famiclones with mouse and keyboard

famiclones with mouse and keyboard
by frantik on 2009-04-02 (#45055)

Apparently there are famiclones being sold as "TV Computers" which include keyboard and mouses.. would be interesting to develop some software for them

http://www.makershed.com/ProductDetails ... Click=1920

by tepples on 2009-04-02 (#45064)

Before I drop $70 on the famiclone and the converter, I'd like to know 1. whether a PowerPak works through the converter (or alternatively what I can use the TV Computer for should the PowerPak not work), and 2. whether the keyboard uses the Famicom keyboard protocol or is otherwise emulated.

But the "1 MHz 6502" in the description worries me. The NTSC NES CPU is 1.8 MHz. Is it just more confusion on the seller's part with the C64 and Apple II, other platforms that did use the slower CPU speed?

by Banshaku on 2009-04-02 (#45066)

tepples wrote:
Before I drop $70 on the famiclone and the converter, I'd like to know 1. whether a PowerPak works through the converter (or alternatively what I can use the TV Computer for should the PowerPak not work), and 2. whether the keyboard uses the Famicom keyboard protocol or is otherwise emulated.

I think it already say "clone" so that should answer your question. I would avoid it. And their adapter is expensive. I found a site that sell the cart adapter for 5$ only. You can get a famicom for less than that (if you have the right connection). Maybe the original famicom keyboard could be expensive thought.

by frantik on 2009-04-02 (#45068)

check out http://playpower.org/ there are apparently more than one of these type of famiclones .. .

i wouldn't buy the system sold at makershed if one can get ahold of a system in asia for like $10

I assume that the power pak would work since it supports NES games with a NES-FC pin converter. the playpower group is actually looking into building a C compiler and other stuff too.. kinda cool

by Memblers on 2009-04-02 (#45073)

It is interesting, I would go for a Famiclone like that, but $50 is way, way overpriced.

I know those Famicom converters in quantity are only like $1, because a while back I was looking into ordering a bunch of them to include with my carts. And it's $17 on there? That's rape!

by frantik on 2009-04-02 (#45075)

yeah MAKE magazine (who runs makershed) caters to rich silicon valley yuppies who have tons of money to spend on hobby projects. it was just the first site i found selling that style famiclone

by frantik on 2009-04-02 (#45095)

here's one for sale in india for $20

http://www.us2guntur.com/us2guntur/serv ... id=p012116

and here's a comprehensive blog post (just posted yesterday!) by someone who's got one

http://bitfetish.blogspot.com/2009/04/h ... puter.html

it's actually kind of cool.. playpower is a group wanting to make affordable educational software for children in developing nations. that's a lot more more motivating than a coding competition imo

pics: http://picasaweb.google.com/dereklomas/TVComputer#

by frantik on 2009-04-02 (#45111)

Quote:
2. whether the keyboard uses the Famicom keyboard protocol or is otherwise emulated.

reading a document on playpower, it sounds like it

Quote:
Dozens of manufacturers have cloned this FamilyBASIC
Famicom and embedded all of the processors inside the
keyboard, which connects directly to game controllers and
a TV

by frantik on 2009-04-06 (#45276)

so i guess one advantage of the unit available from makershed is that it's wired for NTSC (and i'm assuming it comes with a US power adapter as well)

sucks that to really be able to use it you need a power pak or dev cart as well.. so $200 investment to dev on the $10 computer :\