Raspberry pi zero, $5

[severdhed]

https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/raspberry-pi-zero/

I looked briefly, seems comparable to original pi b in specs, for the price, it might be a good choice for some retro gaming projects

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

[Grasshopper]

Hmm. Interesting. The $5 price tag is a bit of a sleigh-of-hand. If you check out the links, the cheapest price I'm seeing is £6.50 (including shipping). But nevertheless, it's still a lot cheaper than a regular Pi.

I've been toying with the idea of building a small Jakks-Pacific style joystick fitted with japanese controls, and a Raspberry Pi for some time now. The regular Pi is a little on the large size for this project, but this new model might just fit the bill.

I'm just not sure whether I can live with the Arm V6 processor and only 512MB of RAM. However, if they came out with a version of the Pi2 in this form factor, I'd bite their hand off.

[pbj]

$5 and in stock at Microcenter....

[ChanceKJ]

.

[opt2not]

that £5 becomes $30 CDN when it gets over here. Ugh, so stupid. we need a global currency.

[yotsuya]

Awesome. More Core2Duos for me.

[big10p]

There's one 'free' on the cover of The MagPi magazine, here in the UK (dunno if it's sold in any other countries). A computer free on the front of a mag. Crazy times.

https://www.raspberrypi.org/magpi/issues/40

[ChanceKJ]

.

[SavannahLion]

Yeah that price caught my eye. I was going to use it in lieu of the C.H.I.P. until I realized what they removed to get in at the $5 mark.

It's still a nice board since it does things the C.H.I.P. can't do and it has the HUGE community support that's still not defined for CHIP. If you can get it, with shipping, cheaper than comparable boards, give it a good hard look.

As for those with insane shipping costs to their countries, what are your options for similar product?

[JDFan]

As for those with insane shipping costs to their countries, what are your options for similar product?

Might also be worth seeing what it would cost to get a copy of the magazine with it included shipped to you ( Not sure about other countries but the US offers a pretty steep discount in postage for magazines and books - which might be why they included it in the magazine. )

[flash1987]

Definitely going to pick one up in a month or so once the madness around it stops.

[big10p]

Yeah, I was gonna run to Chapters and see if they sold it in their magazine section. Haha.

I was thinking more of other European countries and possibly Australasia. Not everyone around here lives in the States, ya know. 

[matsadona]

Sweet little thing that is. But, what could you do with the composite video without any analog audio output?

[Slippyblade]

It's easy enough to get the analog out.

[ChanceKJ]

.

[big10p]

Yeah, I was gonna run to Chapters and see if they sold it in their magazine section. Haha.

I was thinking more of other European countries and possibly Australasia. Not everyone around here lives in the States, ya know. 

I'm in Canada.

I've never seen it on the shelf, mind you, i don't think i can tell you when the last time i even bothered to glance at a magazine section in a store was.

Me neither. I used to buy mags all the time but don't even bother looking, these days.

[matsadona]

It's easy enough to get the analog out.

Through the GPIO pins or what? Please elaborate.


Edit:
Found this: https://learn.adafruit.com/introducing-the-raspberry-pi-zero/audio-outputs
So by reassigning some GPIO pins, recompile some parts, build a rudimentary RC-filter, then you can get analog audio out. Well, perhaps not considered as "easy enough" for everyone 

[Slippyblade]

...perhaps not considered as "easy enough" for everyone 

Considering the other stuff we on this board hack together, a circuit consisting of 2 resistors and 2 caps and a little code tweak should be easy enough.

[lettuce]

Hurry up and announce the Raspberry Pi 3 already!

[nitrogen_widget]

...perhaps not considered as "easy enough" for everyone 

Considering the other stuff we on this board hack together, a circuit consisting of 2 resistors and 2 caps and a little code tweak should be easy enough.

Or you can just use a cheap hdmi to vga with audio out converter you use with your rpi 1 & 2.

[aldub516]

ive been working on some really cool projects recently with the Pi2. Fun times. But i have a question for the technical people.. How does the original model b, Or this new zero model handle classic game? say robotron/digdug type of games? i didnt grab any of these when i could have because i didnt know what they can handle.. Whats the word on performance for classic games on these older models/ zero models?

