Emulator Z FAQ version 1.0
Author :
Jarod CANAL
Greetings, contributions and constructives comments to:
bfines@uni2.es
This is a FAQ about the Emulator Z product for Playstation.
Sorry, most of the questions have no answer.
This document is GPL.
Index:
I Instruction Manual
II FAQ
III History Revision
I Instruction Manual
Here follows the instruction manual that comes along with the Emulator Z.
Please note that this is only page 2 from the 4 pages booklet (page 0 with
front photo and the following title Emulator Z Instruction Menu in English
and Japanese, page 1 manual in Japanese, page 2 manual in English, page 3
guarantee in Japanese and English). The Emulator Z box does not provide more
information.
(Since the text might have been translated by software i changed it a bit.)
EMULATOR Z Manual
Introduction
EMULATOR Z is a card which integrates four emulators, which are :
1. GB emulator
2. GG emulator
3. SMS emulator
4. PCE emulator
EMULATOR Z supports four file types : GB format, GG format, SMS format and
PCE format. Since these emulators still have a little bit of blot, some
files cannot be run yet. That is why EMULATOR Z was made to be upgraded
by CD. (The latest software version of EMULATOR Z will be posted on our
website, so please keep an eye on it.)
Instruction:
1. Turn off the Playstation, then plug in the EMULATOR Z.
2. Put in a PSX original game disc and install the spring correctly.
3. Turn on the power, an EMULATOR Z logo will appear on the screen.
4. After it twinkled, EMULATOR Z will stop reading disc.
5. EMULATOR Z will read the data from the CD a few second later, and
display a file list on the screen.
6. Choose the file wich you want to run.
7. Press the circle button.
8. EMULATOR Z will autodetect the format of the selected file and use the
correct emulator to run it.
Other functions:
1. At the file list, highlight a file and press L1. Then the file name of
that file will show on screen. (This function can only work with files
in GB format.)
2. When the EMULATOR Z logo twinkled (see instruction 3 ), press the circle
button twice then the display mode will change from NTSC to PAL or from
PAL to NTSC.
Notice : This card just can read the CD that in MODE 2 format.
This product is not supported or endorsed by SONY, NINTENDO, SEGA and NEC.
II FAQ
1) What is the official EMULATOR Z website URL?
URL : ????
I will provide this as soon as i find it (if you know it, please send it to
me by mail.)
My EMULATOR Z reports to be version 1.2 on the title menu (bought on
02/01/2000).
Sorry but i cannot understand the japanese manual and thus i do not know
which enterprise makes EMUlATOR Z.
2) What about the speed of the emulation?
I need to check it.
I heard that the emulation provided by the EMULATOR Z is slow.
So far i only checked the Sega Master System emulation, it is playable but a
little bit slow.
3) Which file formats are supported exactly?
I need to check it.
I do not know which are the format supported.
I do not know if the Sega Master System and Game Gear file must have the
header or not.
Sega Master System files work with header.
4) What about sound emulation?
I need to check it.
I read on internet that sound emulation is available for Sega Master System
and PCEngine emulation but not for the 2 other systems (i.e. PCEngine and
Gameboy).
The sound emulation for Master System is incorrect and therefore is better
is better with TV sound turned off.
5) What about compatibility?
I need to check it.
Why not make a compatibility list for games and also CDR/CDRW?
My Verbatim CDRW (blue and green cover, 4x max, made in Ireland) cannot be
read in my Playstation 7502.
Verbatim CDR (blue cover, made in Singapore) work for me.
The Sega Master System seems to be compatible with a lot of games.
I only tried the PCEngine emulator with 3 games and none of them worked.
6) What about emulation quality?
I need to chechk it.
I do not know if the emulators used are the ones available on internet, but
it seems to me that the MasterGear port from Bero is used. Maybe the Gameboy
emulator is one of the 2 availables on internet, and the PCEngine one is
FPCE, and MasterGear is also used for Game Gear.
I do not know if respectives authors are aware in the case their emulator is
used in Emulator Z.
I do not know if if the emulators allow to save game on memory card
(MasterGear port from Bero can).
