The MAME 64 (My pending MAME cab in an N64)

Since my N64 is showing no signs of life (though I do think I know the issues now) I have decided to turn it into a MAME PC. But if you were following that thread You'd already know that.

So here's pretty much what I'm planing. I'd like to give it Specs similar to a Taito Type X or a Lindbergh. So I might beable to run those games on it too.

I'll need a mother board that can fit in an N64 case though, plus a Solid state drive oh and of course a MAME Front end.

If anyone has some suggestions, let me know so I can start planing this beast.

 

To run that sort of specs I think you will need a Core i7 quad at minimum. Something like the 2600 if you want to emulate the Taito X3 as well as a Nvidia GTX560 minimum. Windows 7 is a must also since the Taito X3 runs an embedded version. Gonna need quite a bit of cooling for hardware like that to go in a case this small.

 

cant see a 560gtx spec card fitting in a n64 case + ssd + cooling + power supply that'll be some challange.

if i was going for that kind of spec / power i'd go whole hog n do a full scale mame cab. but thats just me. if you can get a system that beafy into a n64 case i'll emmmm errrrr i'll buy you a pint of Guinness and drink it for you.

 

I have a core 2 duo on my laptop and have been able to run Type X and Type X 2 games. Seeing as how there are vents all over the N64 case I could build some sort of cooling system to house underneath in another caseing. and connect the 2 parts through the open expansion opening, what sort of case to put under it I'm not entirely sure.

I have a Windows 7 home premium I'm not using so the OS isn't an issue, but getting it on the system might be one since I don't plan to have a disc drive in it.

Like I said, I might build a casing to put underneath if everything doesn't fit.

 

well im going to buy that pint of Guinness anyway

im sure you could connect an optical drive just for the os install before you close it all up anyway, and many motherboards now have a sata port on the back panel etc.

 

Yeah I could.

How much Ram should I put in this thing?

The Graphics Card doesn't look like it's going to cost me much looking at the prices on Newegg.
Which leaves the Mobo memory and the custom case to put under the system.

 

DDR3 is dirt cheap right now, so if you're going with a newer mobo you may as well throw 4gb+ in

 

Installing the OS doesn't require an optical drive. I have a USB HDD that is 20GB I use. I set it up to be bootable and took a modified install .iso image and ripped the contents to the HDD. Plug into target machine, go to BIOS and set to boot from the USB HDD, install Windows, ..., profit?, DONE!

Now I have a drive with 2 partitions to install all version of Windows 7 (the modified part of install images) both 32 and 64 bit onto any machine that supports USB booting. Any machine from like 2001 onward allows for that.

I installed Windows 7 Starter onto a Pentium 4 machine for the "FUCK YOU" aspect of it.

As for memory, the Taito X2 had up to 4GB as available option. I'd start at that and see if the budget and spacing allows for 8 or even possibly 16.

 

I use a old 4gb memory stick to install windows 7,prepared it in diskpart and copied the files from the disk...easy lol.

After reading your previous N64 thread I thought about what I'd use for a pc in a n64 case and I came up with this mobo http://www.awd-it.co.uk/gigabyte-ga-78lmt-usb3-amd-ddr3-micro-atx-dvi-motherboard-socket-am3.html it would be good enough for me but probably not for you, I also came up with some rough logos you could use

 

That's a good mobo but I think it's gonna have to be mini-itx to fit the case better. There are LGA-1155 based mini-itx boards out there and with the 1 PCI- X16 slot it allows for a full video card to run. Can even go with a dual GPU card if space allows for it. Heat control will be a bitch though...

 

I don't think you would need a separate video card tbh, most games would be 2D so a 3D card would be overkill...unless I'm missing something because I'm not up to date with mame iirc most would run happily on a old P4 pc.

 

If only the 64 DD was more common, I could probably fit alot more in.

2 things I could do.

1. My Above mentioned bulding something underneath and adding extra Bays and keeping the drive in the N64 part, the rest of the guys underneath)

2. Building a cooling system to store underneath it.

I have ripped Type X games that will need a graphics card as well as Null DC which if I can ever get working right would include Naomi games on top of the Atomiswave games I have.

I like the logo you made too BTW

 

water cooling and reservoir system would be pretty cool.

 

I thought of this too BUT, I'm new to building PCs...let alone casemodding one into a dead console's case.

I'm not entirely sure if I'm going to do this but it sounds like a fun not overtly expensive project I can dive into over the summer or something.

 

I think you're gonna hit some hurdles trying to cram as much power as is being thrown around inside of the n64 casing, you can definitely squeeze a decent emu-ready rig in there, but going full top of the line hardware probably isn't gonna happen.

 

I'm starting to realize this, but there is this thing,

http://www.tomshardware.com/news/Nintendo-64-Console-HTPC-Intel-Atom-Nvidia-Ion,11445.html

 

That would be good for some Emu and Mame stuff, obviously without the 3d titles but its still a cool project.

which logo did you prefer? I liked the bottom one the best lol....might even fire up the old Photoshop cs3 and do some properly xD

 

The Bottom one looked most authentic

 

That's what I thought too...had issues putting a flat bottom on the middle of the "M" it looked really distorted so I went for the pointy version.

Have you got a colour scheme in mind yet? Or are you still deciding if its even going to go ahead?

 

Ion graphics aren't horrible, but you aren't running anything really 3d heavy with it. I use an Ion htpc in my living room for ps1 emulation. If the board has a pcie slot you might be able to fit a lil discrete nvidia/ati card in for some extra oomph

also they do sell 90 degree pcie adapters, but not sure ifyou'd wind up causing heating issues