[paigeoliver]

Now you just need a $3 monitor, some 15 cent joysticks, some 5 cent buttons and some thin cardboard to build the cabinet out of to round out your build.

You get what you pay for.

[aldub516]

Im not sure if that was in response to me.. But if it does what it needs to, then thats all i need. I certainly have no use for it, as the pi 2 is keeping my projects occupied. I was just generally curious as to what it can handle.. Im currently building a bunch of mini dedicated machines, and if it can boot old classic 4 way games and process a few pushbuttons and a video output.. it would be 5 bucks very well spent. Alas, i applaud their theory of learning and making these things available. I learned a whole lot of new things just from trying to figure out small stuff on the pi. Its cool for the semi-noob to get into electronics. Im not great at technical terms and understanding so i dont really comprehend actual brute strength specs of the pi's and stuff like that, so i have no idea what the older pis, or this zero can do. 

[SavannahLion]

ive been working on some really cool projects recently with the Pi2. Fun times. But i have a question for the technical people.. How does the original model b, Or this new zero model handle classic game? say robotron/digdug type of games? i didnt grab any of these when i could have because i didnt know what they can handle.. Whats the word on performance for classic games on these older models/ zero models?

They use the same ARMv6 present on all RasPi models overclocked to 1GHz. It should be on par if not better than the A or B models in terms of performance. Not sure about the RAM there so that would make a difference. I suspect you're going to need those extra cycles to pick up any slack from missing hardware if you're going to need them. We'll see how it flies.

Pi2 uses a quad core ARMv7. Not a fair comparison.

It's a sexy board but if you start wanting things like Wifi, Ethernet or whatever else this board is lacking, judge the original Pi's carefully. That extra hardware will add up quickly.

[matsadona]

...perhaps not considered as "easy enough" for everyone 

Considering the other stuff we on this board hack together, a circuit consisting of 2 resistors and 2 caps and a little code tweak should be easy enough.

Or you can just use a cheap hdmi to vga with audio out converter you use with your rpi 1 & 2.

For me personally it is not a problem doing the hardware stuff. However I am a total Linux noob, so I am more or less hitting the roof doing basic configurations via the sudo command and so on. So recompiling parts of the OS would be the big hurdle for me.
Right now the Pi Zero is totally sold out, so this is something for pure speculation (or the future).

Anyway, I need 15 to 20 units for an exhibition connected to old CRT TV's (with composite video) simply looping some videos. I was planning for the A+ model, since I don't need network or a lot of USB ports. So the Zero would be awesome, mainly because of the price.

[Locke141]

Anyway, I need 15 to 20 units for an exhibition connected to old CRT TV's (with composite video) simply looping some videos. I was planning for the A+ model, since I don't need network or a lot of USB ports. So the Zero would be awesome, mainly because of the price.

You should not need to recompile. This was already covered in the Raspberry pi/DEV board section

You are correct.

https://www.raspberrypi.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=91&t=86609

Here is a quick comparison I made and posted about chip. (Note: On the Chip I listed that comes with the composite cable but looking on my backer kick it seem that its actually a $5 add on. Thanks SavannahLion

Awesome. More Core2Duos for me.

Your right, it's not like any has ever done a series of project where they used both and the R-Pi turned out to be the better fit.

[yotsuya]

Awesome. More Core2Duos for me.

Your right, it's not like any has ever done a series of project where they used both and the R-Pi turned out to be the better fit..

Your assumption is that I would ever build something that tiny and slim. You script kiddies stick with the Pi, ii'll take a MicroATX board any day.

[SavannahLion]

@Locke141

Check it again. I believe it comes with the composite and if you want an extra for some strange reason, then it's a $5 add-on.

That tripped me up and pissed me off initially.  I had to read the backers extra careful to make sure the $9 wasn't a crap price.

Correction: I just looked. The $9, $19 and $150 pledges come with composite cables. The other levels (except one) have alternate display methods included.

[pbj]

The problem with the Pi in this hobby are two fold. 

One, if you unplug it, the SD card takes a ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- and you have to start over.

