Giant Home Computer

A British man has built a 45ft computer processor will in a 16-bit mega processor containing 14,000 individual transistors and 3,500 LED lights.

18:53 24 June 2015

While many tech companies are building smaller computer processors, James Newman is going the opposite direction by building a giant home computer. The 45ft computer processor is being built in his house in Cambridge and is said to contain 3,500 LED lights. Mr Newman has been building the super computer for two years and has already spent £20,000. 

"I was taken with the idea of being able to see how the thing works," Mr Newman, a digital electronics engineer, said.

"I have a visual way of thinking about things, I wanted to be able to see how a computer works and how things flow around within it.

"I intended it as a learning exercise, and I have learned a lot."

 

The computer is expected to be completed at the end of 2015. 

 

Mr Newman added: "When it's set up and running in the living room, there won't be much space for living," he said.

"One of the fantasies is to line the hallway with it."

 

"My mother keeps asking, 'What can it do?' I keep saying, 'It's a computer, it can do anything.'

 

"My friends think it's mad, but I think they are also slightly jealous that I can allow myself to do it."