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need a tiny MBoard
djlins:
Yeah - thanks for the ideas. I love all this thinking outside of the box.
However I am a software engineer by trade and I like the fact that I can tailor it myself. I want to customise the interface rather than be bound to other companies gaming interfaces.
If I had it as a Nano Board running Linux or Windows then theoretically I could run loads of different emulators to have access to all of the driving games.
Things like the Genesis, N64, Snes, MAME, FinalBurn all running through my own menu system.
Plus if I can get a little bit more knowledge on what the OnLive crew are doing then theoretically at some point I would like to run a video player on there and stream full HD PC games like need for speed hot pursuit, or Driver San Francisco to it from my main gaming rig.
But that may come later on.
For now I just want a fully configurable Linux or Windows system so it leaves my future options open.
Cheers again,
L
gonzo90017:
--- Quote ---Plus if I can get a little bit more knowledge on what the OnLive crew are doing then theoretically at some point I would like to run a video player on there and stream full HD PC games like need for speed hot pursuit, or Driver San Francisco to it from my main gaming rig.
But that may come later on.
--- End quote ---
Interesting. Keep us posted.
bkenobi:
nm
404:
--- Quote from: djlins on October 21, 2011, 06:25:05 am ---Yeah - thanks for the ideas. I love all this thinking outside of the box.
However I am a software engineer by trade and I like the fact that I can tailor it myself. I want to customise the interface rather than be bound to other companies gaming interfaces.
If I had it as a Nano Board running Linux or Windows then theoretically I could run loads of different emulators to have access to all of the driving games.
Things like the Genesis, N64, Snes, MAME, FinalBurn all running through my own menu system.
Plus if I can get a little bit more knowledge on what the OnLive crew are doing then theoretically at some point I would like to run a video player on there and stream full HD PC games like need for speed hot pursuit, or Driver San Francisco to it from my main gaming rig.
But that may come later on.
For now I just want a fully configurable Linux or Windows system so it leaves my future options open.
Cheers again,
L
--- End quote ---
I'm currently in the planning phase of an ITX Mame bartop. Your biggest issue with these form factors is going to be raw computing power. Inherently VIA units lack the raw computing power you may need for some of these emulators, in particular Mame. They serve a completely different purpose in the PC ecosystem. You may want to rethink your plans if you want to do so much with this little computer.
Turnarcades:
We also work with tiny solutions a lot with experimental compact designs. As stated above, the problem you will get is that anything smaller than Mini-ITX is designed with minimal, functional applications in mind and will be mostly underpowered and have poor on-board graphics and sound capabilities, whereas Mini-ItX's tend to have decent on-board solutions for compact but more fancy terminal uses and compact projects. Running Linux is one solution (although it limits your choice of emulation software) but unless you are going for simple classics, I'd say to use something intended for compact designs but with a bit more grunt, so that's either bigging up with a Mini-ITX or using a mobile solution like a Wiz, Dingoo or PSP hack. Of course then you're looking at a lack of configurability so be careful.