/vr/ - Retro Games

>>10608689
'ick on 'eck with a 'ock for power and video output.

how do i mount remote directory on tv? on linux i can just use sshfs. on windows smb works. android players like kodi and vlc can access network shares like smb/nfs... but how would i get remote directory on android itself as part of its file system?

>>10608696
I'd rather have something that's always plugged into the TV instead of the current portable console halfway house meme, that's why I didn't include a Switch or a "eck" in my list

Used office mini PC off eBay, AMD APU ones are nice because the extra graphics can help with later generations. Install batocera to the actual SSD, then you basically have an emulation console. Hit power, boots straight into batocera, small and compact form factor. Just research whatever the CPU is before you get it, there’s intel ones too, make sure it can emulate up to what you want it to. I have a 2400G and it can do through sixth gen plus Wii U, occasionally it hits a PS2 game it doesn’t like (OG Xbox is kind of a mess on Linux) but the consolized plug and play experience of it is great for me.

>>10608707
>Used office mini PC off eBay
I've done this before, the motherboard ended up blowing a fuse about two years after I got it and I ended up replacing it with my own custom mini PC that I built for around $300-$400 (I'm assuming you mean something like picrelated when you say mini PC). I wouldn't mind building one again that's just for emulatin', but I also want to see what my other options are given how some of the 6th gen consoles I want to play don't have very accurate emulation options (which is why I listed getting one and using it as an emulation box as an option).

>>10608689
If you're even considering getting a SNES Classic, why not just get a Wii instead? You'll have to compromise on controllers, but the classic controller is actually pretty good in my experience.

>>10608731
>around $300-$400
buying ps2 is cheaper. and rest any android stick can emulate

>>10608731
NTA, but all the other options suck, especially if you want 6th-gen emulation. Chink shit is just as likely to die on you, as I'm sure you know. If you want power, quality AND you want it to last, well, you gotta shell out the bucks, no real way around it. At least when a PC fails, it's more likely that you can replace whatever part went out. I have one myself, and at one point the GPU fan failed, but it gave me an excuse to replace it with a better GPU so I could emulate at 4K with shaders.

buy a used dell optiplex off ebay or fb marketplace. usually you can grab one for like 50 to 100 bucks depending on how old the CPU is.

usually you can find a half decent slim profile gpu to fit thats enough to play 6 gen, maybe even 7th gen. this even leaves in older AMD cards that have support for CRT emudriver if you are trying to output to a crt.

>>10608704
Retard, buy the fucking dock and keep it there. You don't have to pick it up.

The absolute state.

A windows or linux pc is definitely the overall best and most powerful option.

I personally use an nvidia shield tv pro. I have all the standalone emulators I could want plus retroarch. It runs anything up to n64 Saturn and Dreamcast with no issues. PS2 is iffy using an older version of aethersx2, but it works and sooner or later a better emulator thats compatible with the android tv will come along.

Android chinkboxes will really range in quality, especially with the shitty rom dumps they use. I bought an ok one on Amazon for like $70-80. It's fine if you want something small and portable that "just works".

>>10608689
If we're talking about something relatively cheap and that won't stand out too much in the living room and/or be too underpowered, I think you have a few options that are more convenient.

1. Mini PC
It's a full on PC, with a compact shape so it looks like a console and doesn't stand out in the living room at all, also can run most consoles up to PS2 without costing too much usually, it's worth it.

2. Laptop
You can play on your lap or connect to the TV through HDMI, this can be handy if you're one of those people that doesn't mind playing on a full on keyboard, like me, if so you're good to go.

3. Tablet
I'd say this is the most interesting since many of them allow you to connect to the TV through HDMI or wirelessly, and you can use a controller, of the telescopic kind, to turn it into a handheld.

I'd say you have a lot of decent options to choose from, OP! So make sure to take your time and go online to research them, to see which one will be the best for you in the long run, and good luck!

