Xbox,Linux,Xmame + controller issues

[Brainchile]

I've recently come up with a plan (Since the xbox linux project recently released a full distribution of linux that runs on modded xboxes) to buy an xbox, run linux on it and then run Xmame on that. This way I'd get a console as well as an emulator in one package.

Some issues I have are with the controllers. I would assume that the xbox controller can be mapped to mame inputs relatively easily, but I was wondering if an I-pac control console could then be linked so that I could use it for xbox games?

Linking the I-pac physically to the xbox is trivial since the xbox control ports are actually USB ports. It's just getting the xbox to accept the I-pac inputs that would be the problem.

The commercial X-arcade panel claims to be able to hook up to an xbox (it's designed to plug into a keyboard port I think) so I was wondering if it'd be possible to then convert the i-pac's signals into something the xbox would like?

[SirPoonga]

Are you SURE you want to use an xbox.  It doesn't have much memory you will not be able to run mame/linux/and a large rom.  It only has 64megs of memory.  Mame is proc/mem dependant.  xbox is the latest in consoles, but most of it's power is in the video chip.


As for the controls, you'd have to experiment, so you might hve to spend some money to do that.

[tom61]

Since the I-Pac simulates a keyboard, it should run under X-Box Linux (it has USB keyboard support), but it wouldn't work in regular X-Box games.

[Howard_Casto]

You would be better off hacking controllers.. here's why....

The xbox port of mame (not the linux port running on the xbox) doesn't have any special input drivers..... as a matter of fact i don't even think it lets you remap keys yet.  Yes I know this version is technically illegal and all, but it's the only acceptable mame port you can run on xbox.  

Sirp is half right on the limited power of the xbox, but the xbox specific port of mame acts like and xbox game, and thus is very optimized.  It will run all games but he newer midway games (like mortal kombat, ect)  at acceptable speeds.  However if you run the linux port on xbox linux, then you have the added overhead of an operating system.  In other words it becomes more bloated and is even slower than the dreamcast port (blaaah).

If you already have an xbox, and would like to fool around with running linux/mame on it then it sounds like a plan, but don't expect to buy an xbox and make a decent mamecab out of it just yet.