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Amiga News and Community Announcements => Amiga News and Community Announcements => Amiga Hardware News => Topic started by: Krusher on April 29, 2004, 07:24:07 PM
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Tulip announced today the development of a new Commodore 64 minigame console in conjunction with Ironstone Partners Ltd. This game system is based on the world-famous Commodore 64. With a simple connection to a TV, users are able to play 30 popular C64 games.
This will be the first of a series of game systems. The price will be around 30 Euros and will be available at the second half of 2004 in Europe and America.
Original article in Dutch:
http://www.tulip.com/news/article.asp?nid=145
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It would be more interesting if I could read it :-)
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A quick and dirty BabelFish translation follows: (to confuse you even more) :lol:
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Amersfoort, April 27.,2004 Go back to trick
Tulip computers N.V (Tulip computers) make today confessed that the venture with Ironstone partners Ltd. (Ironstone) Commodore 64 (C64) mini game has developed console, with the name C64 Direct-to-TV. This game system for videogames that Tulip computers have been based be provided, on the wereldberoemde Commodore 64, s worldly most well-known house computer for games. By a simple connection on the TV can the users with the C64 Direct-to-TV, 30 popular C64 games play. This is the first of a complete serial game products which Tulip will bring computers under the Commodorelabel on the market.
The expected retailprijs will amount to approximately € 30, -. The product will lie as from in second half of 2004 in the shops, both in Europe and in the United States
The launching of C64 Direct-to-TV continue building on the success of similar products which on Atari, Namco and the Intellivision game system have been based. By the at present very large question to "retro" video games C64 Direct-to-TV are the natural evolution and a new standard will become with superior sound and graphic quality. With 30 games, which has been in advance installed on the apparatus, C64 Direct-to-TV offer signaling more than the competition. Of these games millions numbers have in the past concerned the counter. With C64 Direct-to-TV are provided among other things the following legendary spell: the Classic games™ serials from Epyx™ including Summer games™, winter games, World games™ and The Seminal California games™. This last game the genre of the "sport" has then created videogames.
To hover Melbourne, the Creative director of Ironstone: We are there of convinced that software of this gauge and this quality C64 Direct-to-TV the most successful product will become in the market. This is the first of a broad scale of activities we have planned which the reputation of C64 prominent person in the video game bring back industry.
Commodore 64
C64 it is recognised by the Guinness Book or World record as if are the most sold house computer aller times, with a sale past of more than 30 millions entities. C64's unique architecture was at its launching in 1982 superior, with respect to all other available systems in the market. It became the machine of a complete generation.
Twenty-two years after the first version Commodore 64 have ended up, are C64 still incredibly popular and have still worldwide more than 6 millions loyal Commodore users, with litterally hundreds existing Internet sites around the machine and are game. Large interest is of these enormous loyal followers, expect since C64 Direct-to-TV the first new herlancering of C64 hardware over a decade will be.
The introduction of this product is appropriate in the strategy of Tulip computers to use Commodore its international very well-known mark for innovative quality products aimed at the consumer market. Mark of Elbertse, CEO of Tulip computers: The product C64 Direct-to-TV is an excellent example of initiatives which we put now, possibly with partners, in the market. We use of the value of the mark name Commodore and provide products which are asked by large numbers of of liefhebbers of Commodore products. In sum is there some thousands of Commodore spell available for new at annonceren Commodoreproducten. For Tulip computers means this that she receives income in the future beside income from hardware also licentie from the products sold by Ironstone, among which here the geannonceerde mini game console. This watches out within the strategic choice of Tulip computers in the future licentie income to acquire based its technological knowledge and sees.
Concerning Tulip computers
Tulip computers are a European computer supplier who has developed into a prominent and internationally recognised organisation. Since the establishment in 1979, has been being Tulip computers almost 25 years active in the computer - industry with which she belongs up to one of the most experienced computer suppliers in the world. The head office of Tulip computers has established in amersfoort. Beside the worldwide policy this head office is also responsible for Research & development, marketing and communication.
Concerning Ironstone
Ironstone partners Ltd. are a commercial company that have been set up by a number of persons with a combined experience of more than 100 years in the worldwide game - and multimedia industry. Ironstone have settlings in the United Kingdom and Canada. Ironstone aim at projects in the worldwide game - and multimedia industry. Ironstone have the intellectual property of vast port folio of game - and multimedia products.
