Author Topic: [OTZ80] Features - planning and FINAL chance for suggestions!!  (Read 6555 times)

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Offline alberthrocks

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Hey everyone!

This topic is divided into 2 sections...

1) I need suggestions on screen size and battery type so that we can revote.
Consider the use, type, power usage, CPU's power, etc. when you specify one! :)

EDIT:
For screen, please specify resolution and type (color, grayscale, B/W).
For battery, please specify what type, and whether it's rechargeable or not.

2) Any other features you would like to suggest? This is your LAST chance for suggestions!
You are not allowed to specify a feature that is already voted off.

Current feature list:
CPU: eZ80 50 MHZ, underclockable to 20 MHZ
Screen size: 192x128 (7 other people voted for 240x160, revote possible based on supply and opinion change)
Battery indication: On screen (part of OS)
Navigation: regular arrow keys
ASCII input: Alpha-lock
Backlit screen: Yes... 14 vs. 9 people on this topic, may need a revote to confirm.
I/O: 3.5 mm link cable and mini USB OTG
Power: Will definitely need a revote - this was the closest one ever, with no real winner. The top two were: AA battery (rechargeable if possible), and "#1 and 2" = internal rechargeable battery + AA battery (rechargeable if possible)

Omitted features:
Wifi (too much power munching, internet connection should be external)
SD card support (no use)
« Last Edit: June 28, 2011, 03:16:18 pm by alberthrocks »
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Offline Jim Bauwens

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Re: [OTZ80] Features - planning and FINAL chance for suggestions!!
« Reply #1 on: June 28, 2011, 03:09:10 pm »
Any chance of adding audio to that list? It will be real cool :)

Offline ben_g

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Re: [OTZ80] Features - planning and FINAL chance for suggestions!!
« Reply #2 on: June 28, 2011, 03:10:02 pm »
isn't a 3.5mm I/O cable an audio jack?

and for the screen: what type? B&W, grayscale or color? I would like color with backlight, if possible.
« Last Edit: June 28, 2011, 03:11:16 pm by ben_g »
My projects
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 - Oxo, with single-calc multiplayer and AI (axe) RELEASED (screenshot) (topic)
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 - A 3D collision detection library (axe) RELEASED! (topic)(screenshot)(more recent screenshot)(screenshot of it being used in a tilemapper)
Spoiler For inactive:
- A first person shooter with a polygon-based 3d engine. (z80, will probably be recoded in axe using GLib) ON HOLD (screenshot)
 - A java MORPG. (pc) DEEP COMA(read more)(screenshot)
 - a minecraft game in axe DEAD (source code available)
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Offline Jim Bauwens

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Re: [OTZ80] Features - planning and FINAL chance for suggestions!!
« Reply #3 on: June 28, 2011, 03:10:48 pm »
Yes, but that doesn't mean it can do audio ;)

Offline Deep Toaster

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Re: [OTZ80] Features - planning and FINAL chance for suggestions!!
« Reply #4 on: June 28, 2011, 03:11:51 pm »
Already? Awesome! I love summer vacations ;D

Yes, but that doesn't mean it can do audio ;)

We can always do that with ASM though. Don't want it to be too complicated/expensive.
« Last Edit: June 28, 2011, 03:11:57 pm by Deep Thought »




Offline ben_g

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Re: [OTZ80] Features - planning and FINAL chance for suggestions!!
« Reply #5 on: June 28, 2011, 03:13:12 pm »
As long as that I/O port is connected in the right way to the circuit board, then you should be able to do audio in a program.

EDIT: ninja'd...
« Last Edit: June 28, 2011, 03:13:39 pm by ben_g »
My projects
 - The Lost Survivors (Unreal Engine) ACTIVE [GameCommandoSquad main project]
 - Oxo, with single-calc multiplayer and AI (axe) RELEASED (screenshot) (topic)
 - An android version of oxo (java)  ACTIVE
 - A 3D collision detection library (axe) RELEASED! (topic)(screenshot)(more recent screenshot)(screenshot of it being used in a tilemapper)
Spoiler For inactive:
- A first person shooter with a polygon-based 3d engine. (z80, will probably be recoded in axe using GLib) ON HOLD (screenshot)
 - A java MORPG. (pc) DEEP COMA(read more)(screenshot)
 - a minecraft game in axe DEAD (source code available)
 - a 3D racing game (axe) ON HOLD (outdated screenshot of asm version)

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Offline calc84maniac

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Re: [OTZ80] Features - planning and FINAL chance for suggestions!!
« Reply #6 on: June 28, 2011, 03:15:53 pm »
It would be nice if the 3.5mm jack could output levels between high and low to make audio processing much, much easier. Though, for actual linking you'd probably use the high and low outputs of course.
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Offline Jim Bauwens

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Re: [OTZ80] Features - planning and FINAL chance for suggestions!!
« Reply #7 on: June 28, 2011, 03:16:07 pm »
But will you be able to play full sound audio (like mp3 quality) ?

