Which OS is best for MAME?

[aumameman]

I am coming back to MAME gaming, When I left DOS MAME was still supported (only just) and now DOS MAME has been killed off so I need to know which way to go. I am a switcher to the MAC since I last used the emulator and I have noticed there is very little to no support for the OSX platform.

OK I do not like windows so if there is some good linux support that some1 can point me to I can go down that path, plus look at running it on the PS3 (maybe). I have a WIN XP license so the small XP projects are also a possibility.

Thanks in advance for any tips or advise you can share

[tikbalang]

i still prefer dos mame.

[crummy]

XP, likely - but if it had Vista's sleep support I would be stoked.

[joebells]

I'd say vista x64, especially if you are going to be running any of the more intense games, as I've seen myself and read of as much as 20% speed improvement with x64 version of mame and XPx64 is crap.

[headkaze]

I think XP 64 is great, but you might have trouble with old hardware. Most new hardware has XP 64 driver support.

[TOK]

You're missing 2000 and 98, which are still better than most of the choices on there! 

[SGT]

...which are still better than most of the choices on there! 

Highly debatable since the 64-bit version of Mame runs so much better than the 32-bit version and of course will not run on Win98 or Win2K.

[TOK]

Its definitely debatable to me, since the thought of using a 64 bit OS and Dual/Quad core CPU to run Phoenix and Donkey Kong is comical. Use an older version of MAME if you need the speed, the older versions are better anyway.

[SGT]

I didn't see where the question was which OS ran Phoenix the best.

...the older versions are better anyway.

I wonder if this is debatable?    It cannot be debated that if you have the necessary hardware (Fast Core 2 Duo), 64 bit Mame with a 64 bit O/S you can run games that you cannot run with *any* old version of Mame.  The point is, it all depends upon what you want to run.  You cannot state unequivocally that Win98 or Win2K is the best way to go without defining the goal.  Comical, eh?

[TOK]

I didn't see where the question was which OS ran Phoenix the best.

...the older versions are better anyway.

I wonder if this is debatable? 

Enlighten me, what you running in your cab?

[SGT]

See my edit, above.  I agree that with older hardware, older versions of Mame is the way to go.  I cannot agree with a blanket statement that win98 or win2k is the way to go without considering all things.

[wbassett]

I'm new here so my input is limited to say the least.

I'd say it depends on the person and what they want.  Some want a cab that only plays arcade games, others may want one they can play some newer computer games on too.  That to me explains the people with high horse power PCs, but even for the average person a fast PC isn't outrageous in price.

Right now Tiger Direct has a 3.33Ghz PC for $149.  More than enough for Mame, but also would allow someone to play some PC based games too if they want.

I've noticed that some games play on older versions of Mame, but either don't or need tweaking on newer versions.  So I guess it depends on what a person wants to do.

[TOK]

It seemed your 64 bit recommendation was just as big a blanket statement, and here you are recommending an older version of MAME, after disagreeing with me that older versions could be better.

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=78253.msg815910#msg815910

This is nonsense, and I'm just messing around at this point, but if you're getting that kind of hardware to get higher FPS on a 20 year old game, you're doing something wrong. I have 3 MAME cabs, running anything from a P3/933 with version .70 to a P4/2ghz running version .99. The stuff that isn't playable on the 2ghz P4 isn't really fun to play on a MAME cab anyway, mostly CHD gun games and racing games that don't properly support PC wheels.

Is it fair to say that 85% of the people with MAME are looking to play about 20 percent of the games? Asteroids, Centipede, Donkey Kong, Pac Man, Galaga... You get my drift. Vista 64 and new PC for this is just stupid.
If you're looking to run MAME on a non-cab desktop that you already have, the question is irrelevant, and thats really the only reason to run MAME on cutting edge hardware.

[SGT]

AS I HAVE SAID, there are many games that you can run only with the 64 bit version which is why I disagree that Win98 and Win2k is the best choice.  STOP saying that you don't need a 64 bit version of Mame to run the old games.   Nobody is mentioning these old games EXCEPT YOU.  I KNOW 64 BIT MAME ISN'T NECESSARY FOR THOSE GAMES. 

Even for older games, its is in fact stupid to say that Win98 and Win2k is the best choice unless you have very old hardware.  WinXP will  run older versions of mame just fine on most of today's hardware.  As you already know, it all depends on what hardware you have, what version of Mame you want to run, and what roms you want to run.

