Idea: Multiplayer Split-Screen Console Gaming

In the days before online multiplayer video games, people used to get together around a single television and play split-screen multiplayer games. If one wanted to play these old multiplayer games between houses, one approach would be to connect the composite output to an RF modulator/CATV amplifier capable of generating a signal in the amateur bands, then connect the modulator to an antenna. It might be necessary to leave the audio portion disconnected if the game didn’t allow the music to be turned off; however then the audio carrier could be used as a duplex mode voice chat.

The controller would be the complicated part. However it might be possible to use a Part 15 bidirectional serial radio module connected to a high-gain directional antenna. Part 15 would make things a bit simpler since there would be no need to identify. It would likely be necessary to develop a bit of interoperabilty code to translate the data output by the controller/console to a form that could be sent by the serial module, as well as a bit of hardware that could connect the controller and console to the serial modules. This could probably be accomplished with something like an arduino and provide for minimal latency between performing an action using the controller and having the console respond.