More information
Tulip computers N.V
P.O. Box 150
3800 AD amersfoort
The Netherlands
T + 31 (0)33 4549300
F + 31 (0)33 4549400
E press@tulip.com
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Poster: bloodmoney Posted: 2004/4/29 20:49:46
It would be more interesting if I could read it
Basically it's a C64 without the expansion connectors and comes with 30 games in (flash?) rom such as the Classic Games™ series from Epyx™ including Summer Games™, Winter Games, World Games™ and The Seminal California Games™.
It's sort of nice for that amount of money, but I'm still waiting for the CommodoreOne. I really don't understand why Tulip won't put their money on that product :-o
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I think it's kinda funny :P When I clicked a link, I could just see Amersfoort, The Netherlands. I thought: It's about me :lol: (I live in Amersfoort you know :P)
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They should have made a hand held device complete with LCD screen and used some sort of memory stick to upload games.
STUPID IDIOTS!!!! :pissed:
They could have leveraged the huge library of games available on the internet for use in emulators.
STUPID IDIOTS!!!! :pissed:
After 10 years this is the best they can come up with.
STUPID IDIOTS!!!! :pissed:
And if they'd opened the platform up and enabled you to program for it they might even have gotten more software, maybe even modern ports of games. And it may have been a cult revival.
STUPID IDIOTS!!!! :pissed:
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Of all the things to do with the C64, this was probably one of the worst. There's a similar product already on the market with some Atari 8-bit games in a joystick unit. Well, I suppose if the games selection is good, they could be onto something.
A C64 handheld with an LCD screen, mini-keyboard and old serial interface would have been excellent.
Here's to the C=1! I'll definitely be getting one as soon as its available - and finances allow.
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@BigBenAussie
I agree
Tulip.Listen............LCD HandHeld........................you have potentially Millions of dollars on your fingertips
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I want one! :-)
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I think there's no longer any such thing as a Commodore One. I think she turned it into a general 8bit retro computing platform that you could turn into any of those old computers, including C=64. Isn't it just called the C1, now?
I'm still waiting for the CommodoreOne. I really don't understand why Tulip won't put their money on that product
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I could even live without the LCD screen. If they just made this with a usb port so that we could use usb memory for software, a keyboard, and maybe a second joystick, I would buy one today. If they want it to appeal to the not 'hobby' market, they could have still had their software in a rom.
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For a handheld with an LCD, they need to get in league with the owners of some of the other classic gaming systems. Put the C64 parts in a cartridge. That way you could slip in one cartridge and it's a c64, another, and its a 2600, yet another and its a colecovision. Then use USB for peripherals (extra joystick, keyboard, software) This way instead of charging $100 for a C64, they could charge $50 for a handheld classic game system 'enabler' (screen, usb chips, etc.) , and $50 for a C64 cartidge that had all of the C64 parts. Then the user could get a 2600 for another $50, and so on. As long as the company put their profit margin in the system specific cartridge, they would make exactly the same amount of money per unit, while at the same time reducing the cost to the consumer. This would likely lead to greater sales, and thus greater profit.
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with video and audio out for 30Euro, it just screams hack me!
Now if one could find a way to load other programs and maybe some kind of serial and keyboard.
Combine with this http://www.intellicamspy.com/lcd_tft_displays.htm (http://www.intellicamspy.com/lcd_tft_displays.htm) and a some batteries and its a palmtop C64. :lol:
Maybe it could run Contiki or Geos? :-P
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@BigBenAussie
I was going to say the same thing. I though that this might be about a C65 handheld. Why would anyone make a console version?
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I think it's kinda funny :P When I clicked a link, I could just see Amersfoort, The Netherlands. I thought: It's about me (I live in Amersfoort you know :P)
Funny, I seen Amersfoort and though I used to live there once... I worked in Leusden.
Kattenbrook, probably the most boring place on the planet!
I got bored and went to Amsterdam after that...
Much better :-)
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Poster: Argo Posted: 2004/4/30 2:18:26
I was going to say the same thing. I though that this might be about a C65 handheld. Why would anyone make a console version?
Considering the looks of it, one might call it a handheld :lol:
Appearantly there's a similar Atari 2600 version of it too: http://www.dansdata.com/ataristick.htm
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Right!!
What we need is someone to hack this thing and make it into something that someone actually wants.
STUPID CLUELESS IDIOTS!!! :pissed:
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This device will probably be some kind of hardware emulator producing crappy sound (no real SID in there) and only emulating the most basic parts of the VIC.
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Oh no, how retro can one get? So I am going to go back to Lunar Lander? :lol: :lol:
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GIMMIE, GIMMIE, GIMMIE!
I want one! I saw one of those for NES a few years ago. It had 128 built-in games and connected directly to the TV-set.
