Coleco Chameleon .... hardware speculations?

[InnovaX5]

Yeah i messaged him on facebook asking what he used to make that abomination

I'll give you a list of things he didn't use:

 

a DVR Capture card

a jaguar shell

a super nintendo mini

black electrical tape

[phoenixdownita]

 

 

What are you trying to say?

 

Stop reading between the lines man; I already stated that I've been more than transparent with AA, and I am not in the mood for accusations. It is funny that now that I have disclosed everything that happened and I know; accusations to me are going to start flying in.

 

Don't disappoint me AA, don't do it.

Was out for a couple of hours.

 

I'm not implying too much just that the timeline of events makes the whole story very surreal and weird, not that it does not correspond to your recollection of events,

 

Back to "the timeline of weird":

At the fair you already unmasked their protocard as an SD2SNES when Mike told you he believed it was instead orig work. Yet a simple explanation of the fact that only the back of the SNES was used satisfied your doubts .... I believe that you didn't want to dig deeper .... I DO NOT BELIEVE that you had no suspicions of your own .... it just wasn't convenient to dig any deeper and I UNDERSTAND THAT TOO. You tried, but they would not budge.

 

After the fair Mr Lee admitted to you on the phone that it was their first console work ever (and it kind of explain the SD2SNES too), I assume you likely knew because all of the fanfare here on AA that making an FPGA core for the SNES is still quite an undertaking (hence there's none in the open market) but then again it didn't officially struck any chord that the first attempt of Mr Lee at an FPGA based console and at that the SNES core was such a resounding success and yet you were so surprised the special mapper menu worked so well ... I do believe you were not sure and because of the pressure they put you under you decided for a DON'T ASK DON'T TELL, nothing wrong with it mind you.

 

 

I AM NOT ACCUSING YOU, I'm just trying to figure out from your recollection of your conversations with Mr Lee, what kind of thought process was going on that let the situation go unchecked all the way to the CaptureCard. Not wrt Piko, but wrt the RVGS guys. What were they thinking?

 

It's been said many times over that maybe Mike was a simpleton and got taken advantage of, I believe the same could be said of you and CollectorVision.

I believe that when they used the line "YOU'RE JUST WORKING FROM HOME" or something to that effect, you really felt belittled so much so that you let them run over you and feed you whatever story they saw fit, for whatever reason.

 

 

NOW FOR THE UNPLEASANT JAB:

PM sent, you don't need to answer to it at all.

[InnovaX5]

Piko is great. Collectorvision is great. Anyone else I missed that makes games for a living and has been involved in this saga, you are also great.

 

I like video games.

 

I don't like people who promise to make consoles and show me a radio shack dumpster and tell me that it's a video game console.

 

 

Edit:

 

LEAVE BRITNEY ALONE!

 

/runs off crying

[Albert]

You guys can please go argue about eyebrow piercings elsewhere.

 

Thanks,

 

..Al

[bretthorror]

Was out for a couple of hours.

 

I'm not implying too much just that the timeline of events makes the whole story very surreal and weird, not that it does not correspond to your recollection of events,

 

Back to "the timeline of weird":

At the fair you already unmasked their protocard as an SD2SNES when Mike told you he believed it was instead orig work. Yet a simple explanation of the fact that only the back of the SNES was used satisfied your doubts .... I believe that you didn't want to dig deeper .... I DO NOT BELIEVE that you had no suspicions of your own .... it just wasn't convenient to dig any deeper and I UNDERSTAND THAT TOO. You tried, but they would not budge.

 

After the fair Mr Lee admitted to you on the phone that it was their first console work ever (and it kind of explain the SD2SNES too), I assume you likely knew because all of the fanfare here on AA that making an FPGA core for the SNES is still quite an undertaking (hence there's none in the open market) but then again it didn't officially struck any chord that the first attempt of Mr Lee at an FPGA based console and at that the SNES core was such a resounding success and yet you were so surprised the special mapper menu worked so well ... I do believe you were not sure and because of the pressure they put you under you decided for a DON'T ASK DON'T TELL, nothing wrong with it mind you.

 

 

I AM NOT ACCUSING YOU, I'm just trying to figure out from your recollection of your conversations with Mr Lee, what kind of thought process was going on that let the situation go unchecked all the way to the CaptureCard. Not wrt Piko, but wrt the RVGS guys. What were they thinking?