Offline Deep Toaster

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Re: [OTZ80] Features - planning and FINAL chance for suggestions!!
« Reply #8 on: June 28, 2011, 03:17:04 pm »
MobileTunes quality? That seemed good enough (for me).




Offline alberthrocks

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Re: [OTZ80] Features - planning and FINAL chance for suggestions!!
« Reply #9 on: June 28, 2011, 03:20:45 pm »
isn't a 3.5mm I/O cable an audio jack?

and for the screen: what type? B&W, grayscale or color? I would like color with backlight, if possible.
For screen, please specify resolution as well. Thanks! :)

calc84, jimbauwens, et. al.: I think it should, given that the hardware can (and should) support it. Getting a sound chip would be a little too overkill IMO.

Quote from: calc84
It would be nice if the 3.5mm jack could output levels between high and low
Hmm, it should. I'm not sure technically how this is done (software wise or HW wise), but it's definitely possible.

==========
Please reread the first post for update! :)
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Main Server Status: http://withg.org/status/
Backup Server Status: Not available
Backup 2/MC Server Status: http://mc.withg.org/status/

Activity remains limited due to busyness from school et al. Sorry! :( Feel free to PM, email, or if you know me well enough, FB me if you have a question/concern. :)

Don't expect me to be online 24/7 until summer. Contact me via FB if you feel it's urgent.


Proud member of ClrHome!

Spoiler For "My Projects! :D":
Projects:

Computer/Web/IRC Projects:
C______c: 0% done (Doing planning and trying to not forget it :P)
A_____m: 40% done (Need to develop a sophisticated process queue, and a pretty web GUI)
AtomBot v3.0: 0% done (Planning stage, may do a litmus test of developer wants in the future)
IdeaFrenzy: 0% done (Planning and trying to not forget it :P)
wxWabbitemu: 40% done (NEED MOAR FEATURES :P)

Calculator Projects:
M__ C_____ (an A____ _____ clone): 0% done (Need to figure out physics and Axe)
C2I: 0% done (planning, checking the demand for it, and dreaming :P)

Offline ben_g

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Re: [OTZ80] Features - planning and FINAL chance for suggestions!!
« Reply #10 on: June 28, 2011, 03:28:29 pm »
isn't a 3.5mm I/O cable an audio jack?

and for the screen: what type? B&W, grayscale or color? I would like color with backlight, if possible.
For screen, please specify resolution as well. Thanks! :)
240 by 160 would be nice

battery: I prefer a built-in rechargable Li-ion battery. Those batteries have a very high capacity, and I like built in as it's easy too just plug it in when the battery is empty
My projects
 - The Lost Survivors (Unreal Engine) ACTIVE [GameCommandoSquad main project]
 - Oxo, with single-calc multiplayer and AI (axe) RELEASED (screenshot) (topic)
 - An android version of oxo (java)  ACTIVE
 - A 3D collision detection library (axe) RELEASED! (topic)(screenshot)(more recent screenshot)(screenshot of it being used in a tilemapper)
Spoiler For inactive:
- A first person shooter with a polygon-based 3d engine. (z80, will probably be recoded in axe using GLib) ON HOLD (screenshot)
 - A java MORPG. (pc) DEEP COMA(read more)(screenshot)
 - a minecraft game in axe DEAD (source code available)
 - a 3D racing game (axe) ON HOLD (outdated screenshot of asm version)

This signature was last updated on 20/04/2015 and may be outdated

Offline calc84maniac

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Re: [OTZ80] Features - planning and FINAL chance for suggestions!!
« Reply #11 on: June 28, 2011, 03:32:02 pm »
Quote from: calc84
It would be nice if the 3.5mm jack could output levels between high and low
Hmm, it should. I'm not sure technically how this is done (software wise or HW wise), but it's definitely possible.
One way to do this is with Pulse-Width Modulation, which is somewhat similar to how grayscale is done on monochrome screens. Basically, you have some period of time (in the case of sound, it should be well under 1/20000 seconds to be outside the audible range) which is divided into, in the case of 8-bit sound, 256 cycles. For an output level X, the hardware would output low for X cycles and high for 256-X cycles. As you might imagine, it's a super pain to have to do this manually through the CPU. Dedicated hardware for this wouldn't be too hard to implement, I think.

Edit: Actually, since 8-bit values only go from 0 to 255, you'd have 255 cycles, go low for X cycles and go high for 255-X cycles.
« Last Edit: June 28, 2011, 03:47:16 pm by calc84maniac »
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Offline fb39ca4

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Re: [OTZ80] Features - planning and FINAL chance for suggestions!!
« Reply #12 on: June 28, 2011, 03:59:05 pm »
We could just connect the 3.5mm jack to an analog-digital converter, the various values could be used when playing sound, and then for linking, there would be a threshold value that would determine high or low.