Nintendo DS on TV, it sure ain't purdy
by James Ransom-Wiley 
{ Aug 24th 2006 at 6:25PM }
Siliconera highlights two DS-to-TV adaptors that are in the works. The first option (pictured) requires dismantling the DS casing and hardwiring the cable that will output to a standard RCA jack. Once installed, if you ever decide to make use of your DS's 'portability' again, you'll be lugging the cable along too.The second option, similar to a device developed for PSP, uses a mirror to enlarge the image on the top screen. But Siliconera warns, "It's nearly useless since it only displays one screen and it makes the DS heavier."
Obviously, neither of these makeshift devices fill the bill, leaving it up to Nintendo to release a true DS-to-TV adaptor, or better, add a DS-cart port to Wii. It could happen ... just don't hold your breath.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
foamcup @ Aug 24th 2006 6:37PM
What is the point of playing a portable on a TV screen?
Jay @ Aug 24th 2006 6:47PM
wasn't there a rumour from a while ago that said the Wii will act as a wireless speakers for the DS? Streaming audio from the DS to the Wii would be easy, could it be done with video?
Premaximum @ Aug 24th 2006 6:54PM
To the best of my knowledge, isn't the DS going to hook straight into the Wii? It's very possible that the reason for that is to play your DS through the Wii, with the console acting as an adaptor for the handheld.
Of course, just speculation, but whatever...I'm not even sure if the 'rumour' is correct, not sure where I heard it. Perhaps on the 101 DS Fact/Rumour thing posted on the Wii Fanboy child site...
dizzle @ Aug 24th 2006 7:01PM
hahahahahah now whos copying who eh?
lol jk but seriously ppl that say that stuff need to grow up
GSI @ Aug 24th 2006 7:15PM
Well since when have 3rd party portable-to-TV adapters EVER been any good?
Playing a portable on a TV is like saying a 4-hour battery life for some portable games is "not that bad." HA!
the_game_genie @ Aug 24th 2006 7:32PM
You see TV-out feature used a lot in other handheld devices that aren't geared primarily for video gaming, the iRiver pmp device comes to mind.
But I'm beginning to wonder why haven't videogame companies developed game handhelds that offer the capability to connect the handheld to a TV yet. This is something that I believe will become a growing demand. If they make AC adapters for these portable handhelds why not just add a TV-out jack to the systems so people who are on the go with these handhelds can enjoy it on a television set whenever they arrive to their destination.
The only game handheld that dare to do this was the Sega Nomad.
Sometimes I wish Sega never foolishing threw all they're cards on the console hardware cause we would see some decent game handhelds had they continued making them.
GSI @ Aug 24th 2006 7:44PM
Right...SEGA made decent handhelds. Sure thing buddy.
All the Nomad was was a Genesis in a even smaller case...and the Game Gear was too damn big to be a portable AND it eat batteries like a mofo.
Fortyseven @ Aug 24th 2006 7:44PM
foamcup: Some of these games are of such high quality, sometimes you'd like to just sit back in front of the tube and play them instead of being hunched over the thing. Mario Kart comes to mind, for example.
josh @ Aug 24th 2006 8:10PM
Most handhelds resolution is low so it would look bad on a TV screen. Nomad was an exception since it was, as GSI pointed out, actually a Genesis in a mobile form factor.
I would like a console version of Mario Kart DS, it's the best Kart game so far... but I don't think I'd want the DS-level graphics blown up on my TV screen.
the_game_genie @ Aug 24th 2006 8:51PM
@ GSI
FYI, I know what the Sega handhelds were then, all I'm saying is that Sega was in the right direction when they were designing features of their handhelds.
Game Gear may have been big and slight bulky but so was the Game Boy that it was competiting against then too. Still Sega had the better handheld, better graphics, better games than the competition.
Who know's what could have happened had Sega upgraded the Game Gear, it probably would have followed the pattern set by the Nomad with the TV-out function. Keep in mind Game Gear was based off the Sega Master System so its quite on line with Nomad being Genesis.
