X7 as a Video Arcade = Success

[robmich]

One of my hobbies is to build video arcade boxes that play all the retro stuff. MAME, N64, SNES, etc. I have always been looking for a powerful enough mini Windows box that I didn't have to build. The X7 is perfect. I built up a MAME version and it has plenty of power and video to play all the games, even the "heavier" ones.

I tried it with both Win 8.1 and 10 preview (thanks finless for the driver pack) and the latest version of MAME. Usually, I have had to tweak to get it all to work, but this worked without any tuning at all.

So my wife is mad as I have now penciled in the weekend for more play...

Rob

[hey69]

[portezbie]

Well, lets seem some pics!

That is an awesome hobby.

[hey69]

One of the reasons i ordered one too
portable mame box woow

[ashteven]

Hi Rob, I was thinking of doing the same thing. Can you let us know which version of MAME you have? I'm especially interested to know which wireless game controllers would work best with this setup.

Thx!

[robmich]

Hi Rob, I was thinking of doing the same thing. Can you let us know which version of MAME you have? I'm especially interested to know which wireless game controllers would work best with this setup.

Thx!

I am using MAME ,158 (the latest version) and Maximus Arcade as the frontend. I use a controller that I built and the X-Arcade Tankstick. For wireless controllers, I use the Logitech PS2 controller. They work great and are less than 20.00 on Amazon. Maximus Arcade is highly configurable and has good WAF. I set Windows to hide all boot info, so all I see is "Pipo", hear a short rif from a Journey song and right to the arcade...

Rob

[MageDawson]

Hi Rob, I was thinking of doing the same thing. Can you let us know which version of MAME you have? I'm especially interested to know which wireless game controllers would work best with this setup.

Thx!

I just tried my game stick Bluetooth controller with the x7. It worked well with a gba emulator.

[ashteven]

Has anyone had any luck with the Dolphin emulator? I installed it yesterday, and all the games ran very slowly. I'm guessing the Pipo doesn't have enough horsepower to run it properly?

[robmich]

Has anyone had any luck with the Dolphin emulator? I installed it yesterday, and all the games ran very slowly. I'm guessing the Pipo doesn't have enough horsepower to run it properly?

Dolphin requires a huge amount of processor and GPU to work correctly. My Dolphin machine is an i-5 overclocked to 4.2Ghz and a top of the line video card and even with all that power, there are some of my owned and ripped games that run slow.

The X7 would be good for MAME, GBA, SNES, etc.


Rob

[ashteven]

Dolphin requires a huge amount of processor and GPU to work correctly. My Dolphin machine is an i-5 overclocked to 4.2Ghz and a top of the line video card and even with all that power, there are some of my owned and ripped games that run slow.

The X7 would be good for MAME, GBA, SNES, etc.


Rob

Good to know. I'll try the others you mentioned.

Thanks Rob!

[kotobide]

I have always wanted to build a mame cabinet and have looked at several prebuilt ones though they are quite spendy like 2500+.

For diy this cab plan is amazing and wouldn't cost much to make.

http://www.instructables.com/id/A-Super-Easy-Arcade-Machine-from-1-Sheet-of-Plywoo/

[extassis]

One of my hobbies is to build video arcade boxes that play all the retro stuff. MAME, N64, SNES, etc. I have always been looking for a powerful enough mini Windows box that I didn't have to build. The X7 is perfect. I built up a MAME version and it has plenty of power and video to play all the games, even the "heavier" ones.

I tried it with both Win 8.1 and 10 preview (thanks finless for the driver pack) and the latest version of MAME. Usually, I have had to tweak to get it all to work, but this worked without any tuning at all.

So my wife is mad as I have now penciled in the weekend for more play...

Rob

Hi robmich, your post its very usefull to me, i registrered in this site for your post beacause i want to do the same, i have no space in my home for a cabinet but i want a device in the living room where i can emulate all the old system in pipo x7.My idea is to connect two controllers of ps3 for playing with my girlfriend.

At the beginning i was looking for a device which was possible to run pcsx2 and dolphin, but you need a very expensive machine for that, so finally i bought this pipo x7.

¿its possible to run nulldc and run games fast in this device?

I would like if you explain a little bit the steaps for installing the maximus arcade in Pipo
x7.

thanks a lot.

Pd:Sorry for my english

[robmich]

Hi robmich, your post its very usefull to me, i registrered in this site for your post beacause i want to do the same, i have no space in my home for a cabinet but i want a device in the living room where i can emulate all the old system in pipo x7.My idea is to connect two controllers of ps3 for playing with my girlfriend.

At the beginning i was looking for a device which was possible to run pcsx2 and dolphin, but you need a very expensive machine for that, so finally i bought this pipo x7.

¿its possible to run nulldc and run games fast in this device?

I would like if you explain a little bit the steaps for installing the maximus arcade in Pipo
x7.

thanks a lot.

Pd:Sorry for my english

Dolphin is a bit too heavy for the X7, it usually requires a pretty powerful CPU to emulate Wii or Game Cube. I haven't tried nulldc. I think that the X7 is perfect for MAME, SNES, N64, PS2, etc.

Maximus Arcade is simple to install, just tell it where your .exe's are and your ROM storage and you are good to go..

Rob

[extassis]

Dolphin is a bit too heavy for the X7, it usually requires a pretty powerful CPU to emulate Wii or Game Cube. I haven't tried nulldc. I think that the X7 is perfect for MAME, SNES, N64, PS2, etc.

Maximus Arcade is simple to install, just tell it where your .exe's are and your ROM storage and you are good to go..

Rob

Hi, thanks for your answer, in the first post, you spoke about the operating system, so finally which one do you use? Windows8 or the preview of windows 10?.

Another question, you spoke about modifications for the boot of Windows, which program do you use for a clear run?, i read in some topics that people use a program for having the same configurations of buttons in all the emus.

And finally did you found a pack of videos and picture for maximus arcade?

Thanks a lot for you patience

[robmich]

Hi, thanks for your answer, in the first post, you spoke about the operating system, so finally which one do you use? Windows8 or the preview of windows 10?.

Another question, you spoke about modifications for the boot of Windows, which program do you use for a clear run?, i read in some topics that people use a program for having the same configurations of buttons in all the emus.

And finally did you found a pack of videos and picture for maximus arcade?

Thanks a lot for you patience

For me, 8.1 works better as everything I currently do/use works and there were a few programs (Gameex) that will not install in 10. I'm sure that will be fixed when 10 is released.

Here is the simplest way to have a non-gui boot and go directly to the front end. This actually replaces "explorer" with your frontend. Maximus Arcade and Mala work well...



How To Change The Windows Shell.

Start>run>MSconfig

Go to boot options and select "non-gui boot"

REBOOT

Then....

Basically what your doing here is replacing Explorer with your frontend. In my case Maximus or Mala.


1) open regedit (start menu > run, and type in regedit).
2) go to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon.
3) add a new string value (Edit > New > String Value) called shell. and set the value to the path of the new shell e.g C:\Frontend\MaLa.exe.
4) log out and log back in or reboot.


To return to windows explorer setup from your frontend if it supports it (Mala does) have it load Explorer.exe when you exit your frontend. Now your back in a normal windows environment and can navigate as normal.

There is a site called EmuMovies.com that has all kinds of art and videos. Can't discuss ROMS due to legality issues, but I do know that theres plenty of legal graphics out ther to decorate your arcade with.

Rob