Live CD with emulators on bootup

rivalary · July 21st, 2006

Hello,
I was wondering if anyone has heard of either a live-cd or installed, one-purpose OS that you boot up and it allows you to choose a system to emulate through a gamepad, loads it, then you select the game with the gamepad as well?
I want to make a computer that doesn't have a keyboard or mouse (unless someone does actually exist but requires them to get it going) that I can boot up and play games without a window manager or any other part of an OS Shell GUI.
Thanks.

**hushypushy** · July 21st, 2006

this doesn't belong in the N64 section, moved to software discussion.

Master Chief · July 21st, 2006

What type of emulators?

I do know that with a modded Xbox you can have the Xbox boot up to whatever application you like..including an emulator, but discussion of modding isn't really allowed on NGEmu.

rivalary · July 22nd, 2006

Eh, sorry.
The big one was N64, which is why I put it in the 64 section.
Other than that, NES, SNES, Genesis.

**Betamax** · July 22nd, 2006

If you looking a live cd version you're basically gonna be using some form of linux.... a quick browse on distrowatch doesn't reveal anything specific, but you might be able to use one of them as a basis for such a project.

rivalary · July 22nd, 2006

Thanks for the help!
Yeah, a Linux distro would be the way to go, but I've yet to find one as well

I think modding a certain black computer system I havn't used in years might be the way to go, seeing how they already have all the tools made for it.
Thanks again.

**Kirby** · July 24th, 2006

I think a LiveCD full of emulators would be impossible at this time....

for full video support, you need at least the nVidia or ATi drivers, which are NOT open-source....a LiveCD called Kororaa is already in this mess by providing both drivers on the CD:

http://kororaa.org/comments.php?y=06...y060512-160752

unless if you want to be nagged by ATi/nVidia.....then go ahead

cyclonmaster · July 24th, 2006

I'm playing around with SLAX KillBill Edition v 5.1.6. I think it's great for placing your emulator. Just add your downloaded emulator module to /modules/ directory on the CD to include it in SLAX permanently. Then burn it. Also more user friendly.

http://www.slax.org/download.php

KillerShots · July 24th, 2006

You can always build your own livecd with both drivers on it - as long as you don't distribute it, nobody's going to bother you. I'd assume that's the intent of this "project" - a single box, not a distributable system.

You'll want it to at least run X, probably something dead-simple on top of that, like EvilWM, and an xinitrc that starts some sort of emulation selection routine that allows you to choose an emulator with your game pad. Not sure if there's anything available to set up this last section, but the rest is real simple stuff. You'll also want to set up a display manager (dm) to do an automatic logon - this can be done with kdm, and possibly xdm (not sure). xdm is lighter-weight than kdm (by a long shot), and would be preferable... but I have done this under kdm.

I had set up a multimedia box this way that had no keyboard or mouse - just a remote control. To date, the box is working just fine

Has a bunch of features that they just can't sell, like automatic commercial skipping for TV (just start watching your show a few minutes late - you'll end up watching the whole thing with no commercials

). The form factor of the box was about the size of a computer's CD-ROM, plus 1" to either side, and about 1/2" vertical. Really slick machine - look up the Via mini-itx series (I chose the M10000). Because of its small form-factor, it couldn't take a PCI card... so I had to grab a USB tv capture card. Honestly, TV was an afterthought with this machine.

rivalary · July 24th, 2006

That's a slick media box

Yes, the intent is a single box. I've never done anything as hardcore as building a distro from scratch. In fact, my Linux knowledge is pretty limited.
The Slax idea I think would be managable for me, though I'm not sure what you mean by emulator modules. Is that what Slax decompresses and places as a regular program as you boot the live cd? (edit - Ahh, I see at the bottom of the download page they talk about modules. Cool idea, I'll play around with it)
That's awesome that they have WINE and whatnot on there. That may come in handy.

Thanks for the help guys!
I just got off a 12 hour shift, so I don't think I'll try starting this right away. If anyone has any more tips, feel free to post em,

July 21st, 2006	#1 (permalink)
rivalary Registered User Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Canada Posts: 4	Live CD with emulators on bootup Hello, I was wondering if anyone has heard of either a live-cd or installed, one-purpose OS that you boot up and it allows you to choose a system to emulate through a gamepad, loads it, then you select the game with the gamepad as well? I want to make a computer that doesn't have a keyboard or mouse (unless someone does actually exist but requires them to get it going) that I can boot up and play games without a window manager or any other part of an OS Shell GUI. Thanks.

July 21st, 2006	#2 (permalink)
hushypushy the only one you've ever SEEN Join Date: May 2003 Location: San Francisco Posts: 21,837	this doesn't belong in the N64 section, moved to software discussion. __________________ Dedicated to mediocrity and repetition since 1994. 2008 "How Not to Post" guide

July 21st, 2006	#3 (permalink)
Master Chief Quad Core FTW!!! Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: USA Posts: 766	What type of emulators? I do know that with a modded Xbox you can have the Xbox boot up to whatever application you like..including an emulator, but discussion of modding isn't really allowed on NGEmu. __________________ Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 @ 2.8ghz Abit IP35 Pro Corsair XMS2 2gig DDR2-800 (2 x 1gb) MSI GeForce 8800GT OC Realtek OnBoard 7.1 Audio Maxtor 200 GIG SATA HD Antec TruePower Trio 650w

July 22nd, 2006	#5 (permalink)
Betamax Resident Movie Critic Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Belfast, Northern Ireland Posts: 9,480	If you looking a live cd version you're basically gonna be using some form of linux.... a quick browse on distrowatch doesn't reveal anything specific, but you might be able to use one of them as a basis for such a project. __________________ Superior marketing of an inferior product will always win over inferior marketing of a superior product.

