Second, just wanted to share with everyone my current gaming setup. It's a bit messy, but I am able to play more or less everything I would want to, largely on original hardware, along with a bit of emulation where needed, comfortably from my sofa.
I've been gaming ever since I got my NES when I was about 8 (born in 1986). Still have my original NES but the controller ports don't work so it's not pictured. Most of the hardware pictured has been acquired over the past two years buying online here in China (I live in Beijing) or at flea markets on occasional visits back to the UK (where I'm from).
I don't really collect games, just keen to be able to play all games from my childhood and those I missed out on, where possible on original hardware. Which I guess means that, for the most part, I'm a dirty pirate. Whilst I really admire those who amass great software collections, I neither have the room nor the funds to go out and buy all the games I'd want to play. We can leave the moral implications for another thread, but in short, I'm kinda easy going when it comes to games that are no longer actively sold in stores. But yeah, props to all the collectors!
Anyway, here's the setup:
- Living Room
TV is a 42" Pioneer LCD. I don't have space for a CRT. It's not a bad TV though. Wii IR Bar is stuck on the top with Blu Tack for super sturdiness. Holes in the back include:
- 1 Composite (4 Way Splitter: Saturn, Mega Drive, SFC, FC)
- 1 Composite/Component (PS2 via component)
- 1 VGA (Dreamcast)
- 2 HDMI (HTPC, Wii using HDMI converter)
The cabinet is from Ikea and is my designated gaming area, as allocated by the wife.
The consoles here are accompanied by at least one corresponding controller in a felt controller bag, as well as controller extension cables.
All AV and power cables run through holes cut in the back of the cabinet. All power cables go to the two power strips on the middle row of the far right cabinet. Each console can be powered individually from the power strip, so they are all connected at the same time without all simultaneously consuming power.
So, left cabinet:
Top row
- AV Famicom (with Everdrive N8)
- Super Famicom
- Wii (Pal)
Middle row
- NTSC J Saturn
- NTSC J Dreamcast
Bottom row
- Boxes with AV cables, chargers etc.
Middle cabinet:
Top row
- Two 360 controllers (the black bags on the left) connected to the HTPC on the row underneath.
- NTSC J Mega Drive 1 (with Mega Everdrive)
Middle row
- HTPC: Runs HyperSpin with loads and loads of console and arcade games. Also used for watching TV.
Bottom row
- Two USB joysticks connected to the HTPC above. Here’s what the joysticks look like:
Nice and big with plenty of buttons.
Right cabinet:
The bottom row is boxes full of controllers. The middle row is what’s important: Two power strips with 10 outlets in total, each can be turned on and off individually.
From left to right:
Strip 1: Wii Hard Drive, Dreamcast, Wii, Saturn, Mega Drive
Strip 2: PS2, SFC, spare, AV Famicom, HTPC
That’s right! The PS2 lives behind the TV.
An aerial shot of the chaos going on behind the telly. From bottom to top:
PS2, Saturn step down converter, power extension lead for SFC, Wii power brick, power extension lead for Famicom, Cheeky Wii Hard Drive, 4-Way AV splitter, picture of me and the wife, wireless headphones.
What a mess!
The splitter that goes into channel AV1. From left to right: Saturn, Mega Drive, SFC, FC.
- Office
What is currently my office, and eventually my son’s bedroom, is also currently home to my tate setup. The monitor is a 15” 4:3 LCD I got from work, and the stand was found cheaply online and clamps onto the back of the table and rotates 360 degrees. The speakers are old LG speakers I had lying around and are nice and bassy. The stick is a Qanba N1 which is also PS3/360 compatible, a nice stick for a good price.
I have a Dreamcast power cable over here so can also bring that over for some tate shooters. Will be reacquiring an Agetec stick in time for Ikaruga Together Retro in July.
- Other Stuff
Most other peripherals I have are pretty standard, though I thought I’d quickly share some of the ones I think are pretty cool.
Hori Super Game Boy Pad
Obviously it’s meant to be used on a Super Game Boy. I still have my old PAL SGB but don’t think it will work on an SFC. It does however work great on the Wii using the Mayflash adaptor and Visual Boy Advance.
Competition Pro SNES Pad
This controller is left over from my youth. So badass!
ICade 8-bitty
Wife got me this for my birthday last year. Works great with a jailbroken iPad and emulators. Great for business trips.
Retrolink N64 USB Pad
Since I don’t own an N64 anymore, I use this on the HTPC for N64 gaming. Close enough if you’re not too much of a die-hard N64 fan.
Random Third Party SNES Controller
Doesn’t say who made this, but this is a great controller. D-pad feels a bit like a Saturn Model 2 and it has L and R shoulder buttons as well as face buttons. Great for SF2.
Orange Gamecube Controller:
It’s cool because it’s orange!
Logitech Wireless Keyboard:
What I control the HTPC with. Quite inexpensive and really responsive touchpad with excellent range.
That’s pretty much all I got. Next looking to get a pair of Agetec sticks for the Dreamcast, an SD2SNES and a SNES multitap. If I add anything console-wise. I’d love to get a PCE-Duo or maybe an AES, but I’ve run out of holes on the back of the TV. I’m more or less satisfied with my current setup, though.
Would love to hear everyone’s comments. Thanks for looking!
