5 replies to this topic

[bigbadbear9885]

I'm interested in developing an 8 bit console to release to the public, but its not easy to find components for that type.
I already know about Xgamestation etc, but i'm talking about from scratch.

[frob]

bigbadbear9885, on 26 November 2011 - 04:29 PM, said:

I'm interested in developing an 8 bit console to release to the public, but its not easy to find components for that type.
I already know about Xgamestation etc, but i'm talking about from scratch.

That is hardly a "for beginners" topic.

There are all kinds of microprocessors. A processor for your 8-bit audio is not the same as a processor for your 8-bit core. You'll either need an LCD display of some kind with it's own microprocessor, or you'll need a more complex graphics chip.

There are many microprocessor suppliers; you can get intel MCS processors if you need them, or ARM chips. Depending on your needs there are various 8-bit microprocessors from Parallax, LG, Yamaha, Panasonic, Konka, and many, many, many more.


Of course once you get your processors you will need to wire them up, program them, and actually build your software. Then you'll need to design and build a custom case, get it all packaged for the public, etc.

You'll need to have some skills (or hire the skills) in electrical engineering in addition to programming. You'll also need manufacturing skills or enough business knowledge to contract that out, too. If you want to put them on your own board you will need an agreement with a fabrication company, and then you've got the cost of the BOM for each unit you make. Bringing it to the public in a meaningful way requires a serious marketing budget, in addition to people with business contacts to actually do the marketing. Then there are lawyers who need to be involved in those agreements.

This kind of endeavor, taking it all the way to releasing a console to the public, would require at least a six-digit budget to design and build for a low-end device by a small team who know all those technical areas and only self-distribute online. Even the crappy LCD games that did little more than beep and show a few custom lcd images cost millions of dollars to bring to the mass market.


The only reason companies can offer kits like the Xgamestation is that they sell tens of thousands of units. They sell 7000 of them for $150 and they're over the million dollar mark. The actual mass-produced hardware costs only a few dollars thanks to economy of scale; the cost to fabricate 50 boards is not much different than the cost for 5000. Most of the cost of the kits goes to their own business costs of designing the system, not to the hardware.

[Ravyne]

Its an interesting idea. The real trouble with 8-bit is that all the available derivatives of classic 8-bit CPUs are not terribly cost-effective. 6502 and z80s typically run around $5-10 per chip -- while for the same amount you can get an ARM or Mips SoC that also has a substantial amount of RAM and several peripheral functions like timers and uarts. For 8bits, you're probably looking at pic or avr microcontrollers, which will haves several peripherals and a modest amount of ram, maybe 8 or 16 K in larger varieties, and the Uzebox has already done avrs.

You can do it, and it will be fun I'm sure, but the practical route these days is cheap arm microcontrollers that can be had for a few bucks.

[Promit]

While I realize there's this bizarre gravitation towards Ye Olde 8 Bitte, I'm begging you: please do something more sane. Arduino and Propeller offer really great hardware and kits with very simple hardware that has lots of options and a whole host of cool things you can do. I bet you will be really happy with the Arduino, which is 8 bit and everything. The Propeller is a much more substantial chip and environment but I know a couple guys doing quirky retro style stuff with it who are absolutely thrilled.

[wodinoneeye]

http://www.raspberrypi.org/

http://en.wikipedia....ki/Raspberry_pi

Microcontrollers (low end ones now) are close to those old 'before the flood' processors, but the IO is more limited

Above is a link to a (coming) single board computer with much of the game type peripherals already there.

I was originaly look at these things for possible use as 'cheap' server cluster processing, but the performance specs make them much less cost effective than mid range off the shelf CPUs + MB .

Being more powerful than those old 8-bitters you would have the advantage of making them perform like those old games without the skill it takes to to make them actually work in such limited hardware (you can alway dumb down, when you just cant get more out of the old ones). You also have adequate tools/libraries for development - all in high-level language or even 'scripting' like python (you'd better be real good at Assembly if you want to use those oldies)

[daviangel]

bigbadbear9885, on 26 November 2011 - 04:29 PM, said:

I'm interested in developing an 8 bit console to release to the public, but its not easy to find components for that type.
I already know about Xgamestation etc, but i'm talking about from scratch.

Are you trying to compete with Andre Lamothe because he already does this?
Not to mention he explains step by step how he did it in his "The Black Art of Video Game Console Design"book it comes with.