WikiPad

Chat about emulation and retro in general
Post Reply
User avatar
Iain
Admin
Posts: 2222
Joined: Tue Jun 17, 2003 6:42 pm
Location: Cavan, Ireland
Contact:

WikiPad

Post by Iain »

I've been looking to get a tablet for a while, primarily to easily read magazine scans. I was planning to get a cheap one just just enough resolution for the scans i.e. at least 1024 pixels width, but I noticed the Wikipad 7" gaming tablet down to a very nice price and got me thinking it might be good for MAME etc. with its physical controller.

So at last I have found a use for this fancy modern technology!
Great for reading those old magazines.
Great for reading those old magazines.
BigKTablet.jpg (108.5 KiB) Viewed 43511 times
Good for playing games too!
Good for playing games too!
MAMETablet.jpg (67.77 KiB) Viewed 43511 times
I have also played my first in app purchases game, a zombie FPS that came with the tablet. Wow it's annoying how it's trying to get you to spend money to basically cheat in the game by getting better weapons etc. You also have to create an account to save your position in the game!! I think I'll be sticking to GOG.com and older games. :)

Here's an Amazon link for the Wikipad. It used to be $250 or so, but now under £80, so I would guess it might be on its way out, but it'll be perfectly usable for what I want it for.

Wikipad 7" on Amazon.co.uk
User avatar
Professor Brian Strain
King of Zzap Towers
Posts: 786
Joined: Fri Apr 02, 2004 2:22 pm
Location: Skegness, UK
Contact:

Re: WikiPad

Post by Professor Brian Strain »

Not a bad price. Just got a JXD Android tablet, that's got buttons and a D-pad for emulation. VICE works great on it.
User avatar
Iain
Admin
Posts: 2222
Joined: Tue Jun 17, 2003 6:42 pm
Location: Cavan, Ireland
Contact:

Re: WikiPad

Post by Iain »

They look interesting as well. I think I might have looked at them a few months ago when I was close to getting a portable games console for emulation. I do like the idea that mine is a separate tablet as well so I don't have to bring the rather large controller with me if not needed, although the JXD ones obviously have the controller built in, which makes the whole package a bit more smaller.

I guess I just killed two birds with the one stone for me, tablet and portable console for emulation, together and kinda separate as well. :)

It's taken quite a hunt to get the specific version of MAME files needed for MAME4Droid but I got them and they ahve just finished downloading so I'm off to copy them over...

I might try VICE on it, but I prefer it on the real thing!
User avatar
Iain
Admin
Posts: 2222
Joined: Tue Jun 17, 2003 6:42 pm
Location: Cavan, Ireland
Contact:

Re: WikiPad

Post by Iain »

Professor Brian Strain wrote:Not a bad price. Just got a JXD Android tablet, that's got buttons and a D-pad for emulation. VICE works great on it.
Did you get the S7800B?
Do you have Mame4Droid on it? I'd be curious to compare frame rates on certain games.
User avatar
Professor Brian Strain
King of Zzap Towers
Posts: 786
Joined: Fri Apr 02, 2004 2:22 pm
Location: Skegness, UK
Contact:

Re: WikiPad

Post by Professor Brian Strain »

Yes, I got the B model with 16GB. Been using the built-in emulator for arcade games.
User avatar
Iain
Admin
Posts: 2222
Joined: Tue Jun 17, 2003 6:42 pm
Location: Cavan, Ireland
Contact:

Re: WikiPad

Post by Iain »

If you have MAME4droid (.139u1) 1.8 installed on it can you do a test for me to get an idea of how faster it is compared to the Wikipad?

On the main Settings menu, set Emulation->Show FPS to on and then load the games.

My specs for Ridge Racer are running around 60% with no speed hacks.

Specs for Turbo Outrun are around 85-90% again with no speed hacks.

Thanks!
User avatar
Iain
Admin
Posts: 2222
Joined: Tue Jun 17, 2003 6:42 pm
Location: Cavan, Ireland
Contact:

Re: WikiPad

Post by Iain »

So good, I decided to buy another one as backup! Down to £70 on Amazon or for mainland UK peeps they are £60 on ebuyer.
User avatar
PaulEMoz
Staffer
Posts: 146
Joined: Sun Jun 22, 2003 1:23 am
Location: Near Newcastle, England
Contact:

Re: WikiPad

Post by PaulEMoz »

I'm quite tempted, although I'd need to re-appropriate some funds to get one. How do the games feel to play? The controller set-up looks a bit high.
They Were Our Gods - a website charting my progress on an upcoming book of the same name, about the UK gaming scene in the 1980s.
User avatar
Iain
Admin
Posts: 2222
Joined: Tue Jun 17, 2003 6:42 pm
Location: Cavan, Ireland
Contact:

Re: WikiPad

Post by Iain »

The controller feels pretty good and you can map the different buttons to MAME as you like. I've played Dead Trigger on it a good bit and once I turned down the sensitivity for the view stick, no problems with it and playing car games on MAME is comfortable as well.

It looks like a bit of a monster but they must have done some comfort / weight balance studies etc. because it handles well. Also works as a good tablet when you aren't playing games, so it's handy that the controller detaches.
User avatar
Lloyd Mangram
King of Ludlow
Posts: 1151
Joined: Thu Jun 19, 2003 10:22 pm
Location: Ludlow
Contact:

Re: WikiPad

Post by Lloyd Mangram »

Looking into this! :)
Once again I emerge from beneath a massive pile of paper which makes my desk groan to bring you the world’s most amazing posts.
User avatar
Iain
Admin
Posts: 2222
Joined: Tue Jun 17, 2003 6:42 pm
Location: Cavan, Ireland
Contact:

Re: WikiPad

Post by Iain »

Around £76 on Amazon.co.uk now and about the same on Amazon.de, although I'd have to pay postage on the latter, you probably don't have to Lloyd?
User avatar
Lloyd Mangram
King of Ludlow
Posts: 1151
Joined: Thu Jun 19, 2003 10:22 pm
Location: Ludlow
Contact:

Re: WikiPad

Post by Lloyd Mangram »

Rob, Rob?? Lloyd for insiders, thank you!
Once again I emerge from beneath a massive pile of paper which makes my desk groan to bring you the world’s most amazing posts.
User avatar
Iain
Admin
Posts: 2222
Joined: Tue Jun 17, 2003 6:42 pm
Location: Cavan, Ireland
Contact:

Re: WikiPad

Post by Iain »

Who is this Rob you speak of Lloyd? ;-)
Post Reply