diff --git a/scripts/src/machine.lua b/scripts/src/machine.lua
index 600c22f2746..ac3cf2b31a1 100644
--- a/scripts/src/machine.lua
+++ b/scripts/src/machine.lua
@@ -4546,3 +4546,14 @@ if (MACHINES["ALPHA_8921"]~=null) then
 		MAME_DIR .. "src/devices/machine/alpha_8921.h",
 	}
 end
+
+---------------------------------------------------
+--
+--@src/devices/machine/bl_handhelds_menucontrol.h,MACHINES["BL_HANDHELDS_MENUCONTROL"] = true
+---------------------------------------------------
+if (MACHINES["BL_HANDHELDS_MENUCONTROL"]~=null) then
+	files {
+		MAME_DIR .. "src/devices/machine/bl_handhelds_menucontrol.cpp",
+		MAME_DIR .. "src/devices/machine/bl_handhelds_menucontrol.h",
+	}
+end
diff --git a/scripts/target/mame/mess.lua b/scripts/target/mame/mess.lua
index d4c33c727dd..a2040f202aa 100644
--- a/scripts/target/mame/mess.lua
+++ b/scripts/target/mame/mess.lua
@@ -779,6 +779,7 @@ MACHINES["XC1700E"] = true
 MACHINES["EDLC"] = true
 MACHINES["WTL3132"] = true
 MACHINES["CXD1185"] = true
+MACHINES["BL_HANDHELDS_MENUCONTROL"] = true
 