 

It's been said many times over that maybe Mike was a simpleton and got taken advantage of, I believe the same could be said of you and CollectorVision.

I believe that when they used the line "YOU'RE JUST WORKING FROM HOME" or something to that effect, you really felt belittled so much so that you let them run over you and feed you whatever story they saw fit, for whatever reason.

 

 

NOW FOR THE UNPLEASANT JAB:

PM sent, you don't need to answer to it at all.

 

Dude... his podcast reveal said it all. Let's be brothers now.

[MagnaRyuu]

You guys can please go argue about eyebrow piercings elsewhere.

 

Thanks,

 

..Al

Sorry

Edited March 6, 2016 by MagnaRyuu

[phoenixdownita]

 

Dude... his podcast reveal said it all. Let's be brothers now.

I know, it's just a case of "if it's too good to be true it's either not good or not true" anyway.

[bretthorror]

You guys can please go argue about eyebrow piercings elsewhere.

 

Thanks,

 

..Al

 

I don't wanna be that guy but you'd look gorgeouse with one.

 

All I'm saying.

[AtarinDave]

What the, this went from Coleco Chameleon speculations, to drama between Gamester81 and Pat, then to losing faith in the Chameleon, and now eyebrow piercings? Best thread ever.

[retroillucid]

Mon frere, Qui ca? Bobepine!

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvgAyxl9ag8

 

My man Stephane from Rimouski told me that song. Cheers. Fuck haters.

 

funny

[+Random Terrain]

What the, this went from Coleco Chameleon speculations, to drama between Gamester81 and Pat, then to losing faith in the Chameleon, and now eyebrow piercings? Best thread ever.

 

youtube.com/watch?v=dNB_RjpWnsI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNB_RjpWnsI

 

[RupanIII]

This man is serious. That's an Atari 400 computer with 2 colors of Electrical Tape, Black and Orange/red? And a custom modified cartridge port taking Master System carts.

Excellent, when is the Kickstarter!?

 

As for a Fishing Pole... Sega Bass Fishing, DONE!

Wow that was a little harsh. No need to say that stuff. So you don't like his eyebrow piercing that's your right, but no need to say something that uncool.

 

 

HA HA! this is a good parody

[MagnaRyuu]

This man is serious. That's an Atari 400 computer with 2 colors of Electrical Tape, Black and Orange/red? And a custom modified cartridge port taking Master System carts.

Excellent, when is the Kickstarter!?

 

As for a Fishing Pole... Sega Bass Fishing, DONE!

 

 

Ah see i've never seen an Atari 400 before.

[RupanIII]

Hey guys and gals, I have a question for ya.

I spent many years at Gamestop/Software Etc. From the exit from bankruptcy to 2003.

So, i really remember how those customers are.

 

I was re thinking the whole idea of this machine and was wondering if this made some sense.

So, how about a Coleco TV box, an ARM Android box for sure. BUT...

it has a well engineered, maybe over engineered, FLASH Cartridge built for maximal durability.
The cart can be authenticated to the home machine the first time it is plugged in, and it can be authorized by password or NFC on a friend's machine.

If the cart is lost, whooosh, Mom/Dad disables the cart, buys a new cart, and simply runs a restore from the Coleco TV servers.

It can also have access to the Play store i guess.

Give it some decent hardware... 4K capable HDMI for streaming 4K, a quad 64bit or 8 core big little chip, and most importantly Apple A6X class graphics (Power VR whatever).
3-4GB ram makes it last well for a few years. And, ofcourse NFC.
Not sure about the controllers, something much like the XBO/360 PC variants.
The machine has the NFC chip in it.

I see Amazon builds close to this for not so much money, but they are huge ofcourse.

Does anyone have thoughts, for kids use, on the idea of that Flash custom cart. It's durable, it has lots of room to breathe so fast access doesn't heat it up so bad etc... it travels safely, and its large enough to stay on the kids mind, unlike how some DS games go missing.

Anybody?

EDIT: NFC could be used on a smartphone or tablet remotely to authenticate the cart on the friend's system, that was how NFC would do it.

Edited March 6, 2016 by RupanIII

[RupanIII]

Ah see i've never seen an Atari 400 before.