July 24th, 2006	#7 (permalink)
Kirby Politically incorrect FTW Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Massachusetts, USA Posts: 8,445	I think a LiveCD full of emulators would be impossible at this time.... for full video support, you need at least the nVidia or ATi drivers, which are NOT open-source....a LiveCD called Kororaa is already in this mess by providing both drivers on the CD: http://kororaa.org/comments.php?y=06...y060512-160752 unless if you want to be nagged by ATi/nVidia.....then go ahead __________________ AMD Athlon64 X2 4400+ Toledo, Nvidia GeForce 7950GT SLi, 2GB PC3200 2-3-2-5, ABit AN8-SLi, Sound Blaster X-FI XtremeMusic

July 22nd, 2006	#4 (permalink)
rivalary Registered User Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Canada Posts: 4	Eh, sorry. The big one was N64, which is why I put it in the 64 section. Other than that, NES, SNES, Genesis.

July 22nd, 2006	#6 (permalink)
rivalary Registered User Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Canada Posts: 4	Thanks for the help! Yeah, a Linux distro would be the way to go, but I've yet to find one as well I think modding a certain black computer system I havn't used in years might be the way to go, seeing how they already have all the tools made for it. Thanks again.

July 24th, 2006	#8 (permalink)
cyclonmaster EmuAddict-_-;; Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Sarawak, Malaysia Posts: 2,340	I'm playing around with SLAX KillBill Edition v 5.1.6. I think it's great for placing your emulator. Just add your downloaded emulator module to /modules/ directory on the CD to include it in SLAX permanently. Then burn it. Also more user friendly. http://www.slax.org/download.php __________________ Windows XP SP2 \| Monitor BenQ FP 91G+\|AMD Athlon 64 3000+(9x239=2.145GHz) \| Corsairs 512MB RAM 3-3-3-8 Dual Channel Albatron 6600GT 128MB PCI-E \| Albatron KXT890 ProII \| WD SATA 120GB \| SONY DVDRW DW-Q30A

July 24th, 2006	#9 (permalink)
KillerShots War Games coder Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Florida Posts: 1,918	You can always build your own livecd with both drivers on it - as long as you don't distribute it, nobody's going to bother you. I'd assume that's the intent of this "project" - a single box, not a distributable system. You'll want it to at least run X, probably something dead-simple on top of that, like EvilWM, and an xinitrc that starts some sort of emulation selection routine that allows you to choose an emulator with your game pad. Not sure if there's anything available to set up this last section, but the rest is real simple stuff. You'll also want to set up a display manager (dm) to do an automatic logon - this can be done with kdm, and possibly xdm (not sure). xdm is lighter-weight than kdm (by a long shot), and would be preferable... but I have done this under kdm. I had set up a multimedia box this way that had no keyboard or mouse - just a remote control. To date, the box is working just fine Has a bunch of features that they just can't sell, like automatic commercial skipping for TV (just start watching your show a few minutes late - you'll end up watching the whole thing with no commercials ). The form factor of the box was about the size of a computer's CD-ROM, plus 1" to either side, and about 1/2" vertical. Really slick machine - look up the Via mini-itx series (I chose the M10000). Because of its small form-factor, it couldn't take a PCI card... so I had to grab a USB tv capture card. Honestly, TV was an afterthought with this machine. __________________ Primary CPU: Athlon 64 X2 4400+ Mobo: Biostar N4SLI-A9 RAM: 2G Crucial (DDR400) Video: eVGA GeForce 7900 GTX (512M) Audio: HDA X-Mystique HD(s): Maxtor 300G SATA2, Samsung 400G SATA2 OS(s): WinXP x64 Pro, Vista x32 Ultimate, Gentoo x64 Monitor(s): Primary - 19" Flat Panel (1280x1024) Secondary - 19" Flat Panel (1280x1024) Tertiary - Zenith 42" Plasma TV (1024x768 res) Many other machines... sig too short

July 24th, 2006	#10 (permalink)
rivalary Registered User Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Canada Posts: 4	That's a slick media box Yes, the intent is a single box. I've never done anything as hardcore as building a distro from scratch. In fact, my Linux knowledge is pretty limited. The Slax idea I think would be managable for me, though I'm not sure what you mean by emulator modules. Is that what Slax decompresses and places as a regular program as you boot the live cd? (edit - Ahh, I see at the bottom of the download page they talk about modules. Cool idea, I'll play around with it) That's awesome that they have WINE and whatnot on there. That may come in handy. Thanks for the help guys! I just got off a 12 hour shift, so I don't think I'll try starting this right away. If anyone has any more tips, feel free to post em,

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