GoNintendo.com is showing an image of a Nintendo DS TV Tuner that is scheduled to go on sale in Japan on April 29th.

Take a look at it.

The tuner - as a seperate unit - is absolutely massive and has a single, old-school, “rabbit-ear” antenna. The TV Tuner in itself is so bulky, that it might be more beneficial to carry a portable power supply and a fourteen inch television. I mean, really, adding a giant black box to the bottom of your tiny DS system in no way makes the system a good portable television.

There was a better tuner announced. They have a concept sketch up on the same article. Now, it looks reasonable. A simple flash card/tv tuner attachment that will allow your Nintendo DS to watch TV, without giving the impression that you are babysitting some sort of retarded offspring of the Nintendo DS and a fridge.

With this poor TV Tuner design, I can see the Nintendo DS as a television becoming immediately unpopular. I mean, how can you market that?

“In the eighties, carrying around a giant boom box was cool. Want to relive the sensation of giant retro electronics? Nintendo DS Television Tuners…Touching Your 800lb System Is Good…and You Look Less Shallow.”