Two, the people that use them are the same dismissive ---uvulas--- that pollute every other aspect of using linux.  It's never a matter of HOW to do something, one must start with WHY they want to do it, provide extensive justification, and be told that while what you propose is possible no thinking individual would do such a thing.

Even a couple of the 'script kiddie' friendly arcade distributions I've downloaded have clock stopping issues and authors not amenable to fixing anything.

[Locke141]

Your assumption is that I would ever build something that tiny and slim. You script kiddies stick with the Pi, ii'll take a MicroATX board any day.

I think I assumed that you not the only person building stuff.

For me the nice part of the Raspberry Pi is the community, educational aspect, and the low price point. I have a Model 2 running retro Diet-pi hooked up to my living room TV. In my experience, I'd agree in this hobby you are almost always better off using an old PC. That does not mean there are not other situations where they are the better option.     

[yotsuya]

Your assumption is that I would ever build something that tiny and slim. You script kiddies stick with the Pi, ii'll take a MicroATX board any day.

I think I assumed that you not the only person building stuff.

For me the nice part of the Raspberry Pi is the community, educational aspect, and the low price point. I have a Model 2 running retro Diet-pi hooked up to my living room TV. In my experience, I'd agree in this hobby you are almost always better off using an old PC. That does not mean there are not other situations where they are the better option.   

Sure. That's why I said "Awesome" in my post. More options for those of you guys that like to use the device. But it also means less competition for those more robust machines for people like me who don't use the Pi.

No need to defend the device. Save it for Paige ' s posts, he really hates the thing.

[aldub516]

I personally got into the PI to learn new things.. even if it directly doesnt pertain to other things, i believe rounding out knowledge and skills always helps down the line. In my case, the Pi is a PERFECT choice. Im building super small dedicated cabinets for a "client".. the pi and image i use, starts up, boots straight into a rom, and thats it. It is a read-only card so i can unplug it an time i want with no problem. That lets me build a bunch of these machines and keep them on a shelf on a power strip. Thats the idea atleast. Its all relative to the needed outcome. For me, the pi is awesome for now

[paigeoliver]

No need to defend the device. Save it for Paige ' s posts, he really hates the thing.

I have always said that the pi is the worst possible choice you can make for mame.

I have challenged pi users to tell me about something worse.

They have never been able to do so.

[yotsuya]

[vwalbridge]

No need to defend the device. Save it for Paige ' s posts, he really hates the thing.

I have always said that the pi is the worst possible choice you can make for mame.

I have challenged pi users to tell me about something worse.

They have never been able to do so.

I have not personally used the Pi for anything... so to be fair, I can't bash it since I haven't tried it. But more importantly, I have ZERO need to TO try it. I've built my share of small (micro even) arcade machines and I could of had a perfectly good excuse to use one, but I didn't.

Now that there are really good options out there like the Kangaroo PC, Zotac Pico, Intel NUC, Intel Stick...I have less than zero desire to try the Pi.

To sum it up:  The Pi is a perfect example of "money talks". In other words...I'm totally convinced that people use the Pi based purely on price. If it wasn't so damned cheap, nobody would give 2 rips about it.

[ark_ader]

I have only one use for my original first run RasberryPi B and it is for Williams Multicade games for my Stargate.  I have tried the rest of the games with Mame4All, and they are just slow.

[severdhed]

wow, there is some real hate for the pi on here.    I know it isn't ideal for every project.  you also have to remember that while this is an arcade forum, many of us get into other/non-arcade related projects as well.  Would i use a pi for a mame cabinet?  probably not.  however i do have on mounted in a SNES that is awesome.  I'm currently working on genesis and psx versions as well. I don't think there is a better platform out there for these type of projects.   why did i choose the raspberry pi?  there were several reasons:

1. cost.  this thing is relatively cheap compared to more robust options, and has enough power for classic console emulation.
2. size.  there aren't many computing options that are easy to fit inside the shell of an snes. 
3. convenience.  with the retropie sd card image available, the hard work is already done. i was able to wire up the controllers and back panel connectors, plug everything in and pretty much have it working.

