Project Ninja

[Squidge]

"Normal" AA batteries can give a much better status than the rechargable NiMH ones as you can see the voltage dip over time, whereas the NiMH ones seem to be pretty much constant until there are almost flat.

 

[Fishbong]

Thing is, most people use NiMH a lot.
Oh well, you can´t have everything...

 

[Fishbong]

we allready have the (touch) controller build in the chip, we only need the foil, wich shouldnt be much, i gues samsung sells the same screens also with touch for just a bit more, mr.mirko, you should definality ask for it when you ask for prices.
also i keep searching for a faster fpu thats cheap.

​

The s3c2440 chip offers 400Mhz at 1.2V, and can be overclocked up to 533Mhz at 1.3V, this mutch power really need no dsp. I will add a smd switch to switch between 1.2V and 1.3V core Voltage.

A touchscreen would only be usefull if you want to run some kind of PDA stuff on it. ( Like windows CE, Pocket PC) But for this, we need a mutch larger Flash memory (about 64MB) Iam now using a 512Kbyte flash chip.
So 64MB flash chip + touch pad = $30 more money....
I want to keep the design under 100Euro, the machine will only get mentioned if it is cheap.
And it is designed for Homebrew, and emulating, not for PDA style work....

​

Noone wants Winows CE on that Handheld.
And i sure don´t need a second PDA.

We want Touchscreen for Games and emulation-
There are lots of purposes we could use Touchscreen in emulation! Mouse input for Amiga, virtual Keyboard for old Homecoumputers like C=64, lightgun emulation, ScummVM etc.

Homebrew Games: RTS, Touchscreen minigames (like Warioware Touched), shooters, puzzles and so on.

Also it makes it much easier to navigate through menus!

 

[lubidog]

Really, if this is gonna be built, we should have a flexible budget! 30 euros more for what we will get is nothing. Some of the games on my ipaq that need a touch screen are fantastic, and would be very much worth the extra money (bubblets-best puzzler ever!!!).

I think a budget of 150 euros would be more sensible...

edit. BTW, being thick, would the usb be able to read from memory sticks? I'm thinking for video playback- a 1gig stick would be great!!!

 

[Titcher]

I think the budget should be as high as they want, I'd be willing to pay ridiculous prices for it.

 

[lubidog]

I think the budget should be as high as they want, I'd be willing to pay ridiculous prices for it.

​

Me too. I fear that Mr Mirko will make compromises that would be SUCH a shame, as the oppurtunity to own such a machine won't come up very often.... :blink:

 

[DaveC]

i agree, forget about the HDD, forget about the WIFI (a addon can still be plug on the ext connector), forget about a 640*480 screen and a 16:9 screen, but a touch screen would be very nice

Please, Please make it better looking than the gp32, more like the proffesional zodiac

​

I think the GP32 is well made, of course the zodia has a nice design, but the design is very expensive i think.
If the "ninja" looks like the GP32, i think it is a good point.

​

Be careful here. Sure the Z LOOKS nice but it is too thin. I had one and it just isn't as comfortable to play on as the GP32. Don't copy this design. Lets not get too carried away with looks to the point where you sacrifice ergonomics and comfort. This will be a GAME MACHINE not art. If you wan't looks buy a sculpture or painting and hang it on the wall.

The GP32 really isn't as ugly as you think. The problem is the color. The white and grey scheme is quite homely. I have seen black GP32s and they look quite nice. Color makes a big difference.

 

[DaveC]

I think Mirko's idea is that you place a set of rechargable batteries in the thing and you never need to remove them, as you can charge them whilst they are in the Niinja, so the battery never gets reset, and you don't need the cap.

However, as we have seen, there are some nutters that remove the batteries after every gaming session

For the people that do like to change batteries when they are flat however, I think a cap would be an inexpensive, useful feature to have.

As for the touchscreen, well I wouldn't of thought it would be useful. However, after seeing the emulators on the Zodiac, I do find that it's incredibly useful - look at the configuration screens of the LJZ multi-emulator for example.

​

There is also the advantage of removeable batteries as you can have a few sets charged if you know you won't be near a charger for awhile. You can then just swapout as they are used up. If it is non removeable once you use up the charge you are done until you get back to the charger. Bad idea.


You can navigate through config screens just fine with a stick. How often are you going to change configs?

I am kind of neutral to the touch screen idea. I really don't want it that much. If it could be added WITHOUT sacrificing screen size or other functionality then fine. If the screen would be smaller with TS than forget it.

 

[Fishbong]

But... the GP32´s screen border is really ugly.
You´re right, The Zod is gorgeous but a bit too slim. They should have made the it 0.5cm thicker, then it would have been much better and still gorgeous... But that´s offtopic.

An aluminum case for the Ninja would be just too cool (and too expensive -_- )...

 

[DaveC]

But... the GP32´s screen border is really ugly.
..

​

And real functional. It makes it very easy to replace the screen cover with glass ones or new plastic etc.

This is another feature that this new system should have, an easy way to replace the screen cover with glass without the need to take the whole thing apart.

