Revolution stand to double as power supply
by Christopher Grant 
{ Feb 16th 2006 at 8:00PM }
It looks like Future Publishing's new
Official Nintendo Magazine came through with the goods today as
expected. Their "unrivaled access" snagged them one exclusive, and it's a doozy. The Revolution's stand
"also acts as a power supply" for the console. This, naturally, raises more questions than it answers. - What about those patent images? The image of the
bottom/right side of the unit revealed a bunch of unknown properties, which we can assume connect the console to
the stand, but images of the stand
reveal no such connection.
- Will the stand function as a corded power supply if the unit is placed horizontally? There is a power port clearly visible on the back of the unit which may be used to connect the two in this configuration.
- If the unit sits horizontally, will all the funky connectors be visible on the right
side of the unit, or will there be a door to cover them? The clean, minimalist design of the Revolution uses doors on
both the front and left/top to hide much of the ungainly ports and other visual distractions.
[Thanks, CB89; via Revolution Fanboy]
(Update: replaced a word that previously made little to no sense. Mostly just no sense.)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
GOD @ Feb 16th 2006 8:15PM
Wouldn't that heat the system up pretty good too?
Morder @ Feb 16th 2006 8:16PM
I'm sorry it's not a power supply. It's a stand. That particular power supply would be way too small, even for that size console. Second, that would require it to be on even if the console is horizontally aligned (like it would be at my house).
So no, it's not a power supply
kris Aubuchon @ Feb 16th 2006 8:26PM
It's possible, and somewhat ingenious. I am a bit skeptic, but at this point who knows. Nintendo would def. cover everything up with doors though - it's their whole new look for things and they don't usually half-ass their stuff.
I don't forsee the power supply needing to be much bigger than the 'cube's either way. The thing will be more powerful, but it won't suck up half as much power as the 360's triple processors because it won't have 3 seperate processors.
One thing I wish I knew about is this whole controller sensor set-up. It doesn't seem possible without wires, becasue then you would run into all sorts of battery issues, but then again what if you want the thing any distance from the TV? Very tricky thing in my mind.
obo @ Feb 16th 2006 8:32PM
I think the magazine may be playing on a technicality, perhaps.
Take a mini-ITX computer's power supply. It's tiny - look up the picoPSU, it's the size of a plug. But you still need something to convert the outlet power to DC - the power brick.
The 360, the slim PS2 - they have internal "power supplies," but that doesn't mean much.
Lou @ Feb 16th 2006 8:37PM
The stand could just contain a alternate plug that leads to the power brick. This way you don't have an ugly wire suspended in the air out the back of the unit. This power plug also helps secure the unit in place.
Exo @ Feb 16th 2006 8:40PM
the 360 doesnt have an internal power supply, thats why it has the huge brick.
RP @ Feb 16th 2006 8:48PM
"..but then again what if you want the thing any distance from the TV? Very tricky thing in my mind."
The Revolution still has to be teathered to your TV with an a/v cable, so i don't see why it would be any disadvantage for the controller senses to be wired.
And as you say, there's no way they aren't going to be wired.
RP @ Feb 16th 2006 8:50PM
*senSORs, rather
Moley @ Feb 16th 2006 8:54PM
Psst...A secret about Nintedo's new system...
It is made to work as a portable "virtual console":
There is very good reason for all that flash memory (with an expansion port for more flash memory), full catalog backwards compatability (even for past portable systems), small form factor, low power consumption, etc. The Revolution has an internal, rechargable battery a la Ipod...the system itself is rechargable and portable. The Wi-fi capability, along with the small rechargable form factor, allows it to synch with Nintendo portables like the DS (the "viewer") for use as an actual portable console that plays everything from original NES games to Revolution games via the handheld. The recharging base is much like that of the recharging base for a portable phone. Multiple "viewers" can even synch with the console during portable usage for instant multiplayer.
Shhh...the secrets out. Don't tell anyone. ;)
obo @ Feb 16th 2006 8:57PM
Exo: My bad, you're right, the whole thing is external. I'm still pretty sure the slim PS2's brick is just an adapter, though, and not a full power supply.
Lou @ Feb 16th 2006 9:05PM
#9, now that would be everything...
Maybe the sensors communicate wiressly and connect directly to the power brick for power. Hence you've killed 2 birds with one stone.
