Uzebox Console, Build It Yourself For <$30

[nubie]

Looking for a game system you can hand solder out of 2 electronic chips and a handful of resistors and capacitors? How about a tiny DIP-40 package all ready to solder to a TV out line and a power supply for $30? All surface mount and even including a micro SD slot for storing games or programs?

Check out the uzebox:

Videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHKiBjiAg8o

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNG3ZHLoOzA


Main site (already horribly out of date):

http://belogic.com/uzebox/


These are the forums, check on uzebox Stamp thread for pics of the PCB for the tiny pre-built version in development:

http://uzebox.org/forums/

Those familiar with LadyAda's exploits will find this high praise indeed (google SpokePOV if you don't know about it already )
http://www.ladyada.net/rant/2008/08/uzebox-rox/


I am in no way affiliated, except to say I am very interested in this platform, it is far too expensive and confusing to get started in programming video games, and even harder to reach a wide audience.

This will program in C, uses a bog standard $5 Atmel chip, outputs NTSC (sorry PAL guys, maybe future support will come, your timing is too fast for the already overclocked ATmel chip.)

There are tons of free compilers and code for atmel chips, this is an awesome investment.

If you have an RGB taking NTSC TV already then you can ditch the only Surface mount chip and cut the price down to $18 or less, even including purchasing everything from Digikey or Mouser with shipping.

Those who like Benheck (Bacteria, palmertech, I am looking at you ), can even add an open source, open hardware to an RGB handheld system, WITH SD support for around $18. (the SD will use block mode to read, so there will be an app that puts data on in block mode for writing the data.)

I am psyched, this is a really cool thing to do with a soldering iron, especially for kids who would give arm+leg to build their own game system and develop their own games for it.

 

[fade]

Looks like an cool little home project. Pity about not being able to use with PAL : \

 

[anexanhume]

Nice, kinda reminds me of the xgamestation.com stuff, but a lot more cheaper and a lot more DIY.

 

[nubie]

Nice, kinda reminds me of the xgamestation.com stuff, but a lot more cheaper and a lot more DIY.

Yeah, I am intrigued by the possibility of running it on an RGB LCD (like the PSOne screen) with only a single atmel chip, 11 resistors and 4 capacitors .

Uze messaged this to me on his forum B) , I don't think he will mind me posting the response here.

Salient points:

"Horribly" out of date main site, this is what is new/changed on the uzebox forums:

1. SMD DIP-40 version (Uzebox on a stick)
2. SD card
3. SNES pads
4. DAC resistor network changed (reduced parts list, pure grayscale.)
5. possible PSX pad support
6. new sprite engine
7. Possible Atmega 1284 or xmega upgrade, more memory onboard, faster clocks.

I love the Uzebox, it is cheaper and neater than the other DIY consoles, this should make it cheap in bulk and easy to build into a handheld/controller/arcade cabinet

QUOTE

out of date?!? :shock: That ain't fair buddy! What is so bad right now? Do you think I should reflect on a daily basis what is going on? A dynamic sort of main page?

LOL, I didn't expect you to read it , I just meant that the BOM and Schematic(DAC resistors) have changed, you have a new sprite engine, it is now a "stamp" style, SD card onboard, SNES connectors, and possible PSX pad support. So I guess I meant a lot has changed, I can update that GP2X thread with specifics . I know once there is hardware and some more software you will do a big writeup or add to the site.

QUOTE
Btw, I really appreciate guys who speaks up what they think. Keep it up.

Uze
NP, I need the excitement of a good DIY platform, and this might finally be the push I need to learn C.

QUOTE
ps: That bit confuses me though:
QUOTE
...it is far too expensive and confusing to get started in programming video games, and even harder to reach a wide audience.

So...you like it or not?!?
I meant that the other DIY video game platforms are too expensive for the amount of processing power you get (could buy a gamecube/dreamcast/Xbox for the same price), and the commercial platforms(IE mainstream consoles) are confusing to dev for, not the least because they are complicated and closed. The low cost and high functionality will help get a large install base, which is an important impetus to dev'ing.

The bonus is that now that Havok has "stamp'ed" your design you also have the smallest open gaming system as well as the cheapest (I also think he is going to put it inside an NES controller [with a li-ion battery], that will be awesome.)

 

[nubie]

Havok just got the first micro model made, he plans to sell a few pre-release for about $30, then work up a production run for a cost-effective price that will pay for the dev.

http://www.uzebox.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=52

It looks awesome. He also said he can sell the PCB only for about $7.50 if you are into SMD soldering.

 

[palmertech]

Nubie, fantastic find.

So... I have not had time to fully review all the info for this thing, but, at its core... It will let me throw in an open source, low powered game console into any of my other projects for under $20?!?