Try to read my qualifying phrases in my remarks.  The point I was making is that you cannot make a blanket statement about which OS is best without asking what their goal is.  That's why I brought up the 64 bit version. My point was NOT that the 64 bit OS is best for most people. 

Hello?  My point was NOT that the 64 bit OS is best for most people.  I don't even run the 64 bit version of Mame.  I run an older version of Mame because I don't run a C2D.  When I get a C2D, what will I run?  It damn sure well won't be Win98 because IT IS NOT THE BEST CHOICE.


Here's a fact for you:


If the question is:

Which OS is best for MAME?
And you don't know ANYTHING else such as what hardware, what roms to run, version of Mame, etc..

The best O/S for Mame is a 64 bit O/S.

Pose the question to the Mame devs over on mameworld as many have already done.  Ask them which O/S is best for Mame irregardless of hardware, roms, etc... and see what they say.  Better yet, do a search and get the Mame Devs responses from the past, then come back here and beat the drum for Win98 and Win2K after they tell you Vista 64 bit.

[TOK]

So you're recommending things you don't even have experience with?


















Settle down Beavis, I'm just messing with you. 

[SGT]

Okay Butthead, but don't forget to read my edit.   By the way, how much experience have you had with 64 bit Mame with Vista 64 bit?

[TOK]

None... I'm running old games on arcade cabs, not new ones.
Have XP32 on my gaming PC (6850 Dual Core w/8800GT). The only limitation to 32 bit XP is the low memory cap.
XP32 is the best choice on that list. 98 and 2000 are better choices than the Linux stuff due to better front ends.

What you running on your cab?

[SGT]

You've got to be kidding me.  I run a lowly P4 3.2Ghz with XP, and Mame .100.  However, I have tried Mame 64 bit with an overclocked C2D at my shop, and its very impressive with those games that previously had too few FPS.

What's disappointing is that you state that Win2k and Win98 was the best choice and you haven't even tried the 64 bit guys.   

[TOK]

Look, I've had one too many beers, and you take yourself very seriously. It was funny to just keep hitting refresh and seeing a new message from you, each time more fired up than the time before.

I would definitely still use 98 or 2000 over OSX or Linux, so I feel my comments were not a total farce. I presume the guy is going to run this in some kind of cabinet, and I'd hope he's not throwing away money on a fast PC and 64 bit OS for it, but whatever. 

[SGT]

BH,   I think the one too many beers statement explains a "ton".  Since you're so down, (alcohol is a depressant) I now profess Win98 the operating system of the century.   








Just messing with you.... 

[wbassett]

I think things are getting off track.

MAME and having an arcade mean many different things to different people.  It really boils down to what a person wants.  I know I don't have as much experience with all this as a lot of people here, but I do work with people every day with setting up home theater projector systems and I can say that no two people want or expect the same thing.

That seems a lot like here.  The beauty of MAME is a person can get started with an old PC laying around that they originally thought was 'worthless' and then as they progress they may or may not want or need to upgrade.

The fact one person can run the newest Mame while someone else has perfect performance with an older version and their setup is really monumental.  People can tailor and tweak their systems to how THEY like it and what works best for them. 

So I don't think there is a totally right or wrong answer here, or that there is an 'ultimate' version for everyone.  I do think people should embrace the flexibility and they only way for them to really know is to try different versions and see what works best for them and what they want to do.

[SGT]

You are correct, and I am currently nominating you to the position of ambassador to the United Nations. 

[Havok]

Considering all the newer hardware and front ends out there, the only real choice is Windows - pick your flavor. If you are starting from scratch, go with 64 bit for true performance. Anything else will limit what hardware you can run, and seriously limit what front end you choose.

[wbassett]

You are correct, and I am currently nominating you to the position of ambassador to the United Nations. 

Trust me I am definitely not UN material!

I moderate at a home theater forum and this question gets asked there all the time too, but 'what is the best screen', 'what's the best projector'... best speakers... you name it.  Every time it's always the same... as many answers as people it seems.

Me personally?  Since I plan on playing some computer games as well as Mame games, I want a slightly beefier system and since I'm going that way... why not the newer Mame?  I also want a VGA 27" monitor and not a CGA since I plan on playing some PC games, and some would say that is sacrilege.... doesn't matter because I'll be the one using my system.  That's really all that matters isn't it?

