Main Restorations Software Audio/Jukebox/MP3 Everything Else Buy/Sell/Trade
Project Announcements Monitor/Video GroovyMAME Merit/JVL Touchscreen Meet Up Retail Vendors
Driving & Racing Woodworking Software Support Forums Consoles Project Arcade Reviews
Automated Projects Artwork Frontend Support Forums Pinball Forum Discussion Old Boards
Raspberry Pi & Dev Board controls.dat Linux Miscellaneous Arcade Wiki Discussion Old Archives
Lightguns Arcade1Up Try the site in https mode Site News

Unread posts | New Replies | Recent posts | Rules | Chatroom | Wiki | File Repository | RSS | Submit news

  

Author Topic: Which retro console to do next (retropie)  (Read 2727 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

severdhed

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2971
  • Last login:October 07, 2022, 04:45:32 pm
  • RIP Dinosaur Hippo
Which retro console to do next (retropie)
« on: October 18, 2015, 01:26:46 am »
I thoroughly enjoyed my SNES-pi project. It was a ton of fun making. My oldesy son (8) came to me the other day asking if we could do some kind of electronics project together. My 6 year old son asked to join in also. So I got to thinking about what we could do that they could help with. As much as I'd love to build another mame cabinet, my wife would kill me. (And I don't have any room for a 3rd cabinet). So I thought a raspberry pi powered console project would be a good place to start. I want it to be mounted in an original console case, with the original controller ports functional.


Initially I planned on an n64, but the emulation just isn't smooth enough. I already have the SNES, so I'm torn between an NES, genesis, or PlayStation.  I'm going to have to buy some stuff either way.

 I currently have a spare raspberry pi b+, which would work fine for the nes or genesis. I'd have to pick up a pi2 for the psx to run properly.  I also have a broken genesis 1 and a broken PlayStation, I'd have to buy a broken nes if I went that route.

No matter which way I go, I need to buy the controller to usb adapters.

the genesis seems to make the most sense, since I have the case and the pi to do it, but it is an original genesis, so I don't know what I would do with that stupid volume slider....and also the player two port is missing a pin, so I'd have to fix that.

The PlayStation could be fun, but due to the size of the games, I'd most likely need to add a hard drive, and I'd have to probably add a powered usb hub to power it.

The nes is a tru classic though, and I can't help but want one of those also, even though my SNES already has the nes games on it.

So, what should I do?

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

Current Projects:      Zak-Man | TMNT Pedestal | SNES Pi | N64 Odroid
Former Projects:     4 Player Showcase | Donkey Kong | iCade

DaOld Man

  • Trade Count: (+4)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 5139
  • Last login:December 13, 2023, 12:03:14 am
  • Wheres my coffee?
    • Skenny's Outpost
Re: Which retro console to do next (retropie)
« Reply #1 on: October 18, 2015, 06:26:03 am »
I would say the NES, since you already have the case. But a real challenge would be a Wii case.
About using the original controller ports: After doing it both ways, I think using USB ports allows you to easily swap between different controllers.
Unless you are planning on keeping the NES (should you decide to go that route) playing only NES games, original controllers are fine.
But if you want to run SNES or just about any other emul, you will have problems with the NES controllers.

That volume slider would be neat if you could incorporate it into the Pi volume control, so that the slider pot does what it is really meant to do.
Maybe an analog to digital converter fed into the Pi? Now that would be some very good electronic learning.
However, I have found that on emulation station, the volume on the AV jack to tv is not very loud, so I have to turn the Pi volume up to 100% to not have to turn the volume way up on the TV.
Turning the volume up on the TV makes the hum from the PI much more noticeable. I need to experiment more with the HDMI to tv volume. I havent noticed any hum in it.

Whatever you decide to do, good luck and enjoy the time with your sons.

severdhed

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2971
  • Last login:October 07, 2022, 04:45:32 pm
  • RIP Dinosaur Hippo
Re: Which retro console to do next (retropie)
« Reply #2 on: October 18, 2015, 11:23:22 am »
The plan is to have a dedicated system that plays only that System's games.  I have my pi SNES setup with SNES, nes, TurboGrafx, and genesis games right now. The SNES pad works well with most, but the genesis just feels weird.   

I have lots of ways to play emulated games: modded Xbox, wii with homebrew channel, mame cabinets, and my pi snes....However it all comes back to the controller. It just feels better playing with the original controller.   

I think I'd like to end up with multiple pi powered retro console, instead of one unit that does everything.  Just like having a dedicated cabinet for your favorite games just feels better than playing it on a generic 6 button mame setup.



Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

Current Projects:      Zak-Man | TMNT Pedestal | SNES Pi | N64 Odroid
Former Projects:     4 Player Showcase | Donkey Kong | iCade

Slippyblade

  • Trade Count: (+2)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3167
  • Last login:November 16, 2023, 11:39:51 am
  • And to the death god we say, "Not today!"
Re: Which retro console to do next (retropie)
« Reply #3 on: October 18, 2015, 05:09:10 pm »
I think I'd like to end up with multiple pi powered retro console, instead of one unit that does everything.  Just like having a dedicated cabinet for your favorite games just feels better than playing it on a generic 6 button mame setup.

Yeah, this is my eventual goal as well.  I'd like several original cases under my TV, each with real controllers playing only that system's games.  Would be awesome.

Locke141

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1690
  • Last login:February 03, 2024, 06:00:00 am
  • Never grow up.
Re: Which retro console to do next (retropie)
« Reply #4 on: October 19, 2015, 05:15:31 am »
For what you want to do I would do the Genesis is your best beat.   

I think you could use the volume slider controls for the head phone jack by connecting it to the R-pi's head phone jack to the existing Genesis one. I don't know but it seem like it should be posable. The link below may be helpful.

https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Sega+Genesis+Motherboard+Replacement/3770

I want do have to do something similar to having one of these for ever system but with original hard ware with an ever drive for each one.