CoinOps on oXbox is optimized specifically for the hardware. Version 8 R6 came out in January 2017. The community is still very active and adding support. You'd have to check compatibility for specific tities.
Remember MAME these days actually requires a decent PC rig. Important that C.O. is made for the oXbox specifically in mind. It would not be akin to attempting to run current MAME builds on a 2001 PC.
I modded my oXbox for under $50 including the HDD upgrade (controller to USB cable, USB, HDD, copy of Splinter Cell).
Best option for an emulator box?
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Jagosaurus
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Re: Best option for an emulator box?
My Retro Achievements Profile | My Console Mods
"Victory and honor do not grow from timid seeds" -Arbiter, Halo 5
Re: Best option for an emulator box?
A modded console or Pi is great for console emulation (I adore my modded Wii), but for the wide range of arcade games, control schemes, and requirements needed for MAME, a PC is the best answer. The ease in which you'll find setup support, fixes, good dumps, better control configs, wider video options, and updates to MAME itself will mean that a PC installation will actually save you a lot of time in the long run.
CRT Emudriver is actually pretty easy to set up if you have the right (cheap) card, especially if you've used Test Mode in Windows before. That said, I have had installations fail, so it's not foolproof. It will be similar time and cost of getting a console to mod.
Of course, for a basic MAME setup, Coinops does fine. Just stick to lower power games and it'll run like a champ. MAME on Wii is something I've only tried once or twice, but the wide range of controllers and adapters make it an interesting possibility.
CRT Emudriver is actually pretty easy to set up if you have the right (cheap) card, especially if you've used Test Mode in Windows before. That said, I have had installations fail, so it's not foolproof. It will be similar time and cost of getting a console to mod.
Of course, for a basic MAME setup, Coinops does fine. Just stick to lower power games and it'll run like a champ. MAME on Wii is something I've only tried once or twice, but the wide range of controllers and adapters make it an interesting possibility.
Re: Best option for an emulator box?
Some weeks onwards, I`m bit more clued up about this subject...however it`s still quite a
quagmire.
I did get a Wii and softmodded it following mostly the guides from this thread. It (mostly) works, but I must say, it`s hell of a confusing setup, with about as many pluses as minuses.
The main issue is the fact that there`s no RGB for U(SA). This might seem not such a big deal at first but in terms of headache induction certainly is. NTSC games either won`t work or will require loads of tweaking - which is not always possible (depending on emu/loader). I suppose it`s not as much of a problem if you`re using 480p with components on NTSC, but chasing 240p and decent 480i in RGB on my PAL CRT has proven to be troublesome.
Some miss-adventures:
-RGB step up from composite is not as great as on my PS1. In fact, it`s so small that sometimes I wonder if it works at all (I already got stung with one fake RGB cable)
-Nintendont: it rocks, but I never managed to get it to work with USB loaders (or vice versa). I gave up on this - seems too much work and I don`t really need it as I only play a handful of GC games. The games look good enough, but like I said above difference is not so great as on PS1. Maybe because it`s all 480i?
-GxGeo: works, mostly (RAM limits) but IQ isn`t perfect seeing as it`s a no-frills emu with no options to tweak (at least I didn`t see any). 240p: not achieved, but maybe there was none on NeoGeo?
-Retroarch - big flop, loads to a first menu, can move up/down between options but can`t choose any. Weird.
-Frodo (c64) - not bad, though IQ is low-Q. Not many video options to tweak, also without a keyboard it`s a pain to operate. Not sure if 240p at all possible.
-WiiTuka (CPC) - similar to above, only even less options.
-Neo CD - gave up since I can`t find any decent setup guide plus seems you need to convert wav to mp3...hassle.
-SNES9x GX - MAJOR headache alert. It seems a competent emu, but trying to get it play nice with my PAL CRT was a struggle. Mostly because it seems to change/keep video options on a whim so you`re never sure what`s up. After some hours of fighting it managed to get a decent 240p (I think :) using PAL50/60+"original" in options, but it`s very temperamental (maybe game dependent too). Also the picture does not fill the entire screen - there`s a bit of black space on the right and bottom.
-Genplus GX - my favourite. Very stable & myriad of options plus best IQ so far. 240p no problem.
So, Wii - definitely worth considering, however not as straighforward as I first thought. I read somewhere that Xbox doesn`t output 240P so for now I scratched it off my list and now about to get Raspberry Pi with Pi2Scart RGB mod. The quest for perfect 240p continues...
quagmire.
I did get a Wii and softmodded it following mostly the guides from this thread. It (mostly) works, but I must say, it`s hell of a confusing setup, with about as many pluses as minuses.
The main issue is the fact that there`s no RGB for U(SA). This might seem not such a big deal at first but in terms of headache induction certainly is. NTSC games either won`t work or will require loads of tweaking - which is not always possible (depending on emu/loader). I suppose it`s not as much of a problem if you`re using 480p with components on NTSC, but chasing 240p and decent 480i in RGB on my PAL CRT has proven to be troublesome.
Some miss-adventures:
-RGB step up from composite is not as great as on my PS1. In fact, it`s so small that sometimes I wonder if it works at all (I already got stung with one fake RGB cable)
-Nintendont: it rocks, but I never managed to get it to work with USB loaders (or vice versa). I gave up on this - seems too much work and I don`t really need it as I only play a handful of GC games. The games look good enough, but like I said above difference is not so great as on PS1. Maybe because it`s all 480i?
-GxGeo: works, mostly (RAM limits) but IQ isn`t perfect seeing as it`s a no-frills emu with no options to tweak (at least I didn`t see any). 240p: not achieved, but maybe there was none on NeoGeo?
-Retroarch - big flop, loads to a first menu, can move up/down between options but can`t choose any. Weird.
-Frodo (c64) - not bad, though IQ is low-Q. Not many video options to tweak, also without a keyboard it`s a pain to operate. Not sure if 240p at all possible.
-WiiTuka (CPC) - similar to above, only even less options.
-Neo CD - gave up since I can`t find any decent setup guide plus seems you need to convert wav to mp3...hassle.
-SNES9x GX - MAJOR headache alert. It seems a competent emu, but trying to get it play nice with my PAL CRT was a struggle. Mostly because it seems to change/keep video options on a whim so you`re never sure what`s up. After some hours of fighting it managed to get a decent 240p (I think :) using PAL50/60+"original" in options, but it`s very temperamental (maybe game dependent too). Also the picture does not fill the entire screen - there`s a bit of black space on the right and bottom.
-Genplus GX - my favourite. Very stable & myriad of options plus best IQ so far. 240p no problem.
So, Wii - definitely worth considering, however not as straighforward as I first thought. I read somewhere that Xbox doesn`t output 240P so for now I scratched it off my list and now about to get Raspberry Pi with Pi2Scart RGB mod. The quest for perfect 240p continues...