e-basteln is a hobbyist's site documenting retro computing hardware projects, such as FPGA replicas, a 100 MHz 6502, and paper tape readers.
HN commenters link it for the 100 MHz 6502, the USB paper tape reader, and the history of the rolling-ball mouse.
Because it’s easy to ‘cache’ the entire memory of the host system, it’s better described as a new computer that only slows down to access the memory locations that affect I/O (video, audio, keyboard, I/O ports, etc.)
https://www.e-basteln.de/computing/65f02/65f02/:
“The idea is to use this as a “universal” accelerator for 6502 and 65C02-based host computers – just plug it into the CPU socket. The only thing the FPGA board needs to know about its host is the memory map: Where does the host have memory-mapped I/O? Up to 16 different memory maps can be stored in the FPGA, and selected via a mini DIP switch. Upon power-on, the 65F02 grabs the complete RAM and ROM content from the host and copies it into the on-chip RAM, except for the I/O area. Then the CPU gets going, using the internal memory at 100 MHz for all bus accesses except for any I/O addresses – for these, the internal CPU pauses, and an external bus cycle is started at whatever the external clock speed is.”
Lol :) Interestingly that same site hosts a project related to the topic of emulated 6502, but not cycle accurate, instead 100Mhz in old Spartan-6 FPGA. Unfortunately not 6510, so no plugin for the 'breadbox':
https://www.e-basteln.de/computing/65f02/65f02/ &
https://hackaday.com/2021/10/15/heres-a-100-mhz-pin-compatible-6502-replacement/
But! This reminded me of something else:
Micro Core Labs!
Which can either be cycle accurate, or superfast:
https://microcorelabs.wordpress.com/2021/03/14/mcl64-commodore-64-accelerator/
https://microcorelabs.wordpress.com/2021/04/16/mcl64-mos-6510-emulator-works-in-commodore-64/
https://microcorelabs.wordpress.com/2021/04/19/mcl64-worlds-fastest-commodore-64/
https://microcorelabs.wordpress.com/2021/11/22/commodore-64-tester-using-mcl64/
https://microcorelabs.wordpress.com/2021/11/29/mcl64-update/
Imagine Durex Forth on that. Ze PoWerRrRr!1!!
It's pretty common to bake 8051 MCU cores into ASICs. They'll run several hundred Mhz. It seems kind of like lawnmower racing.
You can get a 100Mhz FPGA based 6502. http://www.e-basteln.de/computing/65f02/65f02/
Since FPGAs are significantly slower than ASICs, it seems like a 1Ghz 6502 wouldn't be unreasonable. The problem is, what would you do with it? The CPU would be severely bottlenecked by its peripheral interfaces.
Interesting. I know some have tried to make faster versions of old 8 bit computers from the hardware side instead.
Here's an FPGA-based drop-in replacement for 65C02 that runs at 100MHz: http://www.e-basteln.de/computing/65f02/65f02/
Not tried in a C64 yet, but he did get it working in a Commodore PET.
"First rolling-ball mouse"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_mouse#Rollkugel
https://www.e-basteln.de/computing/rollkugel/rollkugel/
Engelbarts mouse didn't have a ball.
The Super Nintendo contains a 65816 core, so of course the 6502 is doable on an FPGA.
Here’s a “100 MHz 6502”: http://www.e-basteln.de/computing/65f02/65f02/