Genesis Emulation - Gp32 Vs Zodiac?

[ralp99]

now that Genesis emulation is finally starting to mature on the GP32, I am curious how it compares to the performance on the Zodiac (it's included in LJZ, if I am not mistaken)

is there anyone who actually has tried both, who can answer?
(How much better is their SNES emu, as well...)

BTW not thinking of trading up. Just curious.

 

[Sponge BoB]

well since the main reason our emu isnt next to perfect is that it uses the unfinished cyclone core, which the zodiac version also uses, id say our emulation is either better or equal.

I think the genesis emulator in LJZ is just a port of rlyeh fgen.

 

[Valeos]

I own both a GP32 and a Zodiac, and I believe that the GP32 is better in regards to emulation of the Genesis. This is especially the case with sound, as there is more support in DrMD than in LJZ.

 

[-Ace-]

I too have both, and the Genesis emulation is indeed better on the GP32 thanks to DrMD. The SNES emulation however, is better on the Zodiac. This is only due to the fact that the Zodiac is more powerful, because the emu is basically the same core for both systems.

 

[bast525]

The SNES emulation however, is better on the Zodiac. This is only due to the fact that the Zodiac is more powerful, because the emu is basically the same core for both systems.

​

Yeah that and the fact that the Zodiac actually has the right amount of buttons is probably a help


No surprise that the genesis is better on GP now, Reesy has really done a number with DrMD...

 

[DaveC]

I too have both, and the Genesis emulation is indeed better on the GP32 thanks to DrMD. The SNES emulation however, is better on the Zodiac. This is only due to the fact that the Zodiac is more powerful, because the emu is basically the same core for both systems.

​

Actually SNES is better more because it is a more complete version. The GP32 version is still lacking some ASM cores (sound mixing) that the Zodiac has. The main thing for me was that I hated that analog stick on the Zodiac for emus, it seemed too sloppy for me.

 

[Tobriand]

So far as I knew, the Zodiac just had that extra bit of power when it comes to SNES. I thought we'd got all the cores in ASM (including sound), as of 0.3, but we're missing an optimised section for the *mixing* of the sound - hence why speed is perfect, or near perfect without sound, but no better than 0.2 with it on.

The only exception to this (i.e. the Z version having code in it that ours doesn't) is when it comes to Transparency support, which I imagine the Zodiac's version has due to having more memory available to it.

However, that said, I don't really keep up with the Z scene at all on account of not having one. So it is possible DaveC knows something I don't when it comes to Zodiac programs .

Anyways, wasn't this about Genesis emulation?

 

[Squidge]

I've looked at both the Gp32 and Zodiac snes emulator sources, and I've not seen any asm mixing core in the Zodiac version - only a asm cpu core, and an asm sound core.

Also, the Zodiac doesn't have transparency support simply due to more memory - it actually uses the Zodiac's graphics processor to do the transparency. It also loads all the tiles into the graphics processor, and so is slightly quicker at building the screen, but I don't think the speed increase is that noticable.

Genesis emulation however is much better on the GP32, as the Zodiac version is simply a quick port of Genesis Plus, and so is much slower.

 

[craigix]

The GP32 MD emus are substantially better than those on the Z, the Z is lacking in a homebrew scene.

-Craig

www.gbax.com

 

[SickPunk]

I have both a Z2 and a GP32Blu+, and I can say that DrMD is far and a ahead a much better Genesis Emu than anything on the Zodiac. The games that don't run on the GP32 don't run on the Z either, and the games that do run work much better; they are smoother in sound as well as in animation. In addition to how great they run, it's also much more fun with the GP32's D-Pad than it is with the analog stick on the Z. I have to admit, though... The games look beautiful on the Z with the full screen stretching and smoothing. They look better on the Z than they did on my TV. That said, stick with the GP32 for Genesis emulation. Even with that great screen and more mhz of power, the Zodiac can't touch DrMD's Genesis emulation. It really is that good!

SickPunk

 

[DaveC]

I've looked at both the Gp32 and Zodiac snes emulator sources, and I've not seen any asm mixing core in the Zodiac version - only a asm cpu core, and an asm sound core.

Also, the Zodiac doesn't have transparency support simply due to more memory - it actually uses the Zodiac's graphics processor to do the transparency. It also loads all the tiles into the graphics processor, and so is slightly quicker at building the screen, but I don't think the speed increase is that noticable.

Genesis emulation however is much better on the GP32, as the Zodiac version is simply a quick port of Genesis Plus, and so is much slower.

​

This ASM sound mixing core was said to be missing by Yoyo himself. When .3 was released everyone was wondering why it was still as slow as the previous version w/sound. He said that the sound mixing was still in "c" and had never been done in ASM for the GP32 yet. So that is where SNES is now on GP32 I guess.

 

[DaveC]

I have both a Z2 and a GP32Blu+, and I can say that DrMD is far and a ahead a much better Genesis Emu than anything on the Zodiac. The games that don't run on the GP32 don't run on the Z either, and the games that do run work much better; they are smoother in sound as well as in animation. In addition to how great they run, it's also much more fun with the GP32's D-Pad than it is with the analog stick on the Z. I have to admit, though... The games look beautiful on the Z with the full screen stretching and smoothing. They look better on the Z than they did on my TV. That said, stick with the GP32 for Genesis emulation. Even with that great screen and more mhz of power, the Zodiac can't touch DrMD's Genesis emulation. It really is that good!

SickPunk

​

You don't need screen stretching on the GP32 though for Genesis, it nearly fills the screen as it is at 1:1.

 

[SickPunk]

I have both a Z2 and a GP32Blu+, and I can say that DrMD is far and a ahead a much better Genesis Emu than anything on the Zodiac. The games that don't run on the GP32 don't run on the Z either, and the games that do run work much better; they are smoother in sound as well as in animation. In addition to how great they run, it's also much more fun with the GP32's D-Pad than it is with the analog stick on the Z. I have to admit, though... The games look beautiful on the Z with the full screen stretching and smoothing. They look better on the Z than they did on my TV. That said, stick with the GP32 for Genesis emulation. Even with that great screen and more mhz of power, the Zodiac can't touch DrMD's Genesis emulation. It really is that good!

SickPunk

​

You don't need screen stretching on the GP32 though for Genesis, it nearly fills the screen as it is at 1:1.

​

Haha, I was wondering what I forgot to mention... Thanks for clearing that up DaveC, didn't mean to be misleading. The resolution on the GP32 is perfect for Genesis games

 

[Jarska333]

This ASM sound mixing core was said to be missing by Yoyo himself. When .3 was released everyone was wondering why it was still as slow as the previous version w/sound. He said that the sound mixing was still in "c" and had never been done in ASM for the GP32 yet. So that is where SNES is now on GP32 I guess.

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If it only worked on my BLU+...