What is this cable for?

[MissaFX]

[nat]

That's a TurboLink.

Connects two TurboExpresses/PCE-GT handhelds together for 2-player play using two units. Used by games such as Spin Pair, Bomberman '93, etc.

[Necromancer]

Word - it is also usable as a 1/8" stereo patch cable. 

Unfortunately, few games support it.  The US market only had Bomberman, Bomberman '93, and Falcon; the Japanese market added Columns, Puzzle Boy, and Spin Pair.

[Sinistron]

  I can't imagine two people sitting there each with a copy of Falcon, exuberantly playing head-to-head in such a crapfest.

[MissaFX]

I can't imagine two people sitting there each with a copy of Falcon, exuberantly playing head-to-head in such a crapfest.

I'm sure there's people who cannot imagine anyone still playing 2-D games.  Just because you said this, at some point in the future at a gaming con you are probably going to run into a Falcon tourny with over 100 people playing head-to-head.  Who'll feel left out then?

[Sinistron]

I can't imagine two people sitting there each with a copy of Falcon, exuberantly playing head-to-head in such a crapfest.

Who'll feel left out then?

not I said the cat.  :-"

[Kitsunexus]

I still think Wi-Fi is possible with these.

[guyjin]

Word - it is also usable as a 1/8" stereo patch cable. 

So would a standard 1/8" stereo patch cable work?
if it's just an audio signal, wireless play should be trivial.

[Kitsunexus]

Word - it is also usable as a 1/8" stereo patch cable. 

So would a standard 1/8" stereo patch cable work?
if it's just an audio signal, wireless play should be trivial.

Whoa whoa whoa.... get this.  If this is just an audio cable, then you could use a Y-Splitter and hook one jack up to the the other TurboExpress and the other to a recorder of some sort.

Now play the game with a friend, and after you're done, stop the recording. The next time you want to play multiplayer and your friend isn't there, run your MP3 player into the TurboExpress, switch to the recording and there you go!

[guyjin]

Now play the game with a friend, and after you're done, stop the recording. The next time you want to play multiplayer and your friend isn't there, run your MP3 player into the TurboExpress, switch to the recording and there you go!

that would almost certainly not work. For two computers to work together, they must talk to each other. What you're suggesting is one does all the talking; the other will not put up with that.

[Kitsunexus]

Now play the game with a friend, and after you're done, stop the recording. The next time you want to play multiplayer and your friend isn't there, run your MP3 player into the TurboExpress, switch to the recording and there you go!

that would almost certainly not work. For two computers to work together, they must talk to each other. What you're suggesting is one does all the talking; the other will not put up with that.

No, that's not what I'm saying. I'm saying you record one side of the conversation, and the next day play it back. The TE will "hear" the next part of the "conversation" and play like there was actually 2 players.


Hell, you could use 2 Y-splitters and make a TE match that plays itself!


And if it can't be done, I request proof by video.

[Necromancer]

No, that's not what I'm saying. I'm saying you record one side of the conversation, and the next day play it back. The TE will "hear" the next part of the "conversation" and play like there was actually 2 players.

Hell, you could use 2 Y-splitters and make a TE match that plays itself!

And if it can't be done, I request proof by video.

What you're suggesting would only work if the 'live' half of the conversation were consistently identical.  I also have serious doubts that any mp3 player would be able to make (or play) a perfect recording of the TurboLink signal, nor would you ever be able to get the timing correct.

If you don't trust common sense and demand video proof, then send me another TurboExpress and a video camera.  I'll handle the rest.

[nat]

I can't imagine two people sitting there each with a copy of Falcon, exuberantly playing head-to-head in such a crapfest.

I'm sure there's people who cannot imagine anyone still playing 2-D games.  Just because you said this, at some point in the future at a gaming con you are probably going to run into a Falcon tourny with over 100 people playing head-to-head.  Who'll feel left out then?

It's funny you mention this, seeing as how Falcon is one of the few 3D games on the Turbo.  It even uses real-time polygons!

[Kitsunexus]

It even uses real-time polygons!

Real-time in Slowtown, Slowvakia, perhaps. 

[Ravij]

Word - it is also usable as a 1/8" stereo patch cable. 

So would a standard 1/8" stereo patch cable work?
if it's just an audio signal, wireless play should be trivial.

I would guess they just used the 3.5mm jack plugs as they are cheap, and they would only need 3 wires (Ground, Rx, and Tx)

The Rx and Tx line must get crossed over in the cable (so that each machine connects it's transmit line to the receive on the other)
If you use this cable as a stereo patch - I'm guessing the left and right channels get flipped?

It wouldn't be an audio signal, just a simple serial signal (9600 bits/sec or something) Theoretically it could be converted into a wireless format, I guess, if you can be bothered