VOGONS


First post, by Broifonn_9

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Recently I found an emulator package from this website http://takeda-toshiya.my.coocan.jp/. I downloaded binaries from the Common source code project on this website.
There are many emulators. All of them are Japanese machines. I launched some emulators, some show the output, and some are calculators. But the FM-7 and JX machines gave me a purely black screen.
I tried to find any readmes, but there are no readmes. Same with documentation.
Firstly, the problem that I thought of was the OS used and the PC's language (Windows 10, Russian). Nothing changes, even installing a Japanese Vista won't help.
Then I set the compatibility layer to XP SP3. Nothing happened. So, I guess the emulator package is broken. As it doesn't run anywhere and elsewhere but the owner's PC.
Two odd things were spotted by me when checking emulators. The first thing is the requirement of real hardware (MULTI8 afaik), which means that that emulator is not an emulator at all. Because the word "emulator" itself stands for "emulating any hardware in software using ROMsets or any other files". The second thing is "internal ROMs". Most emulators don't provide internal ROMs, and if there are internal ROMS, they are working. External ROMs (not present in the emulator, 86Box for example) work fine too. But this emulator package that has internal ROMs doesn't seem to work.
Anyways, tested it on the latest version (1/1/2024), I have Direct3D/2D, using the corresponding binaries. Just to see a black screen. And even the FD lamps don't light up.

If anyone used emulators from this site, feel free to help me! Edit! It was off-topped so I replaced the old one with this one.

Reply 1 of 15, by Broifonn_9

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Edit: The NECs don't work, too.

Reply 2 of 15, by ratfink

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The links take me to the coder's github pages (for the one i looked at anyway), and there are faq files under doc - have you seen those - they seem to have advice on various issues? like here
https://github.com/Artanejp/common_source_pro … er/doc/FAQ.html
Have you tried creating an issue there to log your problems? like here
https://github.com/Artanejp/common_source_project-fm7/issues
the files may not have been looked at for years, but sometimes people still care even decades later.

Reply 3 of 15, by Broifonn_9

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ratfink wrote on 2024-09-16, 19:53:
The links take me to the coder's github pages (for the one i looked at anyway), and there are faq files under doc - have you see […]
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The links take me to the coder's github pages (for the one i looked at anyway), and there are faq files under doc - have you seen those - they seem to have advice on various issues? like here
https://github.com/Artanejp/common_source_pro … er/doc/FAQ.html
Have you tried creating an issue there to log your problems? like here
https://github.com/Artanejp/common_source_project-fm7/issues
the files may not have been looked at for years, but sometimes people still care even decades later.

I didn't use the source code but binaries.Also I installed from the official site not from git. Also the JX is in my priority, not FM-7
But still thank you for responding!

Reply 4 of 15, by ratfink

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ok, nothing else i can suggest - the github pages appear to be where the developer puts their stuff, there are docs and faqs, that really is where i would start. but each to their own, maybe someone here can help you.

Reply 5 of 15, by Robbbert

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Some of those computer systems need BIOS roms in order to function. They are not supplied - you are expected to hunt them down yourself.

Many of these systems are emulated in MAME but not well. However if you search for MAME roms you will have a chance of finding what you need for Takeda's emulator.

(edit) clarify what should have been obvious.

Last edited by Robbbert on 2024-09-18, 04:37. Edited 1 time in total.

Reply 7 of 15, by Broifonn_9

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Robbbert wrote on 2024-09-17, 23:05:

Some of those computer systems need BIOS roms in order to function. They are not supplied - you are expected to hunt them down yourself.

Many of these systems are emulated in MAME but not well. However if you search for MAME roms you will have a chance.

The only bad thing is that MAME is crashing on my pc.
But I couldn't understand where to download the ROM into the emulator so that the said ROM of a machine worked.

