From: Mike Fletcher <fletch@ain.bls.com>
Date: Tue, 28 Nov 1995 23:21:18 +0800
To: Jim Choate <ravage@einstein.ssz.com>
Subject: [NOISE, sorta] Re: Inexpensive Crypto Boxes...
In-Reply-To: <199511280454.WAA00361@einstein.ssz.com>
Message-ID: <9511281504.AA26594@outland>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain



	Hi fellow PSX owner!  Tried WipEouT yet? :)

> The new Sony Play Station is operating under a stripped down Unix.
> Considering the speed that these boxes are designed to run at it seems a
> natural for somebody to come up with a crypto workbench on ROM to install in
> one of these babies. Could program one of the game controller ports as a
> serial port and hook it to a Linux box (for example).

	For those who don't know, the PSX is a CD based gaming console
released (in the US) in Sept by Sony.  It's a MIPS R3000/25MHz processor
with some SGI-designed polygon chips, 2x CD-ROM, 1M RAM, 2M video RAM.

	As for serial port, why bother with the game port when there's
a serial I/O port on the back (the link cable that lets you hook two
PSXen up to play head to head (Mmmmm, Destruction Derby)).  What would be
_really_ spiffy would be for Sony (or a 3rd party) to put out a "hack disk"
(for lack of a better name) that would have a bare bones kernel that you
could then download stuff from another platform (gcc cross-compiled from
your linux box for example).  Like that'll happen.

	The line between toy and real machine is getting more and 
more fuzzy (we use a box here at work with the same processor to compile
for an AT&T telephony switch (which tells you how sad the AT&T product
is :) :))).  How long until the NSA tries a Chinese Lottery attack hidden
inside a Nintendo cart?

	Ah well, I've rambled enough.

---
Fletch                                                     __`'/|
fletch@ain.bls.com  "Lisa, in this house we obey the       \ o.O'    ______
404 713-0414(w)      Laws of Thermodynamics!" H. Simpson   =(___)= -| Ack. |
404 315-7264(h) PGP Print: 8D8736A8FC59B2E6 8E675B341E378E43  U      ------