FC Mobile 2 II as playpower platform?
Recently, I came across the FC Mobile 2 produced by Hyperkin:
http://hyperkin.com/index.php/retro-gaming/retro-system-fc-mobile-i...
Also available in Black, this is battery powered and has an in-built screen. Downside is the "wireless" (actually proprietary IR) controllers are a bit flakey, according to reviews, and it has no mouse or keyboard. However, it might be worth investigating as being battery powered and self contained, it could be powered by solar rechargeable batteries. It's hard to get in the UK - only ebay imports, which is rather expensive, but is about $50. With some hardware hacking to add mouse and keyboard (often the Subor provided "built in" ones are variable in quality, so having a separate peripheral would allow swapping in and possibly refurbished PC keyboards and mice might be possible) this could be a viable option for the cheap computer in areas with variable power supply.
Here are some related links for anyone interested in looking into this:
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-a-Portable-Game-System for creating portable versions from existing hardware
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/2831899/fc_mobile_ii_unboxing_review_... a hands on review(ish) for the FC Mobile 2
http://videogamesdiva.com/FC-Mobile-2-II-NES-Portable/M/B0027ESBCG.htm appears to be the cheapest supplier I can find at $39
I'm reticent to order one from the USA, but it might be worth someone investigating... If we can get Hyperkin to look at pricing, this might with some extra stuff be a good option.
Mike
Tags: 2, battery, built-in, fc, mobile, powered, rechargeable, screen, solar
Views: 32
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Anuroop on -
Most of the portable famiclones have major sound issues, and the famiclones which they sell on ebay and other shopping sites have some really bad reviews. The idea of a portable platform for Play Power is excellent, we should find some products which are cheap and of decent quality.
I was searching the net for some good famiclones, and I found out that Mitashi which is a good brand in India is selling an 8 bit console for Rs 599 which is around 13 USD. I think its the cheapest 8 bit console available from a good brand.
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Permalink Reply by Dr. Mike Reddy on -
Anuroop said:I was searching the net for some good famiclones, and I found out that Mitashi which is a good brand in India is selling an 8 bit console for Rs 599 which is around 13 USD. I think its the cheapest 8 bit console available from a good brand.
My guess is the one you pictured is Rs 599, but that isn't a handheld like this:
Entertainment-Games-Handheld-Games-Smarty
which is a lot more than Rs 599, and doesn't have a keyboard (mouse?) like these ones:
Educational-Games-Educational-TV-Game-Genius
Educational-Games-Educational-TV-Game-Mastermind
that are again a lot more expensive than the one you spec'd. The good thing about the one I spec'd - although reviews show some problems with the ir linked controllers - was it had two controllers and TV out. With some hardware hacking the IR port could be used to provide comms between devices or a wireless keyboard and mouse/trackball! For playpower to work on a portable device, in addition to a dev platform for programming (i.e. Programmable cartridges), we need hardware mods for keyboard input and connectivity. If any of these Matashi devices are good, well built platforms, could you buy a couple and send to me, if I wire you the necessary funds?
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Permalink Reply by Dr. Mike Reddy on
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http://nesdev.parodius.com/Keyboard-english.txt
Has some reverse engineering data on the original famicom keyboard, which might be useful if we were creating our own IR wireless one, with better build quality than the existing TV computers that have been reported as having variable quality. Also, here is a link to a PC keyboard link that allows a standard computer keyboard to be used to control the NES via it's parallel port (via http://wiki.nesdev.com/w/index.php/NesdevTest):
http://nesdev.parodius.com/lptnes.zip
This might again be useful...
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Permalink Reply by Harrison Lee on -
http://www.infibeam.com/Handheld_Game/i-Mitashi-Game-Play-On/P-M-GV...
Here is the Mitashi handheld game system. Can't believe they got away with this though....It looks a little too familiar.
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Permalink Reply by Dr. Mike Reddy on
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http://www.infibeam.com/Handheld_Game/i-Mitashi-Handheld-Video-Game... is closer to the NES as the one just posted says 32 bit compatible, where we want 8 bt compatible. I'm guessing that the one you posted was a SNES clone, rather than a famiclone.
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Permalink Reply by Harrison Lee on
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Oops, i didn't realize it was 32-bit. Oh well, maybe we can look at it for future future work (provided the 8-bit console really turns out well).
Dr. Mike Reddy said:http://www.infibeam.com/Handheld_Game/i-Mitashi-Handheld-Video-Game... is closer to the NES as the one just posted says 32 bit compatible, where we want 8 bt compatible. I'm guessing that the one you posted was a SNES clone, rather than a famiclone.
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Permalink Reply by James Derek Lomas on
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Hey Mike, is this what you are looking for?
$15... wholesale. We haven't seen it retail.
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Permalink Reply by Dr. Mike Reddy on
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That's the Matashi one, or very like it. It isn't quite as good as the FC as there don't seem to be external controllers, but it would be self-contained and with a bit of hacking might take an external keyboard. Where is it for sale? The US? The eBay source for the FC is in the States, which will mean buying one will be $40 inc postage to the UK, and possibly more if our Customs people decide to charge a levy... :-(
Do you have access to purchasing one of these? Still considering buying a FC, as I really think that a stand-alone battery only platform for PlayPower that didn't even need mains AC and a TV might be a good option. Programmable cartridge chips, etc, could even be integrated into the case for easy updates with a USB cable when a PC is available. Wireless data might even be possible with simple serial wireless modems, as were used in the sadly demised Cybiko
Details on Cybiko at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cybiko
http://planetcybiko.net/forums/index.php?act=home
http://www.deafgamers.com/cybiko.htm
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Permalink Reply by Harrison Lee on
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Actually, I've seen the American version of that model; it's the VG Pocket Max. It's a pretty crappy porta-Famiclone, but it serves its purpose of wasting peoples' time. And Mike, I could potentially get a VG Pocket if Derek can't get one, but I don't know what shipping to Europe is. Also, I won't be getting it from Amazon, because I can get it for $10+shipping
EDIT: Here's a link to the VG Pocket.
http://www.amazon.com/VG-Pocket-Max-Games-Electronic-Game/dp/B000BS...
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Permalink Reply by Harrison Lee on
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http://www.play.com/Gadgets/Gadgets/4-/3252760/Logic3-GamesPower-50...
Here is the UK version of the VG Pocket...
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$10+shipping? that's awesome. The picture I posted is from a wholesale shop in Ahmedabad, India.
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Permalink Reply by Dr. Mike Reddy on
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Looking at the specs for these, two things occur to me:
1) All of the alternatives to the FC have "built in" games. Presumably, there is a ROM on the motherboard, which would be very difficult to extract/reprogram with our own offerings without major surgery.
2) None of the alternatives to the FC, except for the Matashi, have more than the built in games. The Matashi and the FC have slots for Nintendo cartridges, which means that modding is less invasive, and there is space inside the casing for bespoke circuits, etc.
The FC also has external controllers, using IR even if some report this to be a bit flaky, which potentially gives the option for several interesting mods:
a) wireless keyboard and mouse
b) RF modem support
c) IR beaming between devices
d) multiple users
BUT these are unproven concepts, and light guns go out the window, unless hooked up to a CRT TV.
I am going to buy an FC and open it up to see what options there are...
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