The 800 is preferred, it has real keys for keyboard, more memory etc.

Edited March 6, 2016 by RupanIII

[AtarinDave]

Hey guys and gals, I have a question for ya.

I spent many years at Gamestop/Software Etc. From the exit from bankruptcy to 2003.

So, i really remember how those customers are.

 

I was re thinking the whole idea of this machine and was wondering if this made some sense.

 

So, how about a Coleco TV box, an ARM Android box for sure. BUT...

it has a well engineered, maybe over engineered, FLASH Cartridge built for maximal durability.

The cart can be authenticated to the home machine the first time it is plugged in, and it can be authorized by password or NFC on a friend's machine.

If the cart is lost, whooosh, Mom/Dad disables the cart, buys a new cart, and simply runs a restore from the Coleco TV servers.

It can also have access to the Play store i guess.

Give it some decent hardware... 4K capable HDMI for streaming 4K, a quad 64bit or 8 core big little chip, and most importantly Apple A6X class graphics (Power VR whatever).

3-4GB ram makes it last well for a few years. And, ofcourse NFC.

Not sure about the controllers, something much like the XBO/360 PC variants.

The machine has the NFC chip in it.

 

I see Amazon builds close to this for not so much money, but they are huge ofcourse.

 

Does anyone have thoughts, for kids use, on the idea of that Flash custom cart. It's durable, it has lots of room to breathe so fast access doesn't heat it up so bad etc... it travels safely, and its large enough to stay on the kids mind, unlike how some DS games go missing.

 

Anybody?

 

Wow... I'd buy that. Good thought, my man.

[Keatah]

Sounds rather complex..

[galax]

I did have a few go-rounds with John about the hardware though, and every single time it was always a case of "not invented here" which is fine, but I rapidly was getting tired of no one listening to my concerns and getting the brush off. John knew best about how to make videogame hardware, even though he didn't know that most game systems of the era output 240p60.

 

Funny that he didn't know that, as he claims extensive experience with game consoles in the first half of the 1990s. In the Retrogamingroundup interview he talked about this time:

Immediately after the PlayStation was released in Japan, I was sent one to take apart. It took me roughly six months to map out the system hardware, disassemble its ROM, and build interfaces that would allow us to develop our games cheaply.

...

In making those interfaces, I had learned a lot about the PlayStation, perhaps even more than anyone outside of Sony. So, when in 2010 Sony wanted to build a low-cost PlayStation to develop foreign markets, I got a call, and a really great project. I created a PlayStation that could be built into its own controller with a bunch of games, be plugged into a TV, and run on batteries (to keep the cost down). I made sure that the hardware supported 100% of the games for the original PlayStation, including those that could use multi taps and the link cable. I built the prototypes out of gray PlayStation analog controllers I bought on eBay (possibly from some of your readers), and they worked great.

...

The project got so popular within Sony that the different offices wanted to sell it in all of the BRIC nations (Brazil, Russia, India, and China). Unfortunately, it got more popular than a low-margin device should. Sony’s top executives determined that the risk was too great that it might be imported to compete with other products in its primary markets, so Sony killed the project.

 

So in 2010 Sony wanted to build a Playstation 1 'mini' for emerging markets, which doesn't make much sense to begin with. Sony decided that the designer for this should be the guy teaching C++ Community college classes in Austin who had just spent 5 years making railway equipment, because of his experience reverse engineering the Playstation 15 years earlier!? If Iguana/Acclaim was developing Playstation games, why would John have to reverse engineer them anyway, why not use a Sony DevKit?

.

Incidentally John co-founded Iguana Entertainment according to his LinkedIn profile and the RVGS Indiegogo, however his own LinkedIn lists him as a "Computer Engineering Contractor" for the first 2 years that he was there. He's listed as a co-founder on Wikipedia, but he added that to the page himeself.

 

John Carlsen got way over his head in this project. His heavily padded CV (7 degrees! Bid to be Apple's CEO! There's so much more...) caught up with him and I doubt he could have ever pulled off the design of this thing by himself. John's insights into what went on are very interesting, and I believe much of what he says, but it's a shame that someone with his considerable and varied experience feels the need to keep lying.

