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Video Games Discussion

ProjectLinkCable - Page 1

ProjectLinkCable

Posted by: xtreme713ify
Date: 2014-04-20 18:27:30
I need some support and sponsoring from GCLF, please. Spread the word, do what you have to do. I created a project based on an idea I had. I plan to make a USB Link cable that can connect the GB/A to an emulator. If I can get some attention and GCLF-wide support, much of that would be appreciated. I can't do it alone.

Website (still trying to tidy up) http://projectlinkcable.weebly.com/ Thanks in advance guys. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to express. Or if you would to help the project, feel free to do so!

Re: ProjectLinkCable

Posted by: Torchickens
Date: 2014-04-20 18:45:51
I like the idea. That may reduce the number of people from downloading ROMs from the Internet or make it so you don't have to use a ROM dumper if it takes off, but I don't know if it would work.

Are you experienced or close to anyone who would know how to do this? Do you have the tools and money? I feel those are major obstacles. I also don't know if the computer can read the ROM simply from a USB cable attached to the Game Boy.

Sorry if I come across as blunt.

Re: ProjectLinkCable

Posted by: pokechu22
Date: 2014-04-20 18:51:40

I like the idea. That would prevent people from downloading ROMs from the Internet or make it so you don't have to use a ROM dumper, but I don't know if it would work.

Are you experienced or close to anyone who would know how to do this? Do you have the tools and money? I feel those are major obstacles. I also don't know if the computer can read the ROM simply from a USB cable attached to the Game Boy.

Sorry if I come across as blunt.

To the best of my knowledge, no games transferred the full [1] rom over the link cable.  What seems to be the use here is to trade between cartridge and real games.  Also, if it supports both GB and GBA, it may be hypothetically usable to transfer from gen 1/2 to gen 3. 

[1]: There were a few that transferred partial, smaller roms. 

Re: ProjectLinkCable

Posted by: Torchickens
Date: 2014-04-20 18:56:02
Oh. I think I may have misunderstood the whole concept of the project. :s

xtreme, do you mean to make it so you can do battling/trading/mixing records, etc. between a real cartridge and an emulator playing a ROM? When you said "connect the GB/A to an emulator" my mind thought you meant transmitting the ROM over for some reason.

Re: ProjectLinkCable

Posted by: xtreme713ify
Date: 2014-04-20 21:03:50
1. Yes, my brother can mod cords and systems and stuff.
2. Yes linking ROMs with cartridge is my definitive goal. Although that is a good idea too…

Re: ProjectLinkCable

Posted by: Zowayix
Date: 2014-04-21 00:45:47
I'm also curious as to what technical knowhow you do and don't have, seeing as how you haven't specified what kind of support and/or sponsoring you want out of the community. Are you going to develop drivers and emulator patches for the cable as well? As far as I know the VBA source code (or any of its forks) does not include anything among the lines of "search for USB devices (at random intervals because there is no menu item for such a thing) and if I can magically determine that it is a GBA-USB link cable when that doesn't exist yet, make the link cable code use that and magically know how the device works", considering that would be impossible. (Impossible at the current time for VBA devs to know about this device in advance to make it usable without changing their own code, that is, the project is not impossible completely because it would be a bit like an Adaptoid and that obviously is possible)

But it does sound like a cool project if you can pull it off.

Re: ProjectLinkCable

Posted by: xtreme713ify
Date: 2014-04-21 11:40:56
What I plan to request a VBA upgrade so it can identify USB drivers, how I plan to distribute the cables is a concern, however. And the support I am requiring is word of mouth and morally. No funding, the supplies are on me.  Thanks again!

Re: ProjectLinkCable

Posted by: Bent`
Date: 2014-04-25 00:56:25
Do you have any idea what a VBA upgrade so it can identify USB drivers would entail?

Sorry, but nothing youve mentioned so far has had any level of technical detail. I get the feeling that you dont understand the hardware or software involved.

Re: ProjectLinkCable

Posted by: pokechu22
Date: 2014-04-25 08:16:37

Do you have any idea what a VBA upgrade so it can identify USB drivers would entail?

Sorry, but nothing youve mentioned so far has had any level of technical detail. I get the feeling that you dont understand the hardware or software involved.

At least the VBA is [open source](http://sourceforge.net/projects/vbam/), so you can work with that.  They have the basic linking code in existence, so getting started might not be TOO bad. 

[size=6pt]of course I haven't tried anything like it, so I can't say for sure[/size]

Re: ProjectLinkCable

Posted by: tachi
Date: 2014-04-25 12:11:55
Jonathan Searle is it?

