[game_preservation] Article about proper SNES emulation

[Frank Cifaldi]

We're finally starting to see some actual hardware running using FPGA chips,
which is very exciting to me. We may not see low level 100% accurate N64
software emulation in our lifetimes, but assuming schematics are available,
we can (in theory) build new hardware that acts exactly like the original.

http://www.jrok.com/hardware/wsf/

http://danstrother.com/fpga-nes/

http://www.fpgacentral.com/fpga-product/aveda/one-chip-msx

http://visual6502.org/

I can't wait until this gets commercially viable and I can buy a cheap
handheld that "emulates" old consoles on a hardware level.

On Tue, Aug 9, 2011 at 2:03 PM, Devin Monnens <dmonnens at gmail.com> wrote:


> That was a pretty fascinating article, especially outlining problems with

> the preservation.

>

> One question I had is what the bottlenecks are for preservation. We've

> identified decaying floppy disks and other magnetic media as one of the most

> pressing concerns, but Kryoflux technology has been allowing us to solve

> this problem.

>

> However, the problem then becomes how to accurately run the software again.

> From the sound of it, emulating the timing of the machine would not be

> possible for early computer systems. To run the software on the original

> hardware, it is possible to use Kryoflux to refresh the data onto a floppy

> disk, effectively extending the life. Another option could be floppy disk

> emulation, but I'm not sure how accurately this is, either. However, the new

> problem becomes the life of the original hardware. Here, I wonder if saving

> electronics schematics might be a good solution to the problem so someone

> could manufacture a new copy of the machine.

>

> Are there currently any good strategies for overcoming these limitations?

>

>

> On Tue, Aug 9, 2011 at 11:52 AM, Mike Melanson <mike at multimedia.cx> wrote:

>

>> Byuu -- the author of the hyper-accurate bsnes SNES emulator program --

>> has written a lengthy piece for Ars Technica:

>>

>> Accuracy takes power: one man's 3GHz quest to build a perfect SNES

>> emulator

>>

>> http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2011/08/accuracy-takes-power-one-mans-3ghz-quest-to-build-a-perfect-snes-emulator.ars

>>

>> If you've tried bsnes, you know that the 3 GHz figure is no joke.

>>

>> Great quote for the preservationist:

>>

>> 'Video games are a piece of our history, and we need to respect the fact

>> that there is a "true" form they had when released. Imagine if we only had

>> a JPEG of the Mona Lisa, a RealVideo stream of the moon landing, or a MIDI

>> rendition of "Walking in the Air." We have the ability to keep our past

>> alive, and I feel like it's almost a duty to do so.'

>>

>> --

>>    -Mike Melanson

>>

>> _______________________________________________

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>>

>

>

>

> --

> Devin Monnens

> www.deserthat.com

>

> The sleep of Reason produces monsters.

>

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>

>

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