still kinda new... project idea... looking for suggestions

drumboytko · Post by **drumboytko** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 12:22 pm

Hello all,

Im still a newbie to all of this, even though I have hacked a few atari systems, and with the help of my father who is an electronics technician, ive learned how to solder and work with some electrical parts.

I had an idea for a project, but i need some suggestions, and maybe it would just be good to hear some discussion on the idea... perhaps it isnt even doable.

I was sitting at a friend's house playing his modded xbox, on which he has emulators and numerious nintendo/n64 & arcade games. We were having a great time especially with the arcade games which i believe utilize the MAME emulator. Anyway, I said to myself "I wish I had this set up at home" but, I already own a ps2, and dont even really care for the newer games, but rather I like the old classics. I was thinking about buying an xbox, and modding it, but i decided it would be too expensive to play the old games, if im not even going to buy new games for it. I can play the emulators on my PC, but it just isnt the same as playing it on a tv with a console.

So, my idea if it is at all possible, is to build a console that can be plugged into the tv which would allow me to play many of the emulators. I have lots and lots of pc parts, maybe some how I can make something out of that? I know I want it to be the size of the small consoles so really something running the size of an nes. I know they make micro motherboards out there, but I dont want to invest the money unless other people think this can be done. So please, if you have any ideas/suggestions/comments... it would be greatly appreciated. I think it would have to have a usb port somewhere in the back, so that the files can be transferred from computer to the console when installing new roms. Either that or have the case be designed in a way so that with the removal of a few screws, I can access the harddrive. The other concern I have is that I want that console feel, but somehow I need to have an interface through which games can be selected. I could run dos and use a graphical interface, but I dont want to have to use a mouse or a keyboard, as I want to keep the console "nostalgia" feel to it.

Thanks, and I look forward to the suggestions!

vskid · Post by **vskid** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 12:55 pm

You could get a video card that has tv out.

Klefmung · Post by **Klefmung** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 12:59 pm

Or you could Encode the red, green, and blue signals in the vga of your current one.

cowsgoquack101 · Post by **cowsgoquack101** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 5:40 pm

I have a Radeon 9250 card by ATI that has TV out. It comes in handy.

Post by **Triton** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 6:44 pm

or yo could get a mni itx mobo and build a nesPC lol