Electronics enthusiast begins breadboard-based Intel 386 system build — a large step up from their previous PC-XT and PC-AT breadboard projects

Motherboards, who needs them? Not Breadboarding Labs, which recently outlined plans to build a retro Intel 80386 (i386) PC using solderless breadboards. Don’t worry, this project isn’t pie-in-the-sky. Breadboarding Labs has two prior similar and successful feats behind them – two breadboard-based PC-XT and PC-AT (Intel 8088) computers. However, this new project, aiming to replicate the functionality of Compaq’s milestone DeskPro 386 system, will be a tougher challenge.

386 Breadboard PC #1 PC-XT vs PC-AT vs COMPAQ DeskPro 386 - YouTube Watch On

A new breadboard PC project based on the 386 CPU is a more advanced electronics maker task due to the generations newer, relatively complex hardware involved. The maker will be spared making everything from scratch, though, as some breadboard modules from previous 8088 projects will be able to be reused.

The 386 Breadboard PC will be able to reuse the following prior works:

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Clock and bus controller

MDA video controller

CGA video controller

Timer

Parallel port

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