2023-03-23, 16:53
@garbear would it be possible to port "PCem" and/or "86Box" (fork of PCem) as a new libretro core(s) for Kodi's Game API and RetroPlayer?
PCem:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PCem
https://pcem-emulator.co.uk/
86Box
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/86Box
https://86box.net/
https://86box.readthedocs.io/en/latest/index.html
PCem is a true x86 PC emulator that really functions more like a classic low-level retro emulator where it emulates computer hardware, including options to select and emulate specific graphics adapters and different sound cards.
The "86Box" (fork of PCem) has more features and fucntions as well as some additional value-added tools like "WinBox-for-86Box", "86Box Manager", and "86Box Manager Lite" which could probably be used with upstream PCem as well.
There is an existing libretro core of PCem, but none I could find for 86Box, however did notice that the existing Libretro port of PCem is really old compared to upstream:
https://github.com/sarah-walker-pcem/pcem/ <- upstream PCem
https://github.com/libretro/libretro-pcem <- downstream PCem port to libretro core
https://github.com/libretro/RetroArch/issues/6891
https://app.bountysource.com/issues/5978...cem-bounty
The "86Box" (fork of PCem):
https://github.com/86Box
https://github.com/86Box/WinBox-for-86Box
https://github.com/insanemal/86box_manager_py
https://github.com/86Box/86BoxManager
Anyway, if you have fast enough underlying hardware then it could allow users to run the full version of an operating system for x86 computers, including MS-DOS, Windows 95/98/ME and Windows XP/2000/NT.
"Performance may vary depending on both host and guest configuration. Most emulation logic is executed in a single thread; therefore, systems with better IPC (instructions per clock) generally should be able to emulate higher clock speeds."
PCem:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PCem
https://pcem-emulator.co.uk/
86Box
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/86Box
https://86box.net/
https://86box.readthedocs.io/en/latest/index.html
PCem is a true x86 PC emulator that really functions more like a classic low-level retro emulator where it emulates computer hardware, including options to select and emulate specific graphics adapters and different sound cards.
The "86Box" (fork of PCem) has more features and fucntions as well as some additional value-added tools like "WinBox-for-86Box", "86Box Manager", and "86Box Manager Lite" which could probably be used with upstream PCem as well.
There is an existing libretro core of PCem, but none I could find for 86Box, however did notice that the existing Libretro port of PCem is really old compared to upstream:
https://github.com/sarah-walker-pcem/pcem/ <- upstream PCem
https://github.com/libretro/libretro-pcem <- downstream PCem port to libretro core
https://github.com/libretro/RetroArch/issues/6891
https://app.bountysource.com/issues/5978...cem-bounty
The "86Box" (fork of PCem):
https://github.com/86Box
https://github.com/86Box/WinBox-for-86Box
https://github.com/insanemal/86box_manager_py
https://github.com/86Box/86BoxManager
Anyway, if you have fast enough underlying hardware then it could allow users to run the full version of an operating system for x86 computers, including MS-DOS, Windows 95/98/ME and Windows XP/2000/NT.
"Performance may vary depending on both host and guest configuration. Most emulation logic is executed in a single thread; therefore, systems with better IPC (instructions per clock) generally should be able to emulate higher clock speeds."