>>10608751
>especially if you want 6th-gen emulation
When I last tried Playstation 2 emulation I remember it being an inaccurate mess where you had to reconfigure your emulator on a per-game basis to make them playable. But this was also several years ago, so I'm guessing accuracy and compatibility for that console have improved since then.

>>10608745
I'm considering that too as "actual hardware", I guess it wasn't implied since the Wii is outside the scope of this board

>>10609321
I figured, yeah, but my larger point was wondering what advantage a SNES Classic, specifically, would have over a Wii other than the original controller. Unless you really, specifically want a mini console re-release for some reason.

>>10609313
They recently made it so all the necessary per-game settings are applied automatically without having to set them up yourself, so that's a most welcome change.

>>10608689
Just want to talk about the Kinhank Super X. I bought it for my brother who misses /vr/ but can't do it the Retroarch way. It seemingly has every game for the consoles we care about, down to an obscure one he's wondered about for years, fan translations like Mother 3 and Clock Tower, but also a few missing Arcade ones. It includes 2 fake PS3 controllers that run on batteries, so I had to buy a better quality dongle wireless rechargeable one (GameSir). We've had it for a year and it's a hit at parties, but some SNES games suffer from slowdown or tinny sound (Kirby Super Star, Star Fox SNES, and 3D Rally).

For my own experience, I use the Steam version of Retroarch which works with the old Steam Link I bought years ago with zero latency

>>10608689
Most handheld have hdmi out though.

>>10609442
Honestly I just kinda forgot about the Wii. There are only a handful of Wii games that I'm interested in playing, plus Wii emulation has been in a very good state for a long time, so hardware-wise it's usually not a console that's on my radar.

>>10608745
not to say "just do handhelds"...but pretty much every good quality handheld has an HDMI out and Bluetooth

that said if we're gonna say that's not an option, I just use a modded Wii. Emulates pretty much all 2D systems smoothly, the 64 VC libraries decent, and native GameCube/Wii support through iso loading. also has the classic controller which is super solid

>>10609556
>>10610105
I've used the HDMI out on my Anbernic before, the output was good but it felt awkward to play it with a large cable sticking out of it. After reading your comments, I found out there's actually a way to plug your own controllers into these things (you need dongles to do it though which complicates things slightly), so I guess that's something worth trying for me. I'd still prefer something that's intended to be plugged into a TV at all times for what's basically aesthetic reasons at this point.

>>10610294
Was it a vertical handheld? I will say verticals do feel weird, but a horizontal with a grip actually feels pretty good.

pic related, the Retroid and grip I use

>>10608689
If you're considering shit like the SNES Classic then you clearly don't have much interest in emulating really demanding stuff, so why not just get a Raspberry Pi 5? That'll handle anything up to Dreamcast and some PS2 games and has a huge emulation community working on stuff directly for it. Alternatively, one of those N100-based mini PCs, which will handle up to some Wii U games.

>>10608689
As the owner of a snes classic and both. Kinhawk super x >>10609551
DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE BUY CHINK SHIT LIKE KINHAWK SUPER X. I regret buying it and the SD card that comes with the console got corrupted after I pulled it out ONCE. Its a shit product. My snes classic is older and works better with actual controllers that work. It is far more reliable. Not to mention that once a controller broke and I sent it to nintendo and they sent me a new one free of charge (under warranty)
Again I warn you. Do NOT buy chink shit. You WILL regret it

>>10608689
I literally use a $20 TV stick from Wal-Mart, runs everything up to Dreamcast and PSP. I use a separate stick for Saturn stuff since it's slightly more demanding. I do still own my childhood consoles but I never play them anymore when RetroArch is just quicker, plus I have a lot of games/consoles on it that I don't own

>>10610815
How do you use a controller on this?

>>10610819
Bluetooth or with an OTG cable which you will also need for adding larger roms.

