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Even more impressive is the analogue version without any ICs! https://www.eevblog.com/forum/projects/oscilloscope-pong-for-1-or-2-players/ https://www.eevblog.

by hughrr 5y ago

Even more impressive is the analogue version without any ICs! https://www.eevblog.com/forum/projects/oscilloscope-pong-for-1-or-2-players/ https://www.eevblog.com/forum/projects/oscilloscope-pong-for...

djmips 5y ago
That's really cool but I think you should understand that it's not 'analogue' if it has a bunch of transistors. This is called discrete because each component does a single operation. I see from the schematics that he builds flip flops from transistors for example.
- detaro 5y ago
  > understand that it's not 'analogue' if it has a bunch of transistors. That's ... not how it works. It's pretty much an analogue computer hardwired to play pong.
- hughrr 5y ago
  Um, err, I’m an ex EE. Everything is analogue underneath, even digital. It’s all just shuffling electrons around. The whole device there is made from discrete opamps. Sure there are some flip flops in there but they are analogue too! (Build one and poke it with a scope and look at the rise and fall times for the collectors)
  - slingnow 5y ago
    In that case let's get rid of the term 'digital' then, since analogue must clearly and fully describe all the phenomenon.
  - aidenn0 5y ago
    A quick scan of the schematic and I'm not seeing flip-flops in there. There are analog muxes with the fets, but maybe I missed something?
    - monocasa 5y ago
      The function generator page has a flip flop labelled. The multiplexor logic has several unlabelled examples I think.
- monocasa 5y ago
  AFAICT, they're mainly running those transistors in the linear region.
- tgv 5y ago
  Discrete means "separate", "single", "stand-alone" in this context (https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/discrete-component https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/discrete-co...), in contrast to ICs (which, BTW, can also be analog; many analog synthesizers have been built with ICs).
Applejinx 5y ago
That is very beautiful :)
kazinator 5y ago
What's impressive is the build; even using exactly the same circuit, I would have gone the reliable (ultimately) time-saving route of schematic -> PCB.
- hughrr 5y ago
  If you’re building one then it’s not time saving. I prototype stuff like that is built today and most of the time it stays like it. Also it doesn’t always work the same when you get it on a PCB
reaperducer 5y ago
In the 70's and early 80's you could buy handheld pong game machines that were actually mechanical. The cases were all jazzed up to look like they were electronic, and some even moved a tiny lightbulb around the "screen," but they were all gears and string inside.
- DerekL 5y ago
  Blip, made by Tomy. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blip_(console) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blip_(console)

by hughrr 5y ago

djmips 5y ago

That's really cool but I think you should understand that it's not 'analogue' if it has a bunch of transistors. This is called discrete because each component does a single operation. I see from the schematics that he builds flip flops from transistors for example.

detaro 5y ago
> understand that it's not 'analogue' if it has a bunch of transistors. That's ... not how it works. It's pretty much an analogue computer hardwired to play pong.
hughrr 5y ago
Um, err, I’m an ex EE. Everything is analogue underneath, even digital. It’s all just shuffling electrons around. The whole device there is made from discrete opamps. Sure there are some flip flops in there but they are analogue too! (Build one and poke it with a scope and look at the rise and fall times for the collectors)
- slingnow 5y ago
  In that case let's get rid of the term 'digital' then, since analogue must clearly and fully describe all the phenomenon.
- aidenn0 5y ago
  A quick scan of the schematic and I'm not seeing flip-flops in there. There are analog muxes with the fets, but maybe I missed something?
  - monocasa 5y ago
    The function generator page has a flip flop labelled. The multiplexor logic has several unlabelled examples I think.
monocasa 5y ago
AFAICT, they're mainly running those transistors in the linear region.
tgv 5y ago
Discrete means "separate", "single", "stand-alone" in this context (https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/discrete-component https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/discrete-co...), in contrast to ICs (which, BTW, can also be analog; many analog synthesizers have been built with ICs).

Applejinx 5y ago

That is very beautiful :)

kazinator 5y ago

What's impressive is the build; even using exactly the same circuit, I would have gone the reliable (ultimately) time-saving route of schematic -> PCB.

hughrr 5y ago
If you’re building one then it’s not time saving. I prototype stuff like that is built today and most of the time it stays like it. Also it doesn’t always work the same when you get it on a PCB

reaperducer 5y ago

In the 70's and early 80's you could buy handheld pong game machines that were actually mechanical. The cases were all jazzed up to look like they were electronic, and some even moved a tiny lightbulb around the "screen," but they were all gears and string inside.

DerekL 5y ago
Blip, made by Tomy. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blip_(console) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blip_(console)