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Looking to get an obscure console (monon color) emulated
#379970 - 12/10/18 08:46 PM
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I have a monon color, an obscure China only game console made between about 2015 and about 2016/2017 (the dates are a bit hazy). I have been looking for someone who could possibly emulate it so that other people can enjoy it. The games aren't half bad.
Info about the console:
1. Most games are 8mib or 16mib, although 4mib games are known to exist
2. It uses an AX208 DBF Video Card (graphics on par with j2me games)
3. Has IR
4. ~16 games confirmed to exist, 5+ more prototypes known to exist
5. Quite a few games have a card reader integrated
6. Two versions exist, one with battery power, one with micro usb power (no known board differences than that)
7.16kb? of RAM (used in some promotional materials, unverified)
Here's my tweet that led me to mameworld (with pictures): https://twitter.com/Splatoon2weird/status/1072182093206052864
Edited by zhongtiao1 (12/10/18 08:53 PM)
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Re: Looking to get an obscure console (monon color) emulated
[Re: zhongtiao1]
#379971 - 12/10/18 09:01 PM
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> I have a monon color, an obscure China only game console made between about 2015 and
> about 2016/2017 (the dates are a bit hazy). I have been looking for someone who could
> possibly emulate it so that other people can enjoy it. The games aren't half bad.
>
> Info about the console:
>
> 1. Most games are 8mib or 16mib, although 4mib games are known to exist
> 2. It uses an AX208 DBF Video Card (graphics on par with j2me games)
> 3. Has IR
> 4. ~16 games confirmed to exist, 5+ more prototypes known to exist
> 5. Quite a few games have a card reader integrated
> 6. Two versions exist, one with battery power, one with micro usb power (no known
> board differences than that)
> 7.16kb? of RAM (used in some promotional materials, unverified)
>
> Here's my tweet that led me to mameworld (with pictures):
> https://twitter.com/Splatoon2weird/status/1072182093206052864
Is there a BIOS? is the BIOS dumped?
Are any of the games dumped?
*edit* AX208 sounds like a SoC (system on chip) so integrated CPU and video, not just video? https://docplayer.net/52724058-Ax208-product-specification.html#download_tab_content
If there are ROM dumps, and there's no internal ROM I can have a look at it. If there's an internal ROM a way to extract it will be needed before anybody can emulate it.
I've asked Peter (who helped getting Gamate stuff dumped and emulated) if he's heard of the system before, it could be an interesting project for us if it can be sent to him and we have time to study it. Will depend greatly on if he has time tho.
It's a customized CPU (basically a 96Mhz 8051 with single cycle instructions, and some extra ones for which the encoding isn't specified) so emulating it will definitely be a challenge, but it's definitely something that MAME would be interested in at least investigating further.
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Re: Looking to get an obscure console (monon color) emulated
[Re: Haze]
#379972 - 12/10/18 09:16 PM
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> > I have a monon color, an obscure China only game console made between about 2015
> and
> > about 2016/2017 (the dates are a bit hazy). I have been looking for someone who
> could
> > possibly emulate it so that other people can enjoy it. The games aren't half bad.
> >
> > Info about the console:
> >
> > 1. Most games are 8mib or 16mib, although 4mib games are known to exist
> > 2. It uses an AX208 DBF Video Card (graphics on par with j2me games)
> > 3. Has IR
> > 4. ~16 games confirmed to exist, 5+ more prototypes known to exist
> > 5. Quite a few games have a card reader integrated
> > 6. Two versions exist, one with battery power, one with micro usb power (no known
> > board differences than that)
> > 7.16kb? of RAM (used in some promotional materials, unverified)
> >
> > Here's my tweet that led me to mameworld (with pictures):
> > https://twitter.com/Splatoon2weird/status/1072182093206052864
>
> What kind of CPU does it use?
>
> Is there a BIOS? is the BIOS dumped?
>
> Are any of the games dumped?
>
> *edit* AX208 sounds like a SoC (system on chip) so integrated CPU and video, not just
> video?
>
> If there are ROM dumps, and there's no internal ROM I can have a look at it. If
> there's an internal ROM a way to extract it will be needed before anybody can emulate
> it.