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The GP32 is the handheld for this. It takes Smartmedia cards - and can emulate many retro machines including the C64.
Snes emulation and genesis emulation has been done - and is being improved upon as we speak ;-)
http://www.gp32x.com
http://www.gbax.com
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Poster: BigBenAussie Posted: 2004/4/30 5:44:51 Right!! What we need is someone to hack this thing and make it into something that someone actually wants. STUPID CLUELESS IDIOTS!!!
Leaving of second joystick connector,why not have just a 9-pin DSUB on each and a simple joystick mode switch? get two of these things and a straight 9-pin cable and play two player games or use it as a joystick for a real C64 or amiga, and serial(every embedded chip has serial, even my TI-82 calculator has a simle serial port) just to save a pair of connectors is way cheap.
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The GP32 is a great bit of kit. Especially as one of the coders is writing a JIT amiga emu. C64 emulation is near enough perfect, as is ST (spit!). This little handheld can emulate almost anything.
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Aye - the Amiga Emu is taking its time though cos its a HUGE task. The home brew scene is vast - and we will have that Amiga Emu cos the talent in that community is fantastic!
The ST emulation is PERFECT. The new SNES and Genesis emus will be 100% perfect - full speed and sound... but I didnt say anything ;-)
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The GP32 looks really cool! I'm goint to put it on my wish list right away! :-o
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WOW!!! :-o
If only I played games often enough to warrant buying one.
Hmmm. Maybe I'll just have to start playing more games. :-)
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Damn, that GP32 looks good ... a tad expensive at £135 quid, but I've got a 32MB smartmedia card just lying around doing nothing at the moment... Ah, £84 (+ customs and excise lottery) at http://www.lik-sang.com/info.php?category=0&products_id=812&lsaid=242092
C64, Spectrum, SNES, Megadrive, MAME ... all the old games. Sweet. Atari ST as well, but Amiga is taking some time, showing how advanced the Amiga was :)
Anyway this joystick looks a bit lame. There is a Namco one out with 10 games that looks better, gamewise, than a few lame sports games. The Atari one is just lame. This C64 one could have done so well with a bit of thought - if it had a memory card reader then other companies could have sold their old backcatalogue of games online for a quid apiece, or as a huge bundle. Also a joypad design would have been nicer than a joystick design.
Btw, anyone played Ikaruga on the Gamecube? It is pretty damned good, old style shoot-em-up!
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Maybe this is just silly but......
I heard it mentioned that the Gamepark has a USB port. Could you not plug in a keyboard/mouse. You would have a fully functioning OS3.9 handheld. 32 megs on the memory card for storage is better than some old Amiga HDs out there. I wonder if the storage is one way though.
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They should have made a hand held device complete with LCD screen and used some sort of memory stick to upload games.
They could have leveraged the huge library of games available on the internet for use in emulators.
Sounds like you've just described the GP32 http://www.lik-sang.com/info.php?category=126&products_id=3059&
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Of all the things to do with the C64, this was probably one of the worst. There's a similar product already on the market with some Atari 8-bit games in a joystick unit. Well, I suppose if the games selection is good, they could be onto something.
A good idea, since the only people who would invest in a C64 are the nostalgia nuts. Unless people are willing to make new titles, developing anything other than a closed console doesn't make any marketing sense.
A C64 handheld with an LCD screen, mini-keyboard and old serial interface would have been excellent.
Who would buy it? Far, far more powerful machines are possible for roughly the same amount of money, and are much easier to program. If you were to make a C64 handheld, the LCD would probably be more expensive than the entire computer, serial port, and embedded flash ROM combined. Besides, who wants to program in 8-bit assembler when they can use modern tools with 32-bit RISC chips, which are fully capable of emulation.
At the time, the C64 was an amazing machine, but now it is all too clear how difficult it was to use. I still despise having to use that damned sys command.
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Poster: BigBenAussie Posted: 2004/4/30 23:29:47
Maybe this is just silly but......
I heard it mentioned that the Gamepark has a USB port. Could you not plug in a keyboard/mouse. You would have a fully functioning OS3.9 handheld. 32 megs on the memory card for storage is better than some old Amiga HDs out there. I wonder if the storage is one way though.
Yes it is possible to attach a keyboard and mouse to it - but through the edge connector at the base. You can buy a cable for around £8, or make it yourself - and software has to be written to take advantage of it. The GP32's USB port is self powered and self hosted. Mods do exist to take advantage of the USB port.
Basically the only limit to the GP32 is that SMC has a slow data rate. Though the edge connector at the base is quite fat - people are already designing ways of attaching pocket HD's to this.