Help me Build a PC for Emulators *NOOB ALERT*

[Trevor spencer]

Hi

ive been doing a bit of research lately and id like to build a PC for emulators , the 2 emulators id like to mainly use are 2DF and GGPO as im a huge 2D fighting fan but would also love retro games like megadrive , SNES  (well a bit of everything really) , anyway im not that great when it comes to PC's but id like to use this case

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-092-AN

id also like to use my 21" CRT TV via RGB Scart so id like one of these

http://www.ultimarc.com/avgainf.html

and make a lead like this

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/callum.henderson/basement_boomera_000007.htm

out of a ULTIMARC VGA Breakout lead and a scart plug (this is pos right?)

i know the PC takes a Micro ATX board but im really confussed about PC specs ill need to run all this  also id like it to boot straight into a front end as i want to use it only for emulator gaming and online play so what would be my best option and are front ends easy to install + can i use my arcade controls to navigate or should i use a mouse and keyboard

Any help or suggestions would be great

Thanks

[slapaham]

Well, I can only answer some of these questions... mainly about the frontend...

Most frontends allow use of only joysticks and buttons (remember, most interfaces treat the joysticks and buttons as keyboard strokes!) From what I have discussed previously, no frontends, that I can think of, allow for online gameplay such as Xai Link (or whatever its called!), etc. Well, not intergrated seamlessly anyway.

You can get your computer to boot straight into any frontend with a bit of regedit knowledge or simply by using 'instantsheller' (very easy to use and very good!)

As for PC spec - well, I'm no expert but from experience you would probably want a 1ghz processor at minimum and 512MB RAM minimum if what you're mainly into is 2D - 3D requires A LOT more.

[wooowman93]

To have have the frontend startup after windows loads, most have frontends have a feature that allows it to startup when if it doesn't have this feature then just place a shortcut of the exe in the startup folder

[Trevor spencer]

ok thanks for the help id like to build something thats gonna be able to handle 3D just incase i fancy playing something in 3D at a later date

but this video shows you the kind of thing im after but instead of a cab id be using a PC external case and a TV

he says hes using gameex as a front end

I'm using GameEx as a front end for the PC that is stuck inside the cabinets (along with a PS2, Dreamcast, and Wii), and I've got GGPO set up using an AutoHotKey script to control the mouse with the joystick and buttons.