Complete parts list
Here’s a complete parts list of everything I used to build the breadboard computer. The total cost works out to roughly $250–$300 USD depending on how much you end up paying for shipping. You can save quite a bit of money by using lower-quality breadboards, but I don’t recommend that because it will make troubleshooting more difficult.
I am now selling complete kits with all of the components you need to follow along with the entire project.
There’s no right way to do this project. There are many substitutions and other approaches which will work just as well (or better), so if you want to build something similar and can’t find all the parts, try to figure out what the missing part does and find a different way of doing it. It might not work the first time, but you’ll learn a ton from trying to figure out why.
| Qty. | Description | Approx. cost each | Approx. cost total | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | Breadboard | $4 – $9 | $56 – $126 | Amazon |
| 1 | 22 AWG Solid Tinned-Copper Hook-Up Wire | $16.00 | $16.00 | Jameco, Amazon |
| 10 | 1kΩ resistor | $0.06 | $0.60 | Jameco, Amazon |
| 9 | 10kΩ resistor | $0.06 | $0.60 | Jameco, Amazon |
| 1 | 100kΩ resistor | $0.06 | $0.60 | Jameco, Amazon |
| 24 | 470Ω resistor | $0.06 | $1.80 | Jameco, Amazon |
| 1 | 1MΩ resistor | $0.06 | $0.60 | Jameco, Amazon |
| 1 | 1MΩ potentiometer | $1.39 | $1.39 | Jameco, Amazon |
| 6 | 0.01µF capacitor | $0.12 | $1.20 | Jameco, Amazon |
| 16 | 0.1µF capacitor | $0.15 | $3.00 | Jameco, Amazon |
| 1 | 1µF capacitor | $0.15 | $0.15 | Jameco, Amazon |
| 4 | 555 timer IC | $0.35 | $1.40 | Jameco |
| 2 | 74LS00 (Quad NAND gate) | $0.79 | $1.58 | Jameco |
| 1 | 74LS02 (Quad NOR gate) | $0.55 | $0.55 | Jameco |
| 5 | 74LS04 (Hex inverter) | $0.59 | $2.95 | Jameco |
| 3 | 74LS08 (Quad AND gate) | $0.69 | $2.07 | Jameco |
| 1 | 74LS32 (Quad OR gate) | $0.49 | $0.49 | Jameco |
| 1 | 74LS107 (Dual JK flip-flop) Note: The videos use the 74LS76 which is extremely difficult to find. The 74LS107 is functionally equivalent but be careful: it has a different pinout. | $1.75 | $1.75 | Jameco |
| 2 | 74LS86 (Quad XOR gate) | $0.55 | $1.10 | Jameco |
| 1 | 74LS138 (3-to-8 line decoder) | $0.69 | $0.69 | Jameco |
| 1 | 74LS139 (Dual 2-line to 4-line decoder) | $0.69 | $0.69 | Jameco |
| 4 | 74LS157 (Quad 2-to-1 line data selector) | $0.69 | $2.76 | Jameco |
| 2 | 74LS161 (4-bit synchronous binary counter) | $0.79 | $1.58 | Jameco |
| 8 | 74LS173 (4-bit D-type register) | $1.39 | $11.12 | Jameco |
| 2 | 74189 (64-bit random access memory) | $4.95 | $9.90 | Jameco |
| 6 | 74LS245 (Octal bus transceiver) | $0.79 | $4.74 | Jameco |
| 1 | 74LS273 (Octal D flip-flop) | $0.75 | $0.75 | Jameco |
| 2 | 74LS283 (4-bit binary full adder) | $1.49 | $2.98 | Jameco |
| 3 | 28C16 EEPROM | $3.95 | $11.85 | Jameco |
| 3 | Double-throw toggle switch | $0.99 | $2.97 | Jameco, Amazon |
| 3 | Momentary 6mm tact switch | $0.35 | $1.05 | Amazon, Jameco |
| 1 | 8-position DIP switch | $0.79 | $0.79 | Jameco, Amazon |
| 1 | 4-position DIP switch | $0.89 | $0.89 | Jameco, Amazon |
| 44 | Red LED | $0.12 | $6.00 | Amazon, Jameco |
| 8 | Yellow LED | $0.09 | $0.90 | Amazon, Jameco |
| 12 | Green LED | $0.10 | $2.00 | Amazon, Jameco |
| 21 | Blue LED | $0.59 | $12.39 | Amazon, Jameco |
| 4 | Common cathode 7-segment display | $1.09 | $4.36 | Jameco, Amazon |
If you click through many of the links above, I get a tiny cut, though it won’t cost you any more. I’m a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and a similar program through AvantLink. Both are affiliate advertising programs designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to merchants. Using these links is a great way to support my work and costs you nothing extra!
Additionally, I used an Arduino Nano and two 74HC595 shift registers to build a simple EEPROM programmer to program the 28C16 EEPROMs used in the output module and control logic.
Breadboards
A note on breadboards: You can get them from lots of places for different prices. The best quality I’ve found is the BB830 by BusBoard Prototype Systems. I get them on Amazon, but they’re not cheap. (If you’re paying less than $7-8 USD each, you’re probably getting a fake.)
Lower quality, cheaper breadboards will probably work just fine (and save a bunch of money if you’re buying ~15 of them). The biggest differences include inadequate funneling on each hole, making it harder to properly insert components (this can vary a lot, from not a big deal to useless); inconsistent coloring (i.e., several breadboards, even ordered at the same time, are different shades of white); confusing labeling (e.g., numbers not lining up with holes); and warping (i.e., the breadboard doesn’t sit completely flat). Most of those aren’t deal-breakers, and if something doesn’t work right, look on the bright side: you get to troubleshoot it and learn more 🙂. For a good review of different breadboards, check out this video. It isn't my video, but I agree with everything in it.
Kits
You can also buy everything as a kit from me. Excluding shipping, it costs the same or less than buying everything individually and helps support my work. I currently ship everything from California, so this deal is best if you’re in North America.