Hello everybody!
First post and already a stupid question: Is there a chance to install and use a GameBoy/GameboyColor/GameboyAdvanced emulator on Xbian?
I really love Xbian for the fact that it is a "real" Linux that made it possible to install and use MPD for my stereo and XBMC for my TV at the same time on the same Pi. But now i would love to go one step further. I want to install and use emulators in Xbian. Anyone got some experience with that, had success with anything similar or could give me some pointers where to get information?
Thank you for reading
Seeing that over 200 people read this post i assume there is some interest in this topic.
I want the Pi to be an all-in-one Solution as HTPC (XBMC for Videos on my TV via HDMI, audio player on my stereo via MPD on the 3,5 mm jack), fileserver via samba on my external usb harddrive, as well as a simple gaming console (Gameboy, GBC, GBA, NES, Amiga). I "managed" to get the first few to run except the gaming part ("managed to get to run" is a bit much to say because most is already included in XBIAN and the rest is very simple to install).
MPD:
http://mpd.wikia.com/wiki/Music_Player_Daemon_Wiki
http://crunchbang.org/forums/viewtopic.php?id=17386
The one feature i want to achieve is the gaming console and i really can not imagine that would take such a big part of CPU power (MPD runs below 1% in idle and up to 8-10% on full use. XBMC runs at 20-29% in idle and 60-70% playing a 720p movie. listening to music via MPD at the same time a movie runs is possible but absurd (even using using the stereo speakers within XBMC is possible).
Retro Pi:
http://lifehacker.com/how-to-turn-your-raspberry-pi-into-a-retro-game-console-498561192
https://github.com/petrockblog/RetroPie-Setup
So far i downloaded the package and compiled it (takes some time, a lot if you are getting many different emulators) but there i am stuck. if i run emulatorstation via SSH i get a display error.
I am an absolute Linux beginner and i can't even tell if XBIAN is running an X11 server, OpenELEC does not but there are many things you can not do on OpenELEC.
Firstly 200 views is nothing but curiosity - Xbian 1.1 has over 15,000 views.
Secondly - XBMC on the RPi does not run an X server, so anything that needs an X server will not run on the RPi. (This includes all distros, openelc, raspbmc and Xbian)
You CAN install Raspbian (Which has an X server) and then XBMC but as mentioned in my previous post, the RPi is a small puppy and cannot handle too much. In this case, the system runs like an arthritic three legged dog with asthma and a very sore nose.
Thirdly there is an "Add-on" in Programs - "Rom collection Browser"
Rom Collection. I've not tried it, so can't say if it even works, but give it a try and let us know how you get on.
Depending on the hardware of your TV and the decoding, as you have noticed, with "all" you want, you will be pushing 100% most of the time, even if you up to "turbo" which is not really recommended but it is your RPi and you can do what you like with it. Yet, that is just CPU, you haven't factored in disk i/o, network speeds, usb limitations.
Bottom line: I like you enthusiasm, but I think you have to fully understand the limitations of the RPi.
NB: No dogs were harmed in this post.
Research and find out who if anyone is working on a hardware accelerated emulator compatible with the RPi and discuss this further with them.
The GPU in the RPi is quite powerful, more so than the GPU inside last generation Android devices (SII, Galaxy Nexus..etc) so with GPU acceleration the RPi would be able to emulate most if not all the older gaming systems.
This is certainly beyond the scope of Xbian currently.