 

It was pretty funny how Mike kept trying to suck me into the project and make me work for free though, at one point I asked who was going to design the PCB for this thing since it had to be a 6 layer job for the amount of hardware they wanted, and Mike blurted out "can you do it for us?"

 

Interesting, because Mike said at about 2:20 in the Sega Nerds interview that "according to my new guys" John designed a 6-layer board to "hide the traces in the board".

 

John Carlsen apparently wanted to make a system on a chip without FGPA, probably having the entire system being in the controller or a very small case. He planed this approach at the start which also created friction with Kevtris, since he planned to dump FGPA later on in the system development

 

Would probably look like a IQue and probably use carts the size of a DS and probably some rom dumper to add existing cartage based system support

The handheld was the 'Playstation' John claimed to have designed in 2010 for Sony that I referred to above, not the Retro VGS

[Andromeda Stardust]

Ah see i've never seen an Atari 400 before.

Me neither.

 

But if I got one, I would want one with maxed resources, possibly the XEGS plus a keyboard, and I could play all (well with few exceptions) of the 8-bit cart games ever made.

[Andromeda Stardust]

Hey guys and gals, I have a question for ya.

I spent many years at Gamestop/Software Etc. From the exit from bankruptcy to 2003.

So, i really remember how those customers are.

 

I was re thinking the whole idea of this machine and was wondering if this made some sense.

 

So, how about a Coleco TV box, an ARM Android box for sure. BUT...

it has a well engineered, maybe over engineered, FLASH Cartridge built for maximal durability.

The cart can be authenticated to the home machine the first time it is plugged in, and it can be authorized by password or NFC on a friend's machine.

If the cart is lost, whooosh, Mom/Dad disables the cart, buys a new cart, and simply runs a restore from the Coleco TV servers.

It can also have access to the Play store i guess.

Give it some decent hardware... 4K capable HDMI for streaming 4K, a quad 64bit or 8 core big little chip, and most importantly Apple A6X class graphics (Power VR whatever).

3-4GB ram makes it last well for a few years. And, ofcourse NFC.

Not sure about the controllers, something much like the XBO/360 PC variants.

The machine has the NFC chip in it.

 

I see Amazon builds close to this for not so much money, but they are huge ofcourse.

 

Does anyone have thoughts, for kids use, on the idea of that Flash custom cart. It's durable, it has lots of room to breathe so fast access doesn't heat it up so bad etc... it travels safely, and its large enough to stay on the kids mind, unlike how some DS games go missing.

 

Anybody?

EDIT: NFC could be used on a smartphone or tablet remotely to authenticate the cart on the friend's system, that was how NFC would do it.

I hope you're sarcastic. That DRM scheme would be a nightmare for reselling...

[enoofu]

 

 

Funny that he didn't know that, as he claims extensive experience with game consoles in the first half of the 1990s. In the Retrogamingroundup interview he talked about this time:

Immediately after the PlayStation was released in Japan, I was sent one to take apart. It took me roughly six months to map out the system hardware, disassemble its ROM, and build interfaces that would allow us to develop our games cheaply.

...

In making those interfaces, I had learned a lot about the PlayStation, perhaps even more than anyone outside of Sony. So, when in 2010 Sony wanted to build a low-cost PlayStation to develop foreign markets, I got a call, and a really great project. I created a PlayStation that could be built into its own controller with a bunch of games, be plugged into a TV, and run on batteries (to keep the cost down). I made sure that the hardware supported 100% of the games for the original PlayStation, including those that could use multi taps and the link cable. I built the prototypes out of gray PlayStation analog controllers I bought on eBay (possibly from some of your readers), and they worked great.

...

The project got so popular within Sony that the different offices wanted to sell it in all of the BRIC nations (Brazil, Russia, India, and China). Unfortunately, it got more popular than a low-margin device should. Sony’s top executives determined that the risk was too great that it might be imported to compete with other products in its primary markets, so Sony killed the project.

 

So in 2010 Sony wanted to build a Playstation 1 'mini' for emerging markets, which doesn't make much sense to begin with. Sony decided that the designer for this should be the guy teaching C++ Community college classes in Austin who had just spent 5 years making railway equipment, because of his experience reverse engineering the Playstation 15 years earlier!? If Iguana/Acclaim was developing Playstation games, why would John have to reverse engineer them anyway, why not use a Sony DevKit?

