Intybasic outputting data from console?

[emerson]

Is it possible to output data from the Intellivision console through either the controller port, cartridge connector, or Intellivoice expansion port? Is there any literature I could read on about this? Preferably with Intybasic because assembly is always tricky for me (I guess it's always a good time to learn). My overall idea is to create a laserdisc player controller cart where a microcontroller would convert data output from the console into serial data for the laserdisc player. The idea of a cartridge with a 9 pin d-sub connector and rca jacks seems really intriguing to me...Thanks all!

Edited December 11, 2015 by emerson

[intvnut]

If you have an ECS, you have a couple options. 1200 baud output-only serial port, or 16 parallel I/Os in the hand controller ports. All of these could be controlled by IntyBASIC with PEEK/POKE commands.

 

Also, JLP does optionally expose a serial port to new games. (That's my standalone cart design.) I've tested it with a couple custom programs. Also TTL voltage levels. LTO Flash! speaks USB2, so would need a PC or something that can act as a USB2 master to do your interfacing gig. (Raspberry Pi would work, actually.)

Edited December 11, 2015 by intvnut

[freewheel]

Dragon's Lair for the Intellivision. We'd basically just use the controller, but perhaps you could overlay some sweet 8-bit graphics over top.

 

I'm in for a copy!

[+DZ-Jay]

Also, you could output data through the hand-controller port, which is an I/O port. However, this is only available in the Intellivision II and ECS.

[intvnut]

Also, you could output data through the hand-controller port, which is an I/O port. However, this is only available in the Intellivision II and ECS.

 

The AY-3-8914 may have had its output ports disabled. If so, it's input only, and so the Master Component's controllers can't serve as output devices. I didn't know that myself until I saw a scan on the Papa Intellivision site that detailed this change to the device. (last page) I believe the Intellvision II used a mix of AY-3-8914 and AY-3-8916, so I don't know the situation there.

 

I don't know how "real" these changes actually are, since I have evidence that some of them don't seem to be in real systems. For example, the upper two bits of the volume register do seem to control the amplitude of the envelope, as suggested by the preliminary AY-3-8910 datasheet. (See the little table under the register diagram, upper middle of right-hand side of the page.) Maybe the AY-3-8914A or AY-3-8916 has these modifications. Dunno.

 

The ECS's AY-3-8917, on the other hand, is definitely bidirectional.

Edited December 23, 2015 by intvnut

[First Spear]

This is the kind of stuff that I would love to hear on an Intellivisionaries podcast as an interview with one of the hardware designers or engineers; listening to their logic about why they made the choices they did and implemented them in certain ways would be really cool.

 

 

 

The AY-3-8914 may have had its output ports disabled. If so, it's input only, and so the Master Component's controllers can't serve as output devices. I didn't know that myself until I saw a scan on the Papa Intellivision site that detailed this change to the device. (last page) I believe the Intellvision II used a mix of AY-3-8914 and AY-3-8916, so I don't know the situation there.

 

I don't know how "real" these changes actually are, since I have evidence that some of them don't seem to be in real systems. For example, the upper two bits of the volume register do seem to control the amplitude of the envelope, as suggested by the preliminary AY-3-8910 datasheet. (See the little table under the register diagram, upper middle of right-hand side of the page.) Maybe the AY-3-8914A or AY-3-8916 has these modifications. Dunno.

 

The ECS's AY-3-8917, on the other hand, is definitely bidirectional.

[intvnut]

This is the kind of stuff that I would love to hear on an Intellivisionaries podcast as an interview with one of the hardware designers or engineers; listening to their logic about why they made the choices they did and implemented them in certain ways would be really cool.

 

Unfortunately, Papa Intellivision Chandler is no longer with us.

[First Spear]

Yes, I understand. But I hope there are others out there from Mattel Wlectronics that could talk on this stuff.

 

 

Unfortunately, Papa Intellivision Chandler is no longer with us.

[First Spear]

I was just musing that a Raspberry Pi Zero W might fit into a cartridge, and that the cart port would have enough power to keep the Pi alive. If so, then a game might be able to connect to the outside world via Bluetooth, giving games something else fun to do. 

 

Can anyone with hardware knowledge say if that is actually possible? I was skimming http://wiki.intellivision.us/index.php/Cartridge_Port and https://core-electronics.com.au/tutorials/raspberry-pi-zerow-headless-wifi-setup.html and https://www.raspberrypi.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=285282 but barely have any idea of what I'm looking at, so here I am asking the question.

 

 

Thanks.

 

 

[+nanochess]

Actually this is possible if your peripheral is connected like a cartridge. Because the cartridge would contain the program AND the ports to access a simulated peripheral that would send/receive data by Bluetooth, Wifi, or whatever you want.