Need advice on Classic Console Emu box

[mgb]

I'm looking to do an HTPC type of build and I can use some advice.
  I wanna keep it at a budget of around $400-500 and I will be collecting the parts as side work money comes in.
  What I really want to accomplish here is to have a stable setup that hooks up to my flatscreen (must have both VGA and HDMI)
  For emulators, I plan on only the classics: Atari, C64, NES, SNES, Genesis, NEO GEO and I plan on having some MAME on there too.
I'd like to try Hyperspin for the frontend.
I'm not really into the early 3D stuff so I'm not planning on PS or anything.
 
 I'm thinking about this combo from Newegg:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.951166
 
Or Maybe an Asus F1A75M-Pro with the same APU from the above bundle.

I figure 8G of DDR3 Ram should be enough.
 
I plan to install Windows 7 Home (64 bit) but I may at first set it up with XP before getting 7

I'd appreciate any input on this equipment or maybe other Mobos and what not.
I'd like to keep with an APU rather than a seperate video card

[Nephasth]

Whatever you do, try to stuff it iniside a classic console case.

[mgb]

Nah, I plan on using a standard htpc case for this one.... But I do have an NES sitting around....

[RyoriNoTetsujin]

I'm looking to do an HTPC type of build and I can use some advice.
  I wanna keep it at a budget of around $400-500 and I will be collecting the parts as side work money comes in.
  What I really want to accomplish here is to have a stable setup that hooks up to my flatscreen (must have both VGA and HDMI)
  For emulators, I plan on only the classics: Atari, C64, NES, SNES, Genesis, NEO GEO and I plan on having some MAME on there too.
I'd like to try Hyperspin for the frontend.
I'm not really into the early 3D stuff so I'm not planning on PS or anything.
 
 I'm thinking about this combo from Newegg:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.951166
 
Or Maybe an Asus F1A75M-Pro with the same APU from the above bundle.

I figure 8G of DDR3 Ram should be enough.
 
I plan to install Windows 7 Home (64 bit) but I may at first set it up with XP before getting 7

I'd appreciate any input on this equipment or maybe other Mobos and what not.
I'd like to keep with an APU rather than a seperate video card

If you're sticking to just consoles and 2D MAME stuff, you could get away with much, much less I'd think. Especially if you drop Hyperspin as a frontend.  8 gigs of RAM is most certainly overkill in any case (but hey, RAM is cheap...)

Also, why bother with Win7 if you've already got a copy of XP around? Given what you're planning on playing, I don't think you're going to see much of a noticable performance increase.

There's a guy on here somewhere who has a similar setup based on an AMD E-350 embedded mobo (like this one: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157247). He was having some sound issues, but that may have been software.

Given your budget, it's totally doable, in many possible configurations. Just depends on what your priorities are, methinks... but I will say that a mini-itx mobo will in fact fit inside an NES... 

[ark_ader]

Used Xbox 1 is like $20

 

Oh OK PBJ so you are using my Xbox1 gag now eh? 


Yep get a Xbox1 and then take it all apart, lose the DVD drive and stuff it into a Tatung Einstein.  Job done.

Or you can order a Raspberry Pi stick XBMC on and forget about it.

[paigeoliver]

2D emulation of nearly every system was running full speed on what was current hardware 12 years ago. If you were to find an old PC in an alley, it would run all the 2d stuff full speed provided it had enough ram to function properly (that was a serious problem with budget hardware up until a few years ago).

Hyperspin however is an absolute beast and requires a fairly current gaming PC to run it.

So what is more important to you, the games or the frontend?

[mgb]

Yeah, I guess you're all right. I guess part of it is that I may plan to use it for other uses too but it really won't be more than the classic 2d stuff and then I'll use it for dvd playing and internet surfing.
The games are most definitely more important than the frontend. That's the same decision I made on my Mame cab when I went with Mala for my frontend.

I kinda was against the idea of mounting a mini-itx in an NES enclosure but I'm warming up to it.

[RyoriNoTetsujin]

Yeah, I guess you're all right. I guess part of it is that I may plan to use it for other uses too but it really won't be more than the classic 2d stuff and then I'll use it for dvd playing and internet surfing...

I suspected that. If you're planning on using it for anything, and I mean anything else, then I am of the camp that says maximize your power based on your budget.  Shop thoroughly, buy it once, don't regret your purchase.

The good news is, since you're planning on rolling your own system, $500-$600 can get you a hell of a lot of power these days.  Certainly more than enough to run what you currently want and then some, including Hyperspin.

And you can even have your 8gb of RAM (which I still think is overkill! But hey, RAM is cheap! )

As for the NES, I wouldn't bother with it really. It's just a neat idea I've seen done a few times.

[mgb]

So I went and shelved this project idea for a bit. My plans are really just to work on it as money and interest allow.
I've changed my mind a little on what I wanna get out of this project. I plan to also use it as an HTPC basically for stored and streamed video and online flash games.  Of course the primary purpose will be for old school console emulation and Mame.
I'm looking forward to some of the games that I can't run on cabinet. 

I'm definitely sticking with Hyperspin. I have been running some setups and all on an external hard drive, using my laptop and its been testing out well except for Zsnes crashing on exit often.

So I really want flexability with this build so when my mind changes (and it probably will) I'm not completely restricted. That being said, I still wanna keep it realistic. I don't plan on playing the latest lan games or anything.

I'm planning on ordering some stuff this weekend.
I'm planning on going with an
Asus F1A55-M/CSM mother board with an
AMD A6-3670 2.7Ghz APU

I think this will give me a good versatile system.
The mobo has usb 2.0 as well as 3.0 and it has vga, dvi and hdmi ports and the APU should be fine for my graphic needs without a seperate video card.
This seems like a good setup for around $180.

I already purchased a Thermaltake Lanbox lite for this project.

For now I plan on using XP and 4G of Memory. This system will be fine for a 64bit upgrade if desired.