AmberELEC
A Linux-based operating system designed for retro handheld gaming devices, particularly those based on the RK3326 chipset. AmberELEC offers a user-friendly interface, extensive emulator support, and customization options to optimize the retro gaming experience. It is a popular choice for devices like the Anbernic RG351 series.

Analog Stick
A control stick on a handheld device used to provide a range of motion inputs for controlling games.

ArkOS
A Linux-based operating system specifically designed for retro handheld gaming devices. ArkOS provides a user-friendly interface, robust emulation support, and various customization options to enhance the gaming experience. It is often used on devices like the RK3326-based handhelds.

Aspect Ratio
The proportional relationship between a display's width and height.

Backlight
A light source behind the screen that enhances visibility, especially useful for playing in low-light conditions.

BIOS Files
Firmware files required by emulators to replicate the behavior of original hardware systems. BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) files contain essential code for system initialization and hardware control. They are used to enable compatibility and proper functioning of games and software on emulators by providing the necessary low-level system functions.

Bootloader
A small program that loads the main operating system or firmware of a device.

Brick
A state in which a device is rendered unusable, often due to failed firmware updates or modifications.

Clock Speed
The speed at which a handheld's processor operates, measured in MHz or GHz, affecting performance.

Custom Firmware (CFW)
A modified version of the device's firmware that adds extra features or removes restrictions.

D-Pad (Directional Pad)
A flat, typically four-way directional controller found on most handheld consoles.

Distro (Distribution)
A packaged version of an operating system that includes the core OS along with additional software, tools, and configurations. In the context of retro gaming, a distro often refers to a customized Linux distribution designed for emulation, such as RetroPie or Lakka, providing a ready-to-use environment for running games and emulators.

.dtb Files (Device Tree Blob) They indicate to the actual driver the location and type of the display hardware (and everything else in the system), because there's no automatic discovery on ARM platforms (source)

Dumping
The process of copying a game or system's data to a digital file.

EASYROM Partition
A pre-configured storage partition on a device or SD card designed for easy management and organization of ROMs, emulators, and related files. It simplifies the setup process for retro gaming systems, allowing users to quickly access and run their games.

eMMC (embedded MultiMediaCard)
A type of flash storage used in some handheld devices.

Emulator
Software that mimics the hardware of a retro console, allowing games to be played on different devices.

Emulation Station
A popular graphical frontend for emulators, media players, and other applications.

Fast Forward
A feature in emulators that increases the game speed beyond its normal rate. Used to quickly skip through slower or repetitive sections of a game, it allows players to progress faster by temporarily accelerating the gameplay.

Firmware
The permanent software programmed into a device's read-only memory, controlling its basic functions.

Flash Cart
A cartridge with re-writable memory used to run homebrew software or backups of games.

Flashing Firmware
The process of installing or updating the low-level software (firmware) that controls a device's hardware. This involves erasing the old firmware and replacing it with a new version to fix bugs, add features, or improve performance. It requires following specific steps and precautions to avoid rendering the device inoperable.

FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array)
A type of integrated circuit used in some modern emulation devices for accurate hardware emulation.

FPS (Frames Per Second)
The number of frames displayed per second in a game, affecting smoothness of gameplay.

GPIO (General Purpose Input/Output)
Pins on a microcontroller or SBC (Single Board Computer) used for interfacing with other hardware.

Grayscale
A display mode that shows images in shades of gray, commonly used in early handheld consoles.

GUI (Graphical User Interface)
A visual interface that allows users to interact with electronic devices through graphical icons and visual indicators.

HLE (High-Level Emulation)
An emulation technique that mimics the behavior of the original hardware rather than replicating it exactly.

Homebrew
Software created by hobbyists and developers for a closed platform, often used on retro handhelds.

Hotkey
A keyboard or controller shortcut that performs a specific function or command in software or games. Hotkeys are often used to quickly save states, load states, take screenshots, or access menus in emulators and other applications.

Input Lag
The delay between a user input and the corresponding action occurring on screen.

Integer Scaling
A method of resizing images or video by scaling each pixel to a whole number multiple of its original size. This technique preserves the sharpness and clarity of the original graphics, avoiding blurriness and artifacts often associated with non-integer scaling, making it ideal for retro games on modern high-resolution displays.

IPS (In-Plane Switching) Screen
A type of LCD with better color reproduction and viewing angles compared to standard TFT screens.

Jailbreak
The process of removing restrictions imposed by the device manufacturer to allow for the installation of unauthorized software.

Joystick
A control device that can be tilted in various directions to control a game.

Kernel
The core component of an operating system that manages system resources and communication between hardware and software. The kernel handles tasks such as memory management, process scheduling, and hardware device control, providing a foundation for all other software on the device.

Launcher
Software that organizes and starts games and applications on a handheld device.

LED (Light Emitting Diode)
A type of display technology known for its bright and energy-efficient screens.

Lithium-Ion Battery
A type of rechargeable battery commonly used in handheld devices for its high energy density.

MAME (Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator)
A popular emulator for running arcade game ROMs.

MicroSD Card
A small, removable memory card used for storage in many handheld devices.

Modding
The act of modifying hardware or software to add features or enhance performance.

Multicart
A game cartridge containing multiple games, often used for older consoles.

NAND Memory
A type of flash memory used for storing firmware and other data on a handheld device.

