First Look: Agon CONSOLE8! A New 8-Bit Console for Retro Fans

What is the Agon Console8? We made a new 8-bit console, but what is it and who is it for?

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● Chapters
00:00 What is Agon Console8?
01:50 Who are the developers joining us in this episode?
03:00 How do you say Agon?
04:44 What hardware is in Agon Console8?
07:16 Devs talk about Agon specs
09:00 Firmware and Software in Agon Console8
12:00 Development challenges with Agon Console8
19:25 Example BASIC programs on Agon Console8
25:55 Who is Agon Console8 for?
30:37 The Console8 Origin Story with Richard and Bernardo
34:43 Closing thoughts on Agon Console8

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[piecingtogethergamingpcs]

My dad would have loved this video, we owned both a commadore 64 and an Atari 800 at home in the 80's. My dad was a computer nut and he worked for company called digital computers here in Ohio, throughout my younger life until they went out of business. I went to a technical school called ITT Tech through his incuragement and I now work in Telecommunications field in my adult life and I like building gaming computers as a hobby now on the side and I even sell a few. My dad taught me a lot about fixing hardware and doing board-level repairs, I was lucky growing up in the 80's and 90's and having him as a father. RIP pop you are missed!

[BreakIntoProgram]

Thanks for the opportunity to join in the discussion, a great introduction to the Console8 and the Agon concept. It's been a pleasure to work on this project with the team, and it's a personal wow moment for me to see it grow from being a bit of banter between myself, Bernado, and Andy Toone, via a more-or-less solo software project, to this, with tens of developers and hundreds of users. Onwards and upwards!

[haydengittins]

Not for me personally, but it's awesome to see all the things popping up from the collabs between the Cave, Heber and the community. You guys are smashing this retro thing out the park.

[flibblemarutan]

Q: Who is this for?
A: Middle-aged nerds

Q: Is this a problem?
A: Nope, not really.

[RMCRetro]

Here are some demos since making this video and how to order:

500 are arriving towards the end of the year, so ample supply incoming for anyone interested in playing with this project. Thank you everyone who bought the first batch up so quickly, I can't wait to see what people do with theirs!
Thanks for watching!
Neil

[carledwards]

A device like this has made me not only want it, but motivated me to get it, no matter what.
It makes me think back to the days when I would make my Dragon 64 do things that blew MY mind.
I need it to give me that kick again.
I am most certainly going to do everything in my power to get it, regardless of the awful exchange rate my country has. This is something that is just too good to miss out on.

[nigelborrington]

I received my Console 8 about two weeks ago, I just wanted to say how pleased I am with this system/project!. I have been looking for many years for such a small accessible computer and have finally found what I have been looking for, Great project! Thanks to all !!

[jennyd]

This is a GENIUS level project! I cut my teeth in the 1970's programming in Fortran and Forth working in laboratory instrumentation. I will definitely buy one of these soon. In fact I have a very specific rather exciting (to me) educational application in mind for this (I am also a fully qualified science teacher). The one add-on / enhancement that would be essential for me would be the addition of basic ethernet capability - nothing fancy just a standard RJ45 port with the required support hardware. That would expand the possibilities for this little gem by a whole order of magnitude.

[curiousmind]

Congratulations to the Team! What a beast you created Bernardo, it's marvelous. Thank you all. This computer has left behind, by far, the rest of the new 8 bit coumputers (X16, Next, etc). There's so much power and flexibility. When I can have one I'll try to make something like the game I enjoyed most on the TI 99/4A, Parsec.

[jedivino]

glad you liked my Draegerman! As the maps are random procedurally generated occasionally the granite can encompass miners. yes i could fix that but rather leave it in as a life lesson that not everyone can get saved in this world😂

[ParallelSyntax]

As much as I respect the 8-Bit Guy's Commander 16 project, this thing is so much more accessible and well thought out.
Yes it's nice to have one person's idea of what their dream 'modern-retro' computer will be but in making it a reality, financially speaking, it isn't feasible and thus has priced itself out of the potential market and will likely forever be a niche project unless sold in great numbers. Even then it's going to take a lot of sales to even think of making cost-reduced versions.
I certainly won't be laying down hundreds on something that will likely only have a handful of programs ever made for it. Of course I wish him luck but I can see it being a dead-end product in the next year or two.

At just over 100 quid, this Agon is a real nice piece of hardware for the money. Hell it's like a retro Raspberry Pi. Not much more expensive either. So much more accessible to anyone not just programmers but even just people who want a bit of 80s style computing fun.

Well done. I might just bite if I see this being adopted with lots of support.

[WhatHoSnorkers]

Constrained systems give you a framework for your imagination, and a clear indicator of when to stop... when you run out of memory!

[joecan]

I feel the Console8 represents the high water mark for retro-like computing on modern hardware. This thing actually delivers without being a monstrosity from size and complexity perspective. Well done and kudos to the team!

[assifmirza]

This is absolutely aimed at me. Had a BBC micro back in the early 80s and an Amiga later on. Studied Microelectronics and worked in the industry before getting into retro computing all over again. The made my own machines from old 8 bit CPUs and old display processors, writing all the software and firmware myself.
I would love to see what I can get working on this and see how we can push it.
Pre-ordered so I'll have to wait till December unfortunately. I can't wait!

[edtruthseeker]

I ordered my Agon today from the UK. We didn't use BBC BASIC much here in the US, but I am going to learn it at 57 years old. I started out in the 1980's usinga TI994/A. In 1986 as a young man in the Air Force I bought a Commodore 128. I eventually bought an Amiga 500. I am looking forward to having some fun with the Agon.

[OnlyEpicEmber]

I’m only just turning 25, but I would love one of these. I’ve always been obsessed with retro gaming and hardware, so I’d want to get one of these to finally write my own games and maybe even software and, potentially, help with adding instructions ands possibly an operating system for this thing. Should be a lot of fun!

[TheStuffMade]

Looks interesting 👍 It all comes down to building a lasting community that remains active. I think even the large projects like Spectrum Next and MEGA65 are struggling to maintain active communities whereas the original 8 bit computers like ZX Spectrum, C64 and CPC are thriving with new high quality releases almost every week plus lots of emulators, documentation, tutorials and development tools.

[johnwilliams]

really great video, very thorough with some great guests. Well done!

[cryptocsguy]

5:58 ez80 is an absolute beast as far as 8bit CPUs go, so much faster than the 3Mhz z80 from the 80s.

[CheryllTassone]

Retro fun and educational as well...I like that aspect of it.