lightest frontend/shell to use as a "pre-frontend"??

[transfan]

So I really like hyperspin for a front end, but I am also using this computer for an HTPC, and sometimes use it for other things.  when the computer boots up, I just want it to have a simple screen with three or 4 choices

Hyperspin
Boxee
etc.

I want joy2key to have loaded so I can use my control panel to navigate or have joystick support
and I want to completely be able to customize the background, screen, sounds, etc.

What is my best bet for doing this?  Active desktop? One of the current frontends?  I need something light as well because hyperspin will be on top of it.

[youki]

Why you don't do that directly with Hyperspin?  You should be able to create a section for your "htpc" stuff.  You don't need another FE i think.

[andrewbean90]

gameex is all those in one

[Lilwolf]

I would also stay, have Hyperspin launch the others.  Real easy to do. 

[transfan]

I guess my biggest hurdle is the change in resolutions and monitors.

I have 1 graphics card with hdmi, dvi, and vga output, but only 2 can be used at once.

So the cab will have a veritcal primary through dvi and a smaller secondary through vga

then a big screen tv will be hooked to the hdmi, providing video and audio.

I can configure the whole thing using a rotated desktop so that everything works out when using the cab.  That's fine.  However, what if someone wants to use the HTPC portion?

I want something easy that can be controlled with a remote (which I have set up as a keyboard, so up/down/etc will work)

So what I need to accomplish:

User (someone with no computer experience) wants to play games:

          They hit one button and 2 cab screens come on, front end comes on, and the orientation is vertical.

User wants to watch HTPC:

           They hit one button (on remote control) and 1 HDTV comes on, and boxee/xbmc is loaded, orientation is horizontal, and 2 cab screens are either off or in standby.


some thoughts:

Separate logins?  But how do I switch the monitors?  Different profiles in nvidia?  Can I do that through a batch file?

I can implement all this stuff myself if you guys can help me come up with a clear roadmap!
 

[Space Fractal]

Most frontends should go run PC based applications, so a new wheel in HyperSpin (no I have not tried it) should do a job. Game-EX here is simply overkill for a mini start-up frontend with few selections.

Its was something that I did for MAMEWAH, when I want to run Arcade Music Box, which its just run as it was a emulator thought bat files.

Personal I dothink you are doing over complimented things I think and should do another small machine and should separate HTPC and GAMES from together if you ask me, unless they shown on the same screen.

But elsewise use the bat files or shortcut of most frontends, that can run PC applications (which should been use with the current frontend you use).

Some users do use SimpleTouch OS for tasks like this to run other things and it does a good job, so take a look into that little FE.

[Cananas]

You should take a look to this application: http://www.retrovicio.com/tutoriales/loader

It's in Spanish, but it quite easy to configure. Loader.exe is the program you want.

[transfan]

You should take a look to this application: http://www.retrovicio.com/tutoriales/loader

It's in Spanish, but it quite easy to configure. Loader.exe is the program you want.

This is beautiful! Exactly what I wanted.  And it looks like it can be configured to only run when you hit a hotkey.  Thank you so much

I ran it through google translator to read the docs!