the home computer revolution of the 1980s. The 6502 was used in a wide range of devices: the Atari 2600, the 8-bit Atari home computers, the Apple II, the Nintendo Entertainment System, the Commodore 64, the BBC Micro and many others. All used the 6502 or a variation of it.

The 6502 is a 1MHz design, while the 6502A is designed for 2MHz. The 6502A is 100% compatible with the original 6502.

Commodore soon bought MOS Technology, but conitnued to sell the microprocessor to competitors and licensed the design to other manufacturers.

Source: WikiPedia - MOS Technology 6502

The 650x Instruction Set

Mnemonic Operation Description
ADCAdd with CarryAdds a memory location and the carry bit to the accumulator.
ANDLogical ANDPerforms a logical AND between memory and the accumulator.
ASLArithmetic Shift LeftShifts all bits one position to the left (in memory or accumulator).
BCCBranch on Carry ClearBranches to a new address if the carry flag is clear (0).
BCSBranch on Carry SetBranches to a new address if the carry flag is set (1).
BEQBranch on Equal (Zero Set)Branches to a new address if the zero flag is set (1).
BITBit TestTests bits in memory with the accumulator without modifying the accumulator.
BMIBranch on MinusBranches to a new address if the negative flag is set (1).
BNEBranch on Not EqualBranches to a new address if the zero flag is clear (0).
BPLBranch on PlusBranches to a new address if the negative flag is clear (0).
BRKForce BreakForces an interrupt request and pushes status and PC to the stack.
BVCBranch on Overflow ClearBranches to a new address if the overflow flag is clear (0).
BVSBranch on Overflow SetBranches to a new address if the overflow flag is set (1).
CLCClear Carry FlagClears the processor carry flag.
CLDClear Decimal ModeClears the processor decimal mode flag.
CLIClear Interrupt DisableClears the interrupt disable flag, allowing maskable interrupts.
CLVClear Overflow FlagClears the processor overflow flag.
CMPCompare AccumulatorCompares the contents of a memory location with the accumulator.
CPXCompare X RegisterCompares the contents of a memory location with the X register.
CPYCompare Y RegisterCompares the contents of a memory location with the Y register.
DECDecrement MemorySubtracts one from the value held at a specified memory location.
DEXDecrement X RegisterSubtracts one from the X register.
DEYDecrement Y RegisterSubtracts one from the Y register.
EORExclusive ORPerforms a logical Exclusive OR between memory and the accumulator.
INCIncrement MemoryAdds one to the value held at a specified memory location.
INXIncrement X RegisterAdds one to the X register.
INYIncrement Y RegisterAdds one to the Y register.
JMPJumpSets the program counter to a new address.
JSRJump to SubroutinePushes the return address to the stack and jumps to a new address.
LDALoad AccumulatorLoads a byte of memory into the accumulator.
LDXLoad X RegisterLoads a byte of memory into the X register.
LDYLoad Y RegisterLoads a byte of memory into the Y register.
LSRLogical Shift RightShifts all bits one position to the right (in memory or accumulator).
NOPNo OperationPerforms no operation, consuming 2 machine cycles.
ORALogical Inclusive ORPerforms a logical OR between memory and the accumulator.
PHAPush AccumulatorPushes a copy of the accumulator onto the stack.
PHPPush Processor StatusPushes a copy of the status flags onto the stack.
PLAPull AccumulatorPulls a byte from the stack into the accumulator.
PLPPull Processor StatusPulls a byte from the stack into the processor status flags.
ROLRotate LeftRotates all bits one position left through the carry flag.
RORRotate RightRotates all bits one position right through the carry flag.
RTIReturn from InterruptPulls the processor flags and program counter from the stack.
RTSReturn from SubroutinePulls the program counter from the stack and resumes execution.
SBCSubtract with CarrySubtracts memory and the inverse of the carry bit from the accumulator.
SECSet Carry FlagSets the processor carry flag.
SEDSet Decimal FlagSets the processor decimal mode flag.
SEISet Interrupt DisableSets the interrupt disable flag, preventing maskable interrupts.
STAStore AccumulatorStores the contents of the accumulator in memory.
STXStore X RegisterStores the contents of the X register in memory.
STYStore Y RegisterStores the contents of the Y register in memory.
TAXTransfer Accumulator to XCopies the current value of the accumulator into the X register.
TAYTransfer Accumulator to YCopies the current value of the accumulator into the Y register.
TSXTransfer Stack Pointer to XCopies the current value of the stack pointer into the X register.
TXATransfer X to AccumulatorCopies the current value of the X register into the accumulator.
TXSTransfer X to Stack PointerCopies the current value of the X register into the stack pointer.
TYATransfer Y to AccumulatorCopies the current value of the Y register into the accumulator.
Technical Details
Released
1979
Country
Great Britain
Brand
Tangerine Computer Systems
Type
Tangerine Oric
Name
Microtan 65
CPU Class
650x
CPU
6502 @750KHz
Memory
RAM: 1kB
RAM max: 48kB
ROM: 14kB
ROM is 1-14kB
Sound Chip
none
Sound
no sound
Display Chip
none
Display
32x16 mono text
64x64 graphic characters
Best Text
32x16 monochrome
Best Color
monochrome
Graphics
64x64 pseudo graphics
Sprites
n/a
Original Price
£90.85
External Links 🌐
Wikipage - Tangerine Microtan 65
Wikipage on the Tangerine Microtan 65 computer
Wikipage - Microtan
Fan pages on the Tangerine company
MOS 6502 CPU Wiki Page
The 6502 is an 8-bit MicroProcessor designed by MOS Technology.