Initial Concept and Design

The Super Chalktendo Entertainment System

As a kid, I grew up loving video games. Fascinated by the technology behind them almost as much as the games themselves, I enjoyed playing all kinds of games on all kinds of technologies (be it the machines themselves, the Commodore 64 and other computers of the day, to all of the home consoles). Of course, the mecca of video games at the time was the arcades at local malls where I would marvel at the wondrous machines and the "ahead of their time" graphics that displayed on them. I was also a bit of a cheapskate as a kid, and hated putting in quarter after quarter of my allowance only to play for a few short minutes at a time. I vowed then and there, that someday I'd have a video game machine of my very own that I could play without guilt of losing my allowance just to fight the next boss.

Fast forward 15 years and the dream was still alive. The idea of computer emulation of the arcade classics and my own degree in Computer Science Engineering, along with my Dad's skill in building "anything", actually put my dream into reach. After graduating from college, I was finally able to put some of my money towards something that wasn't food, transportation, or textbooks, so I started saving... and dreaming...

Real life, of course, interrupted the dream often. After getting very important life business out of the way like getting a job, getting married (I love you, Holly! -- got to have a wife that will support your childhood dreams!), and buying and settling in our first home, I finally had an open few months of weekends that I could dedicate to my dream. I mentioned this to my Dad, and presented him the plans below for the beginning of what became 9 months of work (of course at a measured pace of a couple of weekends a month at a time... )

After doing much research on the topic, the requirements that were most important to me regarding the video game machine were the following:

• I wanted a machine that could be playable by myself and my friends. A 4-player machine was a must. Video gaming, in my opinion, is a social activity and I wanted to share my creation with my friends and family.

• The machine needed to truly be a video game machine and play the part perfectly... but since it was going to be a large piece of furniture in a family room, it would be nice if it could multipurpose as an entertainment center / multimedia PC.

• The machine needed to be easily viewed by people sitting around the video game machine, and the screen needed to be read by sitting on a couch across the room.

• While this machine was going to be large, it needed to be able to be portable... so the machine needed to be modular and easily moved.

• The machine also needed to make the most of floor space and viewing area... so it would fit into a corner with little wasted space.

• The machine's hardware and software should support as many video gaming systems as possible, with as close to native support for the controls of those systems as possible.

• The machine needs to be able to withstand the test of time, including upgrades/replacements to the PC, Television, and Sound System. I want my kids to enjoy someday playing this machine, and for the machine to stay somewhat relevant (and definitely still playable). As time marches on, equipment may wear out, and I want to be prepared to switch if necessary.

• This machine needed to have a catchy name, look sharp, and look professional. It also needed to look original while still being easily identifiable as a video gaming machine.

Based on these guiding principles, I started drawing:

Continue onto Construction...