7 ms·

Full MAME emulator for non-jailbroken iOS

59 points by ujeezy 14y ago

monochromatic 14y ago
> This means if you have a program capable of tunneling into the iOS file-system through USB, you can once again have a working version of MAME on a non-jailbroken device What kind of program would I have that is capable of tunneling into the iOS file-system through USB?
- timdoug 14y ago
  http://www.macroplant.com/iexplorer/ http://www.macroplant.com/iexplorer/ or http://i-funbox.com http://i-funbox.com, for example.
  - kjackson2012 14y ago
    Does anyone have any particular recommendations on which one is better? I don't mind paying for iExplorer, I'm just wondering if there is any issue with reliability/safety/security with either of these two.
    - pudquick 14y ago
      iFunbox is great, free, and works on both OS X and Windows. Highly recommend it, it's what I personally use. Also - note that this build of Gridlee is equivalent with MAME 0.139u1 - so when looking for ROMs, you may need to lookup the ROM on http://www.mamedb.com/ http://www.mamedb.com/ to see what version of MAME compatibility for your ROM/game was introduced (especially for newer arcade games).
      - ThomW 14y ago
        I'm a newbie to this stuff and used iFunbox using the tutorial here: http://www.idownloadblog.com/2013/01/27/mame-gridlee-guide/ http://www.idownloadblog.com/2013/01/27/mame-gridlee-guide/ The only tricky part that's missing from those instructions is that you have to run the game once before the roms folder is created.
- joezydeco 14y ago
  I believe iTools is the one that is recommended: http://www.itools.ru/ http://www.itools.ru/
- ihuman 14y ago
  iFunbox is a free one.
rcush 14y ago
It seems that Apple, for whatever reason, doesn't care about this emulator on the App Store. It's been there for weeks now. http://www.macrumors.com/2013/01/26/fully-functional-mame-emulator-appears-in-app-store/ http://www.macrumors.com/2013/01/26/fully-functional-mame-em...
drewblaisdell 14y ago
Is this a loophole for all emulators, then? Couldn't someone theoretically write an emulator for a fully homebrew Super Nintendo game that reads from the disk? If I recall correctly, Apple doesn't care if you interpret other code (some sort of assembly, in this case) from the disk, just that you cannot download new interpreted code from the internet with your app (and even here they are lenient with apps that load HTML5 updates other-the-air).
- geon 14y ago
  > they are lenient with apps that load HTML5 The built in webkit js engine is exempt from the rules, or you couldn't use web content in apps at all.
RandomerThanU 14y ago
Meanwhile, on Android, MAME is freely downloadable from the Play Store, with 500000 downloads and no danger of imminent removal.
- sjwright 14y ago
  Which is great, if you view your phone as a computer. I'm a programmer and webmaster by trade, but I consider my phone to be an appliance. I want an appliance, not another computer to manage. I already have two desktops, two laptops, and a pile of VM servers...
  - rieter 14y ago
    That's just sad.
    - to3m 14y ago
      I'm not sjwright, but I'm in agreement with him. I wouldn't call it "sad", so much... more like "convenient". If I ever change my mind, I know where to buy an Android device.
    - sjwright 14y ago
      You know what's really sad? Installing a virus checker on your phone.
  - Natsu 14y ago
    Why own a smartphone, then? You can buy a prepaid Tracphone or whatever that's a non-smartphone and requires absolutely none of that. No apps, no anything. Why pay $700 for stuff you won't even use?
    - MrScruff 14y ago
      I can't speak for the OP, but I imagine he wants some of the traits traditionally associated with an appliance (extremely low maintenance primarily) combined with some of those associated with general purpose computers (running software not provided by the manufacturer, customisability). The reality is there is a tension between these two, and we are lucky enough to have two high quality platforms where the line is drawn in different places. It is incorrect to assume you can have more of one without compromising the other though.
mpvosseller 14y ago
Would be cool if this app integrated with the new dropbox SDK for iOS.
clobber 14y ago
If this comments thread is to be believed, the original iMAME in the app store was not pulled by Apple, but on request of MAMEdev team: ScottishCaptain: "iMAME was pulled ON REQUEST of mamedev.org because it reflects poorly upon the project (as I quite clearly stated before, but got flamed into oblivion). iMAME (and it's derivatives) is based upon MAME 0.37b, which is nearly 10 years old now (if you don't believe me, go check out mamedev.org's previous version section and look up 0.37b- it's from y2k)." Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/24/imame-app-gets-pulled-from-itunes-app-store/ http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/24/imame-app-gets-pulled-fro... Also, "MAME" is trademarked to the MAMEdev team and they request that you get their permission before using it.
supercoder 14y ago
If you've got a dev account you've been able to build MAME via Xcode for ages http://code.google.com/p/imame4all/ http://code.google.com/p/imame4all/

