GBA on Rockboy?

[whiteskullbot0]

As far as I know, GBA games can't run with rockboy because of the insufficient memory. Is this correct?  

[cool_walking_]

Well GBA games can't run on Rockbox because Rockboy is a Gameboy emulator.  It does not know how to play Gameboy Advance games.

Why a Gameboy Advance emulator on Rockbox is infeasible is probably more due to processing limits than memory limits.

I think I read about the author of a GBA emulator for IpodLinux being interested in porting it to Rockbox, but I don't know what happened.

[whiteskullbot0]

Well GBA games can't run on Rockbox because Rockboy is a Gameboy emulator.  It does not know how to play Gameboy Advance games.

Why a Gameboy Advance emulator on Rockbox is infeasible is probably more due to processing limits than memory limits.

1.Assuming that we have a rockboy that can run GBA games, what will happen when we start a GBA game?
2.Can those "processing limits" be broken by using frameskips?
   

[Febs]

Well GBA games can't run on Rockbox because Rockboy is a Gameboy emulator.  It does not know how to play Gameboy Advance games.

Why a Gameboy Advance emulator on Rockbox is infeasible is probably more due to processing limits than memory limits.

1.Assuming that we have a rockboy that can run GBA games, what will happen when we start a GBA game?

Your assumption is invalid, so this question is unanswerable.

2.Can those "processing limits" be broken by using frameskips?
   

This has been discussed in the past.  For example, read this thread:  http://forums.rockbox.org/index.php?topic=10855.0

[Strife89]

The linked thread is locked, but I want to add my two cents, so....  

Those of you who own Palms have probably heard of the Firestorm GBA emulator (http://www.crimsonfire.com/firestorm/). It claims to be quite speedy on newer Palms. The app is shareware, so obviously no source code is available; it's just something to think about.

Also mentioned on that thread, an NES emulator is far more feasible. Palm fans probably know of LJP (http://little-john.net/index.php) ("Little John Palm"), a multi-platform emulator for the Palm OS. I believe (I'll check in a minute) that the source code is available and that it is GPLed, but again, I am not positive.

[And with that, Strife goes to dig up some links. ]

[Llorean]

PDAs usually have a processor at least 3 times the base speed of the iPod, if not a good deal more, and more capable at that speed than an iPod would be if simply scaled up. Saying "It's quite fast" doesn't mean that they've made it possible to do the impossible. These are quite slow devices, and emulation is quite CPU intensive.

[Strife89]

emulation is quite CPU intensive.

Not to be rude, but I am more than aware of this fact. Indeed, Rockboy slows down when I drop the frame skip rate on my c250, and audio is never as good as it should be (comparing to the original Gameboy here).

Even my Palm stutters on Gameboy games, showing roughly the same symptoms. Genesis ROMs get roughly 25 FPS (out of 60) at a frameskip rate of 3 (the highest I tolerate), and without sound emulated.

Heck, my PC has trouble with GBA games, but then again, it's 8 years old....

[Llorean]

If you honestly believe the "It's too slow to play GBA games" why did you even bother to link to yet another GBA emulator, especially one that absolutely cannot be used?

[Strife89]

My Sansa is far less powerful than other MP3 players on the market, which, by the way, are certain to become more powerful (in every aspect) in the future.

The GBA link was provided for the curious (mainly those who own Palms).  

[GodEater]

Well basically this is now thoroughly offtopic for Rockbox - so I'm locking this thread.