Getting Started

Table of contents
  1. Quick summary
  2. Prerequisites
  3. Step 1 — Understand the two modes
  4. Step 2 — Connect to your computer (Volume / ROMEMUL mode)
  5. Step 3 — Inspect ROMEMUL contents
  6. Step 4 — Copy ROM images
    1. macOS
    2. Windows
    3. Linux
  7. Step 5 — Select the active image
  8. Step 6 — Boot the target system (Emulation mode)
  9. Next steps

Quick summary

The SidecarTridge ROM Emulator is a module that must be integrated into host hardware (typically by soldering it onto a custom carrier board).

A first end-to-end workflow looks like this:

  1. Verify hardware integration (carrier board + soldering + power).
  2. Boot into Volume (ROMEMUL) mode from USB‑C and copy ROM images.
  3. Select which image should be active (exact method depends on firmware).
  4. Boot the target system in Emulation mode.

Prerequisites

  • ROM Emulator module integrated into your carrier board.
  • A target system designed to accept the emulated ROM/EPROM/EEPROM device.
  • USB‑C cable (to access ROMEMUL).

Step 1 — Understand the two modes

The ROM Emulator can be powered from the carrier (+5V) or from USB‑C, and it is safe to power both at the same time. What decides the mode is whether a computer talks to it on the USB‑C cable during its first 2 seconds after power-on:

  • A computer on the USB‑C cable → Volume (ROMEMUL) mode, ready to manage files from the computer. The target is not served meanwhile.
  • Anything else → EMULATION mode, ready to run inside the target motherboard. This includes USB‑C power from a charger, and a computer plugged in after those 2 seconds.

v4.0.0

Before firmware v4.0.0 these pages said USB‑C power selected Volume mode; with v4.0.0 it takes a computer on the cable.

Step 2 — Connect to your computer (Volume / ROMEMUL mode)

  1. With the target switched off, connect the ROM Emulator to your computer using a USB‑C cable that carries data.
  2. The ROMEMUL volume should appear. If it does not, press the module’s RESET button with the cable connected: it starts again and looks for the computer.

If ROMEMUL does not appear, check your cable and power, and see:

Step 3 — Inspect ROMEMUL contents

Typical files you may see in the root of ROMEMUL:

  • INDEX.HTM — opens documentation.
  • INFO.TXT — firmware version/date and board info.
  • CONFIG.TXT — advanced configuration.
  • DEFAULT.TXT / RESCUE.TXT — default/rescue image selection (when supported).

Step 4 — Copy ROM images

Copy your ROM images onto ROMEMUL.

As a rule of thumb, ALWAYS eject/unmount ROMEMUL after making changes.

macOS

Drag & drop works, but if you hit issues with hidden/temp files, use Terminal:

cp -R /path/to/ROM\ Images/* /Volumes/ROMEMUL/

Windows

Drag & drop usually works.

Linux

Mount point varies by distro:

cp -R /path/to/ROM\ Images/* /media/username/ROMEMUL/

Step 5 — Select the active image

How you select the active ROM image depends on the firmware and the integration:

  • File-based selection (when supported): edit DEFAULT.TXT.
  • Host-side tooling (product specific): e.g. switcher applications.
  • Firmware API: select the active image programmatically.

See:

Step 6 — Boot the target system (Emulation mode)

Unplug the USB‑C cable from the computer (or eject the volume with a REBOOT file on it), then power the target normally. In EMULATION mode, the emulator starts immediately and should behave like the target ROM/EPROM/EEPROM device.

If the target does not boot, see:

Next steps

Previous: Introduction Main Next: Hardware Integration