6 ms·

How did you get it to run on a Gameboy?

172 points by jordigh 8y ago

nickloewen 8y ago
Wonderful. Nintendo also planned a knitting machine peripheral for the NES, but unfortunately it never released: http://ca.ign.com/articles/2012/08/31/nintendo-almost-made-a-knitting-add-on-for-nes http://ca.ign.com/articles/2012/08/31/nintendo-almost-made-a...
travbrack 8y ago
Relevant video: https://youtu.be/ykRmzS-FYSQ https://youtu.be/ykRmzS-FYSQ
- kalleboo 8y ago
  This video was a lot more informative (and corrects some of the misinformation in the linked tumblr which states that Singer had the idea to develop it)
  - ufo 8y ago
    Her investigation was very thorough. I was impressed.
tomerv 8y ago
Using a Gameboy as a computer for an appliance sounds like a quirky solution, but I can see a lot of similarity with products sold today. For example, many new effect pedals for guitar have an accompanying Android/iPhone app, which connects via Bluetooth and controls the settings of the effect. The problem it's solving is a bit different: the pedal has room for a small computer in it, but not for a screen. Effectively, it's using the smartphone as a screen to save on cost and space.
- joshumax 8y ago
  Gameboys have been used for years in many specialty industrial products due to their inexpensive price point as well as their programmability and peripheral interfaces. One was even found to be used in a medical device [1]. 1: https://hackaday.com/2017/09/24/game-boy-advance-hiding-in-a-medical-device/ https://hackaday.com/2017/09/24/game-boy-advance-hiding-in-a...
  - pard68 8y ago
    Not to mention that programming on the GB/C is a joy. It is just C and if you are not using sprites there is not really any need for Assembly even.
    - mhink 8y ago
      Hell, programming in Z80 assembly is really nice on the DMG/CGB. Although I suppose that’s more due to the fact that RGBDS is a really nice assembler.
- joezydeco 8y ago
  IMO that's more like using the phone or tablet as a better user interface to an embedded product. Which is totally a good thing as far as I can see, especially if it can add more features to the pedal without the developer having to spend precious BOM on the the screen and input keys. I would think a better analogy is the Raspberry Pi being put into all kinds of products. Nobody is respinning or modifying the RPis - they're being used as a COTS CPU for a larger project.
- londons_explore 8y ago
  The downsides are you have to build both an android and iPhone app. Those cross-platform app tools aren't quite there yet. Bluetooth is also lacking rather as a protocol for controlling embedded hardware. Generally, the hardware can't get internet connectivity through the phone unless it's 'app' is open. Bluetooth is also limited to only a few kilobytes per second, which for many use cases is insufficient (eg. streaming video). Some embedded hardware tries to set up a wifi hotspot for the phone to connect to to get round the bandwidth limits, but most phones can't connect to more than one wifi hotspot at once which is a huge disadvantage. Overall, I'm disappointed with Google/Apple and standards bodies for not making a standardized solution to 'embedded device wants to use a phone as a UI'.
kevin_thibedeau 8y ago
> it’s actually the first commercially made computerized machine available for the domestic market. Not by a long shot. There were plenty of home machines in the 90s that did programmable decorative stitching as well as full embroidery.
Asooka 8y ago
Does anyone know what the heck is going on with Tumblr's GDPR implementation? I get the "please accept being tracked or click here to change your settings" page. Then I opt-out of tracking (which is already against the GDPR, as you have to opt-in but whatever), save my options and get the same "accept being tracked" page with all my settings reset! I'm using stock chrome on stock android.
- Rjevski 8y ago
  Same here on stock Safari on Mac. I can't read the article as a result.
- red_admiral 8y ago
  Same here (chromium/win10).
- adtac 8y ago
  I can only assume that they don't even save your choice as a cookie. I think this should be a necessary cookie that's saved regardless of the choice.
- vertex-four 8y ago
  Tumblr’s parent (Oath, owned by Verizon) are basically using their power to attack the GDPR by putting up what is an unnecessary roadblock to people refusing to consent to their unnecessary tracking, in addition to dark patterns in actually disabling tracking.
  - Bahamut 8y ago
    That sounds like a quick way to get hit by a big fine from the EU - I’d probably attribute this to inconpetance rather than malice.
    - vertex-four 8y ago
      There's a lot of companies that are currently attempting to skirt the GDPR, and are more likely than not failing to meet its requirements. There is very little technical guidance from the regulators right now on what they require from a consent dialog (what UI patterns are allowable, what are not, etc), and businesses like Oath that make their living off collecting and processing user data without consent are not going to change their business model without a fight - which will be dragged through the courts over the next few years because of the power involved on both sides.
bachbach 8y ago
Oh right, we're allowing pro-pedophila references to fly now is it? Jesus Christ HN
- phjesusthatguy3 8y ago
  https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lolita_fashion https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lolita_fashion
sehugg 8y ago
The Gameboy has a (mostly) Z80-compatible CPU, used in all sorts of embedded applications: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zilog_Z80#Embedded_systems_and_consumer_electronics https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zilog_Z80#Embedded_systems_and...
- agumonkey 8y ago
  some peeps on IRC say the atmega328 is a z80 successor, and with esp8266/32 you can get high performance too (;)
mplewis 8y ago
Aprilia, the motorcycle company, did this too! They built a programmer cartridge for the RS50 scooter that allowed mechanics to derestrict the scooter's performance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXK8NHum4Zw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXK8NHum4Zw

