5 ms·
DOSbox is great for games, and other Non real-time uses. I'm not sure that you get the same timing precision and variance in DOSBox as you do with DOS on hardwa
by milesvp 5y ago
DOSbox is great for games, and other Non real-time uses. I'm not sure that you get the same timing precision and variance in DOSBox as you do with DOS on hardware. I'd be curious if older CNC machines have had luck replacing their aging hardware with newer machines running DOSbox.
As to solving old hardware in software, I'm starting to see HDL as a solution to dealing with this. I've been watching the MiSTer project for a while now as a way to capture old hardware on a fairly large FPGA.
- hnlmorg 5y agoGames are probably more real time than CNC machines since you're dealing with short feedback loops between user interfaces the frame buffer. It's more the esoteric drivers that are going to be an issue with those CNC machines. I've read on here about people running such hardware in DOSbox but it's not a problem I've needed to solve personally. However since DOSbox is an emulator (as opposed to FreeDOS which is a "just" an OS), I wouldn't be surprised if DOSbox handled those situations fine.
- userbinator 5y agoCNC is definitely more "real time" in the sense that if the timing isn't right, a tool crashes into the work. In a game, all that would happen is a little glitch that may or may not be noticeable.
- hnlmorg 5y agoIt's been a looooong time since I've worked with CNC machines but doesn't the machine itself cache the instructions? Or is the PC the controller? If it's the latter than I see your and the GP's point about RT. :)
- genewitch 5y agoThe old machines wouldn't buffer that much, and newer cheaper machines (including every 3d printer I've used) still expect a stream of data in real time. Someone with an inclination could probably make a python controller or something but it's probably cheaper and safer to just buy new machines.