sure, you can't just unplug the power from it without risking the sd card, but how is that different than any other pc?  If i just pull the power out of my windows based mame cabinet while it is running, i risk corrupting the hard drive.  you have to shut down the pi just like any other pc, plain and simple.  this can be done using a simple microswitch on the gpio header and a basic script, or directly from the retropie menu.

i'm not saying the pi is the best choice for the majority of projects, but it definitely has a place here.  this new $5 unit could be an awesome option once it is easily available.  sure, it is missing some connectivity features, but in all honestly, for a retro console project, once the thing is set up, i dont need network connectivity

[Locke141]

wow, there is some real hate for the pi on here.    I know it isn't ideal for every project.  you also have to remember that while this is an arcade forum, many of us get into other/non-arcade related projects as well.  Would i use a pi for a mame cabinet?  probably not.  however i do have on mounted in a SNES that is awesome.  I'm currently working on genesis and psx versions as well. I don't think there is a better platform out there for these type of projects.   why did i choose the raspberry pi?  there were several reasons:

1. cost.  this thing is relatively cheap compared to more robust options, and has enough power for classic console emulation.
2. size.  there aren't many computing options that are easy to fit inside the shell of an snes. 
3. convenience.  with the retropie sd card image available, the hard work is already done. i was able to wire up the controllers and back panel connectors, plug everything in and pretty much have it working.

sure, you can't just unplug the power from it without risking the sd card, but how is that different than any other pc?  If i just pull the power out of my windows based mame cabinet while it is running, i risk corrupting the hard drive.  you have to shut down the pi just like any other pc, plain and simple.  this can be done using a simple microswitch on the gpio header and a basic script, or directly from the retropie menu.

i'm not saying the pi is the best choice for the majority of projects, but it definitely has a place here.  this new $5 unit could be an awesome option once it is easily available.  sure, it is missing some connectivity features, but in all honestly, for a retro console project, once the thing is set up, i dont need network connectivity

 

Also, If you set the card to read only I don't think that power disruption is an issue. I would set all your console builds to read only when there done.

[Jamesbeat]

I'm running a Raspberry pi in my bartop.

In fact, the reason I am interested in building arcade machines is because of the raspberry pi.

I initially bought it hoping to build an all in one emulation console, but some of the hardware's shortcomings prevented me from getting it set up just as I wanted.

I ended up buying an Ouya for console emulation, so the pi was just gathering dust.

I then found out about pimame, and decided to build an arcade machine.

I have the pi set up to boot directly into the mame4all front end, and to shut down with the press of a hidden admin button.

Apart from becoming a little choppy when playing MK, it works great.
MK is the only game I have noticed a problem with, everything else I have tried runs at full speed from what I can tell.
Obviously, there's no way you'd get 3D games running on the thing, but I' m only interested in the classics.

I understand that mame4all is not the most accurate version of mame, but for a more casual user such as myself it's not noticeable.

I think the trick is to think of a pi running mame4all not as a replacement for a PC, but as an ArcadeSD type device.
It won't satisfy the purist or true enthusiast, but it's great for the more casual user.

Incidentally, while I am careful to keep multiple backup SD card images, and even keep a dedicated backup SD card stored inside my cab for emergencies, I have never had a corrupted card.
Writing an image to the SD card takes under ten minutes, so as long as you're careful to keep a backup,  a corrupted card would only be a mild inconvenience, not a disaster.

[aldub516]

