XGameStation

The XGameStation is a line of embedded systems, primarily designed as video game consoles, created by Andre LaMothe and sold by his company Nurve Networks LLC. Originally designed to teach electronics and video game development to programmers, newer models concentrate more on logic design, multi-core programming, game programming, and embedded system design and programming with popular microcontrollers.

The XGameStation was originally conceived of as a handheld system called the nanoGear based around the 68HC12 microprocessor, a modern derivative of the 6809. The system would also contain modern derivatives of the 6502 and Z-80 microprocessors, for retro coders and hackers, and to make emulation of classic computer and video game systems easier. After several iterations, the plan changed to use an ARM microprocessor and an FPGA on which a custom designed GPU was implemented. But after finishing this project it was decided that the resulting system was cost prohibitive and much too advanced for beginners. Instead, the plan was changed again finally resulting in the XGS Micro Edition, based on the SX52 microcontroller. The ARM and FPGA-based system was renamed the XGS Mega Edition after the release of the Micro Edition, and though planned to be sold, it was never released.

The XGS Micro Edition is a pre-built video game console based around the SX52 microcontroller, which is a high-speed PIC microcontroller running at 80 MHz for a total of 80 MIPS. The color television video signal is generated in software on the microcontroller. Sound is generated by a ROHM BU8763 chip. For input, the system has a single PS/2 connector for keyboard or mouse input, as well as two DB-9 for connecting Atari-compatible joysticks. Programming is done in assembly language or in a custom written XGS Basic, either on a PC and then transferred to the console or on the system itself. It has add-on packs for creating your own expansion card and electronic experimenting kit. The Micro Edition contains the XGameStation unit, "Designing Your Own Video Game Console" - a detailed book in PDF format teaching the basics of electronics, a power supply, A/V cables, a joystick, a COM cable, and a few extras such as a PDF version of one of Andre LaMothe's previous books "Tricks of the Windows Game Programming Gurus".

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