Gaming consoles
Presented by
Piyush Malhotra
6th SEMESTER IT
Roll No: 0747013108
INTRODUCTION
 What is a “Gaming console”??
 A gaming console is a form of interactive multimedia used
for entertainment.
 It is one of the best form of digital entertainment media
available. Gaming consoles were initially designed for the
sole purpose of playing electronic games.
It provides an interactive and an entertaining computer
environment through an electronic device that produces
a video display signal which can be used with a display
device.
Contd…
 Gaming consoles have rapidly evolved since its inception
incorporating all the latest advancements in technology
namely:
 Memory
 Processing capabilities
 Graphics
 Sound
Components of a gaming
console

User control interface

CPU

RAM

Software kernel

Storage medium for games

Video output

Audio output

Power supply
HISTORY
 The first home gaming console ever made was the
Magnavox Odyssey invented by Magnavox in 1972.
 The core consisted of 4 dozen diodes and transistors
 Limited capabilities, only simple graphics could be produced.
 No memory capabilities
ATARI PONG

First ever arcade game created in 1975, inspired by the
Odyssey and kick started the first generation of video game
consoles.

Simulated table tennis game

Connected to a black and white TV locked in a 4 feet long
wooden cabinet

All the wires of the console were soldered into the boards
of the cabinet.

Technology based on the transistor-transistor logic where
several p-n-p transistors were connected in the forward
biased mode.
ATARI PONG
ATARI PONG Screen

The Atari 2600 was the second generation gaming
console invented by Atari Inc in 1977.

First console to have a microprocessor in its core
circuitry, the MOS 6502

Through this console, the graphics chip, Stella, was
introduced.

Memory storage of 128 bytes (RAM)
Atari 2600

The games for ATARI 2600 consisted of software which
was encoded on to the ROM, which in turn were
housed in plastic cartridges.

Each cartridge had a maximum capacity of 4 kilobytes,

It was the third generation video game console
introduced in 1985 by Nintendo

Revolution in the gaming industry

Introduced two very important concepts to the video
game system industry
Use of gamepad controller instead of a joystick
Creating authentic reproduction of arcade video games in
terms of graphics
Nintendo entertainment
system (NES)
Nintendo entertainment
system (NES)
 Salient
Features
Top loading cartridge slot was replaced with a
front-loading mechanism
CPU consisted of a 8-bit microprocessor
2 Kb on onboard work RAM
Game cartridges contained expanded RAM (up
to 16 Kb) to increase memory for efficient game
execution.
Nintendo entertainment
system (NES)
 Salient
Features
Separate 2 Kb of Video RAM in a separate
processing unit known as the Picture Processing
Unit (PPU)
First console to support 5 audio channels, with
volume control of 16 levels

Fourth Generation video game console launched by
Nintendo in 1991.

It marked a new era in which technology expanded
from 8-bit microprocessors to 16-bit microprocessors

Introduced the concept of parallel processing in video
game consoles.
Super Nintendo
Entertainment System
(SNES)
Super Nintendo
Entertainment System
(SNES)

First video game console to have a Direct Memory
Access (DMA) unit.

Allowed hardware subsystems to access the system
memory without being dependent on the CPU (128 Kb
of onboard RAM).

DMA facility allowed PPU to directly access system
memory in addition to the 64 Kb VRAM allowing
enhanced graphical and video capability.
Fifth Generation Consoles

More commonly known as the 32-bit era or the 3D era.

There were two popular fifth generation consoles
Sega Saturn
Sony PlayStation

Introduced the concept of storing video games in a double
speed CD ROM

Using CD ROM drives allowed a high data transfer rate and
allowed more storage capacity for each game

It was capable of executing audio CDs, video CDs, photo
CDs, and electronic books

Cache memory was introduced in the video game console
industry through the Sega Saturn.

Two 256 Kb RAM for 3D graphics just to display effects of
polygon rendering, background layers as well as other
graphical processes
Sega Saturn
Sony playstation

The first ever gaming console developed by Sony
Computer Entertainment in 1994.

Initiated a series of video game consoles which now
span over three generations.

PlayStation was the first of those consoles.

CPU configurations were similar to the Sega Saturn
with minor differences.
Sony playstation

The main memory consisted of a 2 MB RAM

Had a separate graphics processing unit which handles
2D graphics and 3D graphic separately.

First console which had the capability of playing Full
Motion Videos (FMV).

Automatic detection and booting of games which were
stored in CD ROMs.
Sony playstation

Introduced a new innovation of a separate memory
card for storing in-game data, with a maximum capacity
of 128 Kb.
Sony playstation
Sixth generation
consoles
 This generation saw a shift towards using DVD ROMs for
game media.
 Games were longer and more visually appealing.
 Online multiplayer gaming was supported by network
adapters which were provided by these consoles to connect
to a broadband internet connection.
 Two main consoles:
 PlayStation 2
 XBOX

An enhanced version of the PlayStation which was launched
in 2000

Backward compatible with all PlayStation games, controllers,
memory cards etc.

An in built CD as well as a DVD player

64 bit microprocessor with 32 MB RAM with an external 8
MB memory card

Separate graphics and audio processing units with 4 MB and
2 MB RAM respectively
PlayStation 2
Microsoft XBOX

Microsoft’s first ever gaming console released in 2001

CPU boasted of an Intel Pentium III processor

Memory of 64 MB RAM

Graphics unit built by NVIDIA

Hard drive consisting of 8-10 GB of space
Microsoft XBOX
Seventh generation
consoles

Current generation of video game consoles

Include the support of new disc format like the Blu-ray disc and
HD DVD

Motion sensing technology and wireless controllers are also new
innovations introduced in the seventh generation consoles

Three main consoles:
PlayStation 3
XBOX 360
Nintendo Wii
Seventh generation
consoles

These consoles are state of the art in terms of CPU
processing and memory and are in accordance with the
latest technology that we have today

The consoles include support for:
USB and Bluetooth
Wi-fi facilities
Dolby Digital Sound + NVIDIA Graphics
Hard drive capacity in excess of 250 GB
Seventh generation
consoles
conclusion
Technological advancements from the first generation to
the seventh generation consoles can certainly be appreciated
Gaming consoles have helped the industry understand the
basic requirements of 3D and multimedia applications.
Gaming is indeed heading in the direction of becoming a
mainstream form of entertainment.