Stevens Institute of Technology Hoboken, New Jersey
Nintendo GameBoy Advance SP Portable Amusement Link (PAL)
CPE/EE 423 Group #October 2003 Faculty Technical Advisor Dr. Stuart K. Tewksbury Signed _____________________ Group Members Stephanie Jane Afalla Kamoo Chong-Qui Steven Diaz Tiffani Gray Lady Noreen Santos
I pledge my honor that I have abided by the Stevens Honor System.

Table of Contents

I. Abstract II. Project Proposal Plan 1. Introduction 2. Design Requirements 3. Design Approaches 4. Financial Budget 5. Project Schedule III. Conclusions IV. References V. Appendices 2-3 3-5 5-1

I. Abstract

The idea of the video game dates back to the early 1970s. Its objective was a source of amusement that kept not only children busy, but also those who enjoyed the games as well. Advancements in technology have brought new game units such as the Nintendo GameBoy. There have been many versions of this system with the latest being the GameBoy Advance SP. The advancements of this unit have led to the creation of components other than games that can be used on, in, or with the system. One of these advances is a TV tuner. People can now use their GameBoys to watch TV by using one of these already available TV Tuner components. There are a few undesirable aspects to this TV tuner. One is that it is very bulky and unattractive. The size of this seems useless and can be minimized through a different design. Another characteristic is that the component uses its own source of battery power. The purpose of the project is to improve upon this current TV tuner. Through improvement of design and efficient use of power, the TV tuner can me reduced in size and made so that it can share the power source of the GameBoy Advance (which currently uses a rechargeable battery pack). The name of the component will be GameBoy Advance Portable Amusement Link (P.A.L.). The project poses to be challenging and will use all areas of Computer Engineering and Electrical Engineering. The final product will be a marketable and desirable device of all GameBoy Advance users.
II. Project Proposal Plan

1. Introduction

In the world of high technology video gaming systems, there is always one aim, to be the smallest, fastest and have the most definition. Imagine having a hand held gaming tool that can be used for video games as well as television. If you can imagine that now imagine that it is the size of your palm. Although one video gaming system developer, Nintendo, has already provide the sleek hand held unit, no one has come to master the sleek components that can be installed into the unit. This aspect of the gaming world needs to be changed, because what is the use of a small, discrete gaming system if the other components are huge. One component in particular that is of great importance to this kind of technology is one that can be turned into a television. This is called the TV tuner for Game Boy Advance SP, which is a Nintendo unit. The TV tuner is used like a stand that has integrated circuits that connect directly with the circuit inside the Game Boy and is used to pick up television signals for the thirteen basic channels in the United States. Through out the research that has been conducted, there was found that a few of this kind of technology exists, but with many flaws. The flaws include: the size, it is almost two times the size of the actual system and has a weight of three times the system. The power source is also another flaw; it needs standard batteries that do not last as long as the rechargeable batteries of the Game Boy. One of the major flaws is that it is noncompatible with US signals. With each flaw of the already made TV tuner, an idea was born. How about a television tuner that is smaller in size, rechargeable, and can work in the United States. Thats when the idea of the senior design project, Game Boy SP
Portable Amusement Link, was developed. Looking at the disadvantages of the TV tuner that is already out, the group has come up with ideas to better the product. The goal is to build a smaller, lighter, and more cost efficient TV tuner for the Game Boy. With this in mind, the proposal is that the tuner should be no bigger than the base of the Game Boy, making it easy to fit in pockets and book bags. This smaller size is also good for discrete uses of this project, for example, watching TV in public places. The smaller the size should also cut the weight of the tuner in half, so it is not a burden to carry with the user. Along with the smaller size, the group aims to have the TV tuner use rechargeable batteries. That is so the TV tuner lasts for however long the gaming system is on. It would be pointless and costly for the consumer to have to keep buying batteries for the TV tuner when the gaming system is still in use. This idea of using rechargeable batteries is mainly for cost efficiency of the product. The project will be similar to the already manufactured TV tuner for the Game Boy Advance SP in the sense that it will be using the same technology and have to use the same standard of signals governed by the NTSC. There are not many ways that TV tuners can be manufactured, so the group will be using all standard parts and some new and improved parts that can aid in making the vision a reality.