Reply 8 of 15, by Broifonn_9

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Broifonn_9 wrote on 2024-09-18, 04:19:
Robbbert wrote on 2024-09-17, 23:05:

Some of those computer systems need BIOS roms in order to function. They are not supplied - you are expected to hunt them down yourself.

Many of these systems are emulated in MAME but not well. However if you search for MAME roms you will have a chance.

The only bad thing is that MAME is crashing on my pc.
But I couldn't understand where to download the ROM into the emulator so that the said ROM of a machine worked.

Edit: Not to search for ROMs but rather for an instruction how to "download" the ROM in that emulator

Reply 9 of 15, by ratfink

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So your question is "If I have a ROM... how do I use it?".

If you read the faq I linked above for the FM7 - it has an entry regarding where to place your ROM. Maybe there are similar documents if you look for the other emulators. Or maybe you can assume they all work similarly especially given references to common source code.

Reply 10 of 15, by Broifonn_9

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ratfink wrote on 2024-09-18, 08:54:

So your question is "If I have a ROM... how do I use it?".

If you read the faq I linked above for the FM7 - it has an entry regarding where to place your ROM. Maybe there are similar documents if you look for the other emulators. Or maybe you can assume they all work similarly especially given references to common source code.

Thank you for help

Reply 11 of 15, by Jo22

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Robbbert wrote on 2024-09-17, 23:05:

Some of those computer systems need BIOS roms in order to function. They are not supplied - you are expected to hunt them down yourself.

Many of these systems are emulated in MAME but not well. However if you search for MAME roms you will have a chance of finding what you need for Takeda's emulator.

(edit) clarify what should have been obvious.

In my opinion this is because Japanese emulator writers have a different mindset here.
They expect you to use your own ROM dumps that you make with the help of your original hardware.
That's why they often have written utilities such as font generators or ROM dumpers, for example.
That's quite a different approach to, uh, well, the Russian way of handling the ROM situation. 😉

"Time, it seems, doesn't flow. For some it's fast, for some it's slow.
In what to one race is no time at all, another race can rise and fall..." - The Minstrel

//My video channel//

Reply 12 of 15, by Broifonn_9

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Jo22 wrote on 2024-09-19, 10:12:
In my opinion this is because Japanese emulator writers have a different mindset here. They expect you to use your own ROM dumps […]
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Robbbert wrote on 2024-09-17, 23:05:

Some of those computer systems need BIOS roms in order to function. They are not supplied - you are expected to hunt them down yourself.

Many of these systems are emulated in MAME but not well. However if you search for MAME roms you will have a chance of finding what you need for Takeda's emulator.

(edit) clarify what should have been obvious.

In my opinion this is because Japanese emulator writers have a different mindset here.
They expect you to use your own ROM dumps that you make with the help of your original hardware.
That's why they often have written utilities such as font generators or ROM dumpers, for example.
That's quite a different approach to, uh, well, the Russian way of handling the ROM situation. 😉

This may be impossible for me because there are no known old hardware stores in my country
But still thank you for response

Reply 13 of 15, by Jo22

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Broifonn_9 wrote on 2024-09-19, 12:32:

This may be impossible for me because there are no known old hardware stores in my country

Yes, that's understandable. Many of us have been in a similar situation, I suppose.

On the other hand, the author has no obligation to help anyone or provide ROMs.
In fact, the no. #1 rule in emulation used to be "don't ask for the ROMs".
It's mentioned in most readme files. Authors usually ignore any e-mail requests with such a topic, too.

I suppose that authors like takeda write emulators primarily on their free time as personal enjoyment,
then make them available to other's who have a similar fascination for old computers.

It's more an act of courtesy to other, like-minded people.

That's why the websites often look like log books or journals, as well, I think.
The author lets us participate on the progress he/she has made over the past years
and the issues he/she had encountering in overcoming issues.

Understandably, this is different from other certain cultures around the globe.
I mean, err, Russian servers for example are known for their attempts to "preserve" software to the full extent.

