Would anyone be interested in a TS2068 version of the DTV64?
8 messages · 2011-07-04 → 2011-07-06 · Yahoo Group era · View archive on archive.org
Participants: cheveron, Al Hartman, Bill Loguidice, Oscar Arthur Koepke
Preserved from the Timex/Sinclair 2068 Yahoo Group (2001–2019), which is no longer online. Text reproduced from the archive.org archive; email addresses masked.
Messages
1. Would anyone be interested in a TS2068 version of the DTV64?
cheveron · Mon, 04 Jul 2011 08:23
DTV64 is a Commodore 64 clone in a joystick with some built in games. But it also has breakout points on the board to turn it into a full machine. I was just wondering if there's a market for a Timex equivalent.
2. Re: Would anyone be interested in a TS2068 version of the DTV64?
Al Hartman · Mon, 04 Jul 2011 12:35
Unfortunately, the market for such a thing would be quite small in the U.S.
A version that was a ZX-Spectrum, and included some of the best Spectrum Games would probably do well in the U.K. and Eastern Europe.
The 2068 just never sold that well in the 80's compared to other systems in the U.S., unlike the C-64.
Al
--- In [email], "cheveron@..." <cheveron@...> wrote:
>
> DTV64 is a Commodore 64 clone in a joystick with some built in games. But it also has breakout points on the board to turn it into a full machine. I was just wondering if there's a market for a Timex equivalent.
>
3. Re: Would anyone be interested in a TS2068 version of the DTV64?
cheveron · Mon, 04 Jul 2011 18:46
--- In [email], "Al Hartman" <alhartman6@...> wrote:
> Unfortunately, the market for such a thing would be quite small in the U.S.
Small is better than no market at all.
> A version that was a ZX-Spectrum, and included some of the best Spectrum Games would probably do well in the U.K. and Eastern Europe.
Yes, but it could easily be both.
> The 2068 just never sold that well in the 80's compared to other systems in the U.S., unlike the C-64.
A shame that the TS2068 was so short lived and that nothing ever really used its full potential.
4. Re: [ts2068] Re: Would anyone be interested in a TS2068 version of the DTV64?
Bill Loguidice · Mon, 4 Jul 2011 20:19:
As was mentioned, a C-64-on-a-chip was commissioned for the D64 and designed
by Jeri Ellsworth. That's a whole different set of economics than the TS
2068 could ever hope to touch. Regardless, the whole TV game market is
depressed to the point where the present day Atari doesn't even want to
expend anymore resources on doing them properly. I would think a more
productive focus would be an FPGA implementation. Perhaps someone could
design a TS 2068 core for the MCC-216, for instance.
====================================================
Bill Loguidice, Managing Director
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http://www.armchairarcade.com
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On Mon, Jul 4, 2011 at 7:10 PM, Al Hartman <[email]> wrote:
> **
>
>
> They had to sell a huge number of D-64 Joysticks to make the production
> economically feasible, and they had an already designed C-64 on a chip to
> use as the basis.
>
> A 2068 uses a sound chip that would have to be licensed.
>
> I just don't think the economics exist to make a D-64 like 2068 joystick.
>
> If someone does, I'd be interested. I have two of the D-64's.
>
>
>
5. Re: Would anyone be interested in a TS2068 version of the DTV64?
Al Hartman · Mon, 04 Jul 2011 23:10
They had to sell a huge number of D-64 Joysticks to make the production economically feasible, and they had an already designed C-64 on a chip to use as the basis.
A 2068 uses a sound chip that would have to be licensed.
I just don't think the economics exist to make a D-64 like 2068 joystick.
If someone does, I'd be interested. I have two of the D-64's.
6. Re: Would anyone be interested in a TS2068 version of the DTV64?
cheveron · Tue, 05 Jul 2011 08:05
--- In [email], "Al Hartman" <alhartman6@...> wrote:
>
> They had to sell a huge number of D-64 Joysticks to make the production economically feasible, and they had an already designed C-64 on a chip to use as the basis.
Granted, but if the main market is Spectrum fans in Europe then the numbers might work. You'd probably need to be willing to do some hacking to get the device to work with NTSC, but if Timex support was a 'hidden feature' it might add a few sales.
> A 2068 uses a sound chip that would have to be licensed.
Actually that's not an issue. There's a freely available FPGA version that can be converted to an ASIC.
> I just don't think the economics exist to make a D-64 like 2068 joystick.
If it's just the 2068 we were talking about then I agree, but there's very little extra work to make a Spectrum in a joystick support the Timex features as well.
> If someone does, I'd be interested. I have two of the D-64's.
Well if I hear anything I'll let you know.
7. Re: [ts2068] Re: Would anyone be interested in a TS2068 version of the DTV64?
Oscar Arthur Koepke · Tue, 5 Jul 2011 06:17:
--- On Tue, 7/5/11, [email] <[email]> wrote:
From: [email] <[email]>
Subject: [ts2068] Re: Would anyone be interested in a TS2068 version of the DTV64?
