Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Midland, TX USA
Posts: 95

An FM Tuner Springboard would be a great carry-along device (as an alternative to a full MP3 player). Why not include a TV tuner as well. Visualize your kids in the back seat on a long trip with their own Visors. Would knock the socks off simple game only machines (might even have homework implications)

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Rio Rancho, NM, USA
Posts: 129

I like the idea of the TV, but I wonder about the refresh rate. I think the unit would require its own power supply, but it's a neat idea.

Also, I think someone recently announced a tuner in a chip. We're almost there.

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Sydney Australia
Posts: 1883

I own a Sega gamegear (old but full color!)
With a tv adaptor.

The adaptor is actuallprettys small itself.
I think it would be possible to make a springboard with a TV tuner...

regarding the radio tuner, why not combine that with the MP3 player?

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Midland, TX USA
Posts: 95

The only reason I suggested a separate module is that the specs on the MP3 players show they will be significantly larger than the Springboard slot, and I thought the FM tuner could fit in the Flash module form factor.

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Urbana IL
Posts: 144

TV Tuner? You mean audio only I hope? 16 color displays at low resolution would look REALLY bad, even at a high refresh.

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Sydney Australia
Posts: 1883

The image quality does not look too bad sinse the screen is pretty small, and TV images aren't of high res anyway (about 640x480 depending on the system).

Off course on a visor you would only see it in Black and White but I guess that's good enough for on the road...

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Pittsford,NY,USA
Posts: 223

You don't get 640x480, you get 160x160 resolution. (Big difference) The good news is that a 160x160 image with 16 shades of gray can look very good. This image of my son is 160x160x16:

I think a TV tuner springboard is a workable idea. (If it is cheap enough.)
-Eric

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: PEI, CANADA
Posts: 33

Nice picture.

A TV module would be great. Big problem for all of these ideas will be cost. It would have to sell cheap to take the place of a small portable TV.

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 69

I think just the radio with a small speaker and a headphone jack would fly.. perhaps make it a combo AM/FM/TV/Weather band doohicky.

Video for the PalmOS/Dragonball might be a bit too much.

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Midland, TX USA
Posts: 95

Given possible video problems mentioned by others, the AM/FM/TV audio would be a good compromise. I just think an alternative to bulky MP3 add0ns would be handy.