I have to agree with IIMarkus, but if you could prove me wrong then i'll drop a buck. Don't get me wrong, it's a wicked cool idea, but I don't know your background, and I don't know on what level you understand hardware, software, and the many other implications and tools that would be needed to pull off this project. So blindly giving away money to somebody whom we have had little to no association with just isn't the brightest idea.

Re: ProjectLinkCable

Posted by: xtreme713ify
Date: 2014-04-25 14:07:46
Ok, you know how most Windows computers have a function to identify that some is plugged into a USB Drive? Or something have the optional function to make use of a USB connection through the use of said option, I.E. The Action Replay DS application that you could type codes in for more reliable use? I kinda made it sound awfully narrow, I was in a hurry. Well, anyways, VBA doesn't have such an option, or just any GBA emulator for that matter. My idea is to add a USB drive identifying option for the specific use of the cable. Kinda like an extra addition to the Windows thing, only it activates it to be used with the emulation as well. But again, my problem is distributing the cables. I only have so many link cables I can mod with very little time.

If I'm going to be frank, my technical know-how is otherwise very minimal…HOWEVER, I'm planning to take computer science in my 10th grade year. I apologize if anything I'm trying to attempt is false/out of context. @ I said the supplies/funding is on me for now. And yes that's my name :p "Searle" is pronounced "Surl"

EDIT: Also, that's why I asked for help. I don't know all the aspects of the technology, and that's why I called upon GCLF for help.

Re: ProjectLinkCable

Posted by: tachi
Date: 2014-04-25 16:55:31

Ok, you know how most Windows computers have a function to identify that some is plugged into a USB Drive? Or something have the optional function to make use of a USB connection through the use of said option, I.E. The Action Replay DS application that you could type codes in for more reliable use? I kinda made it sound awfully narrow, I was in a hurry. Well, anyways, VBA doesn't have such an option, or just any GBA emulator for that matter. My idea is to add a USB drive identifying option for the specific use of the cable. Kinda like an extra addition to the Windows thing, only it activates it to be used with the emulation as well. But again, my problem is distributing the cables. I only have so many link cables I can mod with very little time.

If I'm going to be frank, my technical know-how is otherwise very minimal…HOWEVER, I'm planning to take computer science in my 10th grade year. I apologize if anything I'm trying to attempt is false/out of context. @ I said the supplies/funding is on me for now. And yes that's my name :p "Searle" is pronounced "Surl"

EDIT: Also, that's why I asked for help. I don't know all the aspects of the technology, and that's why I called upon GCLF for help.


Mr Searle,

You might wish to check this site. http://furrtek.free.fr/?a=gbpcable&i=2
So the cable's been made, you could probably contact him and get the schematics to make your own. You do know how to solder, correct? So now you just need to make the driver for windows, and a plugin for the Visual Boy Advance emulator. I can't help you with this project due to the excessive duties of my own life.

Re: ProjectLinkCable

Posted by: Zowayix
Date: 2014-04-26 00:00:40

Mr Searle,

You might wish to check this site. http://furrtek.free.fr/?a=gbpcable&i=2
So the cable's been made, you could probably contact him and get the schematics to make your own. You do know how to solder, correct? So now you just need to make the driver for windows, and a plugin for the Visual Boy Advance emulator. I can't help you with this project due to the excessive duties of my own life.

This is a GB Printer cable, not a GBA link cable that was originally talked about. I might suggest that Johnathan uses this as a starting point for how his project is going to work.

Re: ProjectLinkCable

Posted by: tachi
Date: 2014-04-26 15:00:53


Mr Searle,

You might wish to check this site. http://furrtek.free.fr/?a=gbpcable&i=2
So the cable's been made, you could probably contact him and get the schematics to make your own. You do know how to solder, correct? So now you just need to make the driver for windows, and a plugin for the Visual Boy Advance emulator. I can't help you with this project due to the excessive duties of my own life.

This is a GB Printer cable, not a GBA link cable that was originally talked about. I might suggest that Johnathan uses this as a starting point for how his project is going to work.


wait wasn't the printer cable just a GB link cable? anyways Is this the cable you're looking for? So anyways… yeah, just use that cable for your project rather than taking unnecessary steps. Just saying.


[size=2pt]Also his name is spelled Jonathan… MY name is spelled Johnathan… sorry but that bothers me a tad.[/size]

Re: ProjectLinkCable

Posted by: xtreme713ify
Date: 2014-04-26 18:43:59
Yes the jack for the link cable and the printer are the same, and I emailed him yesterday.