Jago @ Feb 16th 2006 9:12PM
Morder:
Care to prove how you know all that?
No...didn't think so.
epobirs @ Feb 16th 2006 9:17PM
This doesn't make much sense. At best it's only trading off where a power cord will appear. At the very least the unit is going to have an AV cable dangling off the back. Having a laptop style docking connector to the stand would only offset the cord by a few inches. Since this isn't a portable device with a battery (it would be pretty remarkable if Nintendo could keep such an aspect under wraps this long) I'm very hard put to see what the win is here, even aesthetically.
I'm inclined to think the stand is just what it looks like, an inert hunk of plastic serving a simple function. If it is anything other than that the magazine's has done a poor job of describing it.
Morder @ Feb 16th 2006 9:21PM
of course, you could prove me wrong, as everyone knows, this sites commenting is mainly for opinions. duh...
RP @ Feb 16th 2006 9:27PM
I can't believe that some people think that the Revolution is going to be a portable device. And what's more, REQUIRE a DS with it.
Having to carry around a Rev and a DS is not portable, let me tell you that. It's just not practical /at all/. Plus, you'd get an awful battery life on it, and it would undoubtedly drive costs up.
epobirs @ Feb 16th 2006 9:28PM
Moley, that scenario only works for a subset of the games intended for the Virtual Library feature. Games not properly adapted to using the DS screen will make for difficult playing of the distorted image. Also, a substantial portion of the titles that would be the most desired already have native GBA versions that work on the DS or in the case of the N64 native DS versions.
Even if Nintendo was looking to go beyond selling emulated old games to selling new games of small data volume requirements online, it makes no sense to cart around the whole Revolution when the games can simply be downloaded to a SD card and used via an adapter on the DS. (Or a proprietary flash card for the DS slot that would need an adpater on the Revolution side.) SD already provides for use in DRM situations, which is why it's called Secure Digital.
Jago @ Feb 16th 2006 9:29PM
Yea I can prove you wrong...actually click on "READ" and look at the scan of that page. It's says crystal clear that:
"This stand also acts as a power supply for the DVD-case sized Revolution hardware."
An opinion is one thing but saying something isn't true when there is plain proof on the same page is kinda dumb.
Freak @ Feb 16th 2006 9:31PM
Bah. I was thinking rechargeable too. I kind of doubt it tho. And if you check the Rev console drawing patents that floated around a few days then you'll see an AC plug on the back of the Rev.
I also doubt that the stand is a Power Supply. Not that it couldn't be done if they wanted it that way, but putting the console on top of a heat source doesn't seem too smart. Guys that design electronics always try and keep the heat away. Not bring in more heat. MOre heat means more cooling needed.
Morder @ Feb 16th 2006 9:34PM
the page isn't proof...as we all know things are made up all the time. there is no proof that the page is any more real than all the fake interfaces we have been seeing...sheesh...
Jago @ Feb 16th 2006 9:38PM
So something SCANNED from a LEGIT and OFFICIAL magazine that is fake?
Riiiiight...
Morder @ Feb 16th 2006 9:41PM
anyway...
we'll see when it comes out now wont we?
baR_n1 @ Feb 16th 2006 9:42PM
#9: Interesting idea, but i expect that would cost too much to be realistic. You would need the equivalent of about 2 laptop batteries on board for the system to be able to go "portable" for any worthwhile amount of time (say 4~6 hours). Anything less, and you might as well just carry the base with you. Theres just too little payoff for this feature (cool, but rather gimmicky to be honest) compared to the cost needed imo.
As for how i expect the base will work, it will probably have a out plug that lines up with a corresponding in port on the system, so that power is connected when the system is put into the base. It will also come with and extension cord to connect the two outlets if you choose to lay the system horizontally. In this case, the base would get put away like a standard power brick, with the cord connecting the system as per a more conventional console setup.
As for the sensors, do they even need power? Can they not just be used in a reflective sort of way to triangulate the position of the controller? I cant see Nintendo coming up with such a slick system design and then expect you to have wires hanging off the side/top of your tv. It would be completely contrary to this whole "wireless, clean, and simple" image they are trying to project.
Jago @ Feb 16th 2006 9:47PM
You sound like the President of Iran...saying that the Holocaust never happened when there is 100% that it happened.
