Deep Sky Creations

Ultimate Emulator / Setup & help

Firmware, Without the Guesswork

Know what you need. Add it once.

A few consoles relied on built-in startup software that their games expect to find. Ultimate Emulator shows you exactly which systems need it, what file to provide and whether it is ready — so you only deal with it once, and only where it matters.

  • Most systems need none
  • Status at a glance
  • Never downloaded

01 / The short version

What firmware and BIOS are.

Some consoles had a small piece of built-in software — called the BIOS or firmware — that ran before any game. Games for those systems expect it to be there. To play them, Ultimate Emulator needs a copy of that file.

Most systems

Nothing to add

  • The system's engine is complete on its own.
  • Systems shows Not required.
  • Add your games and play.
A few systems

A file you provide

  • Games wait until the firmware is added.
  • Systems shows Needs BIOS until then, and Ready after.
  • You add it once per system.

02 / In this release

Which systems need firmware.

Required
Odyssey², Intellivision, ColecoVision, Atari 5200, Atari 7800, Atari Lynx, PlayStation and Game Boy Advance. Games for these systems cannot start without it.
Some games: SNES
Optional enhancement-chip firmware, only for the games that need it.
Not needed
Atari 2600, SG-1000, NES, Master System, TurboGrafx-16, Game Boy, Genesis, Game Gear, N64 and Game Boy Color.

The exact file each system expects is shown in the application, on that system's Firmware & BIOS page under What file do I need?

03 / Systems

See every system's status in one place.

Open Systems in the left navigation. The BIOS / Firmware column tells you where each system stands, in words — not only in colour.

Ready
Everything this system needs is here.
Needs BIOS
A required file has not been added yet.
Optional
Play is not blocked. Some games may use an extra file.
Not required
This system needs no firmware.
Checking
Ultimate Emulator is reading the status. Give it a moment.

04 / Once per system

Add the file you own.

  1. Choose the system

    In Systems, select the system that shows Needs BIOS.

  2. Choose Manage BIOS

    The system's firmware page lists each file the system uses, whether it is required, and its status.

  3. Check What file do I need?

    This shows the file name the system expects. Where any one of several files will do, it says so.

  4. Choose BIOS File

    Pick the file on your PC. Ultimate Emulator checks it, remembers where it is and uses it when that system's games start.

  5. Look for Ready to play

    When everything the system needs is found, the page says Ready to play and Systems shows Ready.

05 / One file at a time

What a file's status means.

Found
Ready to use. If it is a revision Ultimate Emulator does not recognize, the page says so: it can still be used, but a game may behave differently than expected.
Not added yet
Choose the file you own, or add the folder you keep it in.
Not added — optional
Play is not blocked without it.
Skipped
You chose to skip this optional file.
Can't be used
The file is not this system's firmware, is not the right size, or could not be read. Choose a different file.

06 / Firmware required

What happens when firmware is missing.

A game whose system still needs firmware does not start. Instead, its details page shows Firmware required and explains that your files are never downloaded or changed. The game is also left out of the Ready filter in Games.

  1. Choose Open Firmware Setup

    It opens that system's Firmware & BIOS page directly.

  2. Add the file, then go back

    Once the page says Ready to play, return to the game and press Play.

07 / Later on

Change, replace or stop using a file.

Nothing here deletes your own copy of a file.

Change File
Choose a different file for the same requirement.
Stop Using This File
Ultimate Emulator stops using it for this system. Your own copy of the file is not changed or deleted.
Change Folder
Point Ultimate Emulator at a different firmware folder. Use This Folder confirms; Keep Current Folder cancels.
Scan Again
Checks your firmware folder again, for example after you add a file to it.
Skip This Optional File
Stops asking about an optional file. Stop Skipping undoes it. Required firmware can never be skipped.
Keep Existing or Replace with Imported
If a different file is already set for the same requirement, you choose which one to keep.

08 / Still not ready?

Firmware questions.

I chose a file, but it says Can't be used.

Ultimate Emulator checked the file and it is not this system's firmware, is the wrong size, or could not be read. Open What file do I need? to confirm the file the system expects, then choose a different file.

It worked before, and now the system says Needs BIOS again.

The file may have been moved, renamed or deleted, or its drive may be disconnected. Choose the file again, or reconnect the drive and choose Scan Again.

It says Found, but warns it is not a revision it recognizes.

The file can be used. Some games may behave differently than expected with an unrecognized revision. If a game misbehaves, try a different revision of the firmware you own.

It says my firmware folder cannot be read.

Ultimate Emulator may not have permission to read that folder, or the folder is not available right now. Reconnect the drive or choose a different folder, then choose Scan Again.

Where do I get firmware?

Use firmware from hardware or software you are authorized to use. Ultimate Emulator and Deep Sky Creations do not supply or download firmware.