Emulators may be a while

[rushmore]

There has been discussion on other boards, but emulators and game ports may take a while and depend on if Android is opened for some native code access.

The author of my favorite WM emulator, Smartgear (great multi system emu for NES, GBC and Turbografx and Sega) has told me that the "Java" layer is required, so not only do you have to emulate the game systems, you have to also interpret the "Java" layer and this results in slow emulation even on the G1.

He wants to release a port of his emu to Android, but says it will not happen until Android has native code access.

Coreplayer is another program that is having issues due to Java on Android. They want to port the their media app but state that there is currently too much cpu overhead because any codec not native to the OS ALSO has to go through the "Java" layer.

If all things stay constant, this does not mean there will not be emulators, but it does likely mean that even a Gamboy emu will be slow on the G1 or any other Android device.

I put quotes around Java, because the container in the OS is more a hybrid of Java, but the cpu overhead is still the same.

We will probably not see Doom, Quake, MAME or any full speed emulator with sound until Google opens the OS up to some native code access.

Google demoed Quake, but it apparently did not go through the Java layer restriction. I would like to know if they used the SDK or used code native to the cpu.

I tend to believe others that the OS will be opened up more by Google, but how long will this take?

 

[MarvinAndroid]

I really hope Google does eventually do this... because it seems like we wont see a lot of the hardware pushing (and coolest apps) until they do.

I used to use the Core player on my Treo and it was a very nice application.. I'd LOVE to have that on my G1 (with it's beautiful screen).

A good and smooth running Gameboy Emulator is another one that I had on my 3 year old Treo... and would be a shame to be without on the G1.

 

[postalp]

Thanks for the info on this Rush, you seem to have your finger on the emulator pulse, could you tell me where you get your android-console emulation source discussions, just wondering.

Me and emu's go way back.

Thanks!

 

[rushmore]

Sorry for the late reply. The Smartgear author is a wealth of information and articulates why even a gameboy B&W emulator running with sound and 60fps would beat the 7201a to death if developed using the SDK and the Java box. L Banks wants to convert his emu to Android, but not possible with current restrictions.

Not holding my breath as far as decent performing emulators on Android- especially official OS releases.

Shame, since the hardware would work well with Smartgear and MAME.

 

[KeEp +]

If they could get a smooth GBA emulator on the G1 that would be the coolest thing ever.