Check out some new systems I build
Sega Omega Drive:
https://starforcepi.wordpress.com/2017/05/01/the-sega-omega-drive/PC Engine SD:
https://starforcepi.wordpress.com/2017/04/19/the-pc-engine-sd/So it has been nearly a YEAR since my last post. I've been making some of my new build (see above) as well as pursuing the STARFORCE PI development. Time goes fast when things progress slowly. There have been some changes, and I thought I'd share progress as it stands in a summarized way:
2016-07-23: Last teaser video, showing removable button plate (allowing up to 6 arcade buttons) and a magnified window were back in the design. I vowed to only post again with production details and pre-order date. Prototype 1 was at the CAD designer, Arcade shield was still in development with the Engineer.
2016-07-29: My first child was born.
2016-09-01: Contacted Watermelon Games for licensing possibility of their games for the STARFORCE PI. NG-DEV:TEAM was on board against a heft licensing fee, I figured perhaps WG would be more accessible, but alas they weren’t looking to license. Cool guys though, very interested in our gear, specifically the Starforce Neo conversion of the Minitel (they’re French, so they were digging it).
2016-09-14: Prototype 2 arrives at CAD designer, first version was lacking internals and could not be fully realized in CAD.
2016-10-28: Finished workflow on options to include into the Arcade Shield for our engineer. This would include VGA output via the GPIOs to a scanline generator before reaching the 5” screen. We discussed the inclusion of 2 stereo speakers and a dedicated amp to manage 2watt output. We discussed making the battery optional to press the per-unit cost.
2016-11-03: First meeting with a French-Chinese production company on getting small volume production runs. CAD designs would be delivered as soon as our designer delivered them to us
2016-11-12: First CAD draft of housing is delivered. Questions of the design were answered, and the changes would be made.
2016-11-17: Non-disclosure forms were signed with the production company. Packaging options were discussed.
2016-11-30: Second CAD draft of housing is delivered forwarded to production company.
2016-12-16: First attempt to send STARFORCE PI prototype to production company was tried, failed (La Poste did not accept address).
2016-12-18 until 2017-04-01: Xmas Holiday – Get PC Engine + everdrive, start new parallel project: the PC Engine SD
2017-01-18: Second attempt to send STARFORCE PI prototype to production company was tried,successful!
2017-02-08: The engineer leaves the project. No prototype of the PCB was made by him at this time, nor was an attempt made at a design, unfortunately. New plans are made to simplify the design so the PCB could be made without the engineer.
2017-02-11: Prototype was returned to sender, this time China post did not understand the addressing.
2017-02-27: Third attempt to send STARFORCE PI prototype to the production company was tried, successful again.
2017-03-29: Package arrived at the production company. CAD design, boxart and prototype of the case are now in China, Shenzhen. Request for PCB development was made.
2017-04-21: Met with the production company, moving forward in getting production quotes from them, and working with the same company Ubisoft hired for their injection mold figurines. Exciting, but no promises yet, as ever.
2017-05-05: Try seperate off-the-shelf components in conjuction with each other rather than creating a bespoke PCB, introducing the solution in a new prototype for production company in China.
So that’s as far as we are now. I’ve spent a few thousand euros since the original Kickstarter campaign, mostly for custom or limited available parts and prototypes, each prototype costing around 200-300 to build. As I mentioned, to keep up morale I’ve been working on side projects, such as the recently finished Sega Omega Drive and the PC Engine SD:
Sega Omega Drive:
https://starforcepi.wordpress.com/2017/05/01/the-sega-omega-drive/PC Engine SD:
https://starforcepi.wordpress.com/2017/04/19/the-pc-engine-sd/
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But it's also the most satisfying, when that 19" monitor fit exactly into the After Burner bezel with only several mm spacing, that's very pleasing.
Or if we can find someone that can make NeoGeo MVS clones!