By contrast, the Japanese programmers are very careful when it comes to things like copyr!ghts.
They assume that merely owners of original hardware are in the legal position to use emulators of said hardware anyway.

PS: This also used to be the official procedure, by the way. The way emulator authors expect you to proceed.
Personally, I do own cartridges of old consoles, for example and do occasionally make my own backups with the Retrode reader.
For reading normal EPROM chips, I do own a TL866 programmer, too. Not for being fancy, but to be on the safe side.
The heaviness of law enforcement can be different among different countries simply. 🤷

Edit: I probably shouldn't come up with this one here, but maybe it's necessary for clarification..
Firmware on PC is a bit different. The IBM PC platform got successful through the clone industry.
Most BIOSes, VGA-BIOSes and peripheral firmware on PC were historically being distributed on BBSes and servers free of charge.
Updates could be requested via mail from the manufacturer, too, with a little bit of money charged to cover the postage fees.

Broifonn_9 wrote on 2024-09-19, 12:32:

But still thank you for response

You're welcome.

Edit: I'm not sure if this helpful, but there's another IBM JX emulator..
5511emu - IBM JX/PCjr emulator

"Time, it seems, doesn't flow. For some it's fast, for some it's slow.
In what to one race is no time at all, another race can rise and fall..." - The Minstrel

//My video channel//

Reply 14 of 15, by Broifonn_9

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Jo22 wrote on 2024-09-19, 14:15:
Yes, that's understandable. Many of us have been in a similar situation, I suppose. […]
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Broifonn_9 wrote on 2024-09-19, 12:32:

This may be impossible for me because there are no known old hardware stores in my country

Yes, that's understandable. Many of us have been in a similar situation, I suppose.

On the other hand, the author has no obligation to help anyone or provide ROMs.
In fact, the no. #1 rule in emulation used to be "don't ask for the ROMs".
It's mentioned in most readme files. Authors usually ignore any e-mail requests with such a topic, too.

I suppose that authors like takeda write emulators primarily on their free time as personal enjoyment,
then make them available to other's who have a similar fascination for old computers.

It's more an act of courtesy to other, like-minded people.

That's why the websites often look like log books or journals, as well, I think.
The author lets us participate on the progress he/she has made over the past years
and the issues he/she had encountering in overcoming issues.

Understandably, this is different from other certain cultures around the globe.
I mean, err, Russian servers for example are known for their attempts to "preserve" software to the full extent.

By contrast, the Japanese programmers are very careful when it comes to things like copyr!ghts.
They assume that merely owners of original hardware are in the legal position to use emulators of said hardware anyway.

PS: This also used to be the official procedure, by the way. The way emulator authors expect you to proceed.
Personally, I do own cartridges of old consoles, for example and do occasionally make my own backups with the Retrode reader.
For reading normal EPROM chips, I do own a TL866 programmer, too. Not for being fancy, but to be on the safe side.
The heaviness of law enforcement can be different among different countries simply. 🤷

Edit: I probably shouldn't come up with this one here, but maybe it's necessary for clarification..
Firmware on PC is a bit different. The IBM PC platform got successful through the clone industry.
Most BIOSes, VGA-BIOSes and peripheral firmware on PC were historically being distributed on BBSes and servers free of charge.
Updates could be requested via mail from the manufacturer, too, with a little bit of money charged to cover the postage fees.

Broifonn_9 wrote on 2024-09-19, 12:32:

But still thank you for response

You're welcome.

Edit: I'm not sure if this helpful, but there's another IBM JX emulator..
5511emu - IBM JX/PCjr emulator

Thanks for help
I guess that takeda emulators aren't for me: these require ROMs from real machines (which is already almost impossible as there are no some of the machines on sell)
Also these require real hardware (idk why). So it's not the worst but not the best emulator. Alternatives exist, at least
+ Tried 5511emu

Reply 15 of 15, by Broifonn_9

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The only sad thing about 5511emu is when I launch it via powershell it says "can't open; Quit"