Oh well...not my fault if you didn't actually click and read the link.
Morder @ Feb 16th 2006 9:57PM
sheesh...some people are just plain stupid...comparing what i said to "the holocaust never happened" is just asinine
first off, just because an official magazine publishes something doesn't mean it's fact. they could have gotten the information from another source. nintendo does endorse the magazine, but it's control is by the parent company of the magazine, in this case future publishing. If it was official, this information would probably be published in a japanese edition of Famitsu or even Nintendo Power.
second, as i stated, it's just an opinion...which is based on what i read. you really need to let opinions go...you're taking it too personal
Truf @ Feb 16th 2006 10:16PM
The magazine offers no proof, and the patents suggest that the stand is nothing more than a grey piece of plastic and the power goes into the console directly
J @ Feb 16th 2006 10:41PM
The patent shows clearly that the power slot is in the back. Unless they make a special portable stand then I think this will just be a piece of plastic. Good idea for mobile though. Maybe even a clip on stand.
S!mon @ Feb 16th 2006 10:50PM
The only way this "feature" makes any sense is if the AV is in the dock too. Frankly I thought this was the plan the whole time.
No way it portable though. Sorry guys. But what a PSU/AV dock would do is make the system versatile. Actually, if the ports were on the back adding a 7" LCD or OLED screen would be a snap.
dsub @ Feb 16th 2006 11:15PM
I don't see why this idea is so far fetched? Look at what nintendo did with the GBA, and even the DS in a short period of time. Compare the size/heat output of the Gamecube to that of the XBOX/PS2, especially the mini PS2 (that thing gets hot as hell). In my opinion, it's genious. Nintendo has seen the reaction to the 360 power supply, and based on what we know about the PS3, odds are it will have one helluva beast for a power supply as well.
In a day and age when smaller is cooler, and everyone's trying to conserve energy and save the planet (hybrid cars adn little iPods are the new rage). Nintendo could easily be on to something here. The guys over at MS/Sony should take some cues from nintendo's design department if this is true. I understand heat would be an issue and everything, but I agree, this thing is going to suck up no where near the power of the 360. It doesn't need to be able to power a HDD, and since the GPU in this thing doesn't have to push out it's graphics at HD (1920x1080/1280x720 vs. 720x480)it won't be pumping out nearly as much heat in that department either. It's sort of possible it could have fans in it I guess...I know the system has a little one in the back.
nintendo has a good past of releasing the most reliable consoles on the market in my opinion. Only one I had issues with was NES (blowing on cartridges). I'm not necessarily claiming this as exact fact, but you have to admit, it's a damn good idea. I love playing my 360 and PS2, and all, but I have to give it to nintendo, there design department makes much more intelligently designed products.
Spottednigel @ Feb 16th 2006 11:24PM
"You would need the equivalent of about 2 laptop batteries on board for the system to be able to go "portable" for any worthwhile amount of time (say 4~6 hours)"
Unlike a laptop, the Revo doesnt have an lcd screen attached. That difference alone could have a huge impact on battery life.
Spottednigel @ Feb 16th 2006 11:34PM
Inductive Charging
http://home.howstuffworks.com/question292.htm
No contacts/cables needed to have electricity go from system to power brick.
That oddly angled corner and the angle that the system is at could make a nice connection just using gravity...
Jago @ Feb 17th 2006 12:20AM
Usually if something is "official" it means that in this case Nintendo will have to verify that the info is correct.
Oh and btw...Famitsu isn't run by Nintendo. It's an independent magazine that also happens to be one of the most trusted. So if that is the case, the same would be said about this OFFICIAL magazine from the UK.
...and my comparison was legit...you are saying something isn't true when there is proof from a source that has the info FROM Nintendo.
Cody @ Feb 17th 2006 1:45AM
Ummm, maybe the stand is a power supply for the wireless Rev. controllers to be recharged. Set the Rev on the stand, and the controllers recharge maybe?
sizcoz @ Feb 17th 2006 3:45AM
who knows, some rumors indicated that the stand is inclined such to point a projector at any wall of your choosing, just rumor mind. Why else have a stand ?
staff@nintendoinfo.com
epobirs @ Feb 17th 2006 6:15AM
Dsub, I greatly doubt that anything in the Revolution is a reaction to the design in the Xbox 360. They were already showing their sample design well before anyone outside of Microsoft could say what the 360's PSU would be like or even if it was external. I think it's more reasonable to say Nintendo chose not to compete on chipset power because that was a losing proposition for them. Sony and Microsoft are far better positioned to engage partners on chipset design. There is no way for Nintendo to win an advantage there so the smart thing for them is define a set of goals that plays to their strengths.
