Console Emulator PC Project

[foodfightr]

NOTE: Please keep this discussion LEGAL!

Ok, this is basically a project to build a console emulator system for my home entertainment center. The goal of this system is CHEAP and SMALL. It will NOT be replacing my desktop computer in any way! It will be used with two USB controllers to play 2d or low intensity 3d games. I believe microATX is the best balance between cost and size. I have everything else under control really.... I'll probably be editing this post quite often with new changes and pictures when the build is finally complete. Thanks everyone!

Processor
I'm debating between ordering a Celeron D 310 or a Sempron 64 2500+ which are the same price. I also considered a Duron 1.8Ghz but decided to invest the ten extra dollars in something better. I don't usually dabble in budget computer parts, does anyone have benchmarks to compare these two units? Also what is with the "D" when it comes to celeron now? Newegg doesn't carry any non-"D" celerons.

Graphics
A few years back I bought a top of the line geforce ti-4600 ultra (128mb), I got the expensive souped up version for $400. I'm debating between using this or using an onboard geforce 6100. How powerful is the geforce 6100 onboard considering you can purchase a microATX motherboard with it for only a mere $60? I'd probably need more RAM if I went with onboard because the graphics card doesn't have any. I was also considering the problem of hooking this system up to a TV. The Ti-4600 has S-Video out, but the 6100 has a "dongle" (Text) Will that come with all non-oem motherboards with the 6100 onboard?

Case
I was trying to find a TEENY TINY microATX case that had no places for drives, just SUPER SMALL being the only feature. Since I couldn't find one I'd like to make one. I was considering plexi glass, but I don't want it to be clear. Any ideas?

Motherboard
This really depends on what I end up doing for a processor and graphics solution.

 

[foodfightr]

bump

 

[Finns14]

bump for a noble cause

 

[BoberFett]

If you want small, why not Mini ITX?

 

[foodfightr]

cost

 

[minofifa]

where does one legally acquire all of these ROM's for their emulators?

 

[ribbon13]

SFF PSUs are expensive. You may want a case that takes regular ATX PSUs. Which CPU? Again, more power, more heat, more noise. Hint hint.

 

[ribbon13]

Originally posted by: minofifa
where does one legally acquire all of these ROM's for their emulators?

ebay, garage sales. just need the cartridge, and the means (that being esoteric knowledge and different sets of expensive equipment for each system you want to rip roms for) to rip it.

 

[Cerb]

Go with the Sempron.

I don't know about a 6100 compared to a GF4. If you're going to go as new as the Playstation, the video card will matter (about a Radeon 9600 Pro is where it stops mattering, but more video card RAM can allow for better looking effects). I don't know where you'd compare the 6100 to a GF4, but maybe a 6200 to 6100, then use VGA Charts or Digit-Life's digest to figure the rest? However, if it is going out to a TV, not a monitor, then the 6100 will be plenty, as you can use low resolutions just fine.

 

[JackBurton]

Originally posted by: minofifa
where does one legally acquire all of these ROM's for their emulators?

You don't.

 

[SuperFreaky]

I've compared ATI's RS480 integrated (slower than the GF6100) to a GF4200Ti and the integrated just barely beat out the GF4200 in HL2, but would be slower in C&C Generals. I would guess that the GF4600 and the integrated 6100 would also be neck and neck.

 

[Sqube]

Having the ROM is legal as long as you have the original game. Go to your gaming store of choice and buy the game; if you're talking about NES/SNES/Genesis games, $200 would get you a substantial library.

If you don't care about legal, it's even easier.

 

[foodfightr]

So... back to topic.... lol

 

[artemedes]

I don't have experience with the 6100 vid card, but I did something similar and tried the onboard video first. In my case it was a the RS480 chipset and a celeron. It seemed to work okay. I had it in a this case and everything was getting too hot and it was cpu throttling. This case is only a little bigger than my vcr and I liked it for a HTPC, but it just ran too hot with my celeron D. I am going to keep the case and put a centrino in it someday. The biggest issue I have with this case is that it is half-height. So all your add-in cards have to be half-height. This was limiting for video and sound options.

Because of the heat issues I ended up using a black and silver mini-tower with a super quiet seasonic power supply. I also switched to my old NFS-7 and mobile barton with a quiet heat sink fan using a GF4-ti4400. The emulators are running much better. Even though it is bigger than I wanted I am much happier with this mini-tower setup. Especially since I can use all the good old parts that wouldn't fit in the little micro-atx case. The Tv-out is much better too.

Good luck.

 

[rstrohkirch]

If the games you are playing are based off the nes/snes/gen type consoles then use the cheapest cpu/mb combo
If you plan on using mame then just about any game made before 94-95 should play perfectly on a 2ghz cpu.

It doesn't matter which one of the above you are doing, all the emulators are entirely cpu based so use the most convenient video card that has the features you want...so if the 6100 works for you then use it.

 

[Some1ne]

What consoles are we talking about emulating here? PSX? N64? Newer than the N64? Just NES/SNES/Genesis/MAME? It really makes a difference in terms of what kind of hardware you can get away with using.

CPU: The sempron 2500+ should be adequate for anything <= N64 emuation. Benchmarks indicate it should outputform a celeron for gaming, and I'd imagine emulation falls in the same category as gaming. Plus, it'll probably run a little bit cooler too. The Duron might also work, although in the past I found that a 1.3 GHz P4 was almost completely inadequate for N64 emulation and almost inadequate for PSX emulation, and I'm not sure how the Duron cmopares here.

Graphics: Either card should work I believe. Personally I'd use the GF4 for the dedicated video RAM, and because the main advantage of the 6100 would be DX9 support, which I doubt your emulation software will need/use. From what I recall, the higher-end GF4's actually aged fairly well and still perform marginally well, and should handle anything <= N64 emulation.

Case: Dunno, never had to do SFF. You can roll your own out of a cardboard box though, or nicer materials if you have the ability and time.

Mainboard: Same as above, never worried about SFF before, so no idea. I guess you could get away with a Socket-A flavor if you keep the GF4, although Socket-754 would offer better performance due to the integrated memory controller you'd get on your sempron then, and would be more likely to have nicer extras like SATA and gigabit ethernet, which maybe you don't care about for this build.

 

[Hacp]

Basically get a 2500 Sempron and OC the hell outa it. I don't think graphics will matter that muc, as I beleive.