Anybody own one of those Walmart or fry's cheap systems?

[creatine28]

Does anybody know if those cheap p4 systems from Walmart and Fry's electronics are worth using as a Mame only system?  You can find them for as cheap as $199  for like a 1ghz system!  

Thanks!

[Darkstalker]

Make sure those aren't Lindows systems...Most emulators have Linux ports, but I haven't been able to get a copy of Lindows to work on my computers so I have no idea how difficult custom compiling would be on that distrobution.  If it came out anything like Corel Linux, steer clear.

[BASSOFeeSH]

I haven't really looked at these, but is there anything stopping you from just installing windows9X/2000/XP on them?

[Brax]

Lindows! LOL!

It makes me think of the Cheers episode where they were eating Loobster and Bef.

"Mmm, all you can eat Bef!"
"You mean BEEF!"
".......nooooooo"

hehehe

[zr5-2002]

They don't say one ghz, they say 1 gigapro.....some kinda marketing gimmick.  I have one  (fry's model) at work which is the 677 mhz model and it runs linux like a champ and does a lot of work.  I'm not sure how well it'll do with graphics since its just a network attached machine and runs "headless".

Does anybody know if those cheap p4 systems from Walmart and Fry's electronics are worth using as a Mame only system?  You can find them for as cheap as $199  for like a 1ghz system!  

Thanks!

[zr5-2002]

Worst case you can load RedHat Linux on the wal-mart machines and still stay legal.  I've got mame loaded on my linux box but haven't gotten to any other emus yet, but as time passes (and I build a cab of my very own) I'll post some sort of writeup on how my linux box works out as the brains of my cab.

Make sure those aren't Lindows systems...Most emulators have Linux ports, but I haven't been able to get a copy of Lindows to work on my computers so I have no idea how difficult custom compiling would be on that distrobution.  If it came out anything like Corel Linux, steer clear.

[SNAAAKE]

if the actual speed is 1 GHZ then i think you should go for it the ask around your buddies for a any windows OS.thats it..mame computer for $200..pretty cheap.

i would still built my own because i only want what i need.

crap like 56k modem that might come with it are not really needed ya know.
also you can get 1.3 ghz durons for like $35 nowaday.

[rampy]

the walmart PC's aren't intel...

Not that I'm an intel fan boy... (quite the opposite... like low cost high value chips like AMD)  but there using some other x86 style chip kinda reminds me of the cyrix chips back in the day... *Shrug*

Walmart sells both OSless and lindows PC's at about the same price... so you could just go osless (i believe the lindows machine is sans floppy...)
so i'd imagine a windows install would be ok...

Lindows is linux with a souped up/hacked up WINE (WINE IS NOT AN EMULATOR) config to run MS and windows applications (from what I understand)... if you were to run MAME on there you'd probably best served compiling the linux version (rather than using MAME32 through wine or something)

*shrug*

rampy

[creatine28]

What is the best for Mame?  Celeron, Intel, AMD (Duron) ?

[rampy]

What is the best for Mame?  Celeron, Intel, AMD (Duron) ?

that's just asking for a flame war - are you trolling =P  ??

I guess an intel P4 whatever the highest clock cycle or an AMD XP+ whatever the highest clock cycle that is available now would be...

if you are comparing the cheapies... I think i'd give the Duron the nod...

Although AMD XP chips are cheap enough to get one of their xp 1800 for reasonable price...  

*shrug* also note you can get MAME compiled tailored to your CPU type to further eak out some performance...

YMMV,

rampy

[eightbit]

Be carefull of the Walmart machines. They aren't as fast as they claim. Make sure you can get the windows drivers for the windows version your going to load if your planning to load windows on it.

Another problem with these computers would be the video cards. You may have issues with hardware stretching for mame.

I'm not trying to talk you out of the Walmart PC I'm just letting you know what to expect.

[Howard_Casto]

Leaving my own personal feelings about these walmart pc's aside (cough, they suck, cough cough, NEVER buy a pc from a store that ends in "mart", cough cough)  

I have seen various reviews of these systems and I've yet to see a good review of them.  Quite frankly they make a nice cheap pc for a home office, but that's about it.  They aren't good for gaming or home theatre ect.  In other words they would be good for just about any application BUT mame.  Also the processors that are in them are indeed crap.  As a matter of fact you get whatever processor was cheapest at the time.... I think some batches  have one generic processor and others have a different one.  

[SNAAAKE]

yo..where is this walmart by the way?..i looked everywhere around me and didnt find any?

anyone know why there is no walmart in NYC...just wanted to take a look at this so called "lindows"(huahah..that name is soooooo funny )

[u_rebelscum]

What is the best for Mame?  Celeron, Intel, AMD (Duron) ?

Benchmark of some games with a few different systems:
http://www.classicgaming.com/mame32qa/bench.htm

Quick overview: Only P4's and Athlons are compared.  The games tested are the more demanding ones.  P4's have a higher max speed, so test faster (on the systems tested, on the games tested).  But AMD (on the systems tested, on the games tested) average higher at the same speed (rating) level.  Do not use these benchmarks for anything but comparing mame on different systems.

You can compare your system against those systems if you want.  My 1Ghz is slow relative to them.

[Trenchbroom]

Yes, those "Lindows" PC's are based on VIA's C3 CPU.  Few years ago VIA bought Cyrix and another chip maker called IDT I believe and this chip is a direct descendant of the IDT "Winchip" that underperformed back in 1998.  The chip may be running at 1 Gig but I would imagine the performance to be around an Athlon 800-850 range--not sure of the speed of motherboard and memory.  Not that I'm an expert.  Still a pretty good deal in all.

FYI--if you are interested in chip history, let me recommend an Australian site that I find indispensible:

www.redhill.net.au

Great for a casual read--takes you chip by chip through all of the x86 processors and lists their benefits and drawbacks, as well as very good insight to the major players over the years.

[creatine28]

Thanks much for everybodys input!  

[Lilwolf]

the via chips are AMAZING... but not really for emulation.

why?

they are the fastest machines that don't require a fan.  why would you care.  Well if you are putting a machine on a plant floor where a fan gets clauged.  Or in a place where there isn't any vents that can disapate the heat the fan moves... Or an industrial type component.

but for 100bucks you can get a card the size of an index card that has a 800mhz via chip, and a full motherboard including tv-out video.  These are sweet and would make a great cocktail table or true classic emulator machine.  Especially on a tv.  I was considering hacking a old hand held donkey kong machine (yup the one that has the plastic joysticks and lcd screen) with a small handheld tv and one of these boards.  But lack of funds and time is hindering that project..

but anyway, they suck for most applicatoins... but when you need them they are GREAT.