What kind of hardware do you play on?

[neorichieb1971]

Just trying to get gist of what kind of shift has gone to PC/Emulation boxes for games that were originally only on original hardware.

[Lawfer]

Real hardware.

Emulation/simulation has gotten alot better recently, especially with Analogue consoles, but there are some things you just can't recreate with 100% accuracy like the audio from the Neo Geo (YM2610) and Megadrive/Genesis (YM2612, YM3438).

[FinalBaton]

real hardware only for now.

When there's no functionning real hardware anymore, I'll switch to FPGA-based recreations of these consoles(an option you haven't mentionned in you OP)

[Taiyaki]

Real hardware of course.

Although for non Neo Geo arcade, I do have a Groovymame setup.

[Xyga]

A bit of everything, leaving contemporary PC gaming aside, let's split into 3 categories because why not;

1. the real, on crt or lcd as intended per the source
- consoles 16bit to current gen (w/ real cartridges & discs)
- supergun (rarely tho, only a few pcbs left, most to be replaced by Groovy)

2. the grey, on crt, or lcd w/ ossc/displ/dvdo
- consoles w/ everdrives/hdds/ODE
- Groovy-Emudriver 15Khz

3. the less authentic, exclusively on lcd w/ or w/out various scaling solutions
- Groovy-Emudriver 31Khz
- various standalone emus with filters/shaders, simply on PC or laptop
- my first 'Mini' console still on preorder tho (core)

PS: + plans to resurrect an old XP laptop for DOS and XP-era games
NB: no mention of controls but basically it's following the authenticity/accuracy grading, from original to more or less direct, using adapters, don to generic stuff etc...
SO: so I can't vote, but where emulation/fpga becomes good-enough then why not go for that (its not always simple tho)

[6t8k]

Real hardware where possible, and occasionally like to dabble with FPGA-based solutions (basically what FinalBaton has said).

[maxtherabbit]

real hardware only, sometimes on CRT sometimes with OSSC to a 1080p plasma

[nmalinoski]

I play a little bit on everything. Mostly original hardware, but I also have a NES Classic that I use in my bedroom from time to time, and I play all sorts of games of all ages on my PC.

[thchardcore]

Just trying to get gist of what kind of shift has gone to PC/Emulation boxes for games that were originally only on original hardware.

Real hardware. You helped me build my supergun way back almost 15 years ago.

[bobrocks95]

Original hardware, though after rearranging my game room and spending hours hooking up 12ish old consoles I'm beginning to wonder if it's worth the effort...

[Listai]

Made the move from emulation to real hardware about 2 years ago.

It started with tracking down some OEM PS2 component cables (pre-HD retrovision) as I wasn't happy with the quality on my 4K Bravia. Then that led me to picking up an OSSC - which in turn started me down the track of picking up a AV Famicom, SFC, MD, PS1 and N64.

Then my TV unit was getting crowded so I picked up an RGB modded CRT locally and moved my setup into the study.

Then three weeks ago I sold my OSSC and put the money towards a Sony PVM20L2.

[RIP-Felix]

Real hardware.

I would like to point out, asking that question in this forum is like asking anglers if they like fish. I jumped into this forum after my taste moved away from emulation and back to real hardware. And this is where people like me find answers to those unique challenges, like getting the best picture and lowest lag from retro consoles on modern setups. I would like to see a poll of gamers that represented a cross-section of the entire gaming community.

[Gara]

All 3. I play on a lot of original hardware and I've also picked up their Analogue FPGA counterparts for when I play on a modern screen. For Neo Geo and arcade I still stick to a Mini-ITX cube I built just for Groovymame.

You're getting a very slanted view asking that here. I imagine most people would reply with a Pi build or hacked Mini consoles. Xbox and Wii also remain very popular.

[it290]

I have the original stuff and I use it but recently MiSTer has rapidly become my preferred method of play for the stuff that it covers. The convenience, accuracy, and flexibility are just too awesome.

[Xer Xian]

It's been a while now since I started to play only with real hardware. And I mean that literally - I don't do games, I just tinker with consoles, scalers, switches and the likes. Actually, nowadays I don't do that either.. Wait, I should have posted this on the gaming confession thread

[neorichieb1971]

Thanks for all your polling cards.

No referendums all results are final.


I am so happy to be a member of this forum. Someone above said I helped them build a supergun 15 years ago. I think I was probably one of the first 100 or so members of this forum. How time flies.

Its also showing my age a bit, i'm 48 in a few days time and still buying Ketsui PS4, ESP ra.de and Psikyo vol 2 on Switch.