>>10610815
i have something similar and i want answer to this>>10608703
that's the only downside of this. it has no fucking storage

>>10610893
The newer android versions tend to lock down a lot of internal folders or make them hidden in a way that other applications can't get around.

You may have no choice but to use a USB drive or something that can plug into the TV for more storage.

>>10611358
Forgot to mention if you install certain file managers you can add the connections for network or cloud storage to copy stuff over. Not sure how you'd get an emulator to see cloud storage though.

>>10610048
Wii on a CRT is a patrician choice, Anon. If you're playing on a modern TV, though, how about getting an Xbox Series S? Dunno what your budget it.

>>10611362
>certain file managers
been using termux and total commander for years. you absolutely cant do without those if you have home server. just sshing from phone to server to manage torrents on cli and stuff feels so good. and you can push files between server and android there too
but yeah thats why im asking. file managers and players can read smb/nfs... how the fuck can emulators read those? maybe retroarch has network share support. never liked retroarch because it's too bloated

I have one of these, it’s perfect for SNES games since they’re small, but the thing only has about 20 gigs of free space, so get am SSD.

>>10614421
Forgot pic. It was like $100 in 2015.

>>10614426
I see no reason not to buy Dell instead of chinkshit when it comes to these. They are basically just a motherboard, SSD CPU and a plastic shell which means only the SSD, which can be replaced if it dies and the outer shell are chinkshit.

I’m waiting to upgrade to a Ryzen 5000/7000 series mini PC when they come down in price in eBay and I think that’ll be the sweet spot for me for a while since those can easily do PS2 upscaled and even get into some PS3. There’s really not much PS3 I care about though maybe a few games.

MiSTer

>>10608689

emulate faggot retard

>>10614464
PS3 has a lot of interesting games, many of them are not what you would call AAA titles. The ps store downloadable games like zenonia, trine and pixel junk eden are what's cool about ps3 consoles. There's tons of really cool AA/A tier stuff on psp/PS3/vita

>>10616210
Trine and Pixel Junk Eden are also available on PC, so they're not exactly selling points for the PS3's library.

>>10616201
I think you're the faggot here. LOL

>>10616201
Why emulate when we have the real thing right here with you :)

I pre ordered a pi5....

>>10608689
>What are the average /vr/ anon's go-to's for this?
hdmi cable for my laptop. pretty much the only option for me since i emulate ps2 too

>>10610893
I just use a USB OTG cable for external storage

>>10608828
Not op. What do you mean, "dock"

You mean steam deck?

>>10609462
Who's they. The emulator devs?

>>10619024
Yes, but honestly, it's just Stenzek. Everyone else is bloody fucking useless.

Buy a Wii and get homebrew channel, problem solved

>>10609313
Last time I used pcsx2 was probably 2 years ago. I heard that the Mega Man X collection had the battle racers game so I downloaded it and the newest version. GUI looked new, so I loaded up Ace Combat 4 and my jet wasn't a black missing texture mess, it looked like it should. That's been an issue for years, they are making progress it seems.

>>10619542
I should clarify that I tried it again about a month ago and had much better results than 2 years ago.

>>10608689
>Most expensive option here, even if you get the cheapest possible parts
The other day I bought a fully working PC with a 4th gen i5, RX 470 and 1TB of SSD storage for 25 eur. I don't think you'd need more for /vr/ emulation.

>>10608689
Mediocre PC + CRT TV + controller of your choice (I recommend DualSense if you want one controller for majority of platforms).

>>10609249
>It's a full on PC, with a compact shape so it looks like a console and doesn't stand out in the living room at all, also can run most consoles up to PS2 without costing too much usually, it's worth it.
Even APU shit can play PS3/360 and Switch without hassle. I know, not /vr/ though.

Your only viable options are the Wii or dumping a couple grand on a mister and the right add-on boards

>>10620298
Why would a Wii be better than a PC? Specially since you can get a good enough one for emulation for the fraction of the price of a kitted out MiSTer?

