Best Single board Computer for Arcade emulators?

So I'm nearing a Month with my Raspberry Pi and I like it but the arcade emulators on it aren't doing it for me. FBA's button setup suits a controller better than a stick and having to figure out button mappings for every game is a Pain. MAME 2003 is horrible and there are tons of Taito classics it simply won't run. Actually Both emulators leave a lot to be desired when it comes to Taito compatibility. Yet FBA runs Ketsui and ESPGaluda just fine.

I installed Advanced MAME on my pi and it didn't install right at least that's what it told me so I haven't tested it out.

So I'm on the hunt for a single board computer that will provided I have the right MAME Rom set, play everything I throw at it. Plus a Model 2 Emulator, Model 3, PSX based hardware, ST-V and so on.
I'm not sure if the Latte Panda is the beast I'm looking for or if I should just get an older PC on Ebay and slap a front end on it.

 

Could try out the Intel Devboard. https://www.adafruit.com/products/2188

 

That Galileo has less grunt than you think. I'd recommend going PC; look into tiny form factor mainboards (Mini ITX or even smaller) if space is an issue.

 

Would a Nuc be good enough or should I seek something with a beefier GPU. I do want this thing to run everything from cave to pgm to model 3 and Naomi games. Pretty much whatever I throw at it.

 

If Model 3 and Naomi are at the upper end of your scale, I think the NUCs should be more than sufficient. Might even run Taito X2 stuff.

 

2ghz i3 should be enough?

I'm thinking Linux for this as, I haven't been getting along with windows. in any case what front ends do I have as options?

My arcade sticks are 2 MAS sticks joined together via a 4 port PS2 to USB Adapter (Mayflash) and A Qanba stick.

Has the Hikaru board been properly emulated yet?

 

Check out YouTuber Simply Austin https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCb4RFFBZEztOW77onViqoDA

He does loads of videos on front ends and how to set them up and stuff.

And Yeh a nuc is a good way to go. Gpu isn't really too important for most if not all arcade roms tbh. Cpu is a bigger factor. Same could be said for a lot of the emulators out there aswell.

 

Oh I checked out Simply Austin, when he called the home versions of Blazblue crap I tuned out.

I am interested in that front end Yakumo was using in this video. Seems like it might give me everything I need.


Thing is I can't seem to find Arcade box anywhere.

I'd use Hyperspin but that's so cliche'

Anywho should I be good with an i3 or would I be better off with an i5 or i7?

 

I would avoid the nuc, it is a good small factor pc but think the following
1) If something gets toasted you have to replace the whole board and it is kinda expensive
2) The core i3 that nuc uses is a mobile version of the i3 chip like a laptop

I would also recommend an itx motherboard and an intel cpu. A pentium like simply austin suggests in one of his build or an i3 for future proof.

 

A new recommendation is the UP board. I want one, looks awesome http://up-shop.org/

 

I heard about the Up board but is it beefy enough to run the games I plan on playing?

This has an HDMI out, and a fast enough CPU but the graphics card is integrated, But I suppose I can just slap something in and be fine, and swap out the HDD for an SSD

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Budget-Gami...485104?hash=item2cb2de77b0:g:4k4AAOSw0UdXu5-A

 

What is the most demanding game you plan on playing??

 

I'll probably at least attempt to run Dolphin on it. But nothing beyond that. But who knows, If I go the PC Route I might get Steam then lord knows what I'll run (Probably just the shmups)

 

Well, considering the up board is windows compatible, steam does run on it. Honestly though, I think the pc route is probably an overall best option. More choice, compatibility and upgrade-ability.

 

Yeah and there are some cheap PCs on Ebay. I could get a nice rig for a few hundred.

Now if only I could find that arcade box front end.

 

Dolphin? Steam? The stuff you want to run on this machine keeps getting more and more resource intensive...

Re: "just the shmups" - iirc, some of the most demanding games in MAME, ones that don't run at full speed even on current high end systems, are shmups.

Oh and btw, Yakumo's video's comments section says the frontent is mGalaxy.

 

Well my Pi is weird with what it does and doesn't run. Draku Tenshi won't run full speed, but ESPGaluda will, Any Taito game made after 1994 Neither MAME or FBA will run at full speed. It's weird. Then there are games like Mad Planets that because of the limited button Mapping in MAME 2003 I can't do a duel analog set up.

Dolphin and Steam aren't necessary but if there's something beefy enough out there I'm running them.

 

I will admit, I love my Pi's, but, god help me they do annoy the hell outta me. The weird rom compatibility and speed and such can be frustrating. It's great for 95% of roms out there though, especially for home consoles and handheld devices.

One thing to consider about pc's is that emulators tend to perform better with single core cpu's that are in the 3 - 5ghz range, compared to dual core 2 - 4ghz range, simply because they dont all support dual core cpu's. The PS2 emulator runs better with dual core, and I think dolphin might nowadays (didn't in the past, not sure about now... it's much faster now regardless). I believe MAME now supports dual core... or at least, it's trying to? again, not sure.

 

I'm shocked the PI can even run PSP games at all. Granted it's a very VERY small percentage, but Dracula X chronicles and Dariusburst run great and don't look too bad with the right filters but then you toss in Samurai Shodown anthology or guilty gear and they run...like everything is smeared in mud. Right around there was when I realized I'm going to need something Beefier. I got the Pi to run Neo Geo and Cave games and play them with the PS3 Neo Geo stick but Guess what IT'S THE ONLY CONTROLLER MY PI3 DOESN'T RECOGNIZE.

 

Why not buy some arcade systems? For the cost of what you're trying to build, you could buy at least a few systems. Some versions of the MVS have built-in controller ports. You can pretty easily make an adapter to use Neo Geo controllers with most arcade systems.