Agon? is a modern, fully open-source, 8-bit microcomputer and microcontroller in one small, low-cost board. As a microcomputer, it is a standalone device that requires no host PC: it puts out its own video (VGA, various modes, 64 colors), audio (2 identical mono channels provided via a stereo audio port), accepts a PS/2 keyboard and has its own mass-storage in the form of a μSD card.

As a microcontroller, it has a control port featuring SPI, I2C, 20 or more distinct GPIOs (including UART lines), a system clock output, as well as power (3.3V and 5V) and ground rails. It also features a separate ACCESS.bus header. Agon is built on a small PCB with both through-hole and SMD parts. Its design aims at the best trade-off across performance, cost and flexibility (read 'hackability') that is possible to achieve with cutting-edge 21st-century technology.

There are no FPGAs and no emulation in Agon?; it is a true 8-bit system with no layers of abstraction such as virtual machines. The 'bare wires' are exposed directly to the programmer.

Agon's distinguishing features:

• Instant-on, stand-alone, BASIC-programmable microcontroller with over 20 GPIOs (no host PC or compilation required to run your projects, so you can control your whole house from the immediacy of BASIC commands);
• Stand-alone 8-bit microcomputer whose firmware, including the entire functionality of the video processor, is completely programmable in C with freely available tooling (compilers, IDEs, loaders, etc.);
• A hardware canvas for you to make of it your own dream, customized microcomputer, with your own preferred look-and-feel and functionality. Agon is a laboratory for computer science experimentation;
• The most state-of-the-art 8-bit microcomputer available today, by a long margin;
• The best balance of cost, performance and programmability/hackability of any microcomputer or microcontroller available today.
• Agon? is an open-hardware and open-source project through and through, so you get all the information about the system, including upcoming tutorials.

The video below shows Agon light?, operating as a microcomputer, running a 3D rotation demo written in BASIC (code and video by Dean Belfield):

The next video shows Agon light? generating a color cycle pattern on the screen (video and code by Jeroen Venema):

More information, including demonstrations and performance benchmarks of Agon Light in action, can be found on Agon's official website:

https://www.thebyteattic.com/p/agon.html

And on Agon's Github repository:

https://github.com/TheByteAttic/AgonLight