MAMEWorld Forums - EmuChat - Re: Future handheld emulation in MAME

>> Assuming the cpu/mcu that runs the lcd game isn't protected with epoxy coating, what
>> cpu/mcu runs the lcd game? It might be a cpu/mcu that is not yet emulated. Or maybe
>> the lcd screen itself is not yet emulated.
>
>> Next issue in case the cpu is emulated and not coated in epoxy and in case lcd
>> screen is already emulated. Does a contributor like hal3000 have the hardware that
>> can read the cpu/mcu and does he need to get another hardware adapter to capture the
>> data images that appear on the lcd screen?

>I think this gets the problem the wrong way around. The primary stumbling block for
>non-epoxied examples is the general lack of documentation for dumping internal ROMs from
>known 4-bit MCU types. For all too many MCU families, no actual code has ever been
>dumped, which means nothing really worth emulating them for. Often datasheets hint at
>test modes that can be entered by manipulating certain pins, but nobody seems very
>interested in researching how they work.

I forget about that scenario and you are correct. I had in mind only hap's current cpu/mcu emulation of some of the lcd games and forgot that there could be the condition of lack of cpu/mcu datasheets and other info that might never have been published or made available and the immediate examples that come to mind are the Rockwell components that run Mattel Electronics led handheld games and also the good old Votrax SC-01 speech device.

Sean was having to deal with patent office in getting papers for Rockwell components and the office staff couldn't find of what they had listed that was for sale. That is what I recall. I had an earlier post describing that sometime back in either 2016 or 2017 when I had posted about Mattel Electronics handheld games. For me, I am thankful hap was able to do MB Microvision handheld emulation this year so I'll take that as a nice win for the year.

Edited by gregf (02/27/21 07:23 AM)