Evaluation of the NESizer2 method as a means of wrapping embedded legacy systems

Abstract: Legacy computer systems are systems where several of the main hardware and software components date back several decades. Modernizing these systems is often considered a large monetary and temporal investment with high risk, and to keep maintaining them usually becomes more and more difficult over time, which is why these legacy systems are still being used to this day in many industry sectors. A solution is therefore to try and integrate the legacy system components into modern systems, and there are several ways of achieving this. This bachelor thesis project work aims to analyze one approach known as “wrapping”. More specifically it analyzes NESizer2 Method, a method which utilizes relatively simple hardware and software interfaces to control the Ricoh RP2A03 processor found in the Nintendo Entertainment System, using an Atmega328 microprocessor. During the design and development phases of the project work a literature study was conducted, and experimental research method was utilized. The testing and experimental phases of the project work was focused on examining how identified key variables behaved when modifying certain parameters in the system. While we were able to produce some valid data, the results proved to be somewhat inconclusive, as certain operations such as memory operations did not work, leading to the conclusion that our circuit contained a faulty component.