the hate on the pi is stupid because its based on things the pi cant or isnt made to do..So many naturalists talk about classic arcade games like its all that matters, then turn around and bash the pi for not running nfl blitz gold. Is  the pi going to run nfl blitz flawlessly while outputting power to 40 leds? No.. But I challenge someone to tell me why i shouldnt use a pi for classic arcade games or mini arcades WHEN NEEDED.. meaning, ive recently built a few mini arcades for someone soon to be posted.. dedicated games. Using the pi, i plug the machine in, 10 seconds later it boots directly to a single game of my choice and im playing. Now lets say you have a joust machine sitting in your garage that doesnt work because of the board and youd like a economic way of fixing it. and this question is actually posed as an educational question for myself than a challenge.. Why would you hate against putting a pi in that cabinet? 35$ pi, 2 dollar hdmi cord,2 dollar power plug and an 8 dollar sd card loaded with portable mame, set to boot to a particular game. under 50 dollars, and less than 20 minutes you would have a perfectly running joust board replacement. In my case using the gpio board, im able to not only hookup all my joysticks and buttons, but ALSO directly power my led buttons, as well as the mini coin door light to the same board. im powering half my project and running the full system off the pi with under 50 dollars. Again, its a mini arcade, with only a few buttons, and running nothing past the late 80's, so why would someone be so against a cheap and easy alternative? I knew zero about linux or pi, and in just a few days i figured out everything and achieved what i need.
half of this is me asking real questions as im still discovering "mini pcs" and all these new things.. the other half is indeed defending the pi. it is perfect for.. APPLICATIONS THAT ITS MADE FOR.. I really cant understand the blatant hate. I dont hate the kangaroo, or other machines.. But for an under 50 dollar investment, and no effort beyond burning a sd card, you get a full arcade set up capable of playing anything up to even simpsons perfectly. Again, past that you get crap game play, theres hundreds of games before that which do work fine, and i cant really see a fair argument about those applications. Id like to hear the hate now..

[opt2not]

Sorry, you lost me at replacing an original Joust board-set with a Pi. 

[vwalbridge]

Sorry, you lost me at replacing an original Joust board-set with a Pi. 

 . 

[Jamesbeat]

I'm not sure that $50 figure is altogether accurate.

As I said in my above post, I became frustrated with the pi when trying to get it to work as a multi emulator console, and this was because of some serious shortcomings.

I'd love to know where you can get a $2 power supply that will work properly with it. I went through several before finally spending around $20 on a good quality 2A one.

Same goes for all the usb hubs, cables etc. You end up spending quite a chunk of change before you get something that works well.

Another problem is that there were several software problems which looked like they were hardware problems.
I had a nightmare trying to get a particular monitor working.
After following advice to try a different dvi adapter, different hdmi cable, and of course a beefier power supply, the problem was solved by a software update.

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the pi for the application I'm using it for, but they don't quite live up to how they were initially marketed.

[aldub516]

Joust was an example. Way avoid anything I pointed out though. As for the price and problems.. I guess it all depends. I've plugged my pi into half a dozen monitors from 10" to 65 and it pops up fine. As for power supply..
Amazon has it for 9 bucks. But most every old charger I had sitting around was 2a. As I said it depends what application you're doing. But think of it like this.. IMAGINE you put it in a cabinet. With a pi, hdmi/video cord,sd cArd and gpio board you're at 60 dollars.. That is a full working system. Existing buttons and joys go right into the gpio. I was just addressing the super hate against the pi because well.. Like it or not... Its going to run mame just as well as any xxx board or other alternative. Besides the "I lost you at pi in a joust", my point about joust was still completely valid. The pi can hold its weight in a lot of arcade projects.  You don't have to love it, but there's no merit to completely crappin on it

[ChanceKJ]

.

[Jamesbeat]

See now, the price you quoted for the PSU has already gone up from $2 to $9, and that's what I'm talking about.
When the Pi first came out, the implication was that most people probably already had everything they needed to get started.
The reality is that your old phone charger probably doesn't have the grunt to power the Pi reliably, and that monitor with a DVI input might not be plug and play.

Another problem that is rarely talked about is the footprint.

Sure, the board itself is small, but the way the ports are laid out on the original model, you have thick inflexible cables sticking out on all sides.
Add a powered usb hub etc. and all of a sudden you have a big unwieldy crab sitting on your desk.

Like I said above, I love the Pi for the application that I am currently using it for, and I agree that it can play classic arcade games with aplomb, (or at least sufficiently accuate to fool me) but a fully functioning setup is neither as small or as inexpensive as it first appears.

Would I use a Pi again if I was starting over?

Yes, I think I would.

It meets my needs for the types of games I'm interested in playing, and despite being unwieldy, it is still a lot smaller than a regular PC.
It boots quickly and shuts down at the touch of a button. It is also silent, which I like.

