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JonSharp.net:70:projects:gameboy_ethernet |
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# Gameboy Ethernet Project |
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## Overview |
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The goal of this project was to allow a Nintendo Gameboy Color to |
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function as a remote reporting tool via a standard Ethernet |
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connection. This was accomplished using various hardware. Using a |
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custom built RS232 convertor circuit, the Gameboy connects to the |
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serial port of a special Java embedded device named TINI. The TINI |
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hardware also includes an Ethernet interface, making the TINI |
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essentially an Ethernet-to-Serial adapter. The TINI establishes a |
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socket connection with our Java server which sends useful information |
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back to the TINI which sends the output directly to the Gameboy’s LCD |
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screen. Read the following sections for the details of each |
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component. |
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## Hardware |
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- Nintendo Gameboy Color |
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- Dallas Semiconductor's TINI |
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- RS232 signal convertor circuit |
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## GB Software |
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The Gameboy software was written in assembly language (The Gameboy |
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has a Z80 workalike CPU.) and assembled using Rednex Gameboy |
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Development System. RGBDS The assembled ROM image was then flashed to |
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a 4Mb Bung flash cartridge via Bung’s GB Xchanger. The original |
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design and code are Ken Kaarvik’s. Many thanks go to Ken for the |
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inspiration for this project, his code and permission to expand on |
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his very excellent idea. The original code was once available on |
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Ken’s page -- not sure if it still is. |
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Source - commboy.asm |
text/plain |
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Full project zip |
application/zip |
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## Java Client |
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The Java client code runs on the TINI, providing the Gameboy with the |
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connection to the Java server running on our Linux workstation. The |
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client code begins by creating a serial port object and opening it. |
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Then it opens a socket connection to the Java server. When the server |
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sends the information to client, the client then outputs directly to |
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Gameboy over the serial port. This is a simple application providing |
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the Gameboy an Ethernet interface. |
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Source - GBClient.java |
text/plain |
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## Java Server |
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The Java server is on a Linux system and remains open to connections |
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while running. The server waits until a client connects and then |
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sends out system information such as uptime and cpu temperature. |
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Source - GBServer.java |
text/plain |
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## Project Notes |
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Many things were required to pull this project off. First, we had to |
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learn assembly for which McKee Library proved helpful. Then we had to |
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learn about the Gameboy’s hardware. The Internet is full of great |
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resources for that. The MAX232CPE circuit was constructed in under 3 |
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hours. The TINI we used is running TINI Firmware 1.01. In order to |
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allow our Java client software to execute without invoking it |
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manually, (telnet over the Ethernet device) we had to add a line to |
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Slush’s (TINI’s shell) /etc/.startup file. All coding was done using |
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Vim. |
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Special thanks to Dr. Halterman for his help in this project! Here |
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are some of the project costs: |
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- TINI w/ board - $75 |
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- Gameboy Color - $70 |
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- Bung Flash cart and Xchanger - $90 |
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- Parts for RS232 circuit - ~$15 |
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- Hours of mad coding - priceless |
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## Pictures |
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Start with the Gameboy Color |
image/jpeg |
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Build a circuit around MAX232CPE |
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Put it in an attractive project box |
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Get your TINI... |
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And put it all together |
image/jpeg |