7) What about upgrades?
They are supposed to be posted on the official EMULATOR Z website.
Last revision appears to be 1.2.
The upgrades will be available in a CD format (you will have to burn one to
update your EMULATOR Z.).
If the emulators are the ones available on internet, it has been a while
since the MasterGear port and FPCE were updated. Moreover, MasterGear code
is not available.
8) Can i connect the EMULATOR Z to my PC?
There is no connection on the back of the EMULATOR Z to connect it to a PC
like other cards.
9) What is the bios used in EMULATOR Z?
I do not know it, but it could be another bios modified for that purpose (
as for the game hunter one). Strangely some logos are the same that appear
in other cartridges (for example when you press the X button when you are
on the file list, the grey start logo appears.).
10) Is it possible to retrieve the emulators programs?
Since EMULATOR Z cannot be connected to PC, they cannot be retrieved
directly. Maybe accessing the Playstation memory once an emulator is loaded
would allow to retrieve the program.
11) What the emulators programs format : Net yaroze or PsyQ?
I do not know it.
12) Is there any alternatives?
Other systems are already emulated on Playstation:
The Nintendo Entertainment System (a.k.a NES).
The Family Computer (a.k.a Famicom).
The ZX Spectrum.
...
Moreover, some emulators can be found on internet:
Mastergear by Marat ported by Bero
FPCE by Bero
PNESX by Racoon
FCEMU and FCEMUs by Kami
...
Please note that some emus are free but not all (some of them are only for
the Net Yaroze program).
13) What about other console support?
Currently the supported console are:
Gamegear.
Sega Master System.
PCEngine (a.k.a. TurboGrafx).
Gameboy.
There is currently no support for others consoles (but other machines are
already emulated on a Playstation).
I do not know if the Gameboy Color is supported.
14) What about the guarantee?
The last page of the instruction booklet that comes with your EMULATOR Z is
a guarantee card (note that you must have store stamp on it).
15) What about burning CD?
I will supply help on this topic as soon as i managed to burn one
correctly.
I hope to supply help about various burning programs.
I only know that the CD must use MODE 2 format.
Extensions used seems to have no importance since file format is
autodetected.
The following points needs to be verified:
Does the CD needs to be licensed ?
Write the CD in the DOS format (i.e. 8+3 characters and ISO9660
compatible).
Do not use directories (If it is possible to use directories, respect
Playstation system limits (no more than 30 files in a directory)).
Use CDROM or CDROM-XA format?
What program should i use?
I made a quick try : i burned a CD in mode 2 with Nero Burning Rom 4.0.7.0,
setting up options to make a iso9660 compatible CD (file names were
converted automatically) with 280 roms (all Sega Master System except 3
PCEngine) and it worked in a moded Playstation. I did not use a license
program, and i did not create directories. I think that this will work with
other programs.
16) What about roms?
It is illegal to own roms if you do not own the corresponding cartridge.
You can find roms on internet.
15) What about translation of this FAQ?
Currently this FAQ is only available in English.
16) Someting more ?
Emulator Z works with modded Playstations (thus you will not have to use a
spring and to replace the original game CD by the ones with the roms).
Emulator Z is supposed to work Playstation up to the 7502 model, if you use
a more recent model (i.e. 9002, 9502...) you must provide a parallel port
since the console does not have one.
I will try to add a link section next time.
I will try to list special function for keys. so far is saw that:
L1 works with files other than Gameboy files, providing the file type
detected (strangely, Sega Master System roms are identified as Game Gear
files) and asking for X to be pressed to go back to the file list.
If cd read fails (with : CD loading error) pressing Select will launch CD
read again.
In the Sega Master System emulator pressing L1+L2 will reset the game,
pressing L1+L2+R1+R2 will hang the program (in MasterGear it resets the
Playstation.)
If PCEngine emulation fails (black screen), the playstation can be reset
by pressing a button on pad (i do not remember which one).
In the file list, pressing X will try to launch the CD as if it was a
Playstation game.
III History Revision
02/26/2000 First version.
All names, logoes etc. are trademarks of their respective companies.