172 points by jordigh 8y ago

Wonderful. Nintendo also planned a knitting machine peripheral for the NES, but unfortunately it never released: http://ca.ign.com/articles/2012/08/31/nintendo-almost-made-a-knitting-add-on-for-nes http://ca.ign.com/articles/2012/08/31/nintendo-almost-made-a...

travbrack 8y ago

Relevant video: https://youtu.be/ykRmzS-FYSQ https://youtu.be/ykRmzS-FYSQ

kalleboo 8y ago
This video was a lot more informative (and corrects some of the misinformation in the linked tumblr which states that Singer had the idea to develop it)
- ufo 8y ago
  Her investigation was very thorough. I was impressed.

tomerv 8y ago

Using a Gameboy as a computer for an appliance sounds like a quirky solution, but I can see a lot of similarity with products sold today. For example, many new effect pedals for guitar have an accompanying Android/iPhone app, which connects via Bluetooth and controls the settings of the effect. The problem it's solving is a bit different: the pedal has room for a small computer in it, but not for a screen. Effectively, it's using the smartphone as a screen to save on cost and space.

joshumax 8y ago
Gameboys have been used for years in many specialty industrial products due to their inexpensive price point as well as their programmability and peripheral interfaces. One was even found to be used in a medical device [1]. 1: https://hackaday.com/2017/09/24/game-boy-advance-hiding-in-a-medical-device/ https://hackaday.com/2017/09/24/game-boy-advance-hiding-in-a...
- pard68 8y ago
  Not to mention that programming on the GB/C is a joy. It is just C and if you are not using sprites there is not really any need for Assembly even.
  - mhink 8y ago
    Hell, programming in Z80 assembly is really nice on the DMG/CGB. Although I suppose that’s more due to the fact that RGBDS is a really nice assembler.
joezydeco 8y ago
IMO that's more like using the phone or tablet as a better user interface to an embedded product. Which is totally a good thing as far as I can see, especially if it can add more features to the pedal without the developer having to spend precious BOM on the the screen and input keys. I would think a better analogy is the Raspberry Pi being put into all kinds of products. Nobody is respinning or modifying the RPis - they're being used as a COTS CPU for a larger project.
londons_explore 8y ago
The downsides are you have to build both an android and iPhone app. Those cross-platform app tools aren't quite there yet. Bluetooth is also lacking rather as a protocol for controlling embedded hardware. Generally, the hardware can't get internet connectivity through the phone unless it's 'app' is open. Bluetooth is also limited to only a few kilobytes per second, which for many use cases is insufficient (eg. streaming video). Some embedded hardware tries to set up a wifi hotspot for the phone to connect to to get round the bandwidth limits, but most phones can't connect to more than one wifi hotspot at once which is a huge disadvantage. Overall, I'm disappointed with Google/Apple and standards bodies for not making a standardized solution to 'embedded device wants to use a phone as a UI'.

kevin_thibedeau 8y ago

> it’s actually the first commercially made computerized machine available for the domestic market. Not by a long shot. There were plenty of home machines in the 90s that did programmable decorative stitching as well as full embroidery.

Asooka 8y ago

Does anyone know what the heck is going on with Tumblr's GDPR implementation? I get the "please accept being tracked or click here to change your settings" page. Then I opt-out of tracking (which is already against the GDPR, as you have to opt-in but whatever), save my options and get the same "accept being tracked" page with all my settings reset! I'm using stock chrome on stock android.

Rjevski 8y ago
Same here on stock Safari on Mac. I can't read the article as a result.
red_admiral 8y ago
Same here (chromium/win10).
adtac 8y ago
I can only assume that they don't even save your choice as a cookie. I think this should be a necessary cookie that's saved regardless of the choice.
vertex-four 8y ago
Tumblr’s parent (Oath, owned by Verizon) are basically using their power to attack the GDPR by putting up what is an unnecessary roadblock to people refusing to consent to their unnecessary tracking, in addition to dark patterns in actually disabling tracking.
- Bahamut 8y ago
  That sounds like a quick way to get hit by a big fine from the EU - I’d probably attribute this to inconpetance rather than malice.
  - vertex-four 8y ago
    There's a lot of companies that are currently attempting to skirt the GDPR, and are more likely than not failing to meet its requirements. There is very little technical guidance from the regulators right now on what they require from a consent dialog (what UI patterns are allowable, what are not, etc), and businesses like Oath that make their living off collecting and processing user data without consent are not going to change their business model without a fight - which will be dragged through the courts over the next few years because of the power involved on both sides.

bachbach 8y ago

Oh right, we're allowing pro-pedophila references to fly now is it? Jesus Christ HN

phjesusthatguy3 8y ago
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lolita_fashion https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lolita_fashion

sehugg 8y ago

The Gameboy has a (mostly) Z80-compatible CPU, used in all sorts of embedded applications: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zilog_Z80#Embedded_systems_and_consumer_electronics https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zilog_Z80#Embedded_systems_and...

agumonkey 8y ago
some peeps on IRC say the atmega328 is a z80 successor, and with esp8266/32 you can get high performance too (;)

mplewis 8y ago

Aprilia, the motorcycle company, did this too! They built a programmer cartridge for the RS50 scooter that allowed mechanics to derestrict the scooter's performance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXK8NHum4Zw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXK8NHum4Zw