How fast of computer to run Dreamcast Emulators?

[mamerocks87]

I would like to run system emulators in my mame cab.  My computer has a  p4 1.5gig processor, and 120 something gig hard drive. Can this run a Dreamcast emulator smoothly? if not that whats about a n64?
Please respond, thanks

-kyle

ps: im using an arcade monitor with arcade vga

[Lilwolf]

I have a 2.4 ghz.  and I can't run anything smooth... Someplayable.

but all in all... dreamcasts are 20 bucks these days.  Easiest console to hack to arcade CRTs and GREAT games for it. 

Just hacke a real one. 

but I've heard 3.4ghz+ can get a lot of games very playable.

[crashwg]

Not to mention a DC plays backups without modification! 

[namzep]

Not to mention a DC plays backups without modification! 

Definitely one of the more interesting aspects of the system.  I'm going to have to get a second one when I get my cabinet up and running cause I don't want to chop up my only system.

[Stingray]

dreamcasts are 20 bucks these days. 

Indeed. Why futz around with emulators when you can get a real one for next to nothing?

-S

[ften]

I'm running a 3000+ AMD64 with 1 gig dual 400mhz ram and a 5600 Ultra NVIDIA and every game I have tried runs smoothly. Now the graphics are kinda messed up, but Crazy Taxi 1/2 and Street Fighters 3 are playable, so that's all I care about.  N64 runs fine too, but once again the graphics are kinda screwy on certain games.


-FTen

[SOAPboy]

I'm running a 3000+ AMD64 with 1 gig dual 400mhz ram and a 5600 Ultra NVIDIA and every game I have tried runs smoothly. Now the graphics are kinda messed up, but Crazy Taxi 1/2 and Street Fighters 3 are playable, so that's all I care about.

[daywane]

  thrrrrp
show offs 
here I was all proud of my 2.8
512 meg memory.

[DarkKobold]

Piracy issues aside, a dreamcast emu is better than a dreamcast because of CD swaping issues. I'd rather have 2 300 gig drives than a folder full of cds any day of the week.

[pointdablame]

Piracy issues aside, a dreamcast emu is better than a dreamcast because of CD swaping issues. I'd rather have 2 300 gig drives than a folder full of cds any day of the week.

To be fair tho, a dreamcast emulator WILL be better (in your opinion).  At this point, Dreamcast emulators are still too young.  I'd rather throw a $20 DC into a cab and swap out discs a few times, then waste money on HDD space for a time when the emulators will play smoothly, correctly, and play all the titles.

[DarkKobold]

Very true- However, to me, it is worth waiting for the emulation to be where it should. I used to have every single dreamcast release... Then the CDRs started to flake.

Although, if it is anything like N64 emulation, quality emulation will fall to the wayside.

[MameMaster!]

... Then the CDRs started to flake.



...your CDRs went bad?....isn't that odd?......were they really cheap ones?....I don't think that's ever happened to any of my cd or dvds ever (commercial and homeburnt).....

[Stingray]

... Then the CDRs started to flake.



...you CDRs went bad?....isn't that odd?......were they really cheap ones?....I don't think that's ever happened to any of my cd or dvds ever (commercial and homeburnt)..... 

Seems more likely that it was the Dreamcast itself that was failing. Like mamemaster, I've never once had a CD go bad.

-S

[AlanS17]

I've had CD's go bad when left in the hot car for too long. The surface starts to flake.

[MameMaster!]

I've had CD's go bad when left in the hot car for too long. The surface starts to flake.

wow... I never realized how succeptible to temp changes CD can be. Were they CDRs? or commercial CDs?

I have a 10 disk changer in my trunk and have never had a (commercial) CD go bad.

[AlanS17]

I've had CD's go bad when left in the hot car for too long. The surface starts to flake.

wow... I never realized how succeptible to temp changes CD can be. Were they CDRs? or commercial CDs?

I have a 10 disk changer in my trunk and have never had a (commercial) CD go bad.

My bad... CDR's. I probably destroyed 20 or 30 that way, though.

[pointdablame]

I have copies of most of my music CD's in my car on CDR's and have never ever ever had one fail.  I throw them on my seats and dash, above my visor, or in a cd case under my seats.... through summer and winter..... never had a problem.


I know that CDs are susceptible to temperature changes (at least to an extent), but this seems more like a cheap media problem to me.  I know I don't use some type of super CDrs, and Jersey weather gets mighty cold and awfully warm....I'd try using higher quality media.

[SNAAKE]

Piracy issues aside, a dreamcast emu is better than a dreamcast because of CD swaping issues. I'd rather have 2 300 gig drives than a folder full of cds any day of the week.

I would rather have the "perfect" version on a system then playing games at 15fps+random hiccups every 30 seconds