>>10620323
Because PCs are for spreadsheets and doing your taxes

>>10620332
Made me kek
10/10 80's reply

>>10619020
The dock for the deck that has TV output. It's honestly the only reason to get a deck over the newest chink handhelds, the docks for those are always half assed and require you to plug in a bunch of wires and shit.

>>10620479
>The dock for the deck that has TV output.
It has DP and HDMI output.

>It's honestly the only reason to get a deck over the newest chink handhelds, the docks for those are always half assed and require you to plug in a bunch of wires and shit.
Literally everything uses USB-C docks these days, you can even use the Decks dock with those chink handhelds and vice versa, there's no special or magic sauce.

>>10620490
It's not going to destroy the chinkheld battery if you leave it on the dock to play every day?

>>10620957
Nope, specially if you set battery charge limits in the OS. I wouldn't even bother with that, it would take years to degrade anyways.

>>10620962
I tried to find the option to limit charge but I was unable to find it on the RP3+... I'm not sure about that, it's been 9 month I got it and I can already feel the battery draining faster despite charge good practice (charging at 20%, etc)

>>10620978
What's the current max capacity and factory max capacity? You can easily tell how degraded a battery is from that. Usually also gives a % value.

>>10620992
What app do you recommend? On battery guru, only factory max capacity

>>10621004
HWiNFO can show it

>>10621012
Smart battery support not present error, I can't find my rp3+

>>10608689
This can happen to you if you get the SNES Mini.

>>10621054
Ah you're talking about a ARM handheld?

Depends what you want to emulate and how much money you want to throw at it. At this point It's just a pick your poison situation.

PC
>+Emulates everything, depending on your budget
>+Can use whatever pad you want
>+Can be used for many other things
>-If you aren't tech savvy can be a chore to setup
>-Have to tinker with many pads to make them work
>-Most expensive option

Raspberry Pi5
>+Emulates up to PS2 and GameCube
>+Easy to setup
>+Very small
>+Reasonable price
>+Can be used for many other things
>-Too overhyped

PS3:
>+Can also play PS3 and PS2 games
>+Good emulations choice
>+Cheap as fuck, probably the cheapest here
>+Too good


Mini consoles BS:
>-Overhyped
>-Can only accept specific controllers
>-Limited emulation

>>10608689
They should've sold both NES/SNES games in a combination emulation to get the whole deal worthwhile for around $125 or so per piece.

>>10621095
Yes!

>>10621117
You have Android on it?

>>10621117
AIDA64 and AccuBattery can check on Android IIRC

>>10621126
Yes, it's Android.
>>10621130
Thanks, Anon.

>>10620978
>>10621135
Some Android versions have "Protect Battery" option under battery in settings. That limits the charge.
Otherwise I think you have to root, I know Magisk has a module that can set custom charge limits.

>>10621102
I think PS3 can't do 240p, same with those Mini consoles.

>>10621154
But you think if I use it docked for an extended amount of time, it can be detrimental to the battery?

>>10621163
Technically yes but it's not going to be a huge amount and take years.
I'm someone who has their laptop connected to the wall all the time when not using it and leaves his phone charging overnight and there's barely any degradation with either and they both have gotten that treatment over 2+ years now. So I wouldn't worry.

>>10621163
It will just stop charging once full and run off wall power until the battery drops several % before it starts charging again and that takes a while when it's not using the battery anyways.

>>10621171
>>10621176
Thanks, anons. Good night (or day) to you both.

>>10621060
How can a gay couple enjoy wireless controllers? Imagine if their genitals were wireless, how would they even make sex? If you're gay, then you MUST support wired controllers only.

>>10608689
>something that I can plug into my TV for my retro gaming fix.
PC

/thread

>>10621191
Yeah, wired controllers are great anyways, even if you're straight.
So many times I've tied my gf up with controller cables at the heat of the moment.