.

Incidentally John co-founded Iguana Entertainment according to his LinkedIn profile and the RVGS Indiegogo, however his own LinkedIn lists him as a "Computer Engineering Contractor" for the first 2 years that he was there. He's listed as a co-founder on Wikipedia, but he added that to the page himeself.

 

John Carlsen got way over his head in this project. His heavily padded CV (7 degrees! Bid to be Apple's CEO! There's so much more...) caught up with him and I doubt he could have ever pulled off the design of this thing by himself. John's insights into what went on are very interesting, and I believe much of what he says, but it's a shame that someone with his considerable and varied experience feels the need to keep lying.

 

 

Interesting, because Mike said at about 2:20 in the Sega Nerds interview that "according to my new guys" John designed a 6-layer board to "hide the traces in the board".

 

The handheld was the 'Playstation' John claimed to have designed in 2010 for Sony that I referred to above, not the Retro VGS

 

Was just using John words to try to recreate what he was saying

 

Pretty sure all of the CC team hve a inflated CV

Quite a few of them are in anew company every 3-5 years including Steve Woita which raises some questions

[Cybermario]

The fallout continues to take place. Was browsing Gamester81's Youtube video last night and scrolling through the comments section look what I found:

 

 

It's sad to witness this whole thing. Mike really can't blame anyone other than himself. If only he were more honest and open from the very start, and more humbled to assemble a team of capable people in respective fields to do their jobs. He went into this without a strong blueprint and it's evident that he may never recover from this as far as being a "personality" within the retro gaming community.

 

I've said it before and I'll say it again... I backed Retro two years and they're not getting a third from me. The magazine has been horribly disappointing and suffers from long delays. Issue 10 just came out when Mike promised to catch up and have issue 12 out by December 2015. It's already March 2016 and I'd be shocked if issue 12 gets here before summer. Hell, I could see the magazine quietly dying right here, at issue 10.

 

Sadly, none of this would surprise me in the least.

 

Fairly sure, with David gone, we may be witnessing the last days of RETRO Magazine, doubt anyone with two working braincells wants to take charge of that, knowing they will be having a hard time finding a good job if they are hoping to write for the gaming industry. Saying this w/o any hate or mob mentality, but i doubt someone would like to work with Mike on his magazine now. As for David, well he finally opened his eyes, bit too late as he was defending the project utterly when he never got to see a real prototype just "faith". As much as he try to distance himself, his reputation is already stained.

 

 

The thing is that since there is no new controversy out there. People have to direct their anger to somebody else.

 

Eli has been open to talk from the begining, not sure why someone would start doubting his words now, his post regarding the new york fair was very informative for all of us.

 

Seriously, what the hell is that thing. It doesn't look like anything I've seen before. Oh, that's because Happy Console Gamer put more effort into his fake prototype than Mike Kennedy did. Bravo!

Atari 400, painted to use in The Happy Console Gamer movie some years back (fun movie, be sure to check it out)

[RupanIII]

I hope you're sarcastic. That DRM scheme would be a nightmare for reselling...

Nope, no reselling. It's not the VGS. It's an emulation system. The carts are so you can take your games with you and play at friends houses, and take it home.

 

You could consider them over engineered FLASH carts or even just low capacity SSD's, but, FLASH would be cheaper and if you make a quality PCB for FLASH with much better heat and voltage regulation, FLASH lasts a good while.

could be MLC memory when that gets cheaper and cheaper.

Edited March 6, 2016 by RupanIII

[enoofu]

Glad i never read the RETRO Magazine, don't recall anyone giving me a word up on it either

[Andromeda Stardust]

Nope, no reselling. It's not the VGS. It's an emulation system. The carts are so you can take your games with you and play at friends houses, and take it home.

But it flies against the primary reasons why cartridge gaming is so great. Buy it, sell it, trade it, a cart works in any system anywhere in the world. No updates, no phone home. Cramming DRM into a cart or locking it to one device after it's been played is just asinine. Sorry if I'm not following you.

 

Unless the "cart" is like a proprietary memory card to store downloaded games on. In that case, just use something generic like USB or SD and encrypt either the files or the file system so it won't work on other console.