Re: If you were to put a graphics chip on an apple II card...

[Michael J. Mahon <mjmahon@aol.com>]

Kevin <kevin@hackaday.com> wrote:
> On Wednesday, August 29, 2012 1:20:14 PM UTC-5, (unknown) wrote:
>> What would it be?
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> I know about the Arcade board, etc.  Second Sight, TurboRez.  They never
>> caught on.  Way too late for anything to be popular today...
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> I've been studying a NES (nintendo) ROM disassembly, and I think the
>> graphics  chip is pretty freakin neat.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Have you guys worked with any other graphics IC's?  What would be a good
>> one for a *hobby* project?
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Rich
> 
> the problem is hardly anything used an external VDG, the good ole TMS9918
> (or my choice the YPbPr output TMS9928) works great if your system is
> standard for it, otherwise its a niche ... how many apple games use it?
> will you break compatibility with people who dont have it (ie I only have
> a //c) if you dont meet the two requirements above what good IS it?

This is the "critical mass" problem at the root of any system enhancement.
Unless a large fraction of the market adopts it, there is no business case
for doing extra work to support/exploit it. 

This is why most successful system enhancements are introduced by the
manufacturer, by making them standard equipment for new models. 

Of course, those days are over for the Apple II--and it is barely an
economic market these days. So now what drives adoption of an enhancement
is major convenience (think CFFA) or necessity (no real examples). 

-michael - NadaNet 3.1 and AppleCrate II: http://home.comcast.net/~mjmahon