GSI @ Aug 24th 2006 9:10PM
-->"Game Gear may have been big and slight bulky but so was the Game Boy that it was competiting against then too. Still Sega had the better handheld, better graphics, better games than the competition."
The Game Boy was a little smaller then the Game Gear but the Game Boy at least used its real estate better with a bigger screen. Plus you obviously have no idea what makes a handheld successful b/c neither the Game Gear nor the Nomad were successful.
Next you are going to tell me that the PSP is a success when it is failing in Japan and getting its but wooped now in the US (I have no idea how it's going in Europe.)
x4str0m3ch @ Aug 24th 2006 9:25PM
GSI, The main reason why the game gear/Nomad never were popular was because of the price, not gameplay. All in all, The Game Gear was FAR better graphically than the game boy.
And the Nomad? A portable genesis was one of the
greatest ideas ever, IMO. The Genesis had so many good games, they're
even better when they're portable. Again, it never caught on because of price, $180usd, you dont even pay that much for a ds.
And history is proving itself again, with PSP and the DS. The DS may be less graphically powered, but its selling way better because of price and franchise. Doesn't mean the PSP is a bad handheld, it's just losing out, like sega did.
Gregoaaa @ Aug 24th 2006 9:33PM
This would be extremely helpful for score tracking sites, such as Twin Galaxies, as it would allow for DS records to be tracked accurately.
There is a fair bit of interest in tracking this platform and i hope they come out with a decent product soon.
justchris @ Aug 24th 2006 9:55PM
You're both missing the most important issue. Price is only the second issue. The Gameboy beat out the Game Gear because the Gameboy had almost 3 times the battery life.
The most important thing on a handheld is the ability to actually play it for a significant amount of time without having to replace or recharge batteries. Price is the second most important thing. Games are 3rd. The GB beat the GG on the 1st 2, so it won. The DS is beating the PSP on all 3 right now, so it's winning. Simple as that, if the PSP had better battery life, even double what it is now, it would be selling much better than it is.
GSI @ Aug 24th 2006 10:01PM
-->"The Game Gear was FAR better graphically than the game boy."
I know that...I had a Game Gear. I never said the Game Gear had graphics that weren't better then the GB.
The OTHER reason why the Nomad didn't sell was b/c of the size of the thing and the fact that you hade to carry Genesis cartridges. Sure the idea was neat but the fact that you had to carry around something like this:
http://i3.ebayimg.com/02/i/04/b8/10/aa_2.JPG
...instead of this:
http://i23.ebayimg.com/04/i/05/fc/77/48_2.JPG
...is a BIG deal (both literally and figuratively.)
When it comes to portables, it's about 2 things:
(1) Battery life
and
(2) the Games
x4str0m3ch @ Aug 24th 2006 10:45PM
GSI, you're right.
at the time, that kind of graphic power hadn't found a way to shrink down to a game boy size.
so sega's handhelds had the games, but not practicality.
i guess thats where nintendo comes in, right?
but then, on a completely unrelated note of price vs. practicality, if the rumors of a handheld gamecube are true, it's a wonder to think how that'll go down with the next-gen handhelds.
localpirate @ Aug 24th 2006 11:15PM
Does anyone know where to find the solder-in cable? The linked to story was wonderfully helpful in not giving any links...
idioteraser @ Aug 24th 2006 11:38PM
Just don't do it localpirate. A nintendo Japan press event implicilty implied the Wii can display DS games. Iwata stated an example in which Nintendogs is displayed in 3D on your tv. It may be a reason the Wii supports wifi.
Gamecube had the gameboy player attachement but the Wii looks to have the capability of playing DS games out of the box. Or at least displaying the visuals and sounds while someone is playing the DS.
Have none of you guys ever seen how they can play DSs and yet display the visuals and sound on projection screens? Well guess what the wii may have the same tech involved.
GSI @ Aug 25th 2006 1:41AM
-->"
Have none of you guys ever seen how they can play DSs and yet display the visuals and sound on projection screens?"
It's called a SDK (software development kit) and Debug Unit.
Although what you described would be pretty cool though and a pretty nice killer app.
pixelator @ Aug 25th 2006 2:34AM
And the Joystiq Nintendites are at it again saying the PSP is a failure, failing, dead, dying, etc.
