# MOS Technology 6508

> 8-bit microprocessor

**Wikidata**: [Q1995265](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1995265)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MOS_Technology_6508)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/mos-technology-6508

## Summary
The MOS Technology 6508 is an 8-bit microprocessor notable for integrating 256 bytes of random-access memory (RAM) directly onto the chip. It belongs to the MOS 6502 instruction set family and was manufactured by MOS Technology.

## Key Facts
- **Class:** Microprocessor (computer processor contained on an integrated-circuit chip).
- **Manufacturer:** MOS Technology.
- **Instruction Set:** MOS 6502.
- **Storage Capacity:** Integrated 256 bytes of RAM.
- **Instance Of:** Microprocessor.
- **Aliases:** تقنية أم أو أس ٦٥٠٨ (Arabic).
- **Wikipedia Languages:** Arabic, English, Spanish, Italian, Polish.
- **Sitelink Count:** 6.
- **Freebase ID:** /m/099crx.

## FAQs
### Q: What is the MOS Technology 6508?
A: It's an 8-bit microprocessor featuring 256 bytes of RAM integrated directly onto the chip, part of the MOS 6502 instruction set family.
### Q: How much RAM does the 6508 have?
A: The MOS Technology 6508 includes 256 bytes of RAM built onto the processor chip itself.
### Q: What instruction set does the 6508 use?
A: It utilizes the MOS 6502 instruction set.
### Q: Who manufactured the 6508?
A: The 6508 was manufactured by MOS Technology.

## Why It Matters
The MOS Technology 6508 represents a design approach integrating RAM directly onto a microprocessor chip, aiming to reduce system complexity and potentially lower costs for specific applications. Its integrated 256 bytes of RAM targeted systems needing a small amount of fast, on-chip memory, potentially simplifying circuit design compared to using separate RAM chips. While less widely adopted than its sibling, the iconic 6502, the 6508 demonstrates an evolutionary step in integrating memory onto CPUs, influencing later designs and finding niche use in devices like some Commodore 128 peripherals. It highlights MOS Technology's exploration of varied configurations within the 6502 family to address different market needs.

## Notable For
- **Integrated RAM:** The defining feature is the inclusion of 256 bytes of RAM directly on the processor die.
- **Compact Design:** Integration of RAM aimed to reduce the overall footprint and component count in target systems.
- **Niche Application:** Primarily used in specific peripherals like the Commodore 1581 disk drive and some expansion cartridges, rather than mainstream computers.
- **6502 Lineage:** Part of the MOS 6502 instruction set family, sharing core architecture with the more famous 6502 and 6510 processors.

## Body
### Basic Specifications
- **Processor Type:** 8-bit microprocessor.
- **Instruction Set:** MOS 6502 compatible.
- **Integrated Memory:** 256 bytes of RAM on-chip.
- **Manufacturer:** MOS Technology.
- **Classification:** Instance of microprocessor.

### Technical Properties
- **Storage Capacity:** 256 bytes (unit: byte).
- **Aliases:** Includes the Arabic alias تقنية أم أو أس ٦٥٠٨.
- **Identifiers:**
  - Freebase ID: /m/099crx
  - Wikidata Description: 8-bit microprocessor
  - Wikipedia Title: MOS Technology 6508
  - Commons Category: MOS Technology 6508
- **Documentation Presence:**
  - Sitelink Count: 6
  - Available Wikipedia Languages: Arabic (ar), English (en), Spanish (es), Italian (it), Polish (pl)
  - Commons Image: [MCS6508.jpg](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/MCS6508.jpg)

### Context & Relationships
- **Class Relationship:** Belongs to the class of microprocessors.
- **Manufacturer Relationship:** Manufactured by the entity MOS Technology.
- **Instruction Set Relationship:** Implements the MOS 6502 instruction set.

## References

1. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013