Video Game SDK in Hardware

stm2 writes "Alex Varanese just released the XGameStation, a new homebrew video game system designed to teach its users how to build and program their own video game machines from the ground up. From their PR: "The expansive eBook, written by LaMothe himself, covers everything from introductory electronic theory all the way up to computer architecture, as well as a complete coverage of each of the XGS ME's subsystems. Imagine learning everything about how a video game console is built and programmed from scratch: designing and printing circuit boards, generating TV signals, external device interfacing, and much more.". They have two posters, as well."

Comments

Pretty decent.

[pragma_x]

A quick cruise of their product info tells it all.

- 80 Mhz processor
- Sound chip programmable like a C64 SID
- NTSC *and* PAL capable in the same module
- Atari Joystick ports *and* RS232 ports.
- Expansion Port / Cartridge Slot
- Built in Debugging Support
- 128K SRAM
- "4Kx12 WORD" onboard Flash Ram

For a learning kit this thing is fantastic. For the more adventurous hobbyist, its seriously lacking in features.

Still I was hoping for at least stereo sound, more ram and crude 3D capabilities; something more like a playstation instead of an NES. The price is right for all the stuff you get with it, you're stuck making tetris clones and rewriting MULE all afternoon.

Re:ZSNES, I chose you!

[tepples]

The direct pixel-level control via software basically dictates that the resolution/quality depends on your ability to correctly utilize the CPU according to your needs, which in no way implies that all of your games will look like the Atari 2600 at best.

At 80 MHz and a typical horizontal resolution of 7.2 MHz (roughly 320 pixels per scanline), this leaves only 11 cycles per pixel. I'd like to see what kind of sprite compositing engine you can implement on a microcontroller in 11 cycles per pixel.