That's nice, but in the real world, the PSP is likely to outsell the Gamecube this year - in less than half the time it took Nintendo's console to hit the 20 million mark. It's sold more than EVERY OTHER non-Nintendo handheld ever did, combined. Until recently, the 'whooping' was being handed TO the DS, except in Japan and even then, it took the Lite to really pull ahead.
If the PSP gets a revised edition and a $150 pricetag on the older model as many are predicting, along with its excellent lineup for the next few fiscal quarters, you may see this Mario/New Hardware surge for the DS wane a bit. Even if it doesn't, the PSP has still succeeded in being Sony's fastest selling system to date and a solid line drive into a ballpark that was formerly dominated by and exclusive to, Nintendo.
jadenguy @ Aug 25th 2006 4:29AM
HOLY CRAP! finally, a use for my ds phat now that i'm gonna get the black lite.
Something @ Aug 25th 2006 5:27AM
Those Gamespot guys who review DS games how do they put DS to TV
In their Onthespot program they play DS on TV or they put DS tv and picture is bettter?
the_game_genie @ Aug 25th 2006 7:09AM
@ GSI "The Game Boy was a little smaller then the Game Gear but the Game Boy at least used its real estate better with a bigger screen. Plus you obviously have no idea what makes a handheld successful b/c neither the Game Gear nor the Nomad were successful.
Next you are going to tell me that the PSP is a success when it is failing in Japan and getting its but wooped now in the US (I have no idea how it's going in Europe.)"
1st, the screen size of the GB and GG were both 160x144 pixels.
2nd, 1991-1996 (wikipedia says '97 but that's not right) a five year run covering an entire gaming generation, and getting higher scores from gaming magazines over its competition is what I would consider a success.
The price differentiation and low quality that the Game Boy system and its games had don't even really put the device in the same level as GG. and if your looking at it's sells as making it the best handheld, you are blind to fact that GB had a 2 year start over GG and its cheap price coupled with its cheap quality only attracted people that were cheap. A big portion of the video game consumers in the early 90s, that flocked to buy all the rehashed versions of Nintendo's monocrhome GB.
But not to get off point, Sega made decent gaming handhelds in its day, and we need to see more handhelds that feature TV-out. But I doubt that is something Nintendo would implement as they are always late on including new features to their devices, hence the Game Boy was monocrhome throughout Game Gear's entire life span.
Pal @ Aug 25th 2006 7:15AM
This would make the already disgusting looking graphics even worse. DS games look good because of the small resolution; what's the point in stretching it to a higher resolution display? Imagine the horror of this device combined with an HDTV; instant eye gouging will surely be enacted.
Lou D @ Aug 25th 2006 7:21AM
Actually the Atari Lynx was better than either the Game Gear or Gameboy... It also had a multi-player link cable before the Gameboy did, iirc. I think it may have even had a slightly bigger screen than the Game Gear, but probably the worst battery life. Had descent games too, just not enough of them.
I can see the DS being used an an input device to the Wii, but I don't see the DS able to stream sound and video to the Wii. There isn't enough wireless bandwidth there to do both. Wireless 802.11b cameras can barely handle streaming 320x240 video and NO SOUND...
If the DS interacts with Wii other than as a download station, it will be for the Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles sequel where your character's inventory and status is on the DS screens and you won't be limited to just one magical spell anymore... The combat will be more interesting now.
I wouldn't be suprised if Nintendo comes out with some sort of "touchscreen" addon for the Wii-mote in 2 years... as well as wireless speakers, since it can send sound info to the Wii-mote's speaker, why not it's own 6.1 system. This way, they don't need to license Dolby's digital sound but make their own proprietary wireless digital sound system.
Since bluetooth supports 7 devices, 4 could be for controllers (including built-in speaker), one direct rear speaker, one slightlyrear but mostly left speaker, same for right side and you'd still have the Dolby II stereo sound from the front TV/stereo.
Could really set the atmosphere for a game like Sadness... Turn off the lights, you hear someone walking up behind you...