To: [email]
Date: Tuesday, July 5, 2011, 5:05 AM
>--- In [email], "Al Hartman" <alhartman6@...> wrote:
>>
>> They had to sell a huge number of D-64 Joysticks to make the production economically feasible, and they had an already designed C-64 on a chip to use as the basis.
>Granted, but if the main market is Spectrum fans in Europe then the numbers might work. You'd probably need to be willing to do some hacking to get the device to work with NTSC, but if Timex support was a 'hidden feature' it might add a few sales.
I tink is a great idea, but It has some issues...: 1st - It has to have Amstrad(owner of the Sinclair Resserarch trademark and copyrights) Blessing and aproval; 2nd - It has to have all the licensces for all the interesting games (at least the 15 most wanted and played until today), and some of them like de USGold are not avaliable(belong to Microsoft.. can u belive it?!); and 3rd - The Amstrad hiself had released a telphone(video capable some years[I think like 6 to 8 years ago]) that had a bunch of spectrum games one it, so probably only Amstrad himself wold be capable of doing such endeavor...remember the ULA problem.
>> A 2068 uses a sound chip that would have to be licensed.
>Actually that's not an issue. There's a freely available FPGA version that can be converted to an ASIC.
I think with all the licences and copyright geting paid is not a problem, but the release itself is(the market is not so good for TS2068, so Spectrum compatibility is REAL a necessity, the TS2068 can be a free gift on it...but problably not viable $$ in money return...)
>> I just don't think the economics exist to make a D-64 like 2068 joystick.
>If it's just the 2068 we were talking about then I agree, but there's very little extra work to make a Spectrum in a joystick support the Timex features as well.
As I speak above. Is imperative to be a ZX Spectrum 48kb compatible at least, if not a ZXSpectrum 128kb also(the TS2068 is sadly deprercieded and almos unknow worldwide; Don`t get me wrong! I love it... but I must face the cruel reality).
>> If someone does, I'd be interested. I have two of the D-64's.
>Well if I hear anything I'll let you know.
I bee interested also.
I own only one D-64, but two TS2068.....
and four TK90X and One TK95(both Spectrum brazillian clones from ZXSpectrum 48kb), two Speccy48(classic), one Speccy48Plus, and two ZXSpectrum 128 +2(one grey and one black) and one ZXSpectrum 128 +3...but in terms of 'collection' Bill Loguidice beats me by 1.000 miles with his great and huge collection....
Regards from Brazil,
Oscar A. Koepke
8. Re: Would anyone be interested in a TS2068 version of the DTV64?
cheveron · Wed, 06 Jul 2011 07:36
--- In [email], Oscar Arthur Koepke <oscarkoepke@...> wrote:
> I tink is a great idea, but It has some issues...:
>1st - It has to have Amstrad(owner of the Sinclair Resserarch trademark and copyrights) Blessing and aproval;
Actually not required as OpenSE BASIC is a fully open source replacement for the original ROM. You couldn't call it a Spectrum, but they couldn't stop you calling it a DTV-48.
>2nd - It has to have all the licensces for all the interesting games (at least the 15 most wanted and played until today), and some of them like de USGold are not avaliable(belong to Microsoft.. can u belive it?!);
A lot of games are available for license at reasonable prices. If you take a look at the Apple App Store you'll find two different ZX Spectrum emulators each shipping with a decent selection of licensed games. It's not US Gold that's the issue though, it's Rare (now owned by Microsoft) which holds the rights to the Ultimate titles. But I think even Microsoft might be persuaded to license those titles for an Ultimate games in a joystick device. After all, Goldeneye (by Rare) got a remake on the Wii.
> and 3rd - The Amstrad hiself had released a telphone(video capable some years[I think like 6 to 8 years ago]) that had a bunch of spectrum games one it, so probably only Amstrad himself wold be capable of doing such endeavor...remember the ULA problem.
The ULA has been fully reverse engineered and the patent has expired. It's documented in a book I edited:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=The+ZX+Spectrum+ULA%3A+How+to+Design+a+Microcomputer+%5BPaperback%5D&x=0&y=0
> I think with all the licences and copyright geting paid is not a problem, but the release itself is(the market is not so good for TS2068, so Spectrum compatibility is REAL a necessity, the TS2068 can be a free gift on it...but problably not viable $$ in money return...)
I agree, it has to primarily be a Spectrum to shift any numbers.
> As I speak above. Is imperative to be a ZX Spectrum 48kb compatible at least, if not a ZXSpectrum 128kb also(the TS2068 is sadly deprercieded and almos unknow worldwide; Don`t get me wrong! I love it... but I must face the cruel reality).
Adding 128 or Timex capabilities to a based design isn't a great deal of work. None of the machines are particularly complicated.
> I bee interested also.
If I hear anything I shall post it here.