mame-on-a-stick

XCore Project reviews, ideas, videos and proposals.
Post Reply
yzoer
XCore Addict
Posts: 133
Joined: Tue Dec 15, 2009 10:23 pm

mame-on-a-stick

Post by yzoer »

Version: 0.1
Status: Beta
License: BSD

This is a project I haven't worked on for a while and figured I'd share it. The initial idea was to make a tiny mini-cabinet but I just haven't come around to making the cabinet. Anyway, here's a quick rundown:
- Fully functional custom z80 emulator, written in C and coming in around 10k total. Could be reduced a LOT if it's rewritten in assembler
- Display driver for 2.8" 240x320 LCD from DisplayTech
- Micro-SD interface and neutered FAT-16 file-system ( read-only )
- PWM audio
On reset, the game boots to a menu that looks into the 'games' directory that then populates the menu with screenshots and information to launch the game. Each game is a separate executable stored in its own directory which then in turn loads the roms from within that directory. This unfortunately means that you have to write an emulator FOR EACH GAME, which kinda sucks. Right now it's got pacman and ms. pacman as they're very close from an emulation point of view.
Compatibility-wise, it runs on a single core chip and uses 5 threads (display, render, game, audio, pwm). Total power consumption is minimal and hovers around 100ma. The whole thing runs off of 3-AAA batteries.
I'll post some development clips later if anyone's interested. 
Images:


DrNO
Member++
Posts: 31
Joined: Mon Feb 06, 2012 11:42 pm

Post by DrNO »

Thats amazing!! Anyway you could post a video and link it?  It would be cool to see it in action and maybe even a little information on the hardware and software.
deadshot
Member++
Posts: 17
Joined: Thu Oct 14, 2010 4:43 pm

Post by deadshot »

That is cool...please post the code...
yzoer
XCore Addict
Posts: 133
Joined: Tue Dec 15, 2009 10:23 pm

Post by yzoer »

Thanks! Sure can. I'm in the process of setting up a website. Should be up in the next couple of days!
deadshot
Member++
Posts: 17
Joined: Thu Oct 14, 2010 4:43 pm

Post by deadshot »

yzoer...cool thank you...I know you are probably busy, but with the new startkits available...would you have time to update your VDP project to work with the new startkits. 
yzoer
XCore Addict
Posts: 133
Joined: Tue Dec 15, 2009 10:23 pm

Post by yzoer »

Once I get my slice-kit :-) I got an email saying I'd get one (Christmas present?) so yeah, that'd be an interesting thing to port..
 
Yvo
deadshot
Member++
Posts: 17
Joined: Thu Oct 14, 2010 4:43 pm

Post by deadshot »

Awesome...I look forward to your VDP port on the startkit...thank you...
Post Reply