Gameport

vskid · Post by **vskid** » Sat Jun 02, 2007 1:51 pm

Gameport site wrote:The final case will look different, it will actually fold like a DS

Now thats interesting...

HotDog-Cart · Post by **HotDog-Cart** » Sat Jun 02, 2007 2:11 pm

I still don't understand on how this will be LEGAL. Downloading roms to put on this thing, is illegal.

:S Will gameport license roms, that we must pay extra for?

Reaperman@home · Post by **Reaperman@home** » Sat Jun 02, 2007 2:26 pm

HotDog-Cart wrote:I still don't understand on how this will be LEGAL. Downloading roms to put on this thing, is illegal.

:S Will gameport license roms, that we must pay extra for?

you're pretty hung up on that minor detail.

If I had to guess, like most emulators, gameport won't supply the full line of retro roms for it at all--and don't forget about the retro system bios's (on complex systems), it probably won't be supplying them either. There may be a couple 'freebies' packed on a CD but I'm guessing it will mostly be a do-it-yourself affair.

there is a method of licensing by serial number on the gameport site which describes how it would be possible to license things directly to the unit, but with a device all about retrogaming, that will be its main draw. I imagine licensing would be all about 'new' retro software, and we're expected to handle the standard old retro on our own.

totally guessing, but there will be a lot of illegality--on our end. Even if we own a copy of the game, it's debatable whether or not we also have the legal ability to play it on compatible hardware, especially on a very different platform than the original. Even with the legal issues stuck on the user, it wouldn't surprise me if nintendo decided to come down on gameport like stink on rice with lawsuit after lawsuit and even if they didn't stick, they still cost money to fight.

vskid · Post by **vskid** » Sat Jun 02, 2007 2:35 pm

Just don't get caught, thats the simplest answer to copyright stuff. If you do get caught, pop the SD card out and snap it in half, eliminates the evidence (as long as they aren't on your computer, too).

tom61 · Post by **tom61** » Sat Jun 02, 2007 2:38 pm

gameport wrote: The case Ben did was rushed for a TV appearance, it is currently being redone; Ben has come up with a very nice design which is totally different from the original one. When it is ready, he will post about it.

What is this TV appearence? I'd certainly would like to see it.

In the meantime, the gameport.tv web site was released a bit too early, it will feature more content shortly, along with the complete list of platforms and also how they do work (for machines with keyboards for example, etc).

Ah, so this was rushed for the TV showing as well?

Now, we have heard an many web sites comparisons with the GP2X; we are using a radically different architecture. Using a gate array was the only way to go for a true re-creation of the original game systems; The GP2X processes everything sequentially on a the CPU, while the GamePort's processing is mostly parallel. For example, the Atari 2600 is run with a 8x clock divider for the video and 16x divider for the CPU (1.79Mhz), which would be impossible on a machine like the GP2X, clock frequency means nothing with our architecture. Now, the GamePort is not meant to run a complex OS, etc and in that respect the GP2X will be much better; but for classic consoles, we wouldn't be releasing the gameport if it had a real competitor.

Once the site gets revamped, I'm pretty sure that the allegations of it being the same as a GP2X in design will disappear. It was just the lack of data that lead to rumors that it was based on an ARM processor/SoC.

Reaperman@home · Post by **Reaperman@home** » Sat Jun 02, 2007 2:44 pm

vskid wrote:Just don't get caught, thats the simplest answer to copyright stuff. If you do get caught, pop the SD card out and snap it in half, eliminates the evidence (as long as they aren't on your computer, too).

breaking the SD card does very little as far as destroying evidence goes.
Hell, writing zeros to a magnetic drive can even be overcome by one tool I've heard about in passing.

What is this TV appearence? I'd certainly would like to see it.

then check the most recent post on the mainpage of the site and when the video starts talking about starwars, and how it refuses to go the heck away, click on the bottom movie on the right.

Post by **bicostp** » Sat Jun 02, 2007 4:31 pm

HotDog-Cart wrote:I still don't understand on how this will be LEGAL. Downloading roms to put on this thing, is illegal.

Roms are only illegal if they're owned by a company or individual that does not want the games to be freely copied. How many times do we have to tell you?

They're going to give away homebrew games or games that have been released as public domain by their authors.

If the company that makes the Gameport is responsible for the downloaded copies of Mario people play on their hardware, then Samsung is responsible for the illegal copies of movies people make with their DVD burners.

vskid · Post by **vskid** » Sat Jun 02, 2007 4:53 pm

Reaperman@home wrote:
vskid wrote:Just don't get caught, thats the simplest answer to copyright stuff. If you do get caught, pop the SD card out and snap it in half, eliminates the evidence (as long as they aren't on your computer, too).
breaking the SD card does very little as far as destroying evidence goes.
Hell, writing zeros to a magnetic drive can even be overcome by one tool I've heard about in passing.

If the flash chip is snapped in half, I highly doubt that it could be accessed. The information might still be there, but it'll be impossible to access.

As for the magnetic drives, some programs right randomly over the drive several times, removing the old signatures.

Reaperman@home · Post by **Reaperman@home** » Tue Jun 05, 2007 12:57 pm

I did some browsing around after gameport's post here, and stumbled across the Western Digital 65816. I wonder if they use something like that. It's got a rather nice feature set and seems to match the description of what it needs to do. (8/16-bit, very 6502 friendly, and inexpensive)

edit: nevermind. either new info is sneaking onto that page daily or I'm just not reading it as I should.

usinoh · Post by **usinoh** » Fri Jul 20, 2007 6:20 am

I noticed the Gameport website is down, is this project dead?

nightwheel · Post by **nightwheel** » Fri Jul 20, 2007 11:17 am

It's probly going thro a BIG Update. A compleat site Overhual

Reaperman@home · Post by **Reaperman@home** » Fri Jul 20, 2007 12:03 pm

I try to hit it every day, but it's been down since yesturday. I hope this possible "site overhaul" includes spamproofing their forum...

It was also down for a day or so, a few weeks ago.

jeroen · Post by **jeroen** » Fri Jul 20, 2007 12:12 pm

for the people saying that you might as well get a psp or gp-32 or something like that is wrong. this is kinda like a versatile noac.

Reaperman@home · Post by **Reaperman@home** » Fri Jul 20, 2007 1:32 pm

jeroen wrote:for the people saying that you might as well get a psp or gp-32 or something like that is wrong. this is kinda like a versatile noac.

exactly. I'm not sure why there's not a huge amount of interest building for this project. This is the first time something like this has been proposed for primetime customers, and if it works as well as we're all hoping, it may suggest that all the 10+ years of progress into software-based emulation may have been going down a dead end path.

tom61 · Post by **tom61** » Fri Jul 20, 2007 2:38 pm

Reaperman@home wrote:
jeroen wrote:for the people saying that you might as well get a psp or gp-32 or something like that is wrong. this is kinda like a versatile noac.
exactly. I'm not sure why there's not a huge amount of interest building for this project. This is the first time something like this has been proposed for primetime customers, and if it works as well as we're all hoping, it may suggest that all the 10+ years of progress into software-based emulation may have been going down a dead end path.

Multiple reasons for the shunning: 1) mis-information as to what it is (many sites posted news that it was ARM based) 2) One in the hand is worth two in the bush and 3)Artificial Happinessof choices already made.

Point 2 keeps getting re-taught to me. I constantly hear about new gadgets that promise the world, but usually end up with deep flaws and/or high price when released, pending they even get released.

Edit: I had a good video explaining the third point, but I keep finding one that makes the opposite point...