Jumped into the Pi frenzy

[Adultery]

Crap, now I gotta buy another one.

Although it bums me out they didn't add more RAM, I read somewhere it would only bump the manufacturing price up about $1.65/unit, and that's what I really wanna see in a new board revision. I'd gladly pony up the extra $5 on list for another gig of RAM.

[hansolo77]

Um, you have working PS vibration?  Send me the deets! 

[hansolo77]

5 hours ago, Adultery said:

Crap, now I gotta buy another one.

Although it bums me out they didn't add more RAM, I read somewhere it would only bump the manufacturing price up about $1.65/unit, and that's what I really wanna see in a new board revision. I'd gladly pony up the extra $5 on list for another gig of RAM.

I read that too, and you're right.  $5 (more than that $1.65) is worth it for more performance.  The problem is, the device was never designed and intended to be used as a work force like tool.  It wasn't meant to be a computer replacement.  It was meant to be a cheap educational tool to allow students in like Elementary School to learn the basics of programming.  People jumped on board in the masses once everybody got familiar and ideas started forming of it's potential.  I get that we need more performance for our Retro needs, but that's not what it was designed for.  There are other more costly solutions.  Things with really good processors and tons of ram.  I personally would like to see USB3 and GigaBit ethernet.  But I'm cool with what is available at the cost.  It's for kids, you know?  I remember spending $189 on a graphing calculator for high school.  This Pi could do circles around that thing for $35 bucks. 

[Adultery]

I'm with you on that, but there are also other options in the Pi family itself for the learning experience piece. But you're right, I'm less concerned about cost than the average user might be, and they seem to be intent on sticking to the price point which is fine. It just bums me out a little is all.

[Draco1962]

I think that a Pi would suit my needs, except that kinda like the Windows universe. If not for that, my emulation needs are simple and that is mainly for MAME (arcade, not all the emulated consoles, etc.), DAPHNE,  Neo Geo, and some of the TypeX offerings and that is about it.

[Adultery]

It's a neat little gadget and it's cool as a showpiece when you're around non-nerd types. I didn't think it would suit me either until I got one for Christmas a few years ago, and now I dig playing around with it. It's one of those things you just don't know you wanted until you start dinking around with one.

But like most of us here, I tinker more than I play, so maybe it's just an itch I have.

[hansolo77]

Yup, tinker more than play.  lol  I'm still holding out hope for some pinball.  Maybe those guys over at RetroArch can make a port of VisualPinball into their future builds.

[Draco1962]

13 hours ago, Adultery said:

It's a neat little gadget and it's cool as a showpiece when you're around non-nerd types. I didn't think it would suit me either until I got one for Christmas a few years ago, and now I dig playing around with it. It's one of those things you just don't know you wanted until you start dinking around with one.

But like most of us here, I tinker more than I play, so maybe it's just an itch I have.

I am finding myself wanting to play more than tinker lately. 

[Adultery]

I hear ya there for sure, and I've been playing too. RetroAchievements give me purpose.

[Draco1962]

I think my motivation is a rebound from having put a lot of time into trying to help others and troubleshooting using my own setup. Now that I am free of that responsibility or expectation, while I am still tinkering and tweaking, I am doing it for myself. Kinda nice having some selfish time and not feeling obligated to helping others all the time.  

[hansolo77]

9 hours ago, Adultery said:

I hear ya there for sure, and I've been playing too. RetroAchievements give me purpose.

This has brought me back to emulation after a lull.  So happy it exists and is working!

[ClassicGMR]

 

Got my hands on an X-Arcade Solo today. Only thing missing is a DB9 Male/Male coupler. Once I get that in I am going to drop one of my Raspberry Pi systems in it and a fan.

 

[hansolo77]

What are all the extra buttons for?  The white one I guess you could use for coin or start, or universal exit.  But what about the 2 at the bottom?  I've only ever needed 6 buttons total, and even then it was for fighting games that actually really only needed 5.  I guess some NeoGeo games use 4 buttons.  But 8+1?  Anyway, I'll probably go that same route some day, and maybe just include an externally accessible USB port/hub for Keyboard/Mouse and stuff.

[RedDog]

I always thought of the two buttons at the bottom to represent the right and left shoulder buttons from gamepads.