[ahofle]

I also want a VGA 27" monitor and not a CGA since I plan on playing some PC games, and some would say that is sacrilege.... doesn't matter because I'll be the one using my system.  That's really all that matters isn't it?

You do know you can run 640x480 on a CGA monitor right?  It's interlaced, but looks pretty much perfect in games and frontends.

Also, in regards to using Vista, don't you lose out in the drivers/software department as well?  For example, is there a light gun driver in 64 bit Vista yet?  That would eliminate more games from being properly playable then the paltry 64 bit performance boost would add I would think.

[Minwah]

You're missing 2000 and 98, which are still better than most of the choices on there! 

I don't want to stir, but I don't think anyone should recommend using Windows 2000 for any use really. '98 has it's place on some hardware tho.

[TOK]

Sorry for the rabble rousing last night. Hope it wasn't taken too seriously.
2000 boots slow, but the thing I like about it is that its just as stable as XP, but there is no activation. Not sure how many guys are like me in that the MAME cabs start from spare hardware, but its nice to have an OS that doesn't phone home. You can still strip 2000 down pretty well using tweak guides to strip away unnecessary services.

I'm running my vert cab on it, and it's been rock solid for about 2 years.

[aumameman]

Just thought I'd give you all a bit more information.

I plan on buying new hardware as I can pickup a core 2 duo 1.83 Ghz PC with 2GB RAM for about $300 or a Core 2 Duo Mac Mini for about $400. The idea is I wanna put it in a cabinet, possibly a Japanese Candy Cab as they are real cheap and common here, or possibly build a wooden cab similar to a Neo Geo or Street Fighter.

I also plan to get/build a vertical cocktail cabinet with an old AMD Sempton I have lying around, which has XP but I could always downgrade to Win 98 DOS or upgrade to Linux.

[HaRuMaN]

Win98 SE all the way!

[Jdurg]

I think it is worth mentioning again that it all depends on what games you plan on playing.  I also believe that there is no such thing as "too much power" in a computer.  Go with whatever your budget will allow you too.  If you want to play NFL Blitz, MK4, SFIII, Killer Instinct, etc. you WILL need a beefier system in order to play these games smoothly.  Not everybody here is just a DK/Galaga/Pac-Man player.  If those are your only games that you plan on playing, then yeah, you probably won't need a multi-core super-dee-duper processor and setup.

The thing is, the populace is getting older and now a lot of those fighting games from the early to mid-90's are what they consider "classic" just as many of us consider the games of the mid-1980's.  So to hold yourself in a higher regards because of the age of the games you run is a bit "elitist" I'd say.

While Vista-64, or XP-64, might not be great for light-guns, if you're using a 64-bit OS for speed improvements in MAME then you're wasting your time as any game that would use a light-gun wouldn't benefit a great deal from a 64-bit OS anyway.  I'm building a cab using a 64-bit OS because I could care less about light gun games.  Eventually, I may build a separate cab for those games and have a completely different setup.

There honestly is no way to build ONE cabinet and have it suit every game MAME supports perfectly.

[wbassett]

I also want a VGA 27" monitor and not a CGA since I plan on playing some PC games, and some would say that is sacrilege.... doesn't matter because I'll be the one using my system.  That's really all that matters isn't it?

You do know you can run 640x480 on a CGA monitor right?  It's interlaced, but looks pretty much perfect in games and frontends.

Yes I do realize that, but some PC games require higher resolution than that and having that option is nice.

Also, in regards to using Vista, don't you lose out in the drivers/software department as well?  For example, is there a light gun driver in 64 bit Vista yet?  That would eliminate more games from being properly playable then the paltry 64 bit performance boost would add I would think.

I don't know if that is directed at me or someone else... personally I am not using Vista on my cab.

Light guns... ugh!  I'm still working on a viable and reliable solution for XP!  Vista still has too many problems (not just with MAME) Give it time though and people will get things worked out.

[billpa]

I plan on buying new hardware as I can pickup a core 2 duo 1.83 Ghz PC with 2GB RAM for about $300 or a Core 2 Duo Mac Mini for about $400.

I would pass on the mac unless you are planning on running boot camp (which kind of defeats the purpose unless you really want a mac). Im a big fan of macs...have two at home and three at work...but my MAME computer is a PC. They are cheaper, and there are a lot more resources available ie. FEs, than for a mac.