Once you get off the horsepower merry-go-round and set modest hardware specs it isn't very hard to keep the form factor small and power draw low. Most of the upgrade from the GameCube is just what you get with the smaller process nodes that have become available since the GC launched. Taking the GC chipset down to 90 nm would give you a considerable performance boost while still running very cool and retaining full GC compatibility. Running the CPU at 1.5 GHz would seem slow by PC standards but is a huge gain over the GC while being very low cost. (I'd expect the chipset to have some additional functionality such as dedicated shader pipes but how much remains to be seen.)
So sure, the system can have a low power draw and even, as SpottedNigel pointed out, have a connectorless charging system. This still begs the question of why? What possible value is there in a semi-portable Revolution or even reducing the cable hanging off a purely stationary Rev?
Alex K. @ Feb 17th 2006 6:59AM
HEY REMEMBER E3!!??
Iwata was holding up the revolution. THE SECOND HE PUT IT ON THE STAND, IT LIT UP!
I know I know, it was just an empty shell, but REALLY!
Have you seen the power supplies for modern laptops? They are about the same size as this stand. It's completely possible.
CuddleFish @ Feb 17th 2006 8:15AM
I hope the base isn't the power supply. I don't want that thing in my entertainment center heating the air that my other devices are using to cool themselves. I want all my power supplies to be outside of my entertainment center where they are open to the air. A lot of Xbox 360s overheated because people put the power supply on top of the console defeating the purpose of the external power supply.
Draco @ Feb 17th 2006 11:09AM
Aww nuts... the site was removed at the request of higher ups :(
no way to read it now... unless... leaves to check google cache
Fan @ Feb 17th 2006 11:55AM
Yes having a console ontop of a hot psu is generally a bad idea. Cpus and gpus get hot and they need cooling not a slow bbqing.
If its anything its most likely just a power connector.
Kevin @ Feb 17th 2006 1:56PM
Might be a longshot, but maybe it's induction they use to charge it, or magnetism
Jago @ Feb 17th 2006 5:10PM
So if you people don't beleive something coming directly from the horses mouth then WTH do you believe then?
jj @ Feb 17th 2006 6:35PM
I think the stand will be a kind-of portable batterie (like a laptop). It makes complete sence, the power cord will go to the conection in back of the revo to the wall and if you want to charge the stand it would have a power conection to the wall. Furthermore, it acts like a laptop.
jj @ Feb 17th 2006 6:39PM
But why have a portable Revolution with no t.v?
Rocketboy @ Feb 17th 2006 7:31PM
Sorry, I'm not seeing any sort of "funky connectors" on the right side of the unit. It's rubber feet, places for stickers, and a vent for a cooling fan (which looks just like the gamecube vent holes)...
baR_n1 @ Feb 17th 2006 10:00PM
^^^
I believe the hope is that the Rev can be loaded up with downloaded vintage games and then act as a wireless server for multiplayer DS sessions, thus no need for a tv. What i dont get is why this necessitates an on board battery, other than for the "gimmick" factor? Whats wrong with plugging it into the wall? Are you really expecting to be having these multiplayer sessions outdoors?
"Unlike a laptop, the Revo doesnt have an lcd screen attached. That difference alone could have a huge impact on battery life."
Good Point. I didnt think of that. This might just make the difference with making the costs manageable.
Jago @ Feb 18th 2006 12:54AM
I swear reading the comments for this story is like playing telephone. A couple people say that the Revolution might be portable and now people are talking it is something that Nintendo said themselves.
radical_libre @ Feb 18th 2006 12:20PM
nintendo fanboys.. read this (crazy speculative post) http://www.gamespot.com/pages/forums/show_msgs.php?topic_id=24328400
it's kinda related.
All other kind of people... stay away... because, I know
about the unlikeliness of all this... and I hate smartasses highlighting the obvious when somebody says something that's not "probable".