How about these for a portable NES?

Post by **SpongeBuell** » Tue Jan 04, 2005 10:13 pm

I should mention that the compatibility in the GP32 is actually really bad. If I could code well enough, I'd make one. Unfortunately, I can't

GameNut · Post by **GameNut** » Tue Jan 04, 2005 10:41 pm

[quote="SgtBowhack"]I admit that I think the GP32 isn't actually too bad of an idea, but I also understand that others require 100% hardware-based solutions. Besides, if you have about 200 NES/Famicom carts like me, you're gonna want to use them

Yeah I guess the real hardware is always the best at running the games.

The only problem with making these portables with real hardware (for me) is usually the screens aren't too good as they are usually done by using the RF or composite output of an old portable TV. RF and composite makes for fuzzy, dotcrawly, bleedy video. Also with real hardware the unit may be portable but when you need to drag it around with a bag of 50 big carts it can be a bit much. This GP thing has an direct RGB backlit screen and you could put like 300 games on a flash card I think. So I guess there are plusses and minuses with everything. If they could find a way to crunch all of your NES carts on one actual NES cart that would be cool as then you only need one cart for everything.

I have also seen those iPaqs but the screen orientation isn't right, and the joypad/buttons aren't real responsive for gaming from what I remember.

GameNut · Post by **GameNut** » Tue Jan 04, 2005 10:47 pm

SpongeBuell wrote:I should mention that the compatibility in the GP32 is actually really bad. If I could code well enough, I'd make one. Unfortunately, I can't

I don't know about that. I have read there that most games run basically full speed with sound. They also said that the vast majority of stuff now works.

They now seem to also have there a full speed full sound Genesis emulator that runs a lot. they say that a few games crash though but the guy making it is fixing bugs now.

Maybe the programs have been improved a lot since you last heard?

SgtBowhack · Post by **SgtBowhack** » Tue Jan 04, 2005 10:47 pm

What'd be a good idea is to make some sort of interface that can hook into the GP32 to use its sweet screen for other portables as well without losing the GP32 support of course. But I know somebody is gonna say "But it's a digital screen! It won't work!" or some crap. That's lazy talk right there! The GBA works

GameNut · Post by **GameNut** » Tue Jan 04, 2005 10:57 pm

SgtBowhack wrote:What'd be a good idea is to make some sort of interface that can hook into the GP32 to use its sweet screen for other portables as well without losing the GP32 support of course. But I know somebody is gonna say "But it's a digital screen! It won't work!" or some crap. That's lazy talk right there! The GBA works

You could if you can get access to the LCD through one of the ports. There looks to be a lot on this thing. I would guess though you would probably have to take it apart and ruin it to really do it.

I think I might just get one of these, even if the stuff isn't PERFECT it would still be cool to emulate all of these game systems on one handheld. It doesn't take up space and the screen is real sharp, it has stereo speakers too.

It wouldn't replace my real hardware but would go great along with it.

I am also thinking of modding my Nomad and Lynx by taking out the battery sucking flourescent bulb and replace them with white LEDs. I wonder how much more battery life I would get?

SgtBowhack · Post by **SgtBowhack** » Tue Jan 04, 2005 11:27 pm

I wish I had a Nomad... and by that, I mean to say that battery life should be increased a lot. Some people claim about a 2x improvement.

HK-47 · Post by **HK-47** » Wed Jan 05, 2005 2:41 pm

someone wrote:how much did the IPAQ cost??

I think around $600 CAN when my dad got it...
http://www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/shopp ... &aoid=1462
Heres some current models. Anywhere from $250 all the way to $600...

JackFrost22 · Post by **JackFrost22** » Wed Jan 05, 2005 2:54 pm

does it have an sd slot?

HK-47 · Post by **HK-47** » Wed Jan 05, 2005 3:43 pm

Yeah, but it broke...

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Jan 05, 2005 5:48 pm

They pretty much all have problems with NES games because it's a Famicom on a chip.

The only problem that they would have is that Famicom games have 60 pin cartridge connectors and NES games have 72 pin cartridge connectors. Nothing except the lockout chip ever used the extra pins on the NES cartridge connector.