Another nice thing is the modularity.
If my SD card gets corrupted (never happened so far) or the Pi itself craps out, I could have my machine back up and running in under five minutes, even if it happened in the middle of a party and I was drunk

[Locke141]

This is made by Namco, and you know what, it's pretty ---smurfy---. Let's be honest, compared to an actual PCB setup for one of the 12 games it has, this is ---steaming pile of meadow muffin---. But it's made by the actual company.  A Pi is now cheaper then this, and is quite a bit more capable.

I'll take the Pi.

Funny, I was thinking about replacing the steamy Namco mutiny pack man in my Vegoluxs-Yellow fever Hybrid with an Raspberry pi the next time I'm home. The goal of that build was originally to make something decent in one weekend for under $100, the R-pi would have still fit in that budget and time line and would have been a lot more customizable.

[pbj]

I've probably got at least 2 dozen AC/DC converters laying around from various devices that have been thrown out over the years.  Only thing that pumped out 2A was an ipad charger.

[Jamesbeat]

I have found that many phone chargers etc are very 'optimistic' about their stated output, which is a big part of the problem.
Trying to find a genuine 2A usb psu is pot luck unless you don't mind throwing money at the problem.
A genuine Apple iPad charger will put out 2A, but it will also cost more than a Raspberry pi if bought from Apple, (at least they were in 2012 when I was looking) and there's too many fakes on eBay to know what you're getting.

The pi also doesn't like a lot of usb hubs and other peripherals, so basically you end up having to trawl through community-generated compatibility lists to make sure you are buying something that is known to work.

This isn't so bad for a tinkerer such as myself, but the pi was aimed at the educational market, and the implication was that a poor inner-city schoolkid could scrape together all the components necessary to get a pi working and become the next Bill Gates.


Again, I love my pi mame  setup, but I do think the management team should have been more honest (or less naive) about the way they marketed it.

I'm thinking of upgrading to the pi2 in order to fix the choppy MK, but I'm going to wait for the teething troubles to be resolved before I buy one this time.

[Locke141]

This isn't so bad for a tinkerer such as myself, but the pi was aimed at the educational market, and the implication was that a poor inner-city schoolkid could scrape together all the components necessary to get a pi working and become the next Bill Gates.

Don't diss agree with your general point but the originally goal of the R-pi was to do a small run for incoming freshman to the Computer science department at Cambridge. It kind of exploded into a much bigger thing.

[Jamesbeat]

This isn't so bad for a tinkerer such as myself, but the pi was aimed at the educational market, and the implication was that a poor inner-city schoolkid could scrape together all the components necessary to get a pi working and become the next Bill Gates.

Don't diss agree with your general point but the originally goal of the R-pi was to do a small run for incoming freshman to the Computer science department at Cambridge. It kind of exploded into a much bigger thing.

I didn't know that, but I still stand by my statement that once it did explode, that was how it was marketed.
The 'you probably already have everything you need to get started' angle was misguided at best, unless you already happened to own a cellphone charger with the energy output of a star.

I usually enjoy tinkering and problem solving, but only if I'm learning something at the same time.
The problem solving that I had to do with the pi was to keep throwing hardware at it until I found something that worked.
It went something like this:

My monitor is flashing
It's your power supply
I just bought a new 2A psu!
It's still the psu, buy a new one from the compatibility list.
(Order a better power supply)
Still flashing
Must be your hdmi cable
(Order a better hdmi cable)
Still flashing
Must be your dvi-hdmi adapter
(Order a new adapter)
Still flashing
Your adapter isn't grounded properly
(dismantle adapter and solder in a better ground)
Still flashing
It's your power supply
(hook it up to an ATX psu)
Still flashing
Must be a bad monitor
Monitor works fine with a PC
The monitor must require a stronger signal than the pi can output, buy a new monitor
F*uck you.

I eventually took it to the range so I could shoot it with a load of buckshot and make myself feel better, but I got yelled at by the rangemaster (paper targets only)

Months later, I tried it again, ran an update, and the problem was gone.

I tried it with the original cables, psu, adapter etc, and it worked perfectly.