This is very interesting if so... When I was trying to come up for a use for my screen-less GP2X, I considered building it into my WIP portable N64, but since I plan to sell it.... I want to keep my gp2x. Expect pics of my new gp2x project....In say... Hmmm... 5 hours.

 

[nubie]

Nubie, fantastic find.

So... I have not had time to fully review all the info for this thing, but, at its core... It will let me throw in an open source, low powered game console into any of my other projects for under $20?!?

This is very interesting if so... When I was trying to come up for a use for my screen-less GP2X, I considered building it into my WIP portable N64, but since I plan to sell it.... I want to keep my gp2x. Expect pics of my new gp2x project....In say... Hmmm... 5 hours.

Yep, check this thread for the new Digital to Analog resistor setup:

http://uzebox.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=19

Basically it is just an Atmega644-20PU and a few resistors if you want RGB (plus a couple caps if you need them to keep it running smoothly), and it can all be on a DIP-40 "dead-bug" style. You can use a nintendo controller or an 8-bit shift register as input.

Havok quotes the power draw, it is pretty good: QUOTE
3.3V would make a big difference for battery operation. (ie, I see about ~90mA @ 5V running tetris and driving composite video out. At 3.3v it's less than half that.)


Note that this is with the RGB -> NTSC chip, which you wouldn't even need to buy, let alone provide power for . Since it is a single DIP-40 and some resistors it could fit in just about any screen very simply.

I have already floated the idea of a GB Micro style device built into an original NES controller, I wonder if you could get it to fit with a 1.5"-2.6" screen within the original footprint? Even if you had to add a spacer between the front and back halves it would still be freaking awesome .

For the DIY version you could add an SD slot for games, I still don't know how that will work, but so far I think the plan is to have a simple loader that block reads from the SD and flashes it to the Atmega.

 

[palmertech]

I have toyed with the idea of building a gb micro into an NES controller... The main problem is not the thickness. Most handhelds have the dpads and buttons VERY close to the edges to allow room for a screen. The NES controller does not. With a GB micro sized screen, the edge of the dpad and the buttons would be RIGHT up against the screen. Whenever you would move your thumb to the right on the dpad, or to the left on the buttons, it would cover up the edge of the screen.

With a 1.9"lcd, I believe I could squeeze about 20 hours of battery life from it.... Now that would be awesome!

 

[chad78]

Please correct me if I am wrong. This is not a NOAC, or a clone of any other game console - it is it's own thing. So it won't play games for NES, or other systems - you have to write your own games for it after you build it? Am I understanding that right?

I am not attacking, really I am not, I am just trying to grasp the concept... What, exactly, is DIY about it if they send you a kit with all the parts and tell you how to put it together? I mean, yeah, you are assembling the parts, but by that logic I have DIY'd my own book shelves, fans, entertainment centers, and bicycles because I've put them together myself from a kit.

I guess a less anger-producing way to ask that is - what options do you have? What can you add, what can you take away, where does the creativity come into play? Just the case? Add a screen and a battery and you've got a portable - add a box and a power supply and you've got a console? I'm sure I'm missing something.

 

[Chip]

What, exactly, is DIY about it if they send you a kit with all the parts and tell you how to put it together? I mean, yeah, you are assembling the parts, but by that logic I have DIY'd my own book shelves, fans, entertainment centers, and bicycles because I've put them together myself from a kit.

They're not selling kits, just giving out a free schematic and parts list. You really do have to build it yourself. Then you have to write software yourself. It's about as DIY as you can get.

 

[nubie]

I have toyed with the idea of building a gb micro into an NES controller... The main problem is not the thickness. Most handhelds have the dpads and buttons VERY close to the edges to allow room for a screen. The NES controller does not. With a GB micro sized screen, the edge of the dpad and the buttons would be RIGHT up against the screen. Whenever you would move your thumb to the right on the dpad, or to the left on the buttons, it would cover up the edge of the screen.

With a 1.9"lcd, I believe I could squeeze about 20 hours of battery life from it.... Now that would be awesome!

You could cut out the d-pad and buttons and move them to the edges . I hope this will give me the push I need to learn C code.

The SD software is going into the Kernel, Uze has an SD daughterboard on the dev model. http://uzebox.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=57

Havok has the first run of 80 proto boards for SMD, I think he will sell one for about $7.50. He also has a support board up with S-Video on his DLP HD projector!! http://uzebox.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=56 (he made the support board with room for RGB output, he might hook up RGB to it later)http://uzebox.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=55


To Chad78, it is just 12 resistors and an Atmega644 for RGB (cost under $10 in bulk), all he provides is schematics and a system you can program in C code to make games the old-school way, like nintendo.

Havok is making a tiny stick version that will host a micro(or mini, I don't know the difference) SD card and have all the parts on it that are needed for the core. He calls it AVCore, and it is for people who want to program and not solder. Or people who want a device using SMD components (surface mounted small form factor microchips) to stick in IE an Nintendo controller.