Concept of an emulator?

[bronxbomber92]

What goes into the process of programming an emu? Like understanding the hardware and knowing the specifics of the process needed for an emulator? Is there any article (maybe at gamedev) that describes this?

BTW, incase this post has any confusion, I'm not asking for actual code, but more of theory.

Thanks

[zx-81]

It's not an easy question lol.

First of all you have to understand very well the hardware architecture of the machine / console X you want to emulate. Generally you have to get the real datasheet of each hardware components of X.

Then you will have to write in a programming langage the behavior of all those components, and for some of them (such as sound chip or video stuff) you will have to write a kind of wrapper to make them communicate to the host hardware on which your emulator is running.

For example, you will have to write code to play samples generated by your emulator to the PSP sound device ... You will have to do the same for the graphical part etc ...

Then you have to write an emulation loop that will call each hardware components emulation functions, and ensure the communication between them, and that should handle the real time / emulation time ...

Hope that helps .

[bronxbomber92]

Yeah, a little... Do you know of any specific places to get started, that exlpains in detail?

Thanks

[zx-81]

Yeah, a little... Do you know of any specific places to get started, that exlpains in detail?

Thanks

I really don't know, emulation is not as simple as it seems to be ... You may begin with a book that deals with "Hardware Modeling in C langage" or something like this

[salomon st]

hey zx what r u working on these days??

[bronxbomber92]

I really don't know, emulation is not as simple as it seems to be ... You may begin with a book that deals with "Hardware Modeling in C langage" or something like this

I know its not easy

Thanks anyways

[zx-81]

hey zx what r u working on these days??

i'm trying to do a new release for each emulator i've already ported, with new graphics and usefull features

[bronxbomber92]

Good news! I found a very simple emulator I'm gonna port for my first try