Just my 2 cents.

[joebells]

None... I'm running old games on arcade cabs, not new ones.
Have XP32 on my gaming PC (6850 Dual Core w/8800GT). The only limitation to 32 bit XP is the low memory cap.
XP32 is the best choice on that list. 98 and 2000 are better choices than the Linux stuff due to better front ends.

What you running on your cab?

actually 32bit xp or vista also cannot access the extra registers and such that the x64 processors have. I believe that is why x64 mame is faster not that it can access more memory.

[TOK]

None... I'm running old games on arcade cabs, not new ones.
Have XP32 on my gaming PC (6850 Dual Core w/8800GT). The only limitation to 32 bit XP is the low memory cap.
XP32 is the best choice on that list. 98 and 2000 are better choices than the Linux stuff due to better front ends.

What you running on your cab?

actually 32bit xp or vista also cannot access the extra registers and such that the x64 processors have. I believe that is why x64 mame is faster not that it can access more memory.

I should have explained that a little better... I was referring to my desktop gaming PC, not MAME machine. I went through the whole 64 bit rigmarole on that one deciding what to get... XP 64 didn't have good enough driver support, and Vista (in either 32 or 64) ran about 15 to 20% slower according to PC gaming sites, so I went with 32 bit XP.
I've never regretted that for a game PC, and I doubt I'd regret it for MAME.

Look around the forum, and you'll easily find messages about drivers, light guns and front ends not working for 64 bit OS's. There is no doubt in my mind that I'd prefer even feeble old Windows 98 to a 64 bit OS because I'd rather have things work than get some random speed increase in 2% of the games in MAME that need it.

[joebells]

man the media center in vista is great though, its definately the main reason we went vista, x64 was chosen because of the speed increase which I might as well get if I have the hardware. I have had a few issues because of it being x64 but its not really been bad at all. I do realise that pretty much everyone here builds cabs and such but We love playing on our large tv in the living room. This website has me thinking about building a wirless control panel from one of my extra wireless 360 controllers.

[massive88]

Which front end are you using Joe?

[joebells]

well I am still teetering between different ones, I have mala setup, maximusarcade, hyperspin, and emucenter(don't think its well known on here http://thegreenbutton.com/forums/thread/215348.aspx has some nice pictures of it in action)

My main choices right now are hyperspin and emucenter. Emucenter is great if you are running media center, it integrates in and looks just like a media center app. You can search for a game by just using your remote control, press 7 4 times then 8 twice and it'll take you to the games starting with SU for example. It has a built in feature to exit any emulator just press the green button on your remote and it'll bring up a screen asking if you want to exit. He's also working on a feature to automatically download game info for all the systems like genre, year, manufacturer, screenshots and such. He said the update should be out soon/semi soon. The current version works well but it occasionally has problems with losing your game list(he's hopefully fixed it he said in the new version coming out) but for a quick fix just make the list read only.

hyperspin is still in beta but coming along very nicely. The animations and such you can do are very cool its really as slick as the video he posted looks. I really don't know which of the two I'll stick with, probably both lol.

[aumameman]

I plan on buying new hardware as I can pickup a core 2 duo 1.83 Ghz PC with 2GB RAM for about $300 or a Core 2 Duo Mac Mini for about $400.

I would pass on the mac unless you are planning on running boot camp (which kind of defeats the purpose unless you really want a mac). Im a big fan of macs...have two at home and three at work...but my MAME computer is a PC. They are cheaper, and there are a lot more resources available ie. FEs, than for a mac.

Just my 2 cents.

Yes it probably would be to use bootcamp. The main reason would be for the compact size which is a huge advantage for a cocktail cab or any of the smaller cabs around.

I just wish there was better support of OSX as it looks like I am gonna be forced to use Windohs again. Oh well I will do everything I can to hide Win

[danny_galaga]

Its definitely debatable to me, since the thought of using a 64 bit OS and Dual/Quad core CPU to run Phoenix and Donkey Kong is comical. Use an older version of MAME if you need the speed, the older versions are better anyway.

 

im a win98 man myself. nice n simple...

[danny_galaga]

i used a PC in my jap style cocktail, and im sure most guys have used pcs in their midway styles, dont get a mac just because of that...