Author Topic: What are the plans for Serial Port #2? (Read 13899 times)

razorpit · « **on:** February 24, 2003, 06:05:36 AM »

We now know the Hi-Speed Port is for the GameBoy Player, and Serial Port #1 is for the broadband/modem adapters. Does any one know what Serial Port #2 is for? Did Nintendo ever say? I always thought it looked like it was cut for a standard PC style keyboard plug because it is semi-circle.

--Dave

Alliedrally68 · « **Reply #1 on:** February 24, 2003, 07:21:22 AM »

Well, I think Nintendo is going to release the ASCII Keyboard Controller soon, but that uses a regular controller port. I don't know what Nintendo is planning, but hopefully it won't go unused, like the N64's did here in the States.

RickPowers · « **Reply #2 on:** February 24, 2003, 07:42:37 AM »

It certainly does look like some sort of a cord would come out of that opening, doesn't it? If Nintendo has plans for that space, it beats me what it would be. Honestly, I'll be surprised if they release anything for that space. I'm hoping for a Nintendo keyboard, or better yet, a headset peripheral for voice communication, but I'm not getting my hopes up too high.

mouse_clicker · « **Reply #3 on:** February 24, 2003, 08:11:35 AM »

When companies put in ports like that they don't always know exactly what they'll use it for- they just want to keep their options open. It's typically the way Japanese companies worked- like the book Game Over once said, American companies plan for 10 minutes in the future while Japanese companies plan for 10 years in the future. I bet Nintendo doesn't have anything planned for the port yet, but they know it's there if they ever need it.

Hemmorrhoid · « **Reply #4 on:** February 24, 2003, 08:14:02 AM »

yeah i guess it might go unused
or wont be anything too big
by the time they could release something the next GCN may be already finished

WindyMan · « **Reply #5 on:** February 24, 2003, 08:26:19 AM »

I've been having a few theories as to what may go into this port.

The more obvious theory I've been investigating it the fact that Serial Port 2 is really small. There was some talk a while back about those micro hard drives that IBM was cooking up, and though those are more like the size of a coin, versions that could fit in that bay under the GameCube are possible. This would sort of like the HD solution that the Xbox has, or the huge memory card solution that the PS2 has, or perhaps even an Expansion Pak type deal from the N64. One thing's for sure, whatever it is, it's going to be flush with the bottom of the GameCube once it's installed, since the Game Boy Player takes up the whole rest of the space on the bottom. (The opening on the side would probably be used for getting a grip on the thing to take it out.)

This is why my second theory is starting to make more sense. Look at the opening on the side of the GameCube where Serial 2 opens on the left side. It's different than the two ports on the right side, as they are square-shaped and this one is small and semi-circular. As you can see from a revealing shot from this side with the GB Player attached, there's absoultely no room whatsoever for a plug to fit into that space comfortably. It just so happens that this is the same side that has the "storage area" door.

What I'm thinking may be possible is that Serial Port 2 isn't for a small device, but rather, just a connection for a another hardware expansion, ala the Sega CD, 32X, 64DD, etc, but having it docked next to the GC, rather than under it. Nintendo always wants to leave the doors open for doing this, and the other two hardware pieces they've released haven't done that as of yet. Now, the big problem with this idea is that the intake vent and fan are on this side, but there's nothing that says it won't be something of a loose, cable-attached device for the system, such as a camera, mat, light gun, or something of that sort.

Of course, there's the age-old theory that it will go unused, which was one of the first things I thought when I saw the underbelly of the GameCube for the first time, but considering that Nintendo has two of those three ports used after only 15 months of the GameCube's retail life, there's still plenty of time to use it.

mouse_clicker · « **Reply #6 on:** February 24, 2003, 08:33:41 AM »

I reallly doubt we'll have another add-on like the 64DD or the Sega CD- history's shown us that they fail almost without exception. In fact, an ill-fated add-on is what caused the Playstation to come into existence in the first place. Besides, I don't think Nintendo wants a repeat of the 64DD disaster- add-ons may make nicer games, but they're just not that practicle.

nolimit19 · « **Reply #7 on:** February 24, 2003, 10:54:08 AM »

who knows what its for, but i think that the next nintendo console should be able to hook up standard pc keyboards to the console. cuz the price of the gamecube one is way too steep. i kind of hope that its for a hard drive of some sort. if those little sd cards can hold all those amounts of info, an hd that size could hold quite a bit, but the only thing is, i think it would be pretty expensive. so unless nintedo has something that no one is really expecting, or unless they can find really small cheap hard drives, i think it will go unused. well it could always be a ram upgrade.....

what else is a possibility??? i dont know much when it comes to this kid of stuff, but could nintendo put a ram upgrade in that spot?

gopher · « **Reply #8 on:** February 24, 2003, 11:41:31 AM »

Mad catz made a keyboard adapter that used a standard pc keyboard for the dreamcast. I hope they make one for the cube.

Tael · « **Reply #9 on:** February 24, 2003, 04:22:34 PM »

Quote
Originally posted by: gopher
Mad catz made a keyboard adapter that used a standard pc keyboard for the dreamcast. I hope they make one for the cube.

There's already an adapter for PC keyboards, you just have to buy the kit, and build it yourself:
PC Keyboard to Gamecube Adapter

VariantX · « **Reply #10 on:** February 24, 2003, 04:30:24 PM »

i hope they decide on a hard drive for that port.