59 points by ujeezy 14y ago

> This means if you have a program capable of tunneling into the iOS file-system through USB, you can once again have a working version of MAME on a non-jailbroken device What kind of program would I have that is capable of tunneling into the iOS file-system through USB?

timdoug 14y ago
http://www.macroplant.com/iexplorer/ http://www.macroplant.com/iexplorer/ or http://i-funbox.com http://i-funbox.com, for example.
- kjackson2012 14y ago
  Does anyone have any particular recommendations on which one is better? I don't mind paying for iExplorer, I'm just wondering if there is any issue with reliability/safety/security with either of these two.
  - pudquick 14y ago
    iFunbox is great, free, and works on both OS X and Windows. Highly recommend it, it's what I personally use. Also - note that this build of Gridlee is equivalent with MAME 0.139u1 - so when looking for ROMs, you may need to lookup the ROM on http://www.mamedb.com/ http://www.mamedb.com/ to see what version of MAME compatibility for your ROM/game was introduced (especially for newer arcade games).
    - ThomW 14y ago
      I'm a newbie to this stuff and used iFunbox using the tutorial here: http://www.idownloadblog.com/2013/01/27/mame-gridlee-guide/ http://www.idownloadblog.com/2013/01/27/mame-gridlee-guide/ The only tricky part that's missing from those instructions is that you have to run the game once before the roms folder is created.
joezydeco 14y ago
I believe iTools is the one that is recommended: http://www.itools.ru/ http://www.itools.ru/
ihuman 14y ago
iFunbox is a free one.

rcush 14y ago

It seems that Apple, for whatever reason, doesn't care about this emulator on the App Store. It's been there for weeks now. http://www.macrumors.com/2013/01/26/fully-functional-mame-emulator-appears-in-app-store/ http://www.macrumors.com/2013/01/26/fully-functional-mame-em...

drewblaisdell 14y ago

Is this a loophole for all emulators, then? Couldn't someone theoretically write an emulator for a fully homebrew Super Nintendo game that reads from the disk? If I recall correctly, Apple doesn't care if you interpret other code (some sort of assembly, in this case) from the disk, just that you cannot download new interpreted code from the internet with your app (and even here they are lenient with apps that load HTML5 updates other-the-air).

geon 14y ago
> they are lenient with apps that load HTML5 The built in webkit js engine is exempt from the rules, or you couldn't use web content in apps at all.

RandomerThanU 14y ago

Meanwhile, on Android, MAME is freely downloadable from the Play Store, with 500000 downloads and no danger of imminent removal.

sjwright 14y ago
Which is great, if you view your phone as a computer. I'm a programmer and webmaster by trade, but I consider my phone to be an appliance. I want an appliance, not another computer to manage. I already have two desktops, two laptops, and a pile of VM servers...
- rieter 14y ago
  That's just sad.
  - to3m 14y ago
    I'm not sjwright, but I'm in agreement with him. I wouldn't call it "sad", so much... more like "convenient". If I ever change my mind, I know where to buy an Android device.
  - sjwright 14y ago
    You know what's really sad? Installing a virus checker on your phone.
- Natsu 14y ago
  Why own a smartphone, then? You can buy a prepaid Tracphone or whatever that's a non-smartphone and requires absolutely none of that. No apps, no anything. Why pay $700 for stuff you won't even use?
  - MrScruff 14y ago
    I can't speak for the OP, but I imagine he wants some of the traits traditionally associated with an appliance (extremely low maintenance primarily) combined with some of those associated with general purpose computers (running software not provided by the manufacturer, customisability). The reality is there is a tension between these two, and we are lucky enough to have two high quality platforms where the line is drawn in different places. It is incorrect to assume you can have more of one without compromising the other though.

mpvosseller 14y ago

Would be cool if this app integrated with the new dropbox SDK for iOS.

clobber 14y ago

If this comments thread is to be believed, the original iMAME in the app store was not pulled by Apple, but on request of MAMEdev team: ScottishCaptain: "iMAME was pulled ON REQUEST of mamedev.org because it reflects poorly upon the project (as I quite clearly stated before, but got flamed into oblivion). iMAME (and it's derivatives) is based upon MAME 0.37b, which is nearly 10 years old now (if you don't believe me, go check out mamedev.org's previous version section and look up 0.37b- it's from y2k)." Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/24/imame-app-gets-pulled-from-itunes-app-store/ http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/24/imame-app-gets-pulled-fro... Also, "MAME" is trademarked to the MAMEdev team and they request that you get their permission before using it.

supercoder 14y ago

If you've got a dev account you've been able to build MAME via Xcode for ages http://code.google.com/p/imame4all/ http://code.google.com/p/imame4all/