BIN format versus ZIP on ROMS

[mikeinstlouis]

Newbie question here.

 

I downloaded the ATARI ROMS (the ones that were alphabetized ie a-e etc.) and was unable to use them in my MAME emulator (I am using one called MAME advanced that you burn onto a CD and it boots from there)

 

The files were all in the BIN format and I know that I need them in the ZIP format. Is there a way to convert or is this BIN something totally different. Also, is there a place where I can download several ZIP ROMS at once..I don't need every ROM ever made like in that 7 dvd set, just a site where I can download several of the more popular ones that will fit on one cd? I was hoping that that was what those bundled ATARI roms were all about, but I am not sure if they are what I was hoping for. Please advise!

Thanks!

Mike in St. Louis

[Nukey Shay]

There's a couple of things that you are misunderstanding. The first is that zip files are just compressed versions of the same file (or files). You can use a nagware utility WinZip to create them.

The second (most important) misconception is that Mame does not run Atari 2600 roms - it is an emulator for arcade roms. To run the roms here, use an Atari 2600 emulator (like Z26 or Stella).

[+stephena]

There's a couple of things that you are misunderstanding.  The first is that zip files are just compressed versions of the same file (or files).  You can use a nagware utility WinZip to create them.

The second (most important) misconception is that Mame does not run Atari 2600 roms - it is an emulator for arcade roms.  To run the roms here, use an Atari 2600 emulator (like Z26 or Stella).

 

Just an FYI; Stella and z26 may eventually be moving to supporting zip files directly for some future release.

 

We're still in the preliminary stages of planning that, so that's all the information I can give.

 

Steve

[Susuwatari]

There's not much advantage to ZIPping 2600 ROMs, there's not much compression. A few bytes to maybe a 1K and on today's multi-GB computer that's like trying to save a few pennies off a purchase of a new car.

 

5200 and 7800 maybe but 2600 probably won't gain benefit from compression.

[+stephena]

There's not much advantage to ZIPping 2600 ROMs, there's not much compression.  A few bytes to maybe a 1K and on today's multi-GB computer that's like trying to save a few pennies off a purchase of a new car.

 

5200 and 7800 maybe but 2600 probably won't gain benefit from compression.

 

True, but the main point wasn't to gain compression, but to include other meta-data with the ROM. For example, we could come up with a package format that contained the ROM, a manual, cartridge label, snapshot, and a stella.pro properties entry. That whole thing could be zipped, and taken as a whole it would be the complete info for that ROM. Right now, all these extra things have to maintained separately.

 

The major point would be to include the settings with the ROM, since each bin itself has no concept of what it is, like there is for an NES ROM. In that case, each ROM contains a header that contains (among other things) the name of the ROM, NTSC/PAL, Manufacturer, etc.

 

Steve

[Nukey Shay]

What it is!

 

Any chance of including Rar support instead of/in addition to Zip? Rar's compression ratio is better than Zip's.

[+Mitch]

What it is!

 

Any chance of including Rar support instead of/in addition to Zip? Rar's compression ratio is better than Zip's.

 

Really trying to squeeze every bit possible out of those mammoth 2600 game sizes, eh?

 

Mitch

[Bruce Tomlin]

Really trying to squeeze every bit possible out of those mammoth 2600 game sizes, eh?

And the .zip file format is completely open. And it's not going to change either, like RAR did a while back. As a Mac user, it was no fun trying to decode RARs when the l33tists insisted on using the latest beta of RAR with default settings. It is still no fun to try decoding ACE v2 archives.

[Nukey Shay]

What it is!

 

Any chance of including Rar support instead of/in addition to Zip? Rar's compression ratio is better than Zip's.

 

Really trying to squeeze every bit possible out of those mammoth 2600 game sizes, eh?

 

Mitch

 

'Couse. I need to reserve more space for my crappy hacks

[+stephena]

Really trying to squeeze every bit possible out of those mammoth 2600 game sizes, eh?

And the .zip file format is completely open. And it's not going to change either, like RAR did a while back. As a Mac user, it was no fun trying to decode RARs when the l33tists insisted on using the latest beta of RAR with default settings. It is still no fun to try decoding ACE v2 archives.

 

Not to mention that the compression itself isn't the main reason for doing it. I doubt the ROM would compress very much, and the snapshots would either be PNG or JPG, and they're already compressed anyway.

 

The ZIPfile would act as a container more than anything else. ZIP would probably be used because (a) it's everywhere and (b) it's free. Compression is not an issue.

 

When/if we even decide to do any of this, there would be one format picked, and that would be it. The goal is to ease maintenance, and having support for different packers would negate anything saved by going this route.

 

I should add that all of this tentative right now and may not even happen. Improving speed and accuracy of emulation and adding a debugger are the top priorities for Stella, as I'm sure they are for z26 as well.

 

Steve