Build your own game console

[Havok]

This looks pretty cool - might have to add it to the Christmas list...

http://www.ciebookstore.com/bookstore/catNo/28/productid/523/addtocart.asp

[ChadTower]

Been reading that book for months... fantastic book.

[northerngames]

I was looking at the same thing the other day and that site link seemed to be cheaper pricewise then the other sites I ran into.

[RTSDaddy2]

Ok, let me be the stupid one of the bunch....

First off, it does sound like fun (was wondering what some of my forthcoming birthday money might go for later this year), but what would / could you actually PLAY on it once it was built?  I saw the part about it being programmable, but that's it. I didn't really see anything about that on the link above - maybe I just missed it.

(Then, as a light brightens slowly on a dim bulb, he begins to wonder if it's not just a simple "do it yourself" thing that really doesn't do much, but just teaches one the ins and outs of design?)

[ChadTower]

It plays games and part of the book is programming for it.

[Havok]

The PCB version of the Pico Edition that you will solder together has a 7-Segment readout, 15-pin interface, A/V jacks, and a built in Directional Gamepad, for a completely portable mini-game console.

It's more for teaching, but can definitely be a portable gaming device. The cool factor is that you built it yourself, and can program it yourself...

[danny_galaga]

so, in the end, if you're really good you can program a game equivalent to atari2600 combat 

[ChadTower]

More like an NES game... but you built the whole damn thing by hand yourself and programmed the game.  That's very sweet.  And it wouldn't be TOO hard to do something like alter the output circuit to put out a vector signal... BYO vector console, anyone?

[danny_galaga]

More like an NES game... but you built the whole damn thing by hand yourself and programmed the game.  That's very sweet.  And it wouldn't be TOO hard to do something like alter the output circuit to put out a vector signal... BYO vector console, anyone?

ooh! a super sized vectrex. that would be cool 

[RTSDaddy2]

Ok, I got it now - and maybe that can be my Christmas present to myself.  That DOES sound very cool, now that I know what it would be capable of once built. 

[northerngames]

to bad there is not a 32bit or 64bit or something a little better that may be worth all the time invested I mean it is still neat but 8bit is a little outdated these days to dedicate all that time into.

[ChadTower]

It's designed to be a single class - not a 2 year project.  Dude can only teach so much in one semester.

[Samstag]

to bad there is not a 32bit or 64bit or something a little better that may be worth all the time invested I mean it is still neat but 8bit is a little outdated these days to dedicate all that time into.

Nothing's stopping you from buying a couple tens of thousands worth of tools and devlopment kits to learn to build and program 64-bit console hardware, but don't expect someone to write a book about it.  Most people would rather spend $100 on something that doesn't require a huge investment of time and money.

Why do these type of statements continually pop up on a forum dedicated to emulating classic arcade games?

[genshiken]

Actually, after looking around on google for what the Xgamestation can do... I found this http://www.xgamestation.com/view_product.php?id=33 on their site.... It's called the Hydra and it's basically an upgraded verion of the Xgamestation, but it has slots so you can plug in actual NES controllers.  It also has a cartridge that you can save your games to.  Lots of other stuff, so just take a look at it yourself.  (Downside is it's an extra $100.)