Rebirth 1984: Starting from the development of Hanka

Chapter 80 MMC Chips and CDs
On September 1985, 9, Zhao Ye and his party returned to China.

As soon as he returned to China, Zhao Ye immediately went to the game console development department.

Wang Jizhi led Zhao Ye to the laboratory, took out a motherboard, and said to Zhao Ye, "Boss, this is a sample of a game motherboard, and the developers are still testing it. If there is no problem, we will confirm this one. Then I started designing cases for gaming motherboards.”

The development difficulty of the game motherboard is actually much simpler than that of the computer motherboard.

It is said that the birth of IBM-PC is because of the reference to the Atari game console.

Wang Jizhi's team has experience in the development of Chinese cards, typewriters, and computer motherboards, so it is handy to develop game consoles.

And Zhao Ye pointed out the development direction and technical difficulties before, so it is really not difficult to develop this game console.

In the previous life, what technology did the company that produced the Xiaobawang game console have?

"Test now, I want to see the game effect!"

"Ok."

A staff member immediately connected the game motherboard to the TV, and then inserted a self-made game card. This game was also developed by Wang Jizhi and others for testing. The gameplay of King Kong is simpler, and it is mainly used to test the game screen, sound effects, etc. In terms of playability, it is not great.

Zhao Ye frowned quickly. The graphics of this game are worse than that of "Donkey Kong".

Seeing Zhao Ye showing dissatisfaction, Wang Jizhi quickly explained: "Boss, due to the short time, we developed this small game based on Nintendo's "Donkey Kong". It is mainly used to test whether the game motherboard can run normally. To test the performance limit of the game motherboard, it is necessary to develop a more complex game, after all, no matter how powerful the game motherboard is, but the graphics of the game software are simple, and there is no test effect."

Zhao Ye couldn't help but nodded when he heard that.

At this time, he suddenly thought that in order to enhance the game screen, Nintendo also specially added a self-developed chip MMC to the game cartridge.

This MMC chip can not only enhance the picture, but also add the function of saving the game and support for multi-directional scrolling, making it easier to execute split-screen scrolling.Split screen scrolling is a pseudo-multi-scrolling effect widely used in FC games, which was very shocking at the time.

"I remember that Nintendo seems to have developed the first MMC 1987 in 1, but I even know what the generations behind the MMC chip look like..."

Thinking of this, Zhao Ye couldn't help but smile.

"It seems that in order to enhance the game screen, I first need to design an MMC chip. Although this will increase the cost of the game cartridge, the game screen will be better, the game experience will be better, and it can also support game saves.

Moreover, the memory can be expanded on the MMC chip, breaking through the storage capacity of the game cassette, allowing game developers to develop larger games. "

Nowadays, if you want to test the performance of the game console motherboard, you first need to develop a powerful game cartridge.

Fortunately, this MMC chip is not very complicated. It is not the same as a microprocessor, and its functions are much simpler.

Later, Zhao Ye called the game developer over.

From the RB side, 123 people came one after another.There are also 122 people in the mainland. These people are talented students recruited by Wujiang Group from universities all over the country, including programmers, artists, game music creators, etc...

Zhao Ye intends to develop Dragon Quest, Contra, Red Fortress, Salamander, The Legend of Zelda, Final Fantasy, and Pokemon together.

There are 245 developers, seven game projects, with an average of 35 people for each project, bringing the old with the new.

Wang Jizhi and the others were not idle either. Zhao Ye gave them a new mission to purchase CD patented technology from Sony and Philips. The next generation of game consoles must use CD discs.

CD is a technology jointly invented by Sony and Philips. In 1982, the Red Book (Red Book) standard for CD-DA laser discs was issued.

If Wujiang Group wants to develop CD game consoles, it can only pay these two companies for patents.

There is no way, Zhao Ye was born too late.

However, DVD can still compete, but it does not mean that Wujiang Group wants to monopolize DVD standards, but to join hands with others to formulate standards.

If you eat alone, I am afraid that no one will support the DVD standard formulated by Wujiang Group.

CDs and DVDs seem to be both optical discs, but they are actually two different products.

