Some Mame questions (CHD, etc..)

[unclet]

I have Mame32 V.74 and have all the associated CHD files, but I have just realized that Mame has a new way of storing the CHD files which result in the image being smaller.

Questions:  

- What version of Mame did the new CHD format begin in?  

- Can I convert my existing CHD files into this new format to reduce the size or do I have to go out and find someone willing to post the CHDs again?

- Can my existing "large" CHD files be used with future versions of Mame or if I want to upgrade from V74 to V77 must I get the new CHDs?

-  I was going to simply stop updating my Mame library at V74 but I saw that V77 has California Speed, San Francisco Rush and some others.   I realize these games do not work yet, but maybe they will be soon?   I would have thought the CPU power to run these games were well out of reach via Mame, but maybe I am wrong....any idea what type of Ghz machine you need to run these games?

- Also, Mame has Crusin USA, Crusin world, etc.... but can these be played on a 2Ghz machine?  Just curious.

- How come I can not access www.mame.dk anymore.... is it gone?  IT was a nice way of determining which Roms changed or were added new to each Mame version.   Any other way of doing this now without going to www.mame.dk?

[Jakobud]

I dont think the new version has offically taken place yet.  I think the tools are out there to convert the CHD's to the new smaller format, but don't expect anything <= 0.77 to support it.

[SirPoonga]

Most of these questions have been answered in mameworld or mame.net forums.  

I think the new chd format is in the latest u release of mame.

I would have thought the CPU power to run these games were well out of reach via Mame, but maybe I am wrong....any idea what type of Ghz machine you need to run these games?

Lots of Ghz!  Rush, blitz, those run at like 10-15fps on the best machines.

Frankly, I'd hack a dreamcast into a cabinet and play the ports over using mame.

[Tiger-Heli]

>- What version of Mame did the new CHD format begin in?  

What Poonga said: the next one, or maybe one of the unofficial U version.

>- Can I convert my existing CHD files into this new format to reduce >the size or do I have to go out and find someone willing to post the >CHDs again?

I think there will be a conversion tool.

>- Can my existing "large" CHD files be used with future versions of >Mame or if I want to upgrade from V74 to V77 must I get the new >CHDs?

Good question.  I'm almost positive the old MAME won't work with the small CHD's.  Not sure if the new one will work with the large ones.

>any idea what type of Ghz machine you need to run these games?

Faster than anything out today.  Think that refrigerant cooled P4 that www.tomshardware.com got running at 4.2 Ghz, and you might be close.

>- Also, Mame has Crusin USA, Crusin world, etc.... but can these be >played on a 2Ghz machine?  Just curious.

You MIGHT be able to by enabling CHEAT and underclocking CPU 0 to about 5 or 10% AFTER the hardware checks complete.  (or without sound).

>- How come I can not access www.mame.dk anymore.... is it gone?

I think so.


>Any other way of doing this now without going to www.mame.dk?

http://mamerominfo.retrogames.com/

But it's only up to Version 0.75.  Otherwise, there's a way to report on this from ClrMAME Pro.

[JoyMonkey]

I just started a thread in the Software forum about the new CHD format. I posted a graph of the old/new file sizes, you might want to take a look.

- What version of Mame did the new CHD format begin in?

It's supported in the unofficial Mame 0.77u2 release which became available a couple of days ago. Officially from 0.78

- Can I convert my existing CHD files into this new format to reduce the size or do I have to go out and find someone willing to post the CHDs again?

They can be converted with chdman.exe

- Can my existing "large" CHD files be used with future versions of Mame or if I want to upgrade from V74 to V77 must I get the new CHDs?

No. Only the new format is supported. 77 is the last version to use the old chd format.

[slycrel]

  Bleh.  And to think I finally got someone to burn me the CHD's for version 77.  Oh well, that's how it goes I guess.  =)

[SirPeale]

No biggie.  They don't take long to convert.  And the utility comes with MAME, so it's not like it's not available.