Emulators on Windows Mobile 5 Pocket PCs?

[alx]

Sorry if the topic has already been discussed. I did a search but couldn't find an answer.

 

I'm currently using a Windows Mobile 2003 Pocket PC (iPaq 2210) and I can use all sorts of emulators on it: MegaMameCE3 9.5, Pocket SNES 1.12.200, PocketGnuBoy 1.20, Pocket VCS 1.0, etc.

 

I'm thinking about buying the new Acer n311 that has a VGA screen and runs Windows Mobile 5.

 

Does anyone know if these emulators will work on this hardware? I don't know how different WM5 is from WM2003 but since MegaMameCE3 has not been updated in a long time, I'm afraid that there will be compatibility problems.

 

I'm wondering also if it is possible to "stretch" the 240x320 resolution of most emulators to VGA.

 

Many thanks in advance for your help!

Edited March 3, 2006 by alx

[moderntimes99]

Sorry if the topic has already been discussed. I did a search but couldn't find an answer.

 

I'm currently using a Windows Mobile 2003 Pocket PC (iPaq 2210) and I can use all sorts of emulators on it: MegaMameCE3 9.5, Pocket SNES 1.12.200, PocketGnuBoy 1.20, Pocket VCS 1.0, etc.

 

I'm thinking about buying the new Acer n311 that has a VGA screen and runs Windows Mobile 5.

 

Does anyone know if these emulators will work on this hardware? I don't know how different WM5 is from WM2003 but since MegaMameCE3 has not been updated in a long time, I'm afraid that there will be compatibility problems.

 

I'm wondering also if it is possible to "stretch" the 240x320 resolution of most emulators to VGA.

 

Many thanks in advance for your help!

1027627[/snapback]

 

The only one of these I have have experience with is Pocket VCS 1.0 and that one will most certainly not work on a WM5/VGA machine (at least it doesn't work on my Dell Axim x50). I've been in contact with the author and he has no interest in upgrading it as it is released as freeware. The first "experimental" version of Stella for Windows Mobile is very promising, though.

 

Regards,

Moderntimes99

[alx]

Thanks Moderntimes99. What emulators do you run on your WM5 Axim (if any)?

[alx]

Hi there,

 

Does anyone else have any experience using emulators on Windows Mobile 5.0 Pocket PCs? There must be more than 1 person who tried.

 

I'll try Stella for Windows Mobile when I get my new Acer n311, but since I also currently use MegaMameCE and various Nintendo emulators on my WM2003 PPC, I'd really appreciate any feedback that users of WM5 PPCs could provide.

 

Many thanks in advance!

Edited March 9, 2006 by alx

[Shinto]

Does anyone else have any experience using emulators on Windows Mobile 5.0 Pocket PCs? There must be more than 1 person who tried.

 

I've tried out a couple emulators on my work-issued WM5-powered Verizon XV6700, including Stella 2.1 CE and PocketLynx.

 

Stella works well, but the controls are difficult on my particular device. See, the XV6700 has a little joystick, which functions as a button when you push it in. In Stella, unfortunately, pushing in on the joystick resets the game! It's very difficult not to push on on that little joystick. If I could somehow remap that to a fire button, it would be much better. The rocker-style controls that one would find on most PocketPCs would be better, I think.

VGA displays are not yet supported according to the README, so I don't know how it would look on your Acer n311.

 

Despite some screen glitches here and there, PocketLynx works pretty well. The control scheme is difficult, relying mostly on the on-screen "buttons." Physical buttons are bewildering in their locations; this emulator is clearly designed for more of an iPaq button layout. Pity, the Lynx games look really sharp on the little screen.

 

I'll probably try out MAMECE at some point, too.

[alx]

Well, I got my new Acer N311 yesterday and I tried quickly to run a few emulators. The results are not encouraging.

Let's recap the specs: Windows Mobile 5.0 (WM5), VGA screen (640x480), Samsung 400mhz processor

 

MegaMameCE: works in full screen but slow (90% frame rate). Tested only with Time Pilot and Q*Bert

 

Pocket SNES 1.12.200 and Pocket SNES 1.12.201: don't work. Frozen in pause mode

 

Pocket VCS 1.0: menus work but doesn't load ROMs

 

SCUMMVM: works. Need to set screen resolution to x2

 

Stella for Pocket PC and Smartphones: works in full screen but extremely slow. Does any one know if is it due to the current state of this port or to my hardware specs? I read somewhere that the Samsung 400Mhz was the equvalent of a Intel XScale 520 Mhz. Maybe that's not true. Or maybe the VGA resolution eats too much power

 

PocketGnuBoy 1.20, not tested

 

Well, well. I'm disappointed to say the least. The Acer N311 is a beautiful PPC, very small, very light, with built-in wifi, beautiful screen. But if I can't run my favorite emulators, it will loose some of its appeal.

 

If anyone has suggestions, I would be happy to hear them. Thanks !

Edited March 31, 2006 by alx

[alx]

In case anyone's interested, I tried a few more emulators on my WM5 Pocket PC (Acer n311) and some of them worked!

 

2600: Pocket VCS 1.0 actually works ! There are a few glitches but I found a way to make it work. When I click on "Load Cartridge", nothing happens but then when I click on "return to game", the "open file" window opens and after a few tries, the game finally starts. I had to set the frameskip setting to "2" otherwise it's too slow. I don't know if it's because of the 400 mhz Samsung processor or the VGA screen that all emulators are slow on my PPC but anyway, the frameskip is hardly noticeable.

 

Game Boy BW & Color: PocketGnuboy 1.0.3 works fine

 

NES: NesterJ4u 1.13 works fine