Grey Ninja · « **Reply #11 on:** February 24, 2003, 05:56:14 PM »

It's not a hard drive. That's what the SD cards were for remember?

tomspug · « **Reply #12 on:** February 24, 2003, 06:13:08 PM »

You can bet there'll be more peripherals coming out for the Cube. I mean look! It's been out for one year and we already have a GBA Link Cable, a GBA Player, a Broadband Adapter, Wireless Controllers (GOOD wireless controllers I might add), with a possible keyboard controller and SD Card Adapter on the way. Could Nintendo be more likely to add more peripherals? But I wouldn't bet on a Disk Drive. They'd have to be stupid to release something like that. My point being that we haven't seen this many first-party products for a console since the days of NES! At least, I'm talking time-ratiowise. Who knows what they want to do next?

razorpit · « **Reply #13 on:** February 25, 2003, 04:48:48 AM »

Quote
Originally posted by: WindyMan
I've been having a few theories as to what may go into this port.

Look at the opening on the side of the GameCube where Serial 2 opens on the left side. It's different than the two ports on the right side, as they are square-shaped and this one is small and semi-circular. As you can see from a revealing shot from this side with the GB Player attached, there's absoultely no room whatsoever for a plug to fit into that space comfortably. It just so happens that this is the same side that has the "storage area" door.

What I'm thinking may be possible is that Serial Port 2 isn't for a small device, but rather, just a connection for a another hardware expansion, ala the Sega CD, 32X, 64DD, etc, but having it docked next to the GC, rather than under it. Nintendo always wants to leave the doors open for doing this, and the other two hardware pieces they've released haven't done that as of yet. Now, the big problem with this idea is that the intake vent and fan are on this side, but there's nothing that says it won't be something of a loose, cable-attached device for the system, such as a camera, mat, light gun, or something of that sort.

I never realized how small that opening becomes once the GameBoy Player is add. Great picture!

I couldn't imagine expansion hardaware coiming out of this thing unless it a cable was going to be plugged in to it. Anyhting else would be easily broken off by me. I personally think the GC is a work of art because of how flush all of the add-ons fit seemlessly in to the overall design. I was thinking maybe Nintendo was originally going to put a barcode scanner on the side ala GameBoy.

--Dave

BiLdItUp1 · « **Reply #14 on:** February 25, 2003, 11:58:37 AM »

What about the Game Eye? That has to go somewhere...(check PGC's hardware section...or better yet don't, since you won't learn much)

manunited4eva22 · « **Reply #15 on:** February 25, 2003, 12:51:05 PM »

Game eye? ala put head on PD?

mouse_clicker · « **Reply #16 on:** February 25, 2003, 12:57:48 PM »

manunited: It's the same technology I believe (we all know why it was pulled out of PD). Nintendo showed it off last E3 with Stage Debut, where you could put your face on a character and create a little play with them, or something. I don't think Nintendo's really said anything more about it.

Jollus · « **Reply #17 on:** February 25, 2003, 01:10:46 PM »

I would think that if Nintendo was going to release something like face mapping they would do it threw a GBA-Camera. Just like it would have been done in PD. A Nintendo GBA-Camera would be really smooth.

Griffin · « **Reply #18 on:** February 25, 2003, 10:54:16 PM »

Isn't Nintendo working on a GBA digital camera? I thought I heard about that somewhere...along with an LCD screen for the cube, which I desperately want! As for staying on topic, I wouldn't be surprised if it never gets used. I'm incredibly surprised that they're using the other two ports, seeing as the NES, SNES, and N64 all had ports on the bottom that never got used (in the US, at least).

Gamer Donkey · « **Reply #19 on:** February 26, 2003, 04:10:35 AM »

The LCD screens are at Best Buy and other such places. I have one, they're awesome considering the size.

razorpit · « **Reply #20 on:** February 26, 2003, 06:35:26 AM »

The LCD screens at Best Buy are 3rd party. Nintendo is working on their own version which is reportedly much nicer.

--Dave

Tokerev · « **Reply #21 on:** February 26, 2003, 01:47:49 PM »

hopefully, to stay in the console wars, the last port is used for a large capacity storage device. also knows as a hard drive, for simpletons.

NickNiteQ93 · « **Reply #22 on:** February 26, 2003, 02:44:10 PM »

Man, I never realized that EVERY single major console (which doesn't include Virtual Boy because I didn't own one and dunno if this pertains to it) had an expansion slot. NES, SNES, N64, and GC all have expansion slots. What gives? Oh, and I have no clue as to what the serial port #2 is fer. if anything it'd have to come out the back because we know the port #1 is for the GB Player.

mouse_clicker · « **Reply #23 on:** February 26, 2003, 03:22:59 PM »

Like I said, Nick, Japanese companies always plan for far into the future.

My Dreamcast and PS2 also have ports that haven't been used. I wonder if the Xbox has an expansion slot.

razorpit · « **Reply #24 on:** February 27, 2003, 04:20:37 AM »

Yes, it does. It's for plugging in the service packs! (Drum roll... Cymbal crash...) ;-)

(Sorry had to make the joke.)

Actually that is a good question. Can any X-Box owners answer this?

--Dave

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Author Topic: What are the plans for Serial Port #2? (Read 13899 times)