Re: Networked 8x calcs :)

To: CALC-TI@LISTS.PPP.TI.COM
Subject: Re: Networked 8x calcs :)
From: Me Me <visicalc@HOTMAIL.COM>
Date: Fri, 31 Oct 1997 14:26:29 PST
Reply-To: Me Me <visicalc@HOTMAIL.COM>
>At 02:51 PM 10/30/97 PST, you wrote:
>>>Okay, I have this strange idea for creating a network for the TI-8x
>>>graphing calculator series.  I am picturing a small box where 4-5
>>people
>>>connect their calcs via a link cord to it.  From there, they all
enter
>>a
>>>game and begin playing against each other.  Is this possible or even
>>>feasable to be done?  NETBIOS networks basically do the same thing as
>>what
>>>I just suggested.  The only thing that we would find difficult to
>>program
>>>is the synchronization of the packet protocol.  What do you think?
>>>Possible?  Worth the effort?
>>>
>>I have been toying around with this idea for a while. Basically it
would
>>require a box with each calc having an "IN" line (to calc) and an
"OUT"
>>line (to hub). Since linkports have 2 lines, this is not a problem.
The
>>hub would connect the OUT line from 1 calc to the IN line of all
except
>>the sending calc, so 1 woud send to 2,3,4; 2 would send to 1,3,4; etc.
>>The sending calc would wait for silence, and then transmit a "reserve"
>>signal for a few milliseconds. after this, it would check the IN line
to
>>see if anyone else is putting out a reserve signal. If this happens,
all
>>calcs stop trying to send for a random amount of time. If there is no
>>collision, the sending calc would then send a synch signal and then
the
>>packet, which I would imagine to be start:to:from:size:data:CRC:end.
The
>>protocol used in the data segment would be different for each game.
How
>>does this sound?
>
>Sounds pretty good.  You must have been thinking on this for a while.
I
>know the protocol part is pretty simple to figure out, but what I want
to
>know is, how many people will make the device and is it really worth
the
>effort?
The only reason people would make this is if a popular app (tetris,
pacman, chat, some sort of RPG, etc.) were programmed in a multiplayer
version. Before that could happen, though, protocols and linkport
routines would have to be worked out, the circuit diagrams would have to
be made, a prototype would have to be tested, and rudimentary testing
programs would need to be written, like ping. If the specifications were
publicly released(like on ticalc.org) programmers might then start
making games that would support the standardized system. Any takers?

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