 

[onionfrog]

There should be someway to easily insert a screen protector over the screen cover and have it lock into place... So i could keep the actualy screen cover completely safe... h34r:

What do you think could be achieved emulation wise if the ninja ever comes to fruitation?

 

[Squidge]

And real functional. It makes it very easy to replace the screen cover with glass ones or new plastic etc.

​

I reckon, considering the target audience, that we go with glass to start with, and I think anyone serious enough into emulation to buy a Ninja wouldn't mind paying extra for it either.

 

[greven]

And real functional. It makes it very easy to replace the screen cover with glass ones or new plastic etc.

​

I reckon, considering the target audience, that we go with glass to start with, and I think anyone serious enough into emulation to buy a Ninja wouldn't mind paying extra for it either.

​

and it makes the screen hard to scrach

 

[Fishbong]

But...  the GP32´s screen border is really ugly.
..

​

And real functional. It makes it very easy to replace the screen cover with glass ones or new plastic etc.

​

FUNCTIONAL !?
You can´t clean it properly, dirt collects in the corners, sometimes the high border throws a shadow onn the screen (well, no real problem with a BLU, but still...)

Besides, why is something considered functional if it´s only useful to fix a problem (annoying plastic screen) that shouldn´t have been there anyway?

Oh, but actually i believe that you will find a reason why dirt in the corners is functional, DaveC...

 

[reaper79]

I think the budget should be as high as they want, I'd be willing to pay ridiculous prices for it.

​

Then I say we overcharge you enough to bring down the prices for the rest of us.

Seriously, I think some people here think they are offering suggestions to Sony or Nintendo on what they want in their nexgen console. You don't want this thing to be too complicated, keep it as simple as possible. This whole idea got started because somebody was pondering upgrading the GP32 and changing the processor. This project is really about how to build a better mousetrap (ie GP32), no how to build a completely different device. If JohnQ public is expected to fork over the money for a system less known then the GP32 with less support than the GP32, while DS and PSP are out on the market, it had better damn well be as inexpensive as possible. Pinch pennies, don't add dollars (or euros). If this project goes over 150 euros, that is roughly.. what... $200usd? Count me out. Keep it under $150 usd AND support comes, then I'm in.

Cheers!

P.S. If you get enough dirt in the corners and around the edge, it helps reduce edge glare and improves contrast.... :wacko:

 

[Nova]

yeah, i dont want any dust on the screen shit.

 

[DaveC]

But...  the GP32´s screen border is really ugly.
..

​

And real functional. It makes it very easy to replace the screen cover with glass ones or new plastic etc.

​

FUNCTIONAL !?
You can´t clean it properly, dirt collects in the corners, sometimes the high border throws a shadow onn the screen (well, no real problem with a BLU, but still...)

Besides, why is something considered functional if it´s only useful to fix a problem (annoying plastic screen) that shouldn´t have been there anyway?

Oh, but actually i believe that you will find a reason why dirt in the corners is functional, DaveC...

​

I never had a problem cleaning the dust out of the corners, but I have a glass screen maybe that is why.

 

[Blah]

But... the GP32´s screen border is really ugly.
You´re right, The Zod is gorgeous but a bit too slim. They should have made the it 0.5cm thicker, then it would have been much better and still gorgeous... But that´s offtopic.

An aluminum case for the Ninja would be just too cool (and too expensive -_- )...

​

The screen border serves to make it harder to scratch the screen on accident.

A aluminum case could be an addon...

 

[White Demon]

According to the website, there will be no touchscreen, and no battery/capacitor for the RTC. The RTC will be battery backed, but by the main batteries. It will be able to charge standard rechargeable batteries. And there will be a headphone jack.

​

Well that means it must come with some sort of connection to plug it into a power socket when not using it. How else will the batteries recharge themselves? It can't be done any other way. And I hope you could therefore use it with the power adaptor when playing at home.

I think Mirko's idea is that you place a set of rechargable batteries in the thing and you never need to remove them, as you can charge them whilst they are in the Niinja, so the battery never gets reset, and you don't need the cap.

​

But what if you're out and about without any access to power socket to recharge the batteries? That means that when you change batteries for a spare set that the RTC will reset itself, meaning a cap will still be needed so the clock wouldn't reset.

Good god, now I've gone in to bat for something I don't even care about.

However, as we have seen, there are some nutters that remove the batteries after every gaming session

​

I know you put a smiley ther, defusing the situation, but bugger it, I'm gonna have my say anyway. I remove batteries so that there is no chance of the power being drained. I do the same thing with my Xbox - I cleary don't want that thing eating at power 24 hours every day just so the bloody thing knows what the time is. It's just pointless. and no, I don't have Xbox live either.

The same will happen with the Ninja, when I'm not using it and the batteries are fully recharged, I'll be removed them so they don't drain away just to keep some pointless clock set. If a program needs to know the time for some special functionality, OK I'll have to set it each time I run that program, but other than that I just don't care and therefore don't want power wasted needlessly.

 

[trooper]

I suppose you switch your fridge off at night, So as to not waste power Keeping your milk fresh and buy a new pint everyday.

Trooper