Re: [stella] Miniaturization

Subject: Re: [stella] Miniaturization
From: Mark De Smet <de-smet@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sun, 16 Apr 2000 22:10:20 -0500 (CDT)
> >If there wasn't, what would it take to make one,
> >assuming I found a housing for it?  How much would it
> >cost?
> 
> Hobbywise, it's probably too expensive, and the end result too builky.  But 
> the electronics in the 2600 could definitely be reduced down into a very 
> small, very inexpensive, low-power consumption VLSI chip.

I had discussed this with John Harvey before because I was seriously
considering it.  Here are some of my thoughts on the subject.

Sales wouldn't be very large, so one couldn't do an ASIC, or otherwise
lower cost through volume.

This would require implementation in an FPGA in order to meet power and
size requirements(otherwise could use some of the original chips). 
Assuming that we are talking about ~1000 units, I estimated that you could
get such a part for $70 (maybe less, depends on how big a part you end up
needing). (I'm talking about implementing the 6507, TIA, PIA etc. in the
FPGA)

Probably the most cost effective way to get a color screen and housing is
to a buy color game boy, and implement it in there.  ~$60   Other options
could be found, but I doubt for much cheaper. 

Adding in other parts, manufacture, and the PCB, I would be surprised if
you could come up w/ a gameboy sized unit for less than $170.  Even still,
I think there could be a limited market.  I would probably pay for it.

So the hardware is doable, and not outragiously expensive.  BUT, the big
catch... 

Design time. Forget about paying for it, there is no way it's cost could
be made up, so this would have to be done as a hobby (hey, that's what
we're all here for, right ;)  The hold back is the amount of time.  Just
the design of the system that goes into the FPGA (not including the
hardware design), would probably take in excess of 600 hours of design.
Doing that after work would be quit a long time...

The other possibility is to use an actual 6507 and TIA, therefore reducing
time a heck of a lot.  The only real design work would be the TIA/LCD
conversion.  But doing this would require the system to be based on a 5V
power supply, and totally kill any sort of battery life.

So that's where we left it, a nice dream...

I think the only way it's going to happen is as an emulator on some sort
of PDA.  (adding on some joystick etc. hardware)


Mark


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