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I ported Mac OS X to the Nintendo Wii

bryankeller.github.io

271–280 of 337 posts

Re: I ported Mac OS X to the Nintendo Wii

#271

[flagged]

Last I checked, the 60fps frame buffer conversion resulted in the system idling at 18% CPU. Certainly not ideal. I'd love to optimize this further.

Presumably Wii has AltiVec that you could use to accelerate the conversion? Did you happen to look into the code the compiler generates for your loop around rgbrgb16toycbycr?

Re: I ported Mac OS X to the Nintendo Wii

#272

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm intrigued by this technique! Will look into it, thanks for the tip!

sample impl is in rePalm sources, but i described basically all there is to it :) saves a lot of CPU

This would work for an idle screen but I can't imagine this would be very efficient for real use, unless the hardware cursor is put in some other framebuffer (I assume it's not otherwise the author would have probably mentioned it?)

Re: I ported Mac OS X to the Nintendo Wii

#276

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The Wii settings menu is an HTML webpage. Yes, even 2006 games consoles were not spared the web.

Well, Microsoft pioneered with that earlier. Win98, or was it 95b, merged the filesystem Explorer with Internet Explorer and came up with ActiveDesktop.

Which was very cool and accessible as a kid, I have fond memories of it.

Re: I ported Mac OS X to the Nintendo Wii

#277
post #17

In addition to the incredible engineering work here the OP casually flexes by showing the development happening _in an economy class airplane seat_.

In one of the pictures, the laptop is on his tray, and the wii is on the tray of the seat next to him, and that seat looks empty. So the wii got its own airplane seat?

Re: I ported Mac OS X to the Nintendo Wii

#278
post #49
post #17

In addition to the incredible engineering work here the OP casually flexes by showing the development happening _in an economy class airplane seat_.

I can't imagine concentrating on a complicated project like that on the go, but I went back to stare in awe at said picture and I think its a train or bus. Still a flex.

because of the mix of boredom, very shoddy internet that drops constantly and ANC earbuds removing distractions, I often find myself getting in the zone while riding the train back home from the office. As the kids say, I lock in

Re: I ported Mac OS X to the Nintendo Wii

#279
post #23
post #17

In addition to the incredible engineering work here the OP casually flexes by showing the development happening _in an economy class airplane seat_.

This is the most incredible part. I cannot even use a laptop adequately in an economy class seat, I cannot position the screen so that I could see it, and the keyboard so that I could type on it, at the same time. (To say nothing of connecting a Wii.)

Get a pair of XR glasses. I bought some Viture glasses a few years ago and they have been perfect for flights.

Re: I ported Mac OS X to the Nintendo Wii

#280
Excellent project! This is one of the topics that keeps Hacker News ever refreshing. Seeing work get done in a way that feels like real hacking but in a positive way.

You might also be interested in this similar work: Installing Mac OS on the Nintendo Wii [video] (123pts, 37cmts): (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37306018)

The author has mentioned earlier attempts to port other OSes to the Wii but it appears these works didn't get much traction here on HN except for Windows:

  WindowsNT (255pts, 86cmts): https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43221633
  Linux (53pts, 1cmts): https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30568676
  NetBSD (4pts,0 cmts): https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46668959

Lastly, since we are in the context of turning the Wii into a computer, I'd like to honorable mention: Hosting a blog on the Wii (622pts, 104cmts): (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43754953)
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