Hidden iPhone feature outputs game to TV

Posted on Tuesday, December 09 2008 @ 0:51 CET by Thomas De Maesschalck
ARS Technica writes a hidden SDK feature of the iPhone transforms the phone into a TV gaming device. It's cool but not really practical as the iPhone isn't powerful enough for this task and the quality is pretty bad.
What do you do after uncovering undocumented SDK features? I got in touch with Freeverse, makers of Moto Chaser, one of the top iPhone games in App Store. After a few back and forth e-mails, they agreed to try applying the MPTVOutWindow class to Moto Chaser (iTunes) to create a TV version of their game. A few hours later, they debuted their demo.

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This version of Moto Chaser is a tech demo. It uses the iPhone's accelerometer for input and routes the game video out through a connected video cable to TV. Freeverse quickly found that the program played best on the second-generation iPod touch. The newer touch is built on a 532MHz CPU versus the original iPhone's 412MHz. This extra speed helps up the frame rate produced by the device, the key component for any first person interactive video game.

On the 2G touch, Moto Chaser can reach approximately 20 frames per second. This makes the game, in the words of Freeverse Producer Bruce Morrison, "nearly playable."


About the Author

Thomas De Maesschalck

Thomas has been messing with computer since early childhood and firmly believes the Internet is the best thing since sliced bread. Enjoys playing with new tech, is fascinated by science, and passionate about financial markets. When not behind a computer, he can be found with running shoes on or lifting heavy weights in the weight room.



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