Turning an old xbox into a MAME machine

[tpugmire]

Does anyone know how this can be done?  I'm pretty good with hardware mods, but software mods are beyond my area of expertise.

[scott]

I have no idea. I think I've heard of it before. But every MAME machine I've ever done has used XP based Windows PCs.

[foxhack]

It can be done, but keep in mind that your Xbox won't be able to run a new version of MAME, and that it won't run very CPU intensive games.

[tpugmire]

Good points.  I may need to rethink this.  I have this old xbox laying around, and thought it would make an easy conversion.  How would you go about making a MAME machine that would fit on an entertainment center?  Also, say I wanted to play a 4 player game like TMNT.  How would you hook 4 controllers up?   Would TMNT, for example, be a CPU intensive game?   That's about the era I'd be interested in playing?

[foxhack]

... doesn't the Xbox support four pads already?

Also, I dunno. I don't have an Xbox.

[scott]

Prolly your best bet would be to hit up the forums over at the BYOAC, I'm sure someone there could easily point you in the right direction.

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com

[disgaeniac]

I have no idea. I think I've heard of it before. But every MAME machine I've ever done has used XP based Windows PCs.

Since there's no such thing as a stupid question *AND*, since the only *really* dumb question is the one that's unasked (among friends, at least...right)?!

What, exactly, is a "MAME" machine, anyway?
 

[tpugmire]

Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator, I believe is what it actually stands for.

[scott]

Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator, I believe is what it actually stands for.

Yup.

[darko]

This can be done for sure, but as fox pointed out, there will be some things that will not run as smoothly on the Xbox. The hack isn't too complicated to get everything up and running. Just follow all of the directions step by step that you find. YouTube is really helpful these days with instructions on such endeavors.

Assuming you know very little, you will need several different hex screwdrivers (sizes 6 and 8???) and an IDE HDD to replace the one inside the Xbox. You'll also need to hold on to the HDD you pull from the Xbox to set everything up (and in the unfortunate event that you screw up the HDD swap at some point).

[scott]

Holy crap! Welcome back Darko!

[darko]

Well thank you kindly!

[disgaeniac]

Holy crap! Welcome back Darko!

Yes indeedy!

Been on vacation?!

[tpugmire]

So I've been doing some research on this still, and I'm in talks with a guy who will mod it for me.  I was using the wrong terminology before, MAME can't be used on an XBOX, but there is another emulator designed specifically for the XBOX called Coinops.  Pretty cool stuff.

[darko]

True, MAME is really a computer only thing. Coinops is pretty nice though. It runs smoothly from what I've seen of it in action.