>
> I've asked Peter (who helped getting Gamate stuff dumped and emulated) if he's heard
> of the system before, it could be an interesting project for us if it can be sent to
> him and we have time to study it.
I believe the AX208 is an SOC. I have a schematic of it if that would help. Promotional materials say that it has a 100mhz CPU, but take that with a grain of salt as always.
I have 10 ROMs dumped. No BIOS/internal ROM to my knowledge. It seems like boot sequences are in the ROMs themselves, because different games have different boot logos. One game doesn't even have one.
All ROMs declare the AX208 Video Card at the very beginning of the ROM.
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Re: Looking to get an obscure console (monon color) emulated
[Re: zhongtiao1]
#379973 - 12/10/18 09:22 PM
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> > > I have a monon color, an obscure China only game console made between about 2015
> > and
> > > about 2016/2017 (the dates are a bit hazy). I have been looking for someone who
> > could
> > > possibly emulate it so that other people can enjoy it. The games aren't half bad.
> > >
> > > Info about the console:
> > >
> > > 1. Most games are 8mib or 16mib, although 4mib games are known to exist
> > > 2. It uses an AX208 DBF Video Card (graphics on par with j2me games)
> > > 3. Has IR
> > > 4. ~16 games confirmed to exist, 5+ more prototypes known to exist
> > > 5. Quite a few games have a card reader integrated
> > > 6. Two versions exist, one with battery power, one with micro usb power (no known
> > > board differences than that)
> > > 7.16kb? of RAM (used in some promotional materials, unverified)
> > >
> > > Here's my tweet that led me to mameworld (with pictures):
> > > https://twitter.com/Splatoon2weird/status/1072182093206052864
> >
> > What kind of CPU does it use?
> >
> > Is there a BIOS? is the BIOS dumped?
> >
> > Are any of the games dumped?
> >
> > *edit* AX208 sounds like a SoC (system on chip) so integrated CPU and video, not
> just
> > video?
> >
> > If there are ROM dumps, and there's no internal ROM I can have a look at it. If
> > there's an internal ROM a way to extract it will be needed before anybody can
> emulate
> > it.
> >
> > I've asked Peter (who helped getting Gamate stuff dumped and emulated) if he's
> heard
> > of the system before, it could be an interesting project for us if it can be sent
> to
> > him and we have time to study it.
>
> I believe the AX208 is an SOC. I have a schematic of it if that would help.
> Promotional materials say that it has a 100mhz CPU, but take that with a grain of
> salt as always.
>
> I have 10 ROMs dumped. No BIOS/internal ROM to my knowledge. It seems like boot
> sequences are in the ROMs themselves, because different games have different boot
> logos. One game doesn't even have one.
>
> All ROMs declare the AX208 Video Card at the very beginning of the ROM.
100Mhz seems about right
https://docplayer.net/52724058-Ax208-product-specification.html#download_tab_content claims 96Mhz 8051 with single cycle instruction timings.
could be challenging, but definitely something I can start research on with the right resources, at least see how much valid code they run etc.
anyway, dropped you a PM, would be good to get at least the basics of this in with a Software List for the dumped ROMs
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Re: Looking to get an obscure console (monon color) emulated
[Re: Haze]
#379974 - 12/10/18 09:31 PM
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> > > > I have a monon color, an obscure China only game console made between about
> 2015
> > > and
> > > > about 2016/2017 (the dates are a bit hazy). I have been looking for someone who
> > > could
> > > > possibly emulate it so that other people can enjoy it. The games aren't half
> bad.
> > > >
> > > > Info about the console:
> > > >
> > > > 1. Most games are 8mib or 16mib, although 4mib games are known to exist
> > > > 2. It uses an AX208 DBF Video Card (graphics on par with j2me games)
> > > > 3. Has IR
> > > > 4. ~16 games confirmed to exist, 5+ more prototypes known to exist
> > > > 5. Quite a few games have a card reader integrated
> > > > 6. Two versions exist, one with battery power, one with micro usb power (no
> known
> > > > board differences than that)
> > > > 7.16kb? of RAM (used in some promotional materials, unverified)
> > > >
> > > > Here's my tweet that led me to mameworld (with pictures):
> > > > https://twitter.com/Splatoon2weird/status/1072182093206052864
> > >
> > > What kind of CPU does it use?
