Composite TV out adapter

[Myndale]

A sneak preview of something I made this week:



( *Disclaimer: I am not really this crap at ufo race...I was concentrating on the video angle! )

I still have a few minor issues to sort out before I release it publicly but as far as proof-of-concept goes it's working well. Doesn't require any hardware modifications and also doesn't require any special libraries or anything...so long as a title has been built with the standard Gamebuino library it should run fine. Hardware is the usual i.e. an Arduino Uno with 2 resistors, although the Arduino can be replaced with a ATMega328p and a ceramic resonator which would make an SMD module very small.

Check back here for updates, I'm hoping to have the last few issues resolved next week.

[CHEEZE]

Amazing! did you use a second 328p or the one built into the gamebuino? also did you have to use I2C?

[Drakker]

Wow Myndale, you keep amazing us with your awesome projects. Is there anything you CAN'T do? :)

[Myndale]

did you use a second 328p or the one built into the gamebuino?

I'm using a second chip, it's the only way to make it work with all Gamebuino titles without having to rebuild them all with a custom library. The Gamebuino itself could be used to generate a TV signal but you wouldn't have many clock cycles left over for your game.

also did you have to use I2C?

Nope, just the GND, SCK and MOSI pins on the ICSP programming port. A standalone module would also need to tap the VCC pin for power.

[CHEEZE]

Absolutely amazing. maybe you can add a schematic for how it is wired and the library or software you used? i'm sure almost anyone that has a gamebuino or a clone also has an uno or extra atmega328p to use. i hope to see more on this because t.v. output would be awesome.
p.s. im not rushing you im just super excited for this.
thank you for your hard work and time.

sorry i was too excited that you didnt use I2C and just posted this. i cant wait great work brother.

[erico]

UAU! I have no words! It is soooo 2600!
I now wonder if 2 gamebuinos could work on a single screen, or if one could add a bluetooth module to pair controllers into the same game?

Myndale, you open a door to many doors. Outstanding feat!

[Myndale]

Since the adapter doesn't use the i2C pins a bluetooth module should work fine, as would the multiplayer cable.

One of the things I've been toying with is multi-screen. The adapter works by detecting a 517-byte packet of commands+data that the Gamebuino library sends to the LCD once per frame. Anything larger or smaller is ignored, that way you don't get garbage on the screen when the SD card is being accessed. If you disable the LCD chip select line and render a frame normally then the display will ignore it but the adapter will still see a valid 517-byte packet and accept it. If you then re-enable the LCD chip select and draw another frame, but this time send a dummy command immediately afterwards, then LCD will draw it but the adapter will discard it. This opens up a number of new possibilities like adding "tv mode" support where the controller is used to draw a mini-map on the Gamebuino etc, to multi-player games where in addition to the main screen the players also have their own private displays.

[rodot]

Wow, astounding

[Sushi]

Could you potentially wire this up to a higher res amoled? I know for a fact your TV isn't 84x48(or is it? )

[quosa]

This is a greate idea! very userfriendly .. only a ISP Connection; great work