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zerojay |
2008-07-16
, 01:14
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Posts: 2,669 |
Thanked: 2,555 times |
Joined on Apr 2007
@ Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
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#41
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Originally Posted by ArnimS
Please do prove me wrong. There is nothing I would rather see than having a fully functional SNES emulator on a tablet.
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2008-07-29
, 02:24
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Posts: 301 |
Thanked: 71 times |
Joined on Jul 2008
@ Santiago, Chile
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#42
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I am certainly hoping to see Chrono Trigger on my n800. Can't help much except for moral support but good luck!
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2008-07-29
, 14:11
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Posts: 78 |
Thanked: 10 times |
Joined on Jul 2008
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#43
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It should be possible to get this working - I'm not denying the work behind it (and that it is beyond me).
But we have to remember that emulators have been happening since the days of <200MHz CPUs. Regardless of their larger instruction sets there's still a lot of horsepower to be accounted for even after a conservative opinion of the hardware of the N8x0es.
I remember running SNES emulators on 100MHz 486DX/2s. I find it hard to believe that a 400MHz arm capable of running Warzone 2100 can't be expected to emulate an SNES -- even at full speeds.
But we have to remember that emulators have been happening since the days of <200MHz CPUs. Regardless of their larger instruction sets there's still a lot of horsepower to be accounted for even after a conservative opinion of the hardware of the N8x0es.
I remember running SNES emulators on 100MHz 486DX/2s. I find it hard to believe that a 400MHz arm capable of running Warzone 2100 can't be expected to emulate an SNES -- even at full speeds.
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2008-07-30
, 04:06
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Posts: 301 |
Thanked: 71 times |
Joined on Jul 2008
@ Santiago, Chile
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#44
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I'm guessing the problem is not horsepower but how to use it towards the game, there's work being done towards a PSX emulator so SNES should be very possible. 
All I can do now is cheer for the guys who are wasting free time to bring kinda stuff to our tablets.
All I can do now is cheer for the guys who are wasting free time to bring kinda stuff to our tablets.
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2008-07-30
, 04:35
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Posts: 276 |
Thanked: 74 times |
Joined on Feb 2008
@ Missouri, USA
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#45
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The fact that I could run a decent, well, working snes emulator on a Nintendo DS should be a good enough example...
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2008-07-30
, 10:07
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Posts: 78 |
Thanked: 10 times |
Joined on Jul 2008
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#46
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Indeed and of course I feel the same. While none of this type of programming is my focus, I will gladly cheer for anyone making the efforts.
Looking at the comparison still, I bet you maemo uses a comparable amount of resources as Windows 95/98 running on my aformentioned 486. Keeping in mind the 486 also had a fraction of the RAM as the tablet.
This is possible, it just has to be optimzed.
Another issue is that it appears the N8X0 devices have a rather crippled 2D acceleration architecture...PowerVR, but no access to it?! Maybe someone can fill me in on that? Seems kinda boneheadded.
Looking at the comparison still, I bet you maemo uses a comparable amount of resources as Windows 95/98 running on my aformentioned 486. Keeping in mind the 486 also had a fraction of the RAM as the tablet.
This is possible, it just has to be optimzed.
Another issue is that it appears the N8X0 devices have a rather crippled 2D acceleration architecture...PowerVR, but no access to it?! Maybe someone can fill me in on that? Seems kinda boneheadded.
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2008-07-30
, 22:24
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Posts: 78 |
Thanked: 10 times |
Joined on Jul 2008
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#47
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Originally Posted by Underscore
You'd think. Although the DS has two CPUs and no overhead of a mini Linux distribution...
The fact that I could run adecent, well, working snes emulator on a Nintendo DS should be a good enough example...
But it also has a fraction of the remaining resources (RAM especially) and I don't think it has any specialized video acceleration.
General purpose seems to be making a comeback in the name of affordability these days - especially in small devices. The novelty is almost addicting!
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2008-07-30
, 22:42
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Posts: 37 |
Thanked: 2 times |
Joined on Mar 2007
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#48
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Originally Posted by Omega
The graphics hardware in the n8x0 devices could be the limiting factor. I recall reading that the bus wasn't fast enough to transfer full-screen video at 30fps - this was impacting video playback. Now it seems that some work arounds have been done here since we can play back video "decently" at least.
Another issue is that it appears the N8X0 devices have a rather crippled 2D acceleration architecture...PowerVR, but no access to it?! Maybe someone can fill me in on that? Seems kinda boneheadded.
In terms of the PowerVR chipset, from what I understand, there are no drivers that support 3D acceleration at least (and possibly 2D as well - that wasn't mentioned in the discussion I read) despite there being hardware support.
This thread has some more details about the hardware limitations in terms of graphics performance.
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2008-07-30
, 22:53
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Posts: 37 |
Thanked: 2 times |
Joined on Mar 2007
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#49
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Originally Posted by Omega
Actually, the DS, like the GBA, does have specialized 2D acceleration. You can read some details here.
But it also has a fraction of the remaining resources (RAM especially) and I don't think it has any specialized video acceleration.
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2008-07-30
, 22:56
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Posts: 78 |
Thanked: 10 times |
Joined on Jul 2008
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#50
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So really NEC is restricting access on a basis that Nokia doesn't find worth pursuing.
Are there any free implementations of the drivers? Similar to equivalent projects being done for ATI and nVidia chipsets?
My last ARM based device also suffered from a very slow bus. I'm surprised device makers are continuing to stick with such a shoddy architecture. Here's hoping Nokia fixes this up in the next one or two generations. Bus speed is everything and I hope they've learned that it is one corner that shouldn't be cut.
Are there any free implementations of the drivers? Similar to equivalent projects being done for ATI and nVidia chipsets?
My last ARM based device also suffered from a very slow bus. I'm surprised device makers are continuing to stick with such a shoddy architecture. Here's hoping Nokia fixes this up in the next one or two generations. Bus speed is everything and I hope they've learned that it is one corner that shouldn't be cut.