Screen Modulization idea...maybe?

[NR1224]

This is an idea that i have been throwing around, mostly due to how much of a skinflint I am. Basically, whenever a new portable is made, you need to buy a new screen, the most expensive part . However, if you developed a standardized interface(between the screen and console) you could theoretically have multiple consoles, all without a screen ,and a single screen that could easily and securely connect to all of the consoles, one at a time . You would only need to buy 1 screen, and the eventual plug itself would need 6 prongs(3 composite, grnd, +/-). If anyone has any info on whether this has been previously attempted(yes I know it's similar to bacteria's project), or would like to make any comments /suggestions, I would really appreciate it. And if this is a terrible idea that will never work, please tell me. I don't want to harbor any false hope, lol.

[eurddrue]

So your saying it would be like bateria's project, but only the screen? (yes I read the whole thing, he mentioned bateria's multiconsole, no need for ridicule )

[eagle5953]

If anyone has any info on whether this has been previously attempted(yes I know it's similar to bacteria's project)

I haven't yet attempted it, but I still intend to use USB to do the same thing. I'll keep everyone posted, of course.

[NR1224]

allright, so this isn't completely crazy, and yes, very much like bacteria's project, except that the screen would be the moduale, and it would plug into multiple consoles. Also, do you perhaps have a drawing for your usb idea? that sounds really interesting, and i really want to know how it would work

[eagle5953]

allright, so this isn't completely crazy, and yes, very much like bacteria's project, except that the screen would be the moduale, and it would plug into multiple consoles. Also, do you perhaps have a drawing for your usb idea? that sounds really interesting, and i really want to know how it would work

http://www.forums.benheck.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=28205

I'd also like to plan ahead so that I can use screens of different sizes without issue. For example, I have a portable TV and (just tonight purchased!) a PSone screen. While they are wildly different in shape, I'd like to make either work on anything I make.

[Dark-Aries]

I like how now that this forum has the shrinking down of consoles down pat, now everybody is trying to make everything a standard....


Why hasn't anybody thought of this so long ago!!!


Actually your idea is very cool, and not that hard to do. The screen could use USB (+,ground, Composite or R,G,B) RGB requires an ethernet or DB9 port though, as USB only has 4 pins. If we again use an ethernet port of this "standard", we could even throw in speakers that you can plug in to a small board, and that board has the wire that plugs into the plug you have connected to all the needed ports.

[eagle5953]

Actually your idea is very cool, and not that hard to do. The screen could use USB (+,ground, Composite or R,G,B) RGB requires an ethernet or DB9 port though, as USB only has 4 pins. If we again use an ethernet port of this "standard", we could even throw in speakers that you can plug in to a small board, and that board has the wire that plugs into the plug you have connected to all the needed ports.

Except that mini-usb has 5 pins. It's in the first post of the thread I linked.

power (+)
ground
video (composite)
left audio
right audio

Also, normal USB ports would work, but you'd have to use the shielding for ground.

Besides using extra pins, RGB is a poor choice because some consoles are not capable of it.

[bacteria]

My Multi Platform system was designed precisely to standardise systems by using one screen and one set of controls and batteries to accommodate all the portables (except Colecovision, Intellivision, Jaguar as they all use a keypad too). The console was made into a game cart system which slotted into the main section. This meant it was cheap to make new portables. I don't think you understood the concept of the system, NR1224. How to make the system work, as you ask, is well documented on my website. The concept was solid and I make it work.

The system worked fine and was the size it was to take the larger system boards rather than just the smaller ones. Hence the size. If you are using boards which are large, you obviously have to have a system that can take them. It also wasn't easy to make, especially with interference on the wiring from the first system I made due to a mass of required wiring and using traces for power as well as signals; before making version 2 which worked great.

eurddrue - My system worked, may not be pretty, but then are you in a position you can talk? Bottom line is even now, no-one has made a similar system. I'm not developing the system further (if I were I would make a vacuum formed version as my skills have moved on in that area too) as I am more interested now in slicing and making boards smaller, if possible, which makes the old system redundant - I will probably cannibalize it in due course for the screen and bits anyway. I am also happy hacking boards more and also Li-ion packs, which I wasn't at the time, which explained what I used as casing for powering the system before.

If all you are talking about however is just an ethernet or similar cable to plug an external console into to use the screen; you may as well stay with the standard AV plugs and just add a couple more for other functions; or use a VGA cable (9 pins as I recall) as interface plug.

[blaze3927]

I'd seriously reccomend the magnets idea,
up side:
easy solution to mounting the screen on all the different portables you make
don't have to fiddle with mounting screws etc


down side:
you'd have to standardize the shape of the portables you make (to a certain extent)

[eagle5953]

down side:
you'd have to standardize the shape of the portables you make (to a certain extent)

That's not much of a downside anyway, considering that's what you'd have to do to use differently-sized screens.

I still like the USB idea better, but I'm biased

[eurddrue]

eurddrue - My system worked, may not be pretty, but then are you in a position you can talk? Bottom line is even now, no-one has made a similar system. I'm not developing the system further (if I were I would make a vacuum formed version as my skills have moved on in that area too) as I am more interested now in slicing and making boards smaller, if possible, which makes the old system redundant - I will probably cannibalize it in due course for the screen and bits anyway. I am also happy hacking boards more and also Li-ion packs, which I wasn't at the time, which explained what I used as casing for powering the system before.

errrm, what? I said nothing bad about your system. It was one of the insperations for me to build my own. I didn't want it to look like I hadn't read the whole thing.

[Dark-Aries]

down side:
you'd have to standardize the shape of the portables you make (to a certain extent)

That's not much of a downside anyway, considering that's what you'd have to do to use differently-sized screens.

I still like the USB idea better, but I'm biased

YES, but that extra pin is just an extra ground connected to the same line as the other ground I believe. You'd have to solder onto those tiny pins yourself, instead of just striping the big wire for the smaler wires inbewteen.

[eagle5953]

YES, but that extra pin is just an extra ground connected to the same line as the other ground I believe. You'd have to solder onto those tiny pins yourself, instead of just striping the big wire for the smaler wires inbewteen.

Yep. That's correct.

[palmertech]

Magnets? That is genius! Who came up with that?

I argued about this and was persuaded to the other side, I think it is a decent idea.

[NR1224]

First...I am sorry if I offended you, Bacteria, I meant absolutely nothing bad, and would like to clear that I have gone back, and read your website for clarification

Second, the magnets idea is genius ...I'm really glad that this idea has potential, I thought it wouldn't work...the usb idea sounds awsome

Third...did some research, and I think that I have another idea for a plug
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index ... Id=2103805
Serial would work great cuz of its small profile, but seeing as I know very little about this, please feel free to shoot holes in the idea