 --------------------------------------------------
 -- specify available bus cores
diff --git a/src/devices/machine/bl_handhelds_menucontrol.cpp b/src/devices/machine/bl_handhelds_menucontrol.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..305f90ecfce
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/devices/machine/bl_handhelds_menucontrol.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,214 @@
+// license:BSD-3-Clause
+// copyright-holders:David Haywood
+
+// Menu controller, stores / increments menu position etc. used on handhelds that typically have BL on the boot screen (BaoBaoLong?)
+
+#include "emu.h"
+#include "machine/bl_handhelds_menucontrol.h"
+
+DEFINE_DEVICE_TYPE(BL_HANDHELDS_MENUCONTROL, bl_handhelds_menucontrol_device, "blhandheldmenu", "BaoBaoLong Handhelds Menu Controller")
+
+bl_handhelds_menucontrol_device::bl_handhelds_menucontrol_device(const machine_config &mconfig, const char *tag, device_t *owner, uint32_t clock) :
+	device_t(mconfig, BL_HANDHELDS_MENUCONTROL, tag, owner, clock),
+	m_is_unsp_type_hack(false)
+{
+}
+
+READ_LINE_MEMBER(bl_handhelds_menucontrol_device::status_r)
+{
+	return m_clockstate;
+}
+
+READ_LINE_MEMBER(bl_handhelds_menucontrol_device::data_r)
+{
+	return m_responsebit;
+}
+
+// is there some 'carry' related behavior on the add / remove, because sometimes calculations are off by 1 eg command 0x05 (subtract) subcommand 0xf0
+// edge cases to test - moving up and left off entry 0, moving next / previous page when on any entry on the first/last pages, moving down/right off last entry, crossing 255/256 game boundary
+void bl_handhelds_menucontrol_device::handle_command()
+{
+	uint8_t command = m_command;
+
+	// additions and subtractions here are likely also meant to be done as high byte and low byte
+	if (m_menustate == MENU_READY_FOR_COMMAND)
+	{
+		if (command == 0x00)
+		{
+			m_menustate = MENU_COMMAND_00_IN;
+			m_response = m_menupos & 0xff;
+		}
+		else if (command == 0x01)
+		{
+			m_menustate = MENU_COMMAND_01_IN;
+			m_response = (m_menupos >> 8) & 0xff;
+		}
+		else if (command == 0x02)
+		{
+			m_menustate = MENU_COMMAND_02_IN;
+		}
+		else if (command == 0x03)
+		{
+			m_menustate = MENU_COMMAND_03_IN;
+		}
+		else if (command == 0x04)
+		{
+			m_menustate = MENU_COMMAND_04_IN;
+		}
+		else if (command == 0x05)
+		{
+			m_menustate = MENU_COMMAND_05_IN;
+		}
+		else if (command == 0x09)
+		{
+			// ...
+		}
+		else if ((command) == 0x10)
+		{
+			// this is followed by 0x1b, written if you try to move right off last entry
+			m_menupos = 0x00;
+		}
+		else if (command == 0x30)
+		{
+			m_menupos++;
+		}
+		else if (command == 0x37)
+		{
+			m_menupos--;
+		}
+		else if (command == 0x39)
+		{
+			m_menupos -= 4;
+		}
+		else if (command == 0x2c)
+		{
+			m_menupos = 0x01;
+		}
+		else
+		{
+			logerror("handle_command %02x (unknown)\n", command);
+		}
+	}
+	else if (m_menustate == MENU_COMMAND_00_IN)
+	{
+		m_menustate = MENU_READY_FOR_COMMAND;
+	}
+	else if (m_menustate == MENU_COMMAND_01_IN)
+	{
+		m_menustate = MENU_READY_FOR_COMMAND;
+	}
+	else if (m_menustate == MENU_COMMAND_02_IN)
+	{
+		m_menupos = (m_menupos & 0xff00) | ((command - 0x8) & 0xff);
+		m_menustate = MENU_READY_FOR_COMMAND;
+	}
+	else if (m_menustate == MENU_COMMAND_03_IN)
+	{
+		m_menupos = (m_menupos & 0x00ff) | (((command - 0x9) & 0xff) << 8);
+		m_menustate = MENU_READY_FOR_COMMAND;
+	}
+	else if (m_menustate == MENU_COMMAND_04_IN)
+	{
+		// used if you try to scroll up or left past 0 and the value becomes too large (a negative number)
+		if (m_is_unsp_type_hack)
+		{
+			if (command == 0x0d)
+				m_menupos += 4;
+			else if (command == 0x0a)
+				m_menupos += 0;
+			// used if you try to scroll up or left past 0 and the value becomes too large (a negative number)
+			// actually writes 0x314 split into 2 commands, so the 2nd write to 0x04 with param then instead 0b/16 sequence of writes instead of 26/0c adds to the high byte?
+			else if (command == 0x1e)
+				m_menupos += 0x310;
+		}
+		else
+		{
+			m_menupos += (command - 0x09);
+			m_menustate = MENU_READY_FOR_COMMAND;
+		}
+
+		m_menustate = MENU_READY_FOR_COMMAND;
+	}
+	else if (m_menustate == MENU_COMMAND_05_IN)
+	{
+		// used if you try to scroll down past the and the value becomes too large
+		if (m_is_unsp_type_hack)
+		{
+			// actually writes 0x313 split into 2 commands, so the 2nd write to 0x05 with param then instead 0b/16 sequence of writes instead of 26/0c subtracts from the high byte?
+			if (command == 0x0b)
+			{
+				m_menupos -= 0xdc;
+			}
+			else if (command == 0x0e)
+			{
+				m_menupos -= 0x314;
+			}
+		}
+		else
+		{
+			if (command != 0xf0)
+				m_menupos -= (command - 0x0b);
+			else
+				m_menupos -= (command - 0x0a); // dphh8630 when pressing 'right' on final menu page
+		}
+
+		m_menustate = MENU_READY_FOR_COMMAND;
+	}
+}
+
+WRITE_LINE_MEMBER(bl_handhelds_menucontrol_device::clock_w)
+{
+	if (state)
+	{
+		m_clockstate = 1;
+	}
+	else
+	{
+		m_clockstate = 0;
+		m_command <<= 1;
+		m_command |= ((m_commandbit));
+		m_responsebit = (m_response >> (7 - m_datashifterpos)) & 1;
+		m_datashifterpos++;
+
+		if (m_datashifterpos == 8)
+		{
+			m_datashifterpos = 0;
+			handle_command();
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+WRITE_LINE_MEMBER(bl_handhelds_menucontrol_device::data_w)
+{
+	m_commandbit = state;
+}
+
+WRITE_LINE_MEMBER(bl_handhelds_menucontrol_device::reset_w)
+{
+	m_datashifterpos = 0;
+}
+
+void bl_handhelds_menucontrol_device::device_start()
+{
+	m_responsebit = 0;
+	m_clockstate = 0;
+	m_command = 0;
+	m_datashifterpos = 0;
+	m_menupos = 0;
+	m_response = 0;
+	m_commandbit = 0;
+	m_menustate = MENU_READY_FOR_COMMAND;
+
+	save_item(NAME(m_menupos));
+	save_item(NAME(m_clockstate));
+	save_item(NAME(m_datashifterpos));
+	save_item(NAME(m_responsebit));
+	save_item(NAME(m_response));
+	save_item(NAME(m_commandbit));
+	save_item(NAME(m_command));
+	//save_item(NAME(m_menustate));
+}
+
+void bl_handhelds_menucontrol_device::device_reset()
+{
+}
diff --git a/src/devices/machine/bl_handhelds_menucontrol.h b/src/devices/machine/bl_handhelds_menucontrol.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..bb3d68677c9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/devices/machine/bl_handhelds_menucontrol.h
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+// license:BSD-3-Clause
+// copyright-holders:David Haywood
+
+#ifndef MAME_MACHINE_BL_HANDHELDS_MENUCONTROL_H
+#define MAME_MACHINE_BL_HANDHELDS_MENUCONTROL_H
+
+#pragma once
+
+DECLARE_DEVICE_TYPE(BL_HANDHELDS_MENUCONTROL, bl_handhelds_menucontrol_device)
+
+class bl_handhelds_menucontrol_device : public device_t
+{
+public:
+	// construction/destruction
+	bl_handhelds_menucontrol_device(const machine_config &mconfig, const char *tag, device_t *owner, uint32_t clock);
+
+	// the chip is the same between systems, but there's some logic not fully understood that is causing off-by-1 errors on some calcs
+	void set_is_unsp_type_hack() { m_is_unsp_type_hack = true; }
+
+	DECLARE_READ_LINE_MEMBER(status_r);
+	DECLARE_READ_LINE_MEMBER(data_r);
+	DECLARE_WRITE_LINE_MEMBER(clock_w);
+	DECLARE_WRITE_LINE_MEMBER(data_w);
+	DECLARE_WRITE_LINE_MEMBER(reset_w);
+
+protected:
+	virtual void device_start() override;
+	virtual void device_reset() override;
+
+private:
+	// config
+	bool m_is_unsp_type_hack;
+
+	// internal state
+	int m_menupos;
+	
+	// command handling
+	int m_clockstate;
+	int m_datashifterpos;
+
+	int m_responsebit;
+	uint8_t m_response;
+
+	int m_commandbit;
+	uint8_t m_command;
+
+	void handle_command();
+
+	enum menustate : const int
+	{
+	   MENU_READY_FOR_COMMAND = 0,
+
+	   MENU_COMMAND_00_IN,
+	   MENU_COMMAND_01_IN,
+	   MENU_COMMAND_02_IN,
+	   MENU_COMMAND_03_IN,
+	   MENU_COMMAND_04_IN,
+	   MENU_COMMAND_05_IN,
+	};
+
+	menustate m_menustate;
+};
+
+#endif // MAME_MACHINE_BL_HANDHELDS_MENUCONTROL_H
diff --git a/src/mame/drivers/generalplus_gpl_unknown.cpp b/src/mame/drivers/generalplus_gpl_unknown.cpp
index a64260644e2..fffce35facb 100644
--- a/src/mame/drivers/generalplus_gpl_unknown.cpp
+++ b/src/mame/drivers/generalplus_gpl_unknown.cpp
@@ -22,12 +22,12 @@
 #include "emu.h"
 