2. Design Requirements

The goal of this project is to design a sleek, modernistic peripheral to the already popular GAMEBOY Advance Gaming System. This component will allow for broadcast television to be displayed on the LCD panel of the GAMEBOY unit using the game
cartridge slot. The design requirements are broken up into several sections. Functionality: Must support frequencies between 54 and 216 MHz in the very-highfrequency range (VHF) Use the cartridge slot provided on the GameBoy Be able to switch between stations using existing GameBoy controls
Performance: 10+ hours of continuous play using two AA alkaline batteries Display a clear image on the LCD of the GameBoy
Physical Specifications: Must be about the same size of the GameBoy Advance SP unit (approximately 8.2cm x 8.2 cm x 2.4 cm) 9-12 ounces in weight without batteries
The functionality of the unit is of utter most importance to the success of this project. The unit must be able to receive a television transmission and project it on the LCD screen of the GameBoy Unit. The control buttons featured on the GameBoy Advance unit (buttons A and B) must be able to allow for the user to switch in between channels. The unit must also be able to be inserted into the cartridge slot with no difficulty. The cartridge slot will be the lifeline of the entire system. The performance of the unit is very critical. Using two AA alkaline batteries, the unit must be able to deliver at least 10+ hours of continuous viewable pleasure.
The unit must also not be larger than the actual GameBoy itself. The TV tuner unit will be designed to mimic the sleek and visually stimulating styles of its host, The GameBoy Advance SP. Sitting below the GameBoy the dimensions of the PAL system will be approximately 8.2cm x 8.2 cm x 2.4 cm. The weight of the PAL system must also not be too heavy. Our goal is to have the unit weigh no more than 12 ounces. Ultimately, we would like to create a unit that would be visually appealing and also unique in a sense that consumers would enjoy its portability and functionality. It is our hopes that our project will revolutionize the GameBoy Advance system and catapult it into the next generation of personal entertainment.

3. Design Approaches

The main goal of our group is to innovate a design that is sleeker, lighter, and more cost efficient than that of the unit, which is already on the market. The group generated various ideas as to how to attack one or more of the set goals of the design. As of now, the group has not decided which approach it would like to take into account to fulfill their main objectives.
a. Sleeker: The group decided to utilize most of the components already installed in the GAMEBOY system itself, to make a more thin version of the TV tuner already in production. For example, instead of appending a separate segment to insert the TV tuner card, the group resolved that the cartridge slot already provided on the unit itself would be used. Also, the controls already on the GAMEBOY would assimilate the responsibility of a remote control used for the TV tuner to switch between channels. Since
the GAMEBOY ADVANCE SP system already has its own battery power source, which is rechargeable, the team decided that an extra battery power source would not be needed, and so concluded that that part would be deleted from the design of the TV tuner.
b. Lighter: The TV tuner on the market is a unit that seems heavy and bulky and because of its shape it is way too large for the design of the small body of the GAMEBOY ADVANCE SP (approximately 8.2cm x 8.2cm x 2.4 cm). This design is too bothersome for the users. So the group wants to design a TV tuner that is compatible with the shape of the GAMEBOY unit. It would be less bulkier, since the design in mind is using the battery power source of the GAMEBOY unit, and would hence eliminate that of the TV tuner which carries four AA batteries; decreasing the weight of the two components altogether. The P.A.L. unit will thus compliment the miniature version of the GAMEBOY ADVANCE system, that of the SP.
c. Cost-Efficient: When thinking of cost efficiency, the group took both the users purchase value for the unit, and the manufacturing costs into account. The resolution of absolving the second battery power source that of the TV tuner itself, would minimize the cost of multiple battery purchases for the user. Since the group wants to mainly utilize the components of the GAMEBOY ADVANCE SP system, the manufacturing of the P.A.L. system would not cost as much, as if the group had decided to implement more hardware than is needed. In trying to get the

sponsorship of NINTENDO, and if a positive result is obtained, most of the groups expenditure would be greatly decreased; and it also seems as though, the fact that our design would be sponsored by NINTENDO, the TV tuner would thus be manufactured by them and not a third party, thus the cost of purchase by the user would seemingly be minimized as well.
The P.A.L. system would incorporate most of these inclinations for the betterment of the existing third party TV tuner design. These improvements would prove beneficial and complimentary to the design of the GAMEBOY ADVANCE SP system. These are the main considerations for the design approaches that the group has thought of and concerted upon.

4. Financial Budget

Total Labor Costs Labor Charge Research and Development Fabrication Testing $10/hour $30/hour $30/hour Total Cost
Device Costs Nintendo GameBoy Advance SP Handheld TV

5 x $100 = $x $80 = $400

Documentation Costs Paper Printing Costs

$10 $10

Marketing and Advertising
Other Costs Internet Service Travel Costs Telephone Bills
$40/month x 4 months = $120 $100 $200
**The above listings are only estimates. Modifications will be made as necessary.

