ideal emulator box setup

[dethink]

my dad has given up on his PC, and i think i'm going to 'inherit' it, rather than piecing something together to build a holy shrine to 2D, since my collecting bucks are stretched a bit thin nowadays...

it's some kind of XP box with a 1.4-1.6Ghz AMD processor as i recall, with a nvidia "all in one" sound/graphics/ethernet card with a video and optical out (32 or 64MB i think)...

not sure on the RAM and HD, but that's an easy swap (40gb/256MB i think).

i'm a mac guy, so i really don't keep up on system specs for emulators, but this should be sufficient for things like neo geo/MAME without frame losses, correct?

anything else i should slap in there to make it extra cool? :D it needs to be painted, fo sho'...pasty PC white and blue = yeech.

[ddockery]

I can't speak to the 3D emulators (PSX, Impact etc) but for the 2D stuff, the graphics cards won't really matter. For sure in MAME it won't as all rendering is done in software. What that means is the more cpu speed the better. Also, if you're running XP, Go for 512MB RAM or even a GB 256 is pretty low. No matter what you have, the newer games in MAME still won't go full speed, but NeoGeo is easily full speed w/ a 1.4 Athlon.

Slap yourself a DVD writer to back everything up, ros are getting big and burners are getting cheap.

[dethink]

cool, i figured it'd be sufficient, since my brother could get GTA3 to run on it, but i haven't had a PC in the house in several years now, so i'm just out of touch on specs. as long as i can play neo-geo and CPS2 games smoothly, i'm fine.

i was planning on upgrading the RAM if there isn't at least 512 in there when i pull it apart, and slapping a bigger HD in there as well, since i'm going to move all my albums ripped into iTunes over to it as well, and just run it through the stereo in the living room.

a co-worker has all the MAME DVD's for his cabinet project he's working on, so he's burning me copies of those. :D so along with the NES/SNES/genesis/TG16/2600/SMS sets i already have, i think i can sell the xbox... LOL

get a cheap wireless keyboard/mouse, and a playstation -> USB adapter for controllers (or one of those x-arcade sticks, if i'm feeling spendy), and i think i'm set.

and spray paint. damn this case is fugly.

[Cryomancer]

Get a PC magic Box for imputs, a Saturn controller alone is great for most of MAME, as well as basically any 2-d game. For PSX/N64 stuff I suggest an xbox controller or PSX, magic box has a port for PSX.. I'd also suggest hitting up goodwill and looking around for a cheap serial trackball.

And since you said mostly fighters, saturn controllers will work great, or you could always build your own arcade controller or even a full-on cabinet.

[whoisKeel]

painting your case:
http://linear1.org/mods/

i'm still doing mine, as i am waiting to drill a hole for a case fan, but i will let you know how it turns out. i am trying to get a pc from work that is black, and shaped not much bigger than an old vcr. type type of pc's they use for POS system in restaurants, so it is real small and would fit in a entertainment system easily. fingers crossed.

[dethink]

ew, ok the mobo in this thing is shot...

if i decide to do this, i'd just start from scratch...would something like this be a good barebones base for a MAME box?

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=56-110-024&depa=0

i know it's PCI (ugh), but the form factor and things like a TV out are perfect for a home theater/emu box PC...