Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Preserving Fisher-Price Pixter

dmitry.gr

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

31–40 of 62 posts

Re: Preserving Fisher-Price Pixter

#31

Post by AtlasBarfed »

Uncle_Brumpus wrote: post #2

Thank you. This is a spectacular amount of work and information. As someone who is interested in similar old hardware that occasionally lacks any kind of documentation (specifically cameras), I sincerely wish I had this level of patience and determination (and also understanding, I'm not really a software guy).

I wish there was a law that all hardware vendors had to dump a sufficient amount of documentation if they discontinue a platform such that it can be emulated.

The litmus test can be done by AI code generation in a sandbox during the period they don't have to make it open.

Re: Preserving Fisher-Price Pixter

#32

Post by smusamashah »

Is there any dumb LCD console like that available these days for kids? (not those retro gaming consoles). I want to buy one for my kids. It looks so good, specially because it is a dumb and simple device.

I found Pixter online but are there a little bit more capable systems like this for kids made today?

EDIT: Looks like devices by LeapFrog and VTech are the closest alternative these days so far.

Re: Preserving Fisher-Price Pixter

#33

Post by LetsGetTechnicl »

smusamashah wrote: post #32

Is there any dumb LCD console like that available these days for kids? (not those retro gaming consoles). I want to buy one for my kids. It looks so good, specially because it is a dumb and simple device. I found Pixter online but are there a little bit more capable systems like this for kids made today? EDIT: Looks like devices by LeapFrog and VTech are the closest alternative these days so far.

What are you looking for them to be able to do? I feel like everything these days is just some form of an iPad

Re: Preserving Fisher-Price Pixter

#35

Post by pta2002 »

smusamashah wrote: post #32

Is there any dumb LCD console like that available these days for kids? (not those retro gaming consoles). I want to buy one for my kids. It looks so good, specially because it is a dumb and simple device. I found Pixter online but are there a little bit more capable systems like this for kids made today? EDIT: Looks like devices by LeapFrog and VTech are the closest alternative these days so far.

Not sure if it’s what you’re looking for, but the playdate is pretty neat.

Re: Preserving Fisher-Price Pixter

#36

Post by MSFT_Edging »

newsclues wrote: post #19
MSFT_Edging wrote: post #7

I still follow Dimitry on twitter for his technical talent, as I've done some palmOS software reversing as well, but man every other post is something along the lines of "we should let X group fend for themselves in a rattlesnake pit because they don't produce value". All to say it's a major bummer his cool work is tainted by his dehumanizing words and I wonder if he understands how he comes off to people.

[flagged]

This comment is a good example of dehumanization.

To argue a group is unworthy of life or dignity is dehumanization.

It paves the path for policy that targets certain groups, to formalize violence against the groups as legal.

Re: Preserving Fisher-Price Pixter

#37

Post by joe_mamba »

smusamashah wrote: post #32

Is there any dumb LCD console like that available these days for kids? (not those retro gaming consoles). I want to buy one for my kids. It looks so good, specially because it is a dumb and simple device. I found Pixter online but are there a little bit more capable systems like this for kids made today? EDIT: Looks like devices by LeapFrog and VTech are the closest alternative these days so far.

Nobody makes stuff like this anymore. You can vibecode your own using an Arduino and a pixel LCD.

Re: Preserving Fisher-Price Pixter

#38

Post by smusamashah »

LetsGetTechnicl wrote: post #33
smusamashah wrote: post #32

Is there any dumb LCD console like that available these days for kids? (not those retro gaming consoles). I want to buy one for my kids. It looks so good, specially because it is a dumb and simple device. I found Pixter online but are there a little bit more capable systems like this for kids made today? EDIT: Looks like devices by LeapFrog and VTech are the closest alternative these days so far.

What are you looking for them to be able to do? I feel like everything these days is just some form of an iPad

Just play around and learn perhaps. My kid like drawing on his LCD drawing tablet. This is more fun than that. It's like Paint Delux but in physical form. And it has games too.

I think I am going to buy a Pixter itself. Everything else today is either too limited (vtech is buttons only and its screens are too tiny for example) or too powerful.

Re: Preserving Fisher-Price Pixter

#40

Post by genxy »

AtlasBarfed wrote: post #31
Uncle_Brumpus wrote: post #2

Thank you. This is a spectacular amount of work and information. As someone who is interested in similar old hardware that occasionally lacks any kind of documentation (specifically cameras), I sincerely wish I had this level of patience and determination (and also understanding, I'm not really a software guy).

I wish there was a law that all hardware vendors had to dump a sufficient amount of documentation if they discontinue a platform such that it can be emulated. The litmus test can be done by AI code generation in a sandbox during the period they don't have to make it open.

Could be part of the FCC certification process, which everyone has to file.
Post reply on HN