 #include "cpu/unsp/unsp.h"
+#include "machine/bl_handhelds_menucontrol.h"
 
 #include "emupal.h"
 #include "screen.h"
 #include "speaker.h"
 
-
 #define LOG_GPL162XX_LCDTYPE            (1U << 1)
 #define LOG_GPL162XX_LCDTYPE_SELECT_SIM (1U << 2)
 #define LOG_GPL162XX_LCDTYPE_IO_PORT    (1U << 3)
@@ -50,14 +50,12 @@ public:
 		m_screen(*this, "screen"),
 		m_spirom(*this, "spi"),
 		m_io_in0(*this, "IN0"),
-		m_io_in1(*this, "IN1")
+		m_io_in1(*this, "IN1"),
+		m_menucontrol(*this, "menucontrol")
 	{ }
 
 	void gpl162xx_lcdtype(machine_config &config);
 
-	DECLARE_READ_LINE_MEMBER(bit08state_r);
-	DECLARE_READ_LINE_MEMBER(latchinbit_r);
-
 private:
 	virtual void machine_start() override;
 	virtual void machine_reset() override;
@@ -170,33 +168,9 @@ private:
 	uint16_t io_7870_r();
 	required_ioport m_io_in0;
 	required_ioport m_io_in1;
+	required_device<bl_handhelds_menucontrol_device> m_menucontrol;
 
