Prototype Impressions + Mupen64Plus With Loz: Ocarina Of Time

[⬡]

Agreed, sound is very important. Even a bit of stuttering and clicking can be very annoying. However, my real concern is whether Diddy Kong Racing works. It works on the PC version of Mupen64Plus, but not the Wii version, which I suppose has to do with having to port the high-level microcode emulation to new graphic hardware.

 

[fischju2000]

It's not much to do with the actual hinge that allows for it to be locked in a position. There is a mechanism attached to the bottom part of the case that slots into the hinge between the two halves http://www.consoleparts4u.co.uk/nintendo-ds-lite-barrel-hinge-pin-set-184-p.asp - I'm guessing it's incompatible with the Pandora. The Pandora's is likely stiffer and more 'heavy duty' to accommodate the weight and size of the top half. - Maybe from a DSi LL?

You mean that metal ring on the right side of the image? That's the left hinge, actually, the one that the LCD cable goes through (which is why it's removable) and then fits into the fixed (as in non-removable) female hinge socket on the left side of the DS Lite. It doesn't have anything to do with the part that controls the dual locking screen positions of the DS Lite, its job is just to support that side of the hinge.

The hinge piece that I was wondering about is on the right side of the image, the barrel hinge. It sounds like OP wanted to duplicate this for the Pandora, but couldn't because Ninty owns the patent for it. So what I was wondering is if the one that is assembled into the Pandora could be replaced with a spare/replacement Nintendo DS Lite barrel hinge that has the extra detent position. Being a barrel hinge, it has specific grooves on the end that mates with the right (removable) female hinge socket on the lower portion of the DS Lite that prevents it from turning within that socket. Likewise, the portion that mates into the upper portion of the DS Lite is flat on two sides to prevent turning in its respective socket.

So, what's the likelihood that the barrel hinge from a DS Lite would exactly mate with the sockets for the Pandora's barrel hinge? DaveC, you designed the case, can you answer this? I can't find an exploded illustration of the Pandora case components, or an image of the hinge in question, so I can't compare and answer my own question this one.

It's the same piece, but the plastic that slots in is black there but white in my DS Lite (disassembled and put a new case on to fix a hinge crack)

DaveC posted the best picture of the Pandora hinge with this image: http://i.imgur.com/waKd8.jpg

It would be nice if they were compatible, but in comparison pictures the Pandora hinge looks larger. When you get into it, the DS hinge is very thin, and to further complicate it if you look at MP Pandoras you can see that the back of the top portion comes down on the same side and wraps around it. I highly doubt two pieces designed with such specific functionality would just work. And the piece is the cause for many hinge cracks, the plastic breaks off and it no longer grabs the mechanism after too much force has been applied. It may be a different story with the same part from a larger DSi LL, but I doubt it.

 

[taylor-madeak]

Yeah, I've taken more than a few DS units apart because of cracked hinges, so it sounds like you and I have that in common. Well, I still hope that DaveC comes back with a definite answer. As for the DSi XL hinge, that probably won't be answered until I have a Pandora in my hand and spare parts for the new DS formfactor become available on sites like the one you linked. Undoubtedly they'll be using a different barrel hinge for that unit, but I've yet to lay my hands on one because I refuse to buy a DSi of any type (because they removed the GBA slot to put in...a camera? eff that.).

 

[john4p]

If the sound is emulated anyway, the speed wouldn't change noticably.

I think this implies that sound is not emulated:

Its being rendered at 640x480 with No frameskip or sound.

Hopefully it'll still run as fast with sound if it's rendered at 320x240.

 

[kingoddball]

Sound is not as important as good fast framerate.
I would rather have a game running well with no sound. Maybe the Pandora will have enough power to play some MP3's while running MUPEN.

PSX - Sound is important. N64 has weak sound anyway.

 

[mcobit]

As the rendering doesn't seem to be the bottleneck, a reduction of the resolution won't do anything. The only Problem is that sound will stutter with unstable framerate.