- a very small computer which is programmed

via just 3 push buttons as KEYBOARD 
and 4 LEDs as "DISPLAY" 
and designed to control some INPUTS and OUTPUTS 
- digital and analog  ======

This project has been worked on for a few years now, but MyCo / TPS has just gotten a Second Life, as Franzis just launched a new version - hardware is identical, but more programming examples https://www.franzis.de/maker/raspberry-pi-arduino-und-mehr/maker-kit-controller-board-selber-bauen-und-programmieren-machs-einfach-lernpaket.

===== AND the New Book is out now: You can actually play with the 40 described examples ON PAPER ONLY TO START WITH, to write and execute your own code as well, Or use coins for program execution to see what happens internally Or use pins for programming - no electronics at all ( and noForth for now ) for example use the 2 pages - one with the program, one showing the current contents of all “function blocks” https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08MN15NMQ/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i21

==== And additional information regarding the 3rd book about MyCo_TPS had to be stored somewhere, So I started a facebook group. Just go there, start at the bottom and see additional explanations and examples. Even doing the HELLO WORLD … Now this MyCo_TPS is as well running on the microbit, and on the RPI soon . OK , these 2 not in Forth yet, but it is probably unavoidable https://www.facebook.com/groups/269499491046124 ====

Most of the German description should be covered by the Print book we had published in English: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1731232535/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i28

We prepared a cut down version of the book as a PDF for download and print, you find it at http://www.elektronik-labor.de/Literatur/MyCo2014.pdf

and as well a cut down version of the extended Book for you download here.

And a selection of English documentation at http://www.elektronik-labor.de/Literatur/MyCo.html

We added into the extended book now the Forth Implementation that Michael Kalus kindly programmed for the TI MSP430:

My Computer – a small 4 Bit Controller simulated in Forth based on a MicroController Implementation.

“Programming a computer is hard, many think - wrong. Read the eBook, write down the programs, follow the editing process on a piece of paper - no PC required. The kit described in the book teaches programming in a minimal and simple way. No PC is required to handle the kit. There are only a few program statements that MyCo can execute. But that shows and demonstrates many aspects of programming. All programs for the easy-to-build hardware kit are documented and tested.” This sounded similar in the original kit “Programming microcontrollers” by Burkert Kainka in Franzis Verlag. You got a “universal control board with 25 components and manual” for the money.

The kit is based on a Holtek HT46F47 - a very low cost Controller. The manual was recently¹⁾ translated into English by Juergen Pintaske. And he called the kit now “MyCo” My Computer for the English-speaking area. The German name TPS - Tastenprogrammierbare Steuerung - did not translate well into English.

This MyCo functionality was transferred in 2015 into another MCU: the MSP430G2553 from Texas Instruments and this time in Forth. First using the professional VFX by MPE, Stephen Pelc. Then in an open source Forth, the 4e4th.

Some versions for people who want to look at the Forth code or even try it out

VFX version to download

4e4th version to download

There are two hardware versions: On the one hand, the Franzis Kit (identical to the Conrad TPS Kit) and on the other side a separate solution by Juergen Pintaske, its MSP430 “base board”. The Franzis board got an adapter, so that you could put the MSP430G2553 in the socket, which was intended for the Holtek HT46F47. Juergen's base-board, on the other hand, was supplemented by an I/O header board, with the LEDs and buttons, to operate the MyCo and extend it.

The easy way to start with MyCo: You buy the kit and start.

The open source path is more difficult, but also manageable: You would also have to find a way to get the program into the MCU. How to do that is described below.

The 4e4th package contains the 4e4th source code of the MyCo and a short manual for the MyCo. You can use the detailed manual, unfortunately in German. Google translate should do the job.

The translated version is available as eBook.
And as printed Book as well now²⁾
This PDF is a shortened Version of the extended printed MyCo eBook – just the Forth part. Page numbers have shifted , but the links in the PDF work as expected.
And a shortened version at http://www.elektronik-labor.de/Literatur/MyCo.html

If you do not have a preprogrammed MCU, but you want to do it yourself, you need a programmer to load the Forth into the MCU. Instead of the pure 4e4th also a pre-programmed memory image (Image) of the MyCo can be loaded.

Wilfried Klaas has programmed a Simulator, so the programs can be entered there, and as well executed in this simulator:
TPS goes Arduino as well. Click on de to get a drop down menu and change language to English.

The simulator generates the code for different platforms, now having been extended to additional functions even and with a direct interface to the Arduino.

The direct interface to the Forth version should be available soon – but the few bytes can be as well entered via a terminal, or even the switches without PC.

And Juergen’s prototypes on the left and the final product on the right: “Keyboard and Display Unit” as shield and “MSP430 Controller Board”.
For more, see project Microbox.

Updated 2021_02_26

More to come