Re: TI-H: An idea for separate game carts.
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Re: TI-H: An idea for separate game carts.
I think I have a better idea of what he is saying. He is talking about a read-
only chip. You could use a serial EPROM (One-time programmable memory)
instead of a EEPROM (Electrically erasable). The OS would still have to be
able to recognize the cartridge. I think it would be a good idea. Perhaps
some sort of recognition routines will need to be written, but it shouldn't be
impossible. The only downside is that that whole idea starts to move towards
selling games. One reason I liked this whole TI network of programmers was
because you could get stuff for free. The equipment to make the standard
EPROMs costs about $100 dollars for low-end. Besides, then you have to get into
mail ordering the cartridges. It isn't that great an idea.
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Date: Tue, 12 Aug 1997 12:55:32 -0700
From: Christopher Kalos <raptor_one@hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: TI-H: An idea for separate game carts.
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>Date: Tue, 12 Aug 1997 21:49:55 +0000
>From: Osma Suominen <ozone@clinet.fi>
>To: ti-hardware@lists.ticalc.org
>Subject: Re: TI-H: An idea for separate game carts.
>
>Kevin Buck wrote:
>>
>> I was reading on Richfiles, underProgramming tips and Tricks, and he
>> brought up how The GAMEBOY, and other hand held video Gaming devices
>> (other than TI-Calcs) use assembly languages on their game carts.
Would
>> it be possible for someone to develop A type of chip, or chips that
>> could be used primarily for a single lone game, and I mean an awesome
>> game. Then put it into the Spinterface cart, and then make a special
>> interrupt driven _shell_, or whatever that is completely ZShell
>> compatible, yet when you plug the game cart into the Spinterface
port,
>> then turn the power on, you would then be running the cart. So, this
>> _shell_, upon turning on the calc, runs a test on the Spinterface
port,
>> that sees if anything is connected, if not, starts up normally, if
so,
>> directly runs the game on the cart. Does any of this sound feasible
at
>> all?
>
>Well, not really (sorry to say). The problem is that handheld video
game
>devices each have their own design with their own processors and other
>hardware. Even if a gaming device used the Z80 (the processor of TI-85
>and others) as its processor, so the language would be the same, the
ROM
>code, display hardware etc. would differ so the games wouldn't work.
>
>-Ozone
>
>--
>*** Osma Suominen *** ozone@clinet.fi *** http://www.clinet.fi/~ozone
>***
>
I think you misinterpreted there. I think what he meant was to put on a
TI specific program onto a chip, and have it run as a game. With the
proper microcontroller, this shouldn't be a problem at all. However,
the auto-boot would have to be a part of the OS, much like Aurora83
(that's what I'm using) auto-detects programs, have the OS check the
port, get a proper game header, and then load up chunks and start
executing. A great idea, but a lot of work to program and design,
probably.
Christopher Kalos
Raptor_One@hotmail.com
RaptorOne@juno.com
RaptorOne@geocities.com
Executive Director
Virtual Technology Development
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