 	DECLARE_WRITE_LINE_MEMBER(screen_vblank);
-
-
-	int m_latchinbit;
-	void tx_menu_cmd(uint8_t command);
-
-	int m_bit08state;
-	int m_latchdata;
-
-	int m_latchpos;
-	int m_menupos;
-	uint8_t m_datain;
-
-	enum menustate : const int
-	{
-	   MENU_READY_FOR_COMMAND = 0,
-
-	   MENU_COMMAND_00_IN,
-	   MENU_COMMAND_01_IN,
-	   MENU_COMMAND_02_IN,
-	   MENU_COMMAND_03_IN,
-	   MENU_COMMAND_04_IN,
-	   MENU_COMMAND_05_IN,
-	};
-
-	menustate m_menustate;
 };
 
 uint32_t gpl162xx_lcdtype_state::screen_update(screen_device &screen, bitmap_rgb32 &bitmap, const rectangle &cliprect)
@@ -208,7 +182,7 @@ uint32_t gpl162xx_lcdtype_state::screen_update(screen_device &screen, bitmap_rgb
 
 		for (int x = 0; x < 320; x++)
 		{
-			// 8-bit values get pumped through a 256 word table in intenral ROM and converted to words, so it's probably raw 16-bit RGB data?
+			// 8-bit values get pumped through a 256 word table in internal ROM and converted to words
 			uint16_t dat = m_displaybuffer[(count * 2) + 1] | (m_displaybuffer[(count * 2) + 0] << 8);
 
 			int b = ((dat >> 0) & 0x1f) << 3;
@@ -224,18 +198,6 @@ uint32_t gpl162xx_lcdtype_state::screen_update(screen_device &screen, bitmap_rgb
 }
 
 
-
-READ_LINE_MEMBER( gpl162xx_lcdtype_state::bit08state_r )
-{
-	return m_bit08state;
-}
-
-READ_LINE_MEMBER( gpl162xx_lcdtype_state::latchinbit_r )
-{
-	return m_latchinbit;
-}
-
-
 static INPUT_PORTS_START( gpl162xx_lcdtype )
 	PORT_START("IN0")
 	PORT_BIT( 0x0001, IP_ACTIVE_HIGH, IPT_UNUSED ) // causes lag if state is inverted, investigate
@@ -245,8 +207,8 @@ static INPUT_PORTS_START( gpl162xx_lcdtype )
 	PORT_DIPNAME( 0x0004, 0x0000, "Show Vs in Test Mode" )
 	PORT_DIPSETTING(      0x0000, "0000" )
 	PORT_DIPSETTING(      0x0004, "0004" )
-	PORT_BIT( 0x0008, IP_ACTIVE_HIGH, IPT_CUSTOM )  PORT_READ_LINE_MEMBER(gpl162xx_lcdtype_state, bit08state_r)
-	PORT_BIT( 0x0010, IP_ACTIVE_HIGH, IPT_CUSTOM )  PORT_READ_LINE_MEMBER(gpl162xx_lcdtype_state, latchinbit_r)
+	PORT_BIT( 0x0008, IP_ACTIVE_HIGH, IPT_CUSTOM ) PORT_READ_LINE_DEVICE_MEMBER("menucontrol", bl_handhelds_menucontrol_device, status_r)
+	PORT_BIT( 0x0010, IP_ACTIVE_HIGH, IPT_CUSTOM ) PORT_READ_LINE_DEVICE_MEMBER("menucontrol", bl_handhelds_menucontrol_device, data_r)
 	PORT_DIPNAME( 0x0020, 0x0020, "P0:0020" )
 	PORT_DIPSETTING(      0x0000, "0000" )
 	PORT_DIPSETTING(      0x0020, "0020" )
@@ -326,136 +288,10 @@ uint16_t gpl162xx_lcdtype_state::io_7860_r()
 	return ret;
 }
 