5. Project Schedule

III. Conclusions
There is a great market for a TV tuner in todays society of gaming units. By using a little extra thought and effort to create a smaller and more cost efficient tuner, consumer will be able to reuse these components and save money for their systems. This group expects that upon the completion of this project we will have presented a clear, precise methodology for the development of the Game Boy Advance SP TV tuner. We plan to have a working model that can be used to demonstrate the use of technology that is used. We will be using many aspects of computer engineering and Electrical Engineering such as integrated functions and circuits and programming in C++ and Visio basics.

IV. References

1. www.howthingswork.com 2. http://www.gameboy-advance.net/accessories/gba_tv_tuner.htm 3. http://www.eagb.net/advance/hr30.html 4. http://www.bryce-max.com.hk/GBA%20Tv%20Tuner.htm 5. http://www.gamesdomain.com/news/8286.html 6. http://www.finim.com/gba-tv_tuner.htm 7. http://www.success-hk.com/xg/tvtuner/tvtuner.htm
8. http://www3.goldenshop.com.hk/AI-trad/gba/tvturner.htm

V. Appendices

Design and Specification of a Video Communication Device Based on the Gameboy Advance
Glenn Emelko Scott Schmucker April 23rd, 2003
EECS 488 Embedded Systems

Introduction

Concept: Use the widely available Gameboy Advance (GBA) video game system as the foundation of a portable video communication device. -The GBA is readily available, sold and used worldwide. -The GBA provides an LCD screen, ARM7 microprocessor, control pad, and speakers at no additional cost to development and production. -Development on the GBA is expedited by a wide variety of available, though unofficial, development documentation and utilities.

System Specification

!Communicate wirelessly with other systems (preferably using Bluetooth standard). !Record and transmit full motion video with a resolution of 160x120 to other users, and also to receive and display video from others. !Store messages for later retrieval upon a storage medium which is expandable and can be removed for rapid transmission of messages to a personal computer. Messages should be stored when system is idle, thus acting as an answering machine. !Act as a security camera upon request, allowing live video to be viewed from a remote location by a user holding a special PIN.

Design Options

DSP-based video communicator focusing on off the shelf hardware Software-oriented video communicator utilizing existing laptop/PDA technology Develop communicator based on Gameboy Advance, utilize hardware from the GBA and instead produce a module which provides additional functionality.
Ease of development and a significant reduction in product cost made the Gameboy Advance module a clear choice for our system.
Making use of an existing system, such as a GBA or PDA has a clear advantage in time to market. A complete system would take well over a year to develop, while a GBA module could potentially be taken from concept to completion in six months.
The cost of a Gameboy system is less than that of a PDA which could be used for such a product (only US$70), while still providing nearly all the functionality which would be necessary for a video communicator.
Video Communicator Components

Gameboy Advance System

Developed and sold by Nintendo Available for less than US$70
Bluetooth / Flash Enabled Card
Developed by X-traFun Inc.

http://www.x-trafun.com/

! Bluetooth enabled for connectivity ! SD Card Socket for message storage capability ! Software can easily be developed to utilize the capabilities of this card from X-traFun.

Market Study

Concern: By developing a module for the Gameboy Advance, we are limiting our market to existing GBA owners. Thus, the marketability of our product is dependant on the success of Nintendo and of the GBA system.
" As of March 24th 2002, Nintendo had sold 5 million GBA units in North America, with an estimated 50 million in world-wide sales " Sales have continued to rise steadily since 2002 " Elimination of the LCD screen and microprocessor from our module results in a market price which is far below the original target price for the completed system
Graphical User Interface: GUI

Video Decompression

The ARM7 processor has enough power to do on-the-fly video and audio decompression. We have several demos which show full motion 30 FPS video with audio. Gameboy games use this capability, although the video usually is comprised of sprites and background graphics. Some games do incorporate small full motion video sequences.
Cartridge Price Estimate (OEM)
Bluetooth / Flash Cart Chip-Camera w/ Mic 32Mb SD Memory Card $ 20.00 $ 25.00 $ 18.00
Integrated System Cost Total $ 73.00*
* Does not include non-recurring engineering costs
System Value Estimate (retail)
Gameboy Advance Video Communicator Cart $ 70.00 $150.00
Integrated System Cost Total $220.00
Based on initial engineering costs of $35,000 to develop a marketable consumer product, we will realize a profit after selling only 500 units. If we sell the units at $100 each, we would need to sell at least 1,300 units to break even.