[Adultery]

Doesn't Street Fighter use 6 buttons? Plus Start is 7.

N64 had 9, not that there's enough joystick for that console, but still.

[ClassicGMR]

13 hours ago, hansolo77 said:

What are all the extra buttons for?  The white one I guess you could use for coin or start, or universal exit.  But what about the 2 at the bottom?  I've only ever needed 6 buttons total, and even then it was for fighting games that actually really only needed 5.  I guess some NeoGeo games use 4 buttons.  But 8+1?  Anyway, I'll probably go that same route some day, and maybe just include an externally accessible USB port/hub for Keyboard/Mouse and stuff.

Well on the Tankstick on my Arcade cabinet I use the bottom 4 buttons for shoulder buttons when needed but, more importantly, I use them for the universal exit configuration in GameEx.

On the Solo? Pretty sure there are a ton of buttons to configure them to.

------------------------------------------------

EDIT: I forgot about my Super Kuma 9000 case! Came in yesterday and I had it up in 10 minutes. Case includes a custom board that connects to the GPIO which adds functional Power and Reset switches. The shutdown script installed fairly quickly. I REALLY like this thing! Only $19.91 on their homepage and Amazon.

[RIP-Felix]

I like that case...A LOT!! Specifically, I like that heatsink!!!

Question: Does it work with a Pi 3  rev. B+ ? I saw a review saying it doesn't?

[Adultery]

It fits in there, but the heat sink doesn't fit and the scripts don't work that control the sliders. But I'm sure the script will be updated, so it's really more about how important the heat sink is to you.

I just bought one, it's pretty dope looking!! Nice find!

[RIP-Felix]

There is this case too, if anyone is interested. I made my own using a 3D printer, but this is of better build quality. But it doesn't have working cartridges like mine, so take that!

[RIP-Felix]

On 3/6/2018 at 11:12 PM, stigzler said:

+1 on the Odroid XU4. I've had 3 and all solid. That alongside RecalBox = a reliable combination. 

Does the XU4 handle N64 emulation well? Last I read there wasn't a solution in this form factor that can handle it flawlessly, like proper computer can. I really want to make a miniNES/SNES that can also do N64 emulation. It's blatently missing on my other pi builds - NEStalgia (a 3D printed case + Pi3B) and SNEStalgia (a SNES classic edition hack).

[hansolo77]

From what I understand, there will probably never be a small form factor device that can do N64 emulation.  It would require a much beefier GPU than what is available.  The only way we can get it would be if Nintendo were to release a N64-Classic, and they did some fancy work on a custom board.  Then maybe we can hack it and add more games to it.  As it is right now, I can't even play N64 very well on my PC, let alone a device like a Pi.  I do (finally) have N64 working about 50% on my NesPi.  It's at extremely low, pixelated resolution, with no sound.  But I can play Super Mario 64 and earn cheevos. 

[Adultery]

N64 runs pretty fair on Android, at least the games I've played do. Admittedly I haven't "thrown the book" at N64, but I have my favorites that run great. And I use a Fire TV 2, which is a small form factor...

Never had too much of an issue on PC either personally, maybe I'm just lucky.

[RIP-Felix]

I use Project 64 and most of the games I play are pretty good. Even when I didn't have a beefy PC, N64 has been pretty solid for a long time. Jet force Gemini and Banjo Kazooie have some messed up sprites, but nothing major. No slowdowns or crashes. It was one of thoes systems that I thought a Pi should be able to handle, but aparantly they don't have very much in the GPU.

I'd consider using an intel NUC, if they weren't so expensive.

[stigzler]

20 hours ago, RIP-Felix said:

Does the XU4 handle N64 emulation well? Last I read there wasn't a solution in this form factor that can handle it flawlessly, like proper computer can. I really want to make a miniNES/SNES that can also do N64 emulation. It's blatently missing on my other pi builds - NEStalgia (a 3D printed case + Pi3B) and SNEStalgia (a SNES classic edition hack).

Yes - it handles it well. Conkers Bad Fur day runs full speed. 

[ClassicGMR]

14 hours ago, hansolo77 said:

From what I understand, there will probably never be a small form factor device that can do N64 emulation.

Not so fast...