>>10608689
I prefer Steam Deck. It's a fairly capable handheld PC, and can be docked to a TV with a USB C hub. Runs almost everything up to and including some PS3 stuff. Getting emudeck going is trivial and takes two seconds.

Old Windows workstation PCs should work fine too if you're adamant about not getting a handheld that plugs into the TV.

>>10615695
this or wait for mars

I just use my Steam Deck and Dock. USB controllers connect no issue.

>>10621102
i think real ps2+chink tv stick for early gens is still best bang for your buck

Looking for a console that can play at least Wii (monopoly streets only) and has no WiFi capabilities. My uncle is in prison but allowed a video game for his TV as long as it's not able to get hooked from the Internet. Any ideas?

>>10608689
Pi5 or Mister if you want only older consoles

>>10622374
Forgot link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSN1L2XyyUY

>>10608689

FPGA, hands down. Mister or perhaps wait for MARS. Analogue Pocket with Dock can also handle up to 16-bit if you want a 2-1 portable device (DAC support should be coming soon, so you can connect it to a CRT) but is less beefy spec-wise.

PROS:
+performance indistinguishable from real thing
+can be hooked up to CRT
+SNAC adapters allow use of OG controllers
+no input lag
+vibrant support & dev scene
+new filters, options being constantly added
+all-in-one solution for retro vidya, no clutter

CONS:
-kinda pricey, depending on built
-may require some assembly, fiddling

Probably gonna be called a Mister shill but I think this is by far the best "high-end" option. But it depends on your needs - if you don't obsess much about input lag, accuracy, CRT compatibility etc. software emulation is absolutely fine and something like a mini-pc or a Pi will get the job more than done for less $. You'd have to be more specific.

>>10622460
should also add: If you want Dreamcast and later, you're out of luck with FPGA (though MARS can *allegedly* do Naomi/DC, but let's wait and see).

>>10622460
The pocket is not worth recommending as an option to use with the dock. You are extremely limited in what controllers you can use because their OpenFPGA is not actually open.

>>10622478
It's a compromise if you value portability enough - but, yeah, if you don't then clearly Mister is the winner here. Though, regarding controller options, I've heard SNAC might be forthcoming for Analogue.

>>10622460
>performance indistinguishable from real thing

WRONGGGGGGGGGG not if you’re playing 5th gen, and 6th gen isn’t even an option LOL

>>10622460
>FPGA, hands down
You're so fucking stupid: how are you gonna play with your hands down? Gonna use your feet, weirdo? Raise your hands, play with pride.

>>10622460
mister sounds interesting and so does mars but one thing bothers me. high end filters like crt royal require pretty beefy specs so fpga obviously can't do that. so does it only makes sense to use mister on a crt? i can't believe those shadow masks can make 16 bit games look as good as bsnes with crt royal on a oled right?

>>10622838
>i can't believe those shadow masks can make 16 bit games look as good as bsnes with crt royal on a oled right?

Probably not, though what "looks good" is subjective, especially with CRT filters. In the end nothing beats a real CRT. That said, personally, I find the results look quite nice (watch at full screen):

https://youtu.be/OOZYunYHhaM?si=Etny9xGT0mLJIs8i

>>10623259
>watch at full screen
lol do you think you can boss me around, dad? I'll watch it in a 4-inch smartphone, through a tiny PiP on the corner, at a distance of 12-feet. That will teach you.

>>10622838
>i can't believe those shadow masks can make 16 bit games look as good as bsnes with crt royal on a oled right?
True, slot mas is best.

>>10608689
Get a wii
+Cheap (price wise)
+Durable
+Easy to mod
+Tons of emulators
+Small size
-controler (you will be ok with a classic controller)

Is it worth getting one of those mini consoles for the pads?

>>10625127
No, get the Nintendo online ones

>>10625127
>>10625562
Either are good choices, really. They are both made to the closest exact quality to the originals. I like how I can use my snes mini pads on my wii.