Connecting a TI-84+CE to a GBA [gba] [nintendo] [ds]

u/novenary January 30, 2016, 03:55:16 PM

Quote from: DJ Omnimaga on January 27, 2016, 10:10:58 PM
The original Gameboy and Super Gameboy will only run Gameboy games
The GBC will only run Gameboy and GBC games
The GBA and Game Boy Player will only run Gameboy, GBC and GBA games
The Gameboy Micro will only run GBA games.
The Nintendo DS and DS Lite will only run GBA and DS games (it has two cartridge slots)
The Nintendo DSi will only run DS games
The Nintendo 3DS will only run DS and 3DS games
The New 3DS will only run DS, 3DS and Xenoblade Chronicles.

But yeah, for full compatibility, making an original GB game would be the best. But then you don't have colors.

It's possible to modifiy a DS or a gameboy micro to play GB/C games, I'm not sure if anyone has ever done it but the GBA SoC contains the entire hardware of the console, including GBC hardware, on a single chip.
They couldn't remove it because GBA games have access to the GBC hardware and some actually use it. Also, making a new chip is expensive (though it was probably a cheap chip).

Last Edit: January 30, 2016, 03:59:23 PM by Streetwalrus

u/Ivoah January 30, 2016, 04:10:53 PM

Quote from: Streetwalrus on January 30, 2016, 03:55:16 PM
They couldn't remove it because GBA games have access to the GBC hardware and some actually use it.

Are you sure about this? I've read numerous places that the GB(C) hardware was unaccessible to the GBA (or at least the z80 was)

u/novenary January 30, 2016, 04:14:54 PM

I think that's possible, GBC carts run at 5V so I think the (not a z80 by the way) CPU runs at 5V too while the gba runs at 3.3V. All games use the audio hardware though, it's pretty much an upgraded version with extra channels including 12 or 16 bit PCM. You probably know this better than I do.

u/caleb1997 February 02, 2016, 01:52:40 PM

So...... Should I do the good news first or the bad news first?

Let's just do the good news first.

Good news: I have a DS.

Bad news: I have a feeling that I just made this project a lot harder for me.

Sigh.

[spoiler]But that doesn't mean that I'll give up.
But I might.... Depends on how I feel.[/spoiler]

u/novenary February 02, 2016, 03:39:30 PM

I wouldn't use the DS if I were you, the console uses wifi for linking, nothing wired. You'd be better off sticking to the GBA or the GBC.

u/Ivoah February 02, 2016, 03:49:03 PM

Quote from: caleb1997 on February 02, 2016, 01:52:40 PM
So...... Should I do the good news first or the bad news first?

Let's just do the good news first.

Good news: I have a DS.

Bad news: I have a feeling that I just made this project a lot harder for me.
Sigh.

[spoiler]But that doesn't mean that I'll give up.
But I might.... Depends on how I feel.[/spoiler]

What'd you do with the GBC and GBA?

u/caleb1997 February 02, 2016, 03:55:34 PM

Quote from: Ivoah on February 02, 2016, 03:49:03 PM
Quote from: caleb1997 on February 02, 2016, 01:52:40 PM
So...... Should I do the good news first or the bad news first?

Let's just do the good news first.

Good news: I have a DS.

Bad news: I have a feeling that I just made this project a lot harder for me.
Sigh.

[spoiler]But that doesn't mean that I'll give up.
But I might.... Depends on how I feel.[/spoiler]

What'd you do with the GBC and GBA?

Traded them so I could upgrade. I traded my GBC for a GBA, and the GBA for a DS.

u/Araidia February 02, 2016, 03:59:28 PM

I'm pretty sure you could run gameboy game on the 3DS/New3DS since there are some gameboy games on the nintendo eshop. You could get some gameboy games if you had a 3ds flashcart(whether they exist or not, I don't know)

u/Ivoah February 02, 2016, 04:00:08 PM

Quote from: Araidia on February 02, 2016, 03:59:28 PM
I'm pretty sure you could run gameboy game on the 3DS/New3DS since there are some gameboy games on the nintendo eshop. You could get some gameboy games if you had a 3ds flashcart(whether they exist or not, I don't know)

Those are running on the VirtualConsole emulators I believe.

u/novenary February 02, 2016, 04:01:28 PM

What he wants to do relies on hardware. The DS and the 3DS can't deliver.

Quote from: Ivoah on February 02, 2016, 04:00:08 PM
Quote from: Araidia on February 02, 2016, 03:59:28 PM
I'm pretty sure you could run gameboy game on the 3DS/New3DS since there are some gameboy games on the nintendo eshop. You could get some gameboy games if you had a 3ds flashcart(whether they exist or not, I don't know)

Those are running on the VirtualConsole emulators I believe.

Yeah they do use emulators. The 3DS has DS hardware for backwards compatibility but nothing older.

u/caleb1997 February 02, 2016, 04:21:05 PM

The DS uses wifi? Well, in that case, maybe I could get my CSE and the DS to interface. Complicated, but doable..... I think.

Or I could possibly use the DS's "Download & Play" feature here a little.... But I'd have to look at the code... Not something I want to do right now.

So I'll see if I can get a GBA again. And we'll go from there.

u/gogogoluke February 02, 2016, 06:56:36 PM

I'd love to see how this would work. Would the CSE have the DS process for it or something?

u/caleb1997 February 03, 2016, 09:13:39 PM

Quote from: gogogoluke on February 02, 2016, 06:56:36 PM
I'd love to see how this would work. Would the CSE have the DS process for it or something?

As a matter of fact, when I looked it up, the DS lite (the one I have) has two processors: A 32 bit ARM946E-S main CPU; 67 MHz clock speed that processes gameplay mechanisms and video rendering, and a 32 bit ARM7TDMI coprocessor; 33 MHz clock speed that processes sound output, Wi-Fi support and takes on second-processor duties in Game Boy Advance mode. Whereas the CSE has a singular 6/15 MHz processor. So yes, I would have the DS do most, if not all, the needed processing. All the CSE would do is send the game over to the DS.

But while I'm saving up, I can start working on the protocols for communication. Does anyone (@Ivoah) know where I should start?

Last Edit: February 04, 2016, 02:54:42 PM by caleb1997

u/caleb1997 February 26, 2016, 04:51:40 PM

*bump*

I've finally saved up the money for a GBA again.

So once I get that (should be today), I'll start anew.

But does anyone know how to get started? I still have no idea on how to actually start writing code that would even begin to run on a GBA, much less communicate between a GBA and a CE.