Nostalgia
A sentimental longing for the past, often driving interest in retro gaming.

OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode)
A type of display technology known for its high contrast ratios and vibrant colors.

Open Source
Software with source code that anyone can inspect, modify, and enhance.

Overclocking
Increasing a handheld's clock speed beyond its factory setting to boost performance.

Overlays
Graphical elements or images that are displayed on top of the main screen content in emulators or gaming interfaces. They can be used to enhance the visual experience by adding custom borders, button guides, or additional information without modifying the underlying game or application display.

Pixel Density
The number of pixels per inch (PPI) on a screen, affecting sharpness and clarity.

Port
A version of a game that has been adapted to run on a different platform from the original. This can involve changes to the graphics, controls, or other aspects to suit the new platform's capabilities.

Patch
A piece of software designed to update or fix issues in existing programs or games.

Quick Save
A feature that allows players to save their game progress instantly, often used in emulators.

Raspberry Pi
A popular single-board computer often used in DIY handheld projects.

Release
The official launch or distribution of a game, software, or hardware to the public. In the context of retro handhelds, a release can refer to the availability of a new game, firmware update, emulator, or hardware model.

RetroArch
A popular open-source frontend for emulators, game engines, and media players. It provides a unified interface for running various emulators, allowing users to configure settings, load games, and manage save states through a single platform. RetroArch supports a wide range of retro gaming systems and is highly customizable.

RetroArch Emulator Cores
Modular software components within RetroArch that emulate the hardware of various gaming consoles. Each core corresponds to a specific console or platform, such as SNES, NES, or PlayStation, allowing RetroArch to run games from multiple systems through a unified interface. Users can download, configure, and switch between different cores as needed.

RetroPie
A software package for the Raspberry Pi that allows for the emulation of various retro gaming consoles.

RGB (Red, Green, Blue)
A color model used for displays and lighting, providing vibrant and accurate color reproduction.

RK3326
A system-on-a-chip (SoC) developed by Rockchip, commonly used in retro handheld gaming consoles. It features a quad-core ARM Cortex-A35 CPU and a Mali-G31 MP2 GPU, providing the necessary performance for running various emulators and retro games efficiently.

ROMs (Read-Only Memory)
Digital copies of games or software originally stored on cartridges or other media. Used by emulators to replicate the experience of playing on original hardware. ROMs contain the exact data from the original game or software, enabling playback on various devices.

ROM Hack
A modification of a game's original ROM file to alter graphics, gameplay, levels, dialogue, or other elements. Often created by fans to fix bugs, add new content, or completely transform the original game experience.

Save State
A feature in emulators that saves the exact state of a game at a particular moment, allowing it to be resumed later.

SBC (Single Board Computer)
A complete computer built on a single circuit board, integrating the CPU, memory, and other essential components. SBCs are often used in DIY retro handheld projects and emulation setups due to their compact size, affordability, and versatility.

Scaler
A device or software that converts a video signal to a different resolution.

Scraping
The process of automatically collecting metadata and media (such as cover art, game descriptions, and ratings) for ROMs from online databases. Scraping enhances the user interface of emulators and front-ends by providing detailed information and visuals for each game, making it easier to organize and browse the game library.

Screen Tearing
A visual artifact in video where frames are not properly aligned, causing a tearing effect.

Shaders
Programs used in emulators to apply graphical effects and transformations to the game display. Shaders can enhance the visual quality by simulating CRT monitor effects, adjusting colors, smoothing pixel edges, and adding other visual enhancements to replicate the look and feel of original hardware or to improve aesthetics on modern displays.

Shell
The outer casing of a handheld device.

SSH (Secure Shell)
A protocol for securely accessing and managing devices over a network. SSH is commonly used to remotely connect to and control single-board computers (SBCs) or other networked devices, providing a secure channel for command-line interface operations.

Syncthing
An open-source, continuous file synchronization program that securely synchronizes files between devices over a local network or the internet. Often used to keep game saves, ROMs, and other files up-to-date across multiple retro handhelds or computers.

TFT (Thin-Film Transistor) Screen
A type of LCD commonly used in older handheld devices, known for its fast response times.

Translation Patch
A file that changes the language of a game, often used to play games that were never released in one's native language.

Trigger Buttons
Buttons typically located on the top of a handheld device, used for actions such as shooting or accelerating.

UI (User Interface)
The visual part of the software that the user interacts with.

Upscaling
Enhancing the resolution of lower-resolution content to fit higher-resolution displays.

USB-C
A type of USB connector that is reversible and can carry both data and power.

V-Sync (Vertical Synchronization)
A display option that synchronizes the frame rate of a game with the refresh rate of the monitor to prevent screen tearing.

VGA (Video Graphics Array)
An analog display standard used in older computer and gaming systems.

Widescreen
A display with an aspect ratio wider than the traditional 4:3, often 16:9 or wider.

Wi-Fi
A technology that allows electronic devices to connect to a wireless LAN (WLAN) network.

XInput
An API for Xbox controllers, allowing for standardized input across different games and applications.

XMB (Cross Media Bar)
A graphical user interface developed by Sony for the PlayStation series and other devices.

Zero Lag
Refers to the ideal of having no input delay in a gaming setup, crucial for fast-paced games.

 
 
 
 

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