> > >
> > > Is there a BIOS? is the BIOS dumped?
> > >
> > > Are any of the games dumped?
> > >
> > > *edit* AX208 sounds like a SoC (system on chip) so integrated CPU and video, not
> > just
> > > video?
> > >
> > > If there are ROM dumps, and there's no internal ROM I can have a look at it. If
> > > there's an internal ROM a way to extract it will be needed before anybody can
> > emulate
> > > it.
> > >
> > > I've asked Peter (who helped getting Gamate stuff dumped and emulated) if he's
> > heard
> > > of the system before, it could be an interesting project for us if it can be sent
> > to
> > > him and we have time to study it.
> >
> > I believe the AX208 is an SOC. I have a schematic of it if that would help.
> > Promotional materials say that it has a 100mhz CPU, but take that with a grain of
> > salt as always.
> >
> > I have 10 ROMs dumped. No BIOS/internal ROM to my knowledge. It seems like boot
> > sequences are in the ROMs themselves, because different games have different boot
> > logos. One game doesn't even have one.
> >
> > All ROMs declare the AX208 Video Card at the very beginning of the ROM.
>
> 100Mhz seems about right
> https://docplayer.net/52724058-Ax208-product-specification.html#download_tab_content
> claims 96Mhz 8051 with single cycle instruction timings.
>
> could be challenging, but definitely something I can start research on with the right
> resources, at least see how much valid code they run etc.
>
> anyway, dropped you a PM, would be good to get at least the basics of this in with a
> Software List for the dumped ROMs
Sent
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Re: Looking to get an obscure console (monon color) emulated
[Re: zhongtiao1]
#379984 - 12/11/18 03:54 AM
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> https://docplayer.net/52724058-Ax208-product-specification.html#download_tab_content
> > claims 96Mhz 8051 with single cycle instruction timings.
> >
> > could be challenging, but definitely something I can start research on with the
> right
> > resources, at least see how much valid code they run etc.
> >
> > anyway, dropped you a PM, would be good to get at least the basics of this in with
> a
> > Software List for the dumped ROMs
>
> Sent
ok, been poking around a bit, I don't think it's going to be a quick one to emulate, but at least having something we can work with makes it a possibility.
there are a number of annoying factors, first of all the 8051 has additional 16-bit opcodes and registers, these are mentioned by name in the datasheet, but the encodings are not given. the code clearly makes use of these, they're all prefixed with an 'A5' byte which is an illegal instruction in regular 8051
Code:
006d4e: 54 fc anl a,#$FC
006d50: 14 dec a
006d51: f0 movx @dptr,a
006d52: 90 01 b1 mov dptr,#$01B1
006d55: a5 ill/rsv << illegal opcode in 8051, should encode as a5 04 for this CPU
006d56: 04 inc a << actually 2nd byte of above
006d57: e0 movx a,@dptr
006d58: 64 01 xrl a,#$01
006d5a: f0 movx @dptr,a
006d5b: 80 a8 sjmp $6D05
006d5d: a5 ill/rsv << illegal opcode in 8051, should encode as a5 00 for this CPU
006d5e: 00 nop << actually 2nd byte of above
006d5f: e0 movx a,@dptr
006d60: 04 inc a
Second, while there might not be a BIOS rom, there's definitely some kind of internal bootstrap so that it can copy code from the SPI Flash into RAM before booting, and the exact mapping of the code copied is unclear (although I have identified where a number of blocks go based on long jumps and return statements)
Third, the documentation doesn't really even cover how the video hardware, Jpeg decoder or anything like that works, so it's going to be a pure reverse engineer from behaviour challenge, which we're used to, but means things are unpredictable.
Definitely a very interesting little system that I wouldn't have known existed had you not posted about it tho, it might end up turning into a little project for the course of next year depending on how much progress I'm able to make. Looks like the CPU / SoC manufacturer mainly made CPUs for SD card controllers, MP3 players etc. Although they do apparently have a 32-bit chip with video capability in their range too. Pretty much all the rest of their range do have onboard ROM tho, which is a shame because I'm sure some of that tech will show up one day and we'll want to emulate it too and extracting internal ROMs can be a nightmare, especially on custom parts.
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