I want to build a handheld Pong game

[Datalore]

Hello,

As a little ASM coding / hardware experiment, I want to build a portable Pong device. All I need is a B/W LCD, 2 knobs to turn (or some other form of control), and an on/off switch.

I have researched this in the past and was recommended to buy a Basic Stamp. However, basic stamps are expensive ($30 for their cheapest model). Somebody else suggested PicAXE microcontrollers, which were not only cheap but smaller. However their site is down ATM.

Do any of you electronics guru's have any links that can point me in the right direction? Things like cheap LCD's (small), ideas for controls, any RadioShack parts that would help me, cheap programmable chips, etc.

Thanks for any help

[likuidkewl]

Cheap EEPROM

http://www.mouser.com/

[Datalore]

Nice site, I have no idea what I'm looking for on there. Can you point me to a category at least? Thanks

[likuidkewl]

Thing is you need to find the board you are going to use then figure out how many pins and how much space you need, etc. Do you have some idea of what the layout of the board is going to be? If you have some schematic diagrams you can email them to me and I will try to help you out. *BTW I do this for a living*

//Editted fot major spelling/grammatical errors //

[Datalore]

I'm really glad there's somebody here who knows what they're doing with electronics.

You mentioned schematics.

Please excuse me while I go die laughing I have no idea what I'm doing whatsoever. I don't know the first thing about electronics. I don't know ASM. But somehow I'll manage.

[likuidkewl]

First off get yourself some AutoCad!

OK quick rundown, There are two types of circuts Digital and Analog, Digital is really easy +5 = on, 0 = Off, kinda like binary. now this should be really easy but alas it will probably be more of a pain becasue you are not just doing the ASM you are building the whole thing, so what you would need is to figure out what you input is going to be, rather how will it be delivered. ex. A knob when turned CCW will move the paddle left, ok easy 0vdc = left and +5vdc will = right or a CW turn on the knob. So the knob will have a pin on on one side which when turned left(CCW) will ground out the +5vdc, causing the +5vdc to go to 0vdc or ground. Ok so now from the IC chip to the LCD, this could get tricky so don't quote me on this, depending on what LCD you use you could need a bunch of different voltages, ex. +12vdc, this is where the programming of the IC chip(s) comes into play. Voltages to the LCD, Data to the LCD, etc. I have never built anything from the ground up, except a wireless antenna. So as you can see some research is required. Hope ths helped!

[likuidkewl]

Good place for info on what chips do what:

http://www.xs4all.nl/~ganswijk/chipdir/

Specifically check these links out:

http://www.xs4all.nl/~ganswijk/chipdir/ext/course.htm

[Datalore]

Thanks for all the information, likuidkewl. I'll check it out soon. Looks like this will have to be a summer project.