I suppose my main problem was being an early adopter, but it would have been nice if the 'experts' had admitted that they didn't know what was wrong rather than sending me on various wild goose chases.

As I said, I now have it set up and running just fine, but the initial learning curve was frustrating and soured the experience for me.

[vwalbridge]

^^ THAT is some funny stuff right there. Like I said, I can't bash the Pi since I haven't tried it but this thread now reminds me of this famous quote:

"Linux is only free, if your time is worthless"

                                                             -Jamie Zawinski

[Jamesbeat]

^^ THAT is some funny stuff right there. Like I said, I can't bash the Pi since I haven't tried it but this thread now reminds me of this famous quote:

"Linux is only free, if your time is worthless"

                                                             -Jamie Zawinski

Lol that's true enough I guess, though my issue was specific to the pi hardware, not the OS itself.
However, I use Linux full time (except at work) and I would never go back to Windows.
Once you get Linux set up properly, it is unbelievably stable.

Using Windows at work really makes me appreciate Linux when I get home

[vwalbridge]

though my issue was specific to the pi hardware, not the OS itself.

But didn't you say it was a software update that fixed the flashing monitor?  The Pi hardware never changed.

[Jamesbeat]

I think the problem was with the hardware abstraction not anything intrinsic to the OS.

In other words, the problem was specific to the pi, not to Linux.

There were problems with the usb ports etc as well which have also been improved I believe.

[aldub516]

But even with the misguided cheap price.. lets say at max prices.. pi 35, psu 10, hdmi 5, sd card 10, gpio board 10. Thats 70 dollars and you have everything you need for a system. I guess i got lucky and didnt run into all those problems ^... my process went like this.. buy pi 2, plug in hdmi monitor,burn sd card with portable mame, insert card, plug in pi, play any game i want.. Now again, in no way am i saying these should replace pcs in a full cabinet.. But it seems odd that the super haters cant bring them selves to say "hey, for a scaled down project, or for a classic gaming only project, the pi works pretty well and has a lot of capabilities for its price". which is true. Instead its LMAO ID RATHER GET RAPED BY A GORILLA THAN USE A PI!!!.. i guess elitists come in every hobby.

as i said, im not trying to prove that its great , or good, or anything. Its not the compliments, its the outright ignorant hate for it. I saw posts somewhere like "hey guys lol whats WORSE than a pi to put in an arcade or project?"..

i just have to defend that, as someone who is brand new to linux and pi, i was able to get a great project off the ground and finished with minimal effort, and minimal investment.   Yes it cost more than the 40 bucks you intend.. BUT, for the 70 dollar investment for an up an running arcade system, what other type of pc or board can run video to hdmi, run a simple front end with tons of games, and also be able to directly accept the joystick and button inputs?  a kangaroo is about 100 and needs hdmi plugs etc with no way to directly hook up your panel and such.. Theres no particular point to prove about the pi, i just dont get the violent hate against it from some people when ive achieved perfect results with a small investment and some time to learn what i had to learn. Anyways, onto the next debate..

[vwalbridge]

I'll admit, for the price and integrated GPIO, it certainly makes it tempting.

However, I fell in love with Hyperspin the first time I used it. I'm stuck on Windows, no turning back for me.

[Jamesbeat]

When did you buy your Pi?

As I said, I believe my pi troubles were mostly due to me being an early adopter, and the product is far more mature now.

I'm weird in that I am sort of a pi hater but also love it in my cab.
I don't hate what the pi has become, but I do have a bad taste in my mouth from my experiences as an early adopter.

Not only do I agree with you that a pi makes a fine mame machine for smaller project where a PC won't fit, I'm going to go one step further.
I'm going to be replacing my bartop with a  full sized upright cab soon, but it's going to have a pi inside.

The pi currently does everything I want from a mame cab, ie plays classic games and has a simple interface that my 5 year old can navigate.

I'm not saying my needs won't change in the future, but for now the pi is perfect for me, and there's no need to fix what isn't broken.

If I think of a game that I absolutely have to have that the pi can't run, I'll drop it like a hot potato.

