"The Box" OR: LaserActive 2006

Auken · Post by **Auken** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 9:34 pm

I have decided that, rather than portablize things, it'd be more interesting to me if I built one big box containing several consoles with a 5-inch screen in the center and a spare TV-OUT.

So far I've decided on the following systems:

NOAC
SNES
3DO
Sega CDX (Unmodified of course, love those rare items)
Turbografx 16/Duo
Atari 2600
ColecoVision
Intellivision
Commodore 64/128
Saturn
Gamecube
Dreamcast
Nintendo 64
Playstation One
Playstation Two
Xbox (BIG but good)

The way it would work it this: The thing would look like a retro-arcade console in the vein of Space War, in a large box. Except for the 3DO and Xbox, everything else has been miniaturized or is small enough to fit decently. And the Xbox can be adaptedc to slimline/laptop drives.

Feasible? Probable? The TV itself is actually a 5-inch CRT but it would fit the retro-styling just fine.

Post by **Triton** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 9:41 pm

thats a pretty tiny screen man, get at least 9" i think. i love the idea of spacewar styling, that think looked cool!

cowsgoquack101 · Post by **cowsgoquack101** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 9:47 pm

Get rid of the PSone, the PS2 doubles as both

Get a tiny 13" CRT if it's CRT anyway.

hcmtnbiker · Post by **hcmtnbiker** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 10:14 pm

cowsgoquack101 wrote:Get rid of the PSone, the PS2 doubles as both

Yea true. the PS2 has the PSone hardware already in it, but why not just go Xbox, GC, PS2, Dreamcast, then emulate everything else?

Auken · Post by **Auken** » Sat Dec 23, 2006 1:51 am

I want to avoid emulation if at all possible here. And besides, PSONE and PSTWO can coexist, since certain games don't work on PSTWO... like Mortal Kombat Trilogy, for example. And I -HAVE- a 13-inch CRT with a built-in VCR... not gonna sue that yet. It's going to have TV-OUT capabilities anyways. This 5-inch CRT I got is an old colour security monitor, and it has like 4 A/V input sets on the back of it. Free > Munny

Meh · Post by **Meh** » Sat Dec 23, 2006 8:28 am

Why are you using a CRT. You can get a LCD cheap.

Reaperman@home · Post by **Reaperman@home** » Sat Dec 23, 2006 9:42 am

Meh wrote:Why are you using a CRT. You can get a LCD cheap.

because it looks more space-warry.

besides commodore 64 is in the list, and it's going to want to see a crt a bit more. I'm not sure about coleco, I wonder if it cheats a high resolution mode too.

Meh · Post by **Meh** » Sat Dec 23, 2006 9:44 am

We'll i'd just emulate stuff like those on the Xbox.

Reaperman@home · Post by **Reaperman@home** » Sat Dec 23, 2006 9:49 am

Meh wrote:We'll i'd just emulate stuff like those on the Xbox.

that's hardly a solution, the emulation is never quite the color you remembered it being. I recall pink/green.

unless you don't remember the colors for whatever reason, then emulate away. most games didn't use the hardware that way anyhow. Commodores weren't nearly as bad as the ataris were for that either.

blackbox_dev · Post by **blackbox_dev** » Sat Dec 23, 2006 10:51 am

I should warn you that using a CRT could kill you... There are capacitors inside there with enough voltage to melt the blade of a screwdriver.

Proceed at your own risk.

Auken · Post by **Auken** » Sat Dec 23, 2006 4:26 pm

Oh god I forgot to clarify. The CRT stays intact and just clamps onto the top of "The Box" as needed. I have too many reasons to go on living!

The goal is to have most of the systems in small 7x7 or smaller "Modules" that rest in the case. This will not work for the 3DO or Xbox, but those are front-loaders anyways.

I want to make the whole thing around the size of an ATX PC tower.

Unidentified Assilant · Sun Dec 24, 2006 4:37 am

Auken wrote:certain games don't work on PSTWO... like Mortal Kombat Trilogy,

Yes it does, lol.

Anyway I like the sound of this, but with all those consoles, you may as well us a bigger TV.