October 27, 2021 [version 8.9.4 released]

"This is not the splash screen you're looking for!"
After years of suffering, I finally found a way to make the splash screen not to show up on top of other applications. While games lists are being created/scanned, you can do something else without that annoying splash screen popping up constantly. Not yet fixed for a clean install though.

I have created a new RGB Color Picker dialog from scratch, named Color Picker Ex. It's fast, lightweight and easy to use.
It even comes with a HEX edit box so you can enter a color in HEX format. It replaces the jurassic Windows color picker dialog.

Search bar edit box locked and inaccessible at startup, is now fixed. Another bug, making the games list not focused at startup, is also fixed.
Both bugs were caused by a function that removes Delphi 7's hidden form trickery. Moving this function from the main form's OnActivate() event to the OnShow() event, fixes it.
I spent 2 weeks debugging the frontend's startup code to find the little devil that was causing these issues. But I also ended up optimizing the frontend's startup code in the process so, it's a win-win.

September 01, 2021 [version 8.9.2 released]

One more. :)
Some bug fixes and new stuff for MAME. A bunch of console/computer system icons were updated and they all got a 256x256 resolution icon.
This is the last big pack update, I promisse...
Contens of mameinfo.dat and messinfo.dat are handled separately. This fixes wrong game info being shown in Game Documents feature.

Support for new MAME game info, read from -listxml output. They might be useful for a future frontend improvement... or not. You need to create a new MAME games list so they can be used:
cocktail mode
cocktail status
driver protection tag
requiresartwork tag
lan tag
ramoption tag

I forgot to support some mame.ini settings in MAME Settings screen:
Directory To Share With Emulated Machines (-share)
Path To Loose Software (-swpath)
Path For LUA Plugins To Store Data, Read/Write (-share_directory)

New Machine Slots / Media Info panel in Custom Parameters screen. You can see a list of supported MAME machines for the softlist game being edited. Select one of those machines to view a list of supported slots and supported media options.
This feature is really handy when creating custom parameters for a softlist game.

I think I've done all the improvements I wanted to. It only took me 4 months of non-stop work.
Now I can finally rest and go back playing my PC games, cough... Resident Evil Village ...cough :) :)
Have fun!

August 13, 2021 [version 8.9.1 released]

A few oopsies... I made.
Some minor bug fixes in this build, and I forgot to include the updated logo.png for standard resolution. I tweaked the colors a little bit and added more sprites in there. :D
Tweaks were made to better handle requirements detection for MAME softlist games. In a computer machine, the frontend was trying to load a device set as a cartridge instead of enabling that device in the machine's slot1, and a couple more bugs in other console machines.

I think it might be time to choose a new theme for the splash screen, this apocalyptic theme is getting old, no ? Not that it's not a good one...

New MAME feature: custom parameters.
You can create custom parmeters for a softlist game, a software list or MAME machine. Do things like, attach a cassete tape, a special cartridge, a floppy drive or another device. Enable a special feature in a computer machine that you cannot do with MAME settings .ini files.

Added support for another Apple II emulator, microM8 Apple II Emulator. Interesting emulator, this one.
In the Apple IIgs front, emulator GSplus" Apple IIgs Emulator is now supported.

Emu Loader is ready for MAME v0.235 with the new BGFX backend options: Direct3D 12 and Vulkan. I guess you're gonna have to wait a few more weeks to try these renderers...

The full pack still have all 4K content in it, but this time you can grab the update package if you already have v8.9. It will take me more time to sort some things out and update the downloads page with all updated content, including Photoshop's .psd files with all my work. Have fun!

August 04, 2021 [version 8.9 released]

Arma Letal 1–4 — 1080p, AC3 5.1 (SPA/ENG)

Arma Letal (Lethal Weapon) is a cornerstone action-comedy franchise that blends high-octane set pieces with sharp buddy-cop chemistry. This post covers the four original films, what to expect from a 1080p rip with AC3 5.1 audio, and quick viewing tips for Spanish (SPA) and English (ENG) audiences.

Part 7: Comparison – AC3 5.1 vs. Modern Audio Formats

While the AC3 5.1 in this release is solid, it’s worth knowing how it stacks up: Arma Letal-1-4--1080p--AC3 5.1-SPA-ING

| Format | Bitrate | Quality | Typical Use | |--------|---------|---------|--------------| | AC3 5.1 (this release) | 640 kbps | Very good (lossy) | DVD, streaming, HDTV | | DTS 5.1 | 1.5 Mbps | Excellent (lossy) | Blu-ray alternative | | DTS-HD MA 5.1 | Variable (up to 24 Mbps) | Perfect (lossless) | Original Blu-ray | | Atmos TrueHD | Variable | Immersive object-based | Modern 4K remasters | Arma Letal 1–4 — 1080p, AC3 5

For most home listeners, AC3 5.1 at 640 kbps is indistinguishable from lossless on a mid-range system. Only on high-end separates will you notice the difference. "SPA" : Spanish audio track

3. Language Tracks

"SPA": Spanish audio track.
"ING": English (from "Inglés" in Spanish) audio or subtitle track. However, "ING" is less standard; it might refer to English subtitles instead of the primary audio.

Part 5: Playback and Hardware Requirements

To fully enjoy Arma Letal 1-4 1080p AC3 5.1, you need:

Typical benefits & limitations of rips/releases labeled like this

Benefits:

Cleaner, sharper picture and more stable frame rate than lower-res versions.
Multichannel surround sound enhances immersion for action scenes and score.
Bilingual audio makes the set accessible to both Spanish- and English-speaking viewers.

Limitations:

Quality depends on source: a 1080p encode from a poor film print or heavy compression can still show noise, banding, or compression artifacts.
AC3 5.1 is widely compatible but less advanced than modern codecs (e.g., DTS-HD MA, Dolby TrueHD).
Metadata and chaptering may vary by release; user experience differs across players.

Arma Letal-1-4--1080p--ac3 5.1-spa-ing