Turn a Old PC into LSNES (Linux Snes)

[RobinVossen]

Well to do this you first need a Distro.
Id pick Gentoo.
Then you need a Emulator.
Id pick snes9x
Then you need ROMS.
THey are illegal you need to Rip them from your own Cardriges. I did do it with DonkeyKong Country.

Q: Why would you want this?
A: You can Sell your TV and Snes then.

Ok, well first we Install Gentoo on the Box.
Without lots of fun around it. Just a plain (without X11) Gentoo install.
Then we make a User that automatically starts and logs in when the system Boots. Like this: TIP Passwordless Login - Gentoo Linux Wiki
Then we add the following lines to the .bashrc file:

mount /dev/cdrom /mnt
snes9x
umount /mnt
echo "Press a key"
read

This way the system Automaticly boots into the users account and mounts the cdrom you did in the system that has the Roms.
It also starts snes9x.
Now you can just play your games.
If you want to do a diffrent one
Just close the Emulator.
And then you get "Press a key" prompt
Before that you enter a new cd.
then the system starts again with the new CD.

This system also works with NES roms but then you need to change the snes emulator.

You might want to use a Logitech Gamepad (since thats cool)
read: HOWTO Logitech Gamepad - Gentoo Linux Wiki

And if you'd like to do it Extra Cool
You could make a Mini-ITX.
You wont need a Harddrive. But you will need a way to boot.
So you can also make your Gentoo LiveCD and put everything in there.
Then make the system boot from a SD-Flash or a USB that you just leave in there.
HOWTO build a LiveCD with Catalyst - Gentoo Linux Wiki
HOWTO build a LiveCD from scratch - Gentoo Linux Wiki

you might want to put the /home on a Removeable Disk since the savefiles are saved there.
So if you make that a Small SD card aswell you have a Memory Stick Idea.

If you install X11 you install a way to big system. If Id were you Id not do it.
Maybe kdrive.. but still you wont need GNOME or KDE to do this.. Id do kdrive with ion if id really had to to make it a multi-purpuse system (Also for Ps and DVDplayer)

I hope I did help some people out.

- A Mini-ITX with 2 Flash-Drives (One SD and one Flash-IDE)
- Logitech Gamepad
- Computer Screen.
that is all that you need.
And, if you want to Share one Screen with two PCs. without having to change the Cable all the time you might want a 'KVM-Switch'

Tell me if this was ANY use for you.

Cheers,
Robin

[ryokimball]

This is TOTALLY helpful... just one question, though: how do I rip the roms? I once had a Sega Genesis that had a serial port in the back... but I sadly sold it some time back. Is there special equipment to buy to do this with?

[RobinVossen]

Lol I thought nobody cared :P
Well I did write this without really thinking lots about it in advantence its really writting in less then 10 minutes. So The Document might be alittle Crappy.
If you need anyhelp with it or want a rewrite tell me.
Well I have a Device for ripping Roms. It doesnt have a name on it nor do I remember where I got it from.
But if you just download the roms from the Games you got its legal aswell.

Hope you have fun with your new SNES

[ryokimball]

Actually, most of the games I care to play (Sega... big fan) have all become abandon-ware now. Including/especially Sonic. But I do have some games that I can not find otherwise... and besides, I am just curious as to how to get the roms.

Anyways, yes, you helped a lot. Thanks again.