There's no point having loyalty to any specific hardware or software, just use whatever will do the job correctly.

[opt2not]

One, if you unplug it, the SD card takes a ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- and you have to start over.

This is the biggest deal breaker for me.  I'm a set-it and forget-it type of guy, I don't want to be futzing with the set-up after it's all put together. If i can't instantly turn off and on my system without fear of corruption/damage, then it doesn't suit my needs. 

[Jamesbeat]

One, if you unplug it, the SD card takes a ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- and you have to start over.

This is the biggest deal breaker for me.  I'm a set-it and forget-it type of guy, I don't want to be futzing with the set-up after it's all put together. If i can't instantly turn off and on my system without fear of corruption/damage, then it doesn't suit my needs.

I have pulled the plug on my pi many many times and never had a corrupted card. I think the problem is way overstated.
I have installed a proper shutdown switch now, but mainly because I figured out that I could add the shutdown function to an existing admin button and shutting it down is the right thing to do.

My system takes around 20 seconds to boot, and about 5 seconds to shut down after hitting the shutdown button, although I do have to turn the power off after shutdown.


I can certainly see the appeal of being able to pull the plug whenever though.

What setup do you have that enables you to do that safely?

[opt2not]

My MAME PC is a WinXP duo core Mini-ITX, (costed me $30) with XinMo USB encoder ($25), soft15khz video output for CRT's, controls + audio + video all wired to a JAMMA edge connector for easy installing into my machine when I want to take them off dedicated PCB's and mess around with mame.

My cabinets are in the ON position full-time, all connected to a powerbar with a switch. I just flip the switch and boot-up in about 20 secs as well.  When I'm done, I switch off the powerbar. No fuss, no worries. WinXP has never corrupted my setup, nor have I had to touch the hardware since it was intially set-up.

[yotsuya]

"Super haters" and "violent hate". Oh, the hyperbole.

Oh, and Jamesbeat, at first when you posted your token thread, I rolled my eyes a few times thinking "Here we go....", but I've grown to like you.

Edit: Though why you'd put a Pi in a full-size is beyond me. :-)

[Jamesbeat]

"Super haters" and "violent hate". Oh, the hyperbole.

Oh, and Jamesbeat, at first when you posted your token thread, I rolled my eyes a few times thinking "Here we go....", but I've grown to like you.

Edit: Though why you'd put a Pi in a full-size is beyond me. :-)

Glad to make your acquaintance 

Re: the pi in the upright cab, I'm not dead set on it as a permanent solution, but as you know from my token thread, I'm working to a tight budget.
I just have too many hobbies. I just bought a lathe, and the tooling I need costs as much as the lathe does.

If I want a cab right now, then I have to do it on the cheap.
I'm going to make something serviceable and upgrade it over time.

That upgrade process will probably include a more powerful computer, but for now the pi meets my needs because it plays all the classics that I like.

If you your taste is for the classic games and you can live without hyperspin, the pi is pretty capable.

[aldub516]

just to answer james without re-hashing debate.. The software i run on the pi for the purpose of my mini dedicate games is called portable-pi, and by all means its one of the most fantastic things ive come across. Very simple program, clean and easy to use, runs off an old mame rom set. Just about anything under mortal kombat runs great. Easy to set single game boots and other options. It was more or less made with the intention of easy and quick solution to replace pcb boards. So its very clean, simple,and fool proof. To answer you, it runs as read-only except for a tiny partition for hi scores. You can pull the plug at any given time and it will never ever crash your card. As of now portable pi comes only loaded with roms so its not available through regular means such as retropie, and needs to be hunted down in the wild of the internet, but there is a newer version coming out soon, which should be addressing the roms included issue to open it up to more people without trouble. Id say portable pie could make believers out of some. wish you the best in your adventures

[Slippyblade]

As of now portable pi comes only loaded with roms so its not available through regular means such as retropie, and needs to be hunted down in the wild of the internet,

I was about to ask for a link, but then read this.  Time to use the google!

[ark_ader]

I know the purist would want original boards, but if you use the full size cabinet to play one or 5 games of the similar nature then I do not see what the big deal is.