The capacity of ordinary CD is 700M, and the capacity of ordinary DVD is 4.7GB.

CD is used for video and music CDs such as VCD, SVCD and data recording, DVD is used for video and data recording, such as DVD and MP3...

Purchasing CD patents will naturally enable the further development of VCD technology, thereby formulating VCD and super VCD standards. Before the birth of DVD, super VCD might be able to sell well all over the world.

After arranging everything, Zhao Ye flew to Shanghai, and then went to Godson Design Company.

It is not impossible for Zhao Ye to develop MMC chips by himself, but it will take a long time, so Zhao Ye plans to ask Godson Design Company to draw out a few people to help him.

A small conference room.

"The MMC chip is a chip applied to game cartridges. Its main function is to enhance the game screen, and it also has a storage function to increase the storage capacity of game cartridges..."

Zhao Ye talked about the function, design direction and technical difficulties of the MMC chip to the newly formed MMC chip design team.

When it comes time to actually design and develop the chip, Zhao Ye will be responsible for building the main architecture of the MMC chip, and then assign tasks to each member of the design team.

After the introduction of MMC in the morning, we will directly enter the formal development process in the afternoon.

Not a moment is lost.

Not only does it take time to design a chip, but it also takes time to verify and mass-produce the chip.

In addition, the development of new game cartridges (cartridges with MMC chips) also takes time, and finally they have to be tested on console game boards.

Time is tight.

……

Holland, Wang Jizhi and others came to Philips.

After meeting with Philips executives, Wang Jizhi expressed his intention to come.

"Mr. Larry Rutherford, hello, our Wujiang Group intends to purchase the patented technology license of Philips' recordable CD disc!"

Philips executive Larry Rutherford was a little surprised when he heard this. Philips originally wanted to promote CDs, so he said to Wang Jizhi, "This is a good negotiation. Our company has already formulated a cooperation method. You can think about it: To produce a recordable CD, you only need to pay Philips a patent fee of 3.5 cents!"

When Wang Jizhi heard this, he almost scolded his mother.

It is so expensive, although a CD disc is cheap, only 3.5 cents, but if the quantity increases, the patent fee will be quite a lot.If the CD's circulation exceeds 10 billion, wouldn't Philips have to pay 3500 million US dollars?
Wang Jizhi immediately shook his head, saying that he could not accept this price.

"It's too expensive, I can't accept it!"

Wang Jizhi said, "I think we should change the cooperation method. Wujiang Group directly buys out the CD technology patent license at one time, and then produces CDs in the future. Regardless of the quantity, there is no need to pay any patent fees to your company! "

Before listening to Wang Jizhi's quotation, Larry Rutherford directly refused: "Mr. Wang Jizhi, Philips will not authorize this method!!!"

Obviously, Larry Rutherford, or Philips, knows better how to keep the water flowing and how to squeeze the wool for a longer period of time.

"So, let's continue the previous topic. Since you think 3.5 cents is a bit expensive, we can talk again. Philips is willing to drop another 3.5 cents on the basis of the base price of 0.25 cents per piece."

Wang Jizhi shook his head and said, "I'm sorry, Mr. Larry Rutherford, I need to ask my boss for instructions on this matter. Our company's purpose is to buy the CD patent license right at one time. So, since this goal, If we can’t reach an agreement, we can only terminate the negotiation.”

After speaking, Wang Jizhi stood up and bid farewell to Larry Rutherford.

Back at the hotel, Wang Jizhi immediately reported the results of the first negotiation with Philips to Zhao Ye.

Hearing this, Zhao Ye seemed to have expected the outcome of Wang Jizhi's trip, but he still let Wang Jizhi try it with a sense of luck.

"In this case, let's follow what Philips said, but the price must be lowered. I only accept 2.5 cents per piece!"

"Okay, boss, I will try my best to fight for it!"

"Well, that's it, hang up."

Zhao Ye hung up the phone with an uneasy expression on his face.

You do the first day of junior high school, and I do the fifteenth day.

cd standard, I am lost.

But the DVD standard, the Wujiang Group will definitely grab a place, and it will also charge your money in the same way!

(End of this chapter)