Hello everyone,

Please check out my new PlayOne and Link-Box video: Atari PlayOne video PlayOne is a project that I started shortly after the Jaguar CD was released, then got left in storage in the UK for over 15 years. Recently I had PlayOne shipped to me here in the USA, but it got crushed during transportation, so it had a quick rebuild. As you will see I am not a model maker, and definitely not a painter. However this video may give you an idea of what I believe the Jaguar could have, and more importantly should have been like from day one.

Unlike my Jaguar Combo a few years back, PlayOne uses the Jag and Jag CD PCB's and does not require any soldiering at all. Size wise, the height and length are the smallest possible. The case could be made about an inch narrower, but that makes the case look out of balance. The case (excluding RF shields) consists of two half's, and is approximately three fifth's the weight of the combined Jaguar and Jaguar CD cases; note that the plastic in PlayOne is the same thickness as the original Jaguar. For assembly, the Jag PCB is attached to the bottom half of the case with 4 screws. The CD PCB is attached to the top half with 4 screws. Both PCB's are connected with a mini Jag to Jag CD PCB. Both cases are attached together with 4 screws from the base, and 2 screws through the cart connector into the lower case.

If you have any questions, please fire away.

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This post has been edited by 10p6: Nov 18 2013, 02:34 PM

Thanks, that was interesting.

I still think that the original proportions are nicer so your combo still looks cooler to me and a bit less like a toy. (Which iti is anyway ;-)) But as a concept it is nice and I wouldn't mind having a small Jag next to my Tv with a build in CDrom and only one powercable, so yeah nice idea.

Do you care to explain how the Mp3 Player works so you can have music in the game. Is it somehow incorporated in the game or is it just an equivalent to me turning up the stereo with music while playing the game?

I like how you made the Link-box fit. When I saw the second picture my first thought was, that you would not be able to use a catbox with that thing. Is it still possible to connect something like the original RGB cable and such?

Looks nice. So is this something you are going to be selling, or what is the deal?

The MP3 player can be controlled by serial command and has some functionality with direct connection. For the Doom demo I used two wires to start a manual play. The Link-Box shown does not have it, but it would be possible to have a manual wired remote control. This could be a great option as the MP3 player can store up to 3000 MP3's.

The Link-Box is a lot smaller than the CatBox (see the photo below.) It would have been possible to make the CatBox fit, but that would have required the PlayOne being taller (Or hacking the CD PCB Power connector and other circuit components), and loosing the power switch, and possibly Internal PSU. It was to much of a trade off. Standard Jag Cables should work fine (I have tested a few.)

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The case is designed to be molded, but I would not consider having it duplicated unless two things happen. 1. The case is fully professionally finished. 2. The Link-Box is made. :-)

Dude, you can't just post a picture of that amazing thing and then tell us you aren't going to make them! Hell, I'm down to buy two of them! That thing looks so sweet! I WANTS!!!!

As I said, if I can get it professionally finished (I like perfection) the case has been designed to be molded. After that is is a case of un-casing the old and re casing into the new. :-) So are you down for 2 Link-Boxes too should they ever be produced?

I would prefer the system color be standard jag gray though, or white. go with gray. also would like the stock jag graphics designs on the system. Well where it says Jaguar on the cart system part, dont need jaguar cd text also on it.

also would like to see the standard 64 bit multimedia text

This post has been edited by Kevincal: Nov 18 2013, 03:49 PM

The Piano Black looks great in person, but does not photograph to well. My son liked the white primer we used best. As for text, if it ever gets finished then I would do the small multimedia text, then possibly PlayOne on the CD lid.

love the design and link box, hopefully this will be manufactured to mass production (kickstarter anybody)
love how the midi music gt included in doom.
quick question: was there any plans to include HDMI support for newer tvs (most have hdmi instead of s-video now in days).

"I helped!"



In case anyone was wondering (and didn't watch to the end of the video), I'm the guy who's been wrestling with the PCB designs for this project. What you're looking at in terms of the Link-Box is a first revision prototype, which isn't *quite* ready for a public release. I'm currently working on the second revision, but since Simon needed something for his demo video in time for the Jag's 20th, he has the first revision with some fixes jumpered on.

Dan: No plans for HDMI. Getting that sorted out is just a little beyond my abilities, I'm afraid. But we do have the Component video option on the board! It's a smaller step in the 'modern connectivity' direction, haha.

You make them, I'll buy them. This is freakin awesome. I really love what you guys have done here. Oh, and the fact that you are working with J-Metal makes me smile too cause the kid seems to really have a mind for this stuff and I look forward to seeing what he himself comes up with for this. I'll be watching. This right here just resnagged my attention on the Jaguar again.

Jmetal is a pretty cool young man. We remember when he was just knee high to a grasshopper.

Yes, I concur. He was a little whippersnapper at that! Tinkering with his GP32's and making weird cables and such. Now he's all grown up and such an impressive young man!

So with the scare of 'Other' PSU's having issues with hardware like Skunkboard, I was asked about PlayOne's PSU. Well here goes.

The PSU in PlayOne is regulated, and generally outputs 9.2 to 9.4 volts. In the States, the PSU uses 0.0 to 0.1 watts in standby (Back power switched on (green light), but Jag off) The Jag PSU's use 3 watts while the Jag is turned off, so that's 6 watts of power being wasted while the Jag and CD is turned off. Playing Cart games the PlayOne PSU uses about 6 to 7.3 watts, and CD games up to 13 watts while the CD is spinning. So the PSU is very efficient, and can save a bit of money in Electric during usage, and even more when it is not being used. If the back switch is turned off, it uses no power at all.