New book on Video Game consoles

Post by **Skyone** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 5:11 pm

That's what my intentions were originally for this book Turbo Tax.

So scherubino, you want to make something out of this?

blackbox_dev · Post by **blackbox_dev** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 5:46 pm

Yeah, that book is cool. I'd get an XGameStation or Pico but I don't have the money. Oh well, when I do get the money I'll get both!

ganonbanned · Post by **ganonbanned** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 6:29 pm

i want one

teraflop122 · Post by **teraflop122** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 12:50 am

I know this is just very slightly/extremely off topic, but couldn't someone, say, program an FPGA chip with the exact logic gates and structure as a SNES? This is assuming that someone had the exact schematics for the Snes, along with a hefty amount of electronics knowledge, of course. I doubt any of us could do it, but could it be done?

Post by **Skyone** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 1:08 am

Teraflop, I'm not experienced with FPGA, but it may be possible. Who know?

jeroen · Post by **jeroen** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 3:39 am

teraflop122 wrote:I know this is just very slightly/extremely off topic, but couldn't someone, say, program an FPGA chip with the exact logic gates and structure as a SNES? This is assuming that someone had the exact schematics for the Snes, along with a hefty amount of electronics knowledge, of course. I doubt any of us could do it, but could it be done?

I think maybe just maybe Kevin Horton could do it. But also it depends if he WANTS to do it.

blackbox_dev · Post by **blackbox_dev** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 7:44 am

Well, does he want too?

jeroen · Post by **jeroen** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 9:03 am

iam7805 wrote:Well, does he want too?

Ask him.

Post by **marshallh** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 10:28 am

AFAIK Kevin Horton couldn't care less about the SNES, he cares about the NES. If you asked I doubt he'd even answer you.

Yes, it is possible. It would require a lot of reverse-engineering of the proprietary PPU chips, although the CPU would be pretty easy to get the code for (It's a distant descendant of the 6502.)
I have the SNES schematics around, but they're pointless without the internal knowledge of the PPUs. However, if you could trace and monitor all I/O calls to it then it would be possible to create your own version of the chip compatible with it.
Unfortunately, I strongly doubt anyone here can even get close to knowing how to do that.

jeroen · Post by **jeroen** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 10:35 am

marshallh wrote:AFAIK Kevin Horton couldn't care less about the SNES, he cares about the NES. If you asked I doubt he'd even answer you.

Yes, it is possible. It would require a lot of reverse-engineering of the proprietary PPU chips, although the CPU would be pretty easy to get the code for (It's a distant descendant of the 6502.)
I have the SNES schematics around, but they're pointless without the internal knowledge of the PPUs. However, if you could trace and monitor all I/O calls to it then it would be possible to create your own version of the chip compatible with it.
Unfortunately, I strongly doubt anyone here can even get close to knowing how to do that.

Maybe just maybe........ Didn't Nintendo copyright all the systems chips and their codes? Maybe You could see if you could get ahold of those. Then you can reverse engineer them from there. If you'r really good maybe even copy them!

Krepticor · Post by **Krepticor** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 10:36 am

Why not try to find a way to fix the GOACs in the book?

Try and make them more compatible...

Or just learn the basics of a 16 bit console

jeroen · Post by **jeroen** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 11:58 am

Goac in wich book?

Post by **Skyone** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 12:06 pm

Krepticor wrote:Why not try to find a way to fix the GOACs in the book?

Try and make them more compatible...

Or just learn the basics of a 16 bit console

To fix the GOACs you'd need to add more address lines, that's not too hard.

limpport · Post by **limpport** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 5:56 pm

Does it explain how to make a system to play things like NES or SNES games? If it does, isn't that illegal?

Post by **Sparkfist** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 8:19 pm

Not if it's just the NES. THe NES's patient ran out last year so now it's open to the public. If someone were to want to make a clone, or any other means to have an NES it would be legal. Sorry but SNES is still under patient.

I also doubt this book it talking about making a machine to play those. It's more like a guide book similar to the Apple 1 replica creation. They tell you how to build the machine and then program it. It's likely just a genaric 8bit video game console. Maybe something like Atari or the Colecovision or the Intelivision.