The love for games was never in question, but the love for hardware in recent times has waned considerably. 3 months ago I joined a facebook group called retrogames something or other and only 2 of us were still buying original hardware and games. The rest were buying all sorts of $100 retro pie boxes and putting 10000 games on them. Which begs the question how many of those will get played. Its always been my belief that too much too quickly rarely brings the respect of the games to the surface. Its just about hacking and modding and getting 10000 games. If there is no actual gameplay representation, high score representation or someone buying something to hold it in their hands something has gone a miss. Within 12 months of the new consoles being released next year there will be some sort of hack available for them, generating hysteria around emulation on those consoles.

This might be the grandfather of gaming forums, but its heart has been and always (hopefully) be in the right place.

[ZellSF]

Poll is pretty meaningless, everyone who prefers emulation would vote for both real hardware and emulation hardware, because at some point emulation has minor problems, then major then you're at hardware there are no emulators for.

Then you have this being posted in the "Hardware" forum. Even off-topic would be biased, since this is a forum a bit centered around hardware, but it would've been better.

The love for games was never in question, but the love for hardware in recent times has waned considerably. 3 months ago I joined a facebook group called retrogames something or other and only 2 of us were still buying original hardware and games. The rest were buying all sorts of $100 retro pie boxes and putting 10000 games on them. Which begs the question how many of those will get played. Its always been my belief that too much too quickly rarely brings the respect of the games to the surface. Its just about hacking and modding and getting 10000 games. If there is no actual gameplay representation, high score representation or someone buying something to hold it in their hands something has gone a miss. Within 12 months of the new consoles being released next year there will be some sort of hack available for them, generating hysteria around emulation on those consoles.

The people who get tons of games they never play are just as present among hardware communities as emulation ones.

[tomwhite2004]

The rest were buying all sorts of $100 retro pie boxes and putting 10000 games on them. Which begs the question how many of those will get played.

How is this any different from having a flash cart or optical drive emulator and stuffing an SD card with a full no-intro rom set or tosec/ redump set. Using real hardware is no longer that different an experience from emulation in this respect, it's up to the end user how they manage the games they play. I bet that before long flash carts etc will be the norm with real hardware, especially if you are just coming into the hobby.

I sold my collection of 700 odd games a few years back and primarily use emulation and fpga hardware these days and have every bit the same appreciation for the games and play them in the exact same manner as when I was paying silly prices to own them physically.

[Lawfer]

The rest were buying all sorts of $100 retro pie boxes and putting 10000 games on them. Which begs the question how many of those will get played.

How is this any different from having a flash cart or optical drive emulator and stuffing an SD card with a full no-intro rom set or tosec/ redump set. Using real hardware is no longer that different an experience from emulation in this respect, it's up to the end user how they manage the games they play. I bet that before long flash carts etc will be the norm with real hardware, especially if you are just coming into the hobby.

I sold my collection of 700 odd games a few years back and primarily use emulation and fpga hardware these days and have every bit the same appreciation for the games and play them in the exact same manner as when I was paying silly prices to own them physically.

Heck, with newer consoles that rely on firmwares (Wii, PS Vita, 3DS, PS3, PS4 Wii U, Switch) you don't even need to rely on emulation to play games, you can just buy the consoles and play all the games you want on the fly just by installing CFW.

[neorichieb1971]

Yes, it seems there are many ways to make a console do what it originally was never intended to do.

The scary thing is that the timetable for making this possible on newer consoles is getting to the point where its still the current generation of console.


I only have one modded console, an original Xbox. The honest truth is i've never turned it on

[bigbadboaz]

I'll play on anything that provides a quality experience. Real hardware is great for authenticity, nostalgia, and collecting purposes, but I don't want an overly cluttered living area. I personally find good emulation to be 100% satisfying, and seeing one piece of hardware run different types of software is its own kind of neat. The ability to pick and choose a much wider variety of controllers is also a huge benefit.

(Maybe the poll needs a "multple options" option )

[ApolloBoy]

Real hardware mixed with a few FPGA-based consoles (AVS, Super Nt, Mega Sg), but lately I've been entertaining the idea of replacing my least-played systems with a MiSTer setup now that it's matured considerably.

[it290]

I prefer the experience of playing the Genesis and SNES on the MiSTer to the respective Analogue products FWIW. The extra/better options for input push it over the top.

[St4rwalker]

Thanks for all your polling cards.


The love for games was never in question, but the love for hardware in recent times has waned considerably. 3 months ago I joined a facebook group called retrogames something or other and only 2 of us were still buying original hardware and games. The rest were buying all sorts of $100 retro pie boxes and putting 10000 games on them. Which begs the question how many of those will get played. Its always been my belief that too much too quickly rarely brings the respect of the games to the surface. Its just about hacking and modding and getting 10000 games. If there is no actual gameplay representation, high score representation or someone buying something to hold it in their hands something has gone a miss. Within 12 months of the new consoles being released next year there will be some sort of hack available for them, generating hysteria around emulation on those consoles.

WELL SAID !