None of the NOACs actually have the stuff added to the NES in them (like the extra sound channel and stuff) so of course the sound isn't gonna be as good with NES carts.

I hope this is a misprint, because the NES has no functionality added to it that was ever used by any commercial product. It does not have any extra sound or graphics capabilities, (composite A/V output notwithstanding.) Anything it can do, a Famicom can do and vice versa.

I'm not saying that's a good thing, but the way to get around it typically is to use Famicom versions of the games with the added sound hardware.

Very few NES games have cartridge-based Famicom counterparts that have extra sound channels in the cartridge. Castlevania III, Mr. Gimmick! (PAL only) and Rolling Thunder are the only three that I know of outside Famicom Disk System releases.

There really should be a way to get the Famicom sound channels to work on the NES too using a little adapter on the bottom that just jumpers the Famicom cart audio pin (missing from the NES) to the NES' bottom port.

This can be done, but it may require a little bit more than soldering wires.

SgtBowhack · Post by **SgtBowhack** » Wed Jan 05, 2005 7:11 pm

Wow. I am indeed apparently mistaken

Apparently I was under the impression that the NES had some added sound to compensate for the "impending release" of the Nintendo Disk System in America (which, of course, never happened). Boy, do I feel misinformed today.
Actually, you would simply need to make a special Famicom-NES adapter, that takes the sound channel out from the cartridge and puts it onto one of the expansion port pins... and then another small adapter that jumpers that pin with the audio in pin on the bottom of the NES

If my understanding of it is correct, anyway. Why those pins didn't exist on the NES cart slot I don't have a clue.
In any case, I don't see why that mod could not be done simply. If you can explain that, please do

Great Hierophant · Post by **Great Hierophant** » Thu Jan 06, 2005 12:51 am

Jumpering the two pins on the NES expansion port, kind of hard to do with the limited space in the slot, is not enough.

Famicom carts use pin #46 to output cartridge based sound, if any. On a Famicom to NES adapter, this pin would not be connected. So you must first connect the Female Famicom pin connector to a pin on the male NES connector. Pick one of the unused expansion pins that don't connect to anything, NES pins 16-20 and 51-55. I suggest NES pin #54. That goes to pin #9 on the expansion connector. Connect that to pin #3 on the expansion connector, which is audio input.

Famicom carts use pin #45 to accept NES-based sound for mixing with cartridge based sound. Connect this to NES pin #53. That goes to pin #8 on the NES expansion connector. Connect that to pin #23 on the expansion connector, which is audio output. (I'm not sure this is necessary.)

SgtBowhack · Post by **SgtBowhack** » Thu Jan 06, 2005 1:14 am

I believe I said that (in slightly less detail) you would need a special Famicom->NES adapter in my last post. In any case, it wouldn't be too difficult- you could slide a thin etched board in there (just cover up the areas with electrical tape that would touch other pins).
It might be best to switch the order of those two pins on the Famicom-NES adapter with a jumper (because you'd have more space there and then you wouldn't be overlapping the two when they get to the bottom of the NES, and you could theoretically separate them further). Anyway, just some thoughts

Octavious · Post by **Octavious** » Tue Jan 11, 2005 4:34 pm

The GP32 is the best choice for an easy portable
while its no " fun making it " because you dont make it, its still great
NES, Genesis, Atari's, old computers, Gameboy/color, Game gear, the Sega NES like thingy, are all full speed with sound
SNES and others, most of them are full speed, but not all run full speed with sound
then there's GPQuake, GPLinux, movies, multiple MP3 players, Image viewers, Ebook readers, text editors with the Chatboard ( a keyboard ), and many other things

really a great thing, trust me

and the community is nice: Sponge, Nin^Nin, Nerd of Nerds, and myself are all members in the gp32x forums, the best english gp32 community

~Octavious

Post by **SpongeBuell** » Tue Jan 11, 2005 4:44 pm

he hasn't been very active lately, but abbibi has a GP32 as well, though he was going to give it to his brother because of his Zodiac.