-// TODO: make this a device, the unk6502_st2xxx.cpp units use the same thing
-void gpl162xx_lcdtype_state::tx_menu_cmd(uint8_t command)
-{
-	// additions and subtractions here are likely also meant to be done as high byte and low byte
-	if (m_menustate == MENU_READY_FOR_COMMAND)
-	{
-		if (command == 0x00)
-		{
-			m_menustate = MENU_COMMAND_00_IN;
-			m_datain = m_menupos & 0xff;
-		}
-		else if (command == 0x01)
-		{
-			m_menustate = MENU_COMMAND_01_IN;
-			m_datain = (m_menupos >> 8) & 0xff;
-		}
-		else if (command == 0x02)
-		{
-			m_menustate = MENU_COMMAND_02_IN;
-		}
-		else if (command == 0x03)
-		{
-			m_menustate = MENU_COMMAND_03_IN;
-		}
-		else if (command == 0x04)
-		{
-			m_menustate = MENU_COMMAND_04_IN;
-		}
-		else if (command == 0x05)
-		{
-			m_menustate = MENU_COMMAND_05_IN;
-		}
-		else if (command == 0x09)
-		{
-			// ...
-		}
-		else if ((command) == 0x10)
-		{
-			// this is followed by 0x1b, written if you try to move right off last entry
-			m_menupos = 0x00;
-		}
-		else if (command == 0x30)
-		{
-			m_menupos++;
-		}
-		else if (command == 0x37)
-		{
-			m_menupos--;
-		}
-		else if (command == 0x39)
-		{
-			m_menupos -= 4;
-		}
-		else if (command == 0x2c)
-		{
-			m_menupos = 0x01;
-		}
-		else
-		{
-			LOGMASKED(LOG_GPL162XX_LCDTYPE_SELECT_SIM, "tx_menu_cmd %02x (unknown)\n", command);
-		}
-	}
-	else if (m_menustate == MENU_COMMAND_00_IN)
-	{
-		m_menustate = MENU_READY_FOR_COMMAND;
-	}
-	else if (m_menustate == MENU_COMMAND_01_IN)
-	{
-		m_menustate = MENU_READY_FOR_COMMAND;
-	}
-	else if (m_menustate == MENU_COMMAND_02_IN)
-	{
-		m_menupos = (m_menupos & 0xff00) | ((command - 0x8) & 0xff);
-		m_menustate = MENU_READY_FOR_COMMAND;
-	}
-	else if (m_menustate == MENU_COMMAND_03_IN)
-	{
-		m_menupos = (m_menupos & 0x00ff) | (((command - 0x9) & 0xff) << 8);
-		m_menustate = MENU_READY_FOR_COMMAND;
-	}
-	else if (m_menustate == MENU_COMMAND_04_IN)
-	{
-		if (command == 0x0d)
-			m_menupos += 4;
-		else if (command == 0x0a)
-			m_menupos += 0;
-		// used if you try to scroll up or left past 0 and the value becomes too large (a negative number)
-		// actually writes 0x314 split into 2 commands, so the 2nd write to 0x04 with param then instead 0b/16 sequence of writes instead of 26/0c adds to the high byte?
-		else if (command == 0x1e)
-			m_menupos += 0x310;
-
-		m_menustate = MENU_READY_FOR_COMMAND;
-	}
-	else if (m_menustate == MENU_COMMAND_05_IN)
-	{
-		// used if you try to scroll down past the and the value becomes too large
-		// actually writes 0x313 split into 2 commands, so the 2nd write to 0x05 with param then instead 0b/16 sequence of writes instead of 26/0c subtracts from the high byte?
-		if (command == 0x0b)
-		{
-			m_menupos -= 0xdc;
-		}
-		else if (command == 0x0e)
-		{
-			m_menupos -= 0x314;
-		}
-
-		m_menustate = MENU_READY_FOR_COMMAND;
-	}
-}
-
 void gpl162xx_lcdtype_state::io_7860_w(uint16_t data)
 {
-	if (data & 0x20)
-	{
-		m_bit08state = 1;
-	}
-	else
-	{
-		m_bit08state = 0;
-		m_latchdata <<= 1;
-		m_latchdata |= ((data & 0x10) >> 4);
-		m_latchinbit = (m_datain >> (7 - m_latchpos)) & 1;
-		m_latchpos++;
-
-		if (m_latchpos == 8)
-		{
-			m_latchpos = 0;
-			tx_menu_cmd(m_latchdata);
-		}
-	}
+	m_menucontrol->data_w((data & 0x10)>>4);
+	m_menucontrol->clock_w((data & 0x20)>>5);
 
 	m_7860 = data;
 }
@@ -469,7 +305,7 @@ void gpl162xx_lcdtype_state::unk_7863_w(uint16_t data)
 	// probably port direction (or 7862 is?)
 	if (data == 0x3cf7)
 	{
-		m_latchpos = 0;
+		m_menucontrol->reset_w(1);
 	}
 }
 
@@ -979,8 +815,6 @@ void gpl162xx_lcdtype_state::machine_reset()
 // first menu index is stored here
 //  m_spirom[0x16000] = gamenum & 0xff;
 //  m_spirom[0x16001] = (gamenum>>8) & 0xff;
-
-	m_menupos = 0;
 }
 
 WRITE_LINE_MEMBER(gpl162xx_lcdtype_state::screen_vblank)
@@ -1012,6 +846,10 @@ void gpl162xx_lcdtype_state::gpl162xx_lcdtype(machine_config &config)
 	m_screen->screen_vblank().set(FUNC(gpl162xx_lcdtype_state::screen_vblank));
 
 	PALETTE(config, m_palette).set_format(palette_device::xBGR_555, 0x8000);
+
+	BL_HANDHELDS_MENUCONTROL(config, m_menucontrol, 0);
+	m_menucontrol->set_is_unsp_type_hack();
+
 }
 
 // pcp8718 and pcp8728 both contain user data (player name?) and will need to be factory defaulted once they work