Lou D @ Aug 25th 2006 7:38AM
I play GBA games using my GC's GB Player on my widescreen 50" DLP and if it's a good game (like Fire Emblem:Sacred Stones), the resolution doesn't matter.
A great game will always be a great game. A bad game with pretty graphics is still a bad game.
striderhayasa @ Aug 25th 2006 9:03AM
@ game_genie
Screw that! TurboXpress was better than the Game Gear, Atari Lynx and the Nomad. Also, the Nomad's screen had serious refresh rate issues that were commonly know. The screen would blur pretty badly when the screen scrolled and during fast sequences. Sega's handhelds were a failure for the same reason Dreamcast and Saturn were a failure...Sega has piss poor marketing and inconsistent development.
Gameboy also had a far better library regardless of the nomad's ability to play genesis games. That's why the DS is beating out the PSP...playing PS2 ports are all well and good but DS as well as the GAmeboy has original IPs and franchises that were made specifically for the respective portable. the Turbochip cards from NEC were a awesome idea but $250 dollars for a Turboxpress was out of the question.
Sega has always had talented development staff, this has been proven from Phantasy Star, to Zillion, to Shen Mue to Virtual Fighter. Sega is the only company that has a IP portfolio that is as extensive if not moreso than Nintendo. But they have always suffered from stupid marketing and ass backwards design decisions at times... (like allowing Vic Tokai develop a digitized Shinobi for the Saturn launch and then letting Genki develop VF3 for Dreamcast)
B @ Aug 25th 2006 9:26AM
but there already is a DS-to-TV adaptation. It's called the N64.
Scaught @ Aug 25th 2006 9:45AM
I agree with foamcup. PLaying portable games on a TV is pointless. I have a 61" HDTV. Can you imagine a DS game blown up on that screen? Why even bother?
I like my DS for days when my wife is watching TV and I can't play games on it or when I have to go take a number 2 and I feel like playing a game in there. Otherwise, if I am playing a game on my TV, it will be for a home console....not a portable.
Hugh Jeffner @ Aug 25th 2006 11:00AM
Yeah B, I remember having to stack 2 TV's to play my N64. I think they forgot to pack in the stylus so I never really figured out how to use the touch screen.
So what is the point of displaying the DS on a TV if you have to look down to use the stylus on touch-screen intensive games?
x4str0m3ch @ Aug 25th 2006 1:46PM
sorry to rain on the parade here, but n64 is not a DS-TV adapter.
In fact, even though the capability of graphics between DS and n64 are close, they're different in the hardware department.
Don't you think Nintendo would have simply remade some of the greats (Zelda: OoT, Super Smash Bros.) on DS if they could just easily port it and add a simple touch screen feature? They wouldn't even need a touch screen feature, people would buy the classics anyway.
the_game_genie @ Aug 25th 2006 2:58PM
@ striderhayasa "Sega's handhelds were a failure for the same reason Dreamcast and Saturn were a failure...Sega has piss poor marketing and inconsistent development."
I disagree, for one Game Gear's span from '91-'96 is more than most current handhelds you see on the market alive today. Secondly the fact that the GameGear (along with Genesis/Nomad, Sega CD, and 32X ) was the victim of its own parent company Sega of Japan, that wanted key control of marketing Sega systems, in their quest to reign over the success that Sega of America had. Sega of Japan stopped the production of those systems in favor of Saturn and Dreamcast, and end the end they both failed, and ruined the company.
http://www.sega-16.com/Interview-%20Tom%20Kalinske.php
GSI @ Aug 26th 2006 5:12AM
If both the GB and GG had the same screens...then my bad. :-)
As for the rest? ALL the Sega portables were crap and failed in the main areas where a portable needs to succeed:
(1) Battery life (Lynx, GG, Nomad and TEP all had HORRIBLE battery life.)
(2) The GB had BETTER games b/c most of the games were DESIGNED for the system and not just ports *cough*PSP*cough*
(3) Portability...the Lynx, GG, Nomad and TEP were all MASSIVE.
The only non-Nintendo portable that I think _could_ have been cool was the Neo Geo Pocket.