Gaming/Media Center PC Vs Xbox

[polobunny]

I've been wanting to make a gaming box since a long time now.
Whadda mean? Make a computer used for watching movies, playing games, but mostly emulating older consoles.
I planified taking a small factor case like those Shuttle cases, but more and more i discover that the Xbox has tons of possibilities that will maybe spare me of spending alot of money on a computer that will only be plugged to my TV. Only today i learned by Sprung that you could watch DivX on your Xbox.

I'd like knowledgable users to post and answer, write if it's difficult to do that with an Xbox compared to a PC, and write comments/alternatives here and then. Oh, and obviously my Xbox will be modded, i'd like to know what could suit my needs (modchip, dash etc etc)
I got a PC, so the ftp'ing solution is fine for me.
I also have no problem buying extra parts too.
Try to give links to weird parts if possible, and maybe some shops were i could get that. I live in Canada (Quebec).
Thanks a bunch.

Here is the question list
(by fully working i mean sound and *almost* no glitch)
*Star means I'd wish alot this feature


1) *Is there any emulator for Sega Genesis:
Easyness factor:
2) Is there any emulator for Sega Master system:
Easyness factor:
3) Is there any emulator for Sega Game Gear:
Easyness factor:
4) *Is there any emulator for Nintendo Entertainement System (NES):
Easyness factor:
5) Is there any emulator for Nintendo Gameboy:
Easyness factor:
6) Is there any emulator for Nintendo Gameboy Color:
Easyness factor:
7) *Is there any emulator for Nintendo Gameboy Advance:
Easyness factor:
8) *Is there any emulator for Nintendo Super Entertainement System (SNES):
Easyness factor:
9) Is there any emulator for NEC Pc-Engine (no sound is fine):
Easyness factor:
10) Is there any emulator for Nintendo 64:
Easyness factor:
11) Is there any emulator for arcade games (MAME):
Easyness factor:
12) Is there any way to play Xbox games online with your modified console:
Easyness factor:
13) Is there any controller adaptater for older consoles pads (Consoles with * wanted):
14) Anything I should know?


Thanks again and good night.
Polo~


P.S. I you are wondering why I post this instead of searching the web, it's because i'm sure i'll get better results here than after searching years on google.
Also, I wasn't sure if it was the place to put this. It might not be.

[Georgyw5k]

I believe that the xbox has emulators for most of those, it definitly has a SNES emulator (very, very good playback), a mame emulator (wouldn't know), and a nintendo 64 emulator (not so good as the snes, but that's understandable).

Oh, there's a megadrive/genesis emulator too.

Bear in mind that these are the ones i've heard of/used only..there will be more.

You can also play games online with the modified console as long as the game has a system link option, then you can play online via PC programs such as xlink kai and xbconnect.

[polokitty]

maybe some shops were i could get that. I live in Canada (Quebec).

anything you need can be found at future shop

[Josh]

I have no first hand experience with this, but I have heard many others talk about it.

10) Is there any emulator for Nintendo 64:
Easyness factor: Well from waht I have heard emulation on the XBox is nowhere near as good as on PC. A lot of games have graphical errors in them or run really slow.

12) Is there any way to play Xbox games online with your modified console:
Easyness factor: If you have a PC, which you do, then you can tunnel the Xbox to through the PC and out to the internet on games that run in LAN mode. There is a possibility of lag, but I can't tell you about that.
If you have teh actual original of an XBox game you can get a modchip with a switch that allows you to turn it off. Then when you boot the game and such the modchip is disable thus allowing you to get onto Live.

[GundamGuy]

Well the Xbox is good as a Media Center, but if you want to do DreamCast Emulation... then...

[polobunny]

Where did you read DC?
Thanks for your great inputs.
Any modchip suggestion?

[Valholy]

You can play xbox online using xlink kai,theres no scoreboards though,concerning the emulators the n 64 emulator can run most games perfectly,theres a new project for a new surreal that will emulate almost at 100 % everygame,and for the other emulators theres a fbaxxx emulator that emulates neogeo,cps-2,cps-1,also theres a mame emulator for xbox havent tried it though but it exists,theres emulators for gameboy,and gameboy advance,what can i say ...it has almost everything ,for the mod you could softmod it i recomend evox as a dashboard,or you can always buy a modchip

[GundamGuy]

Where did you read DC?
Thanks for your great inputs.
Any modchip suggestion?

I didn't... However I though it prudent to point out that... you can't upgrade your Xbox... to run the newest emulated systems. If you don't want upgradeability then an Xbox is a perfect Media Center.

[polobunny]

If i soft mod will everything up there be possible?
And will i still be able to play online?

Edit: Yeah I understand GundamGuy. I'm also getting a DC soon so no need there anwyay.

[Borman]

1) *Is there any emulator for Sega Genesis:
Easyness factor: Super easy, ftp over ROMs and Emu and play, works awesome
2) Is there any emulator for Sega Master system:
Easyness factor: Not sure, but i think it exists
3) Is there any emulator for Sega Game Gear:
Easyness factor: Not sure, but i think it exists
4) *Is there any emulator for Nintendo Entertainement System (NES):
Easyness factor: Super easy, ftp over ROMs and Emu and play, works awesome
5) Is there any emulator for Nintendo Gameboy:
Easyness factor: Super easy, ftp over ROMs and Emu and play, works awesome
6) Is there any emulator for Nintendo Gameboy Color:
Easyness factor: Super easy, ftp over ROMs and Emu and play, works awesome
7) *Is there any emulator for Nintendo Gameboy Advance:
Easyness factor: Works pretty good, mostly full speed. Its nice to use
8) *Is there any emulator for Nintendo Super Entertainement System (SNES):
Easyness factor: Yep, works awesome, its the one that I play the most
9) Is there any emulator for NEC Pc-Engine (no sound is fine):
Easyness factor: Not that i know of
10) Is there any emulator for Nintendo 64:
Easyness factor: Yep, works OK, no where near perfect, waiting for Surreal 2 which doesnt seem to come. RAM upgrade helps
11) Is there any emulator for arcade games (MAME):
Easyness factor: Yep, works OK too. Same with N64 though, with updates some games get faster, but some games dont work because of the ram limitation.
12) Is there any way to play Xbox games online with your modified console:
Easyness factor: Yep, System Link games can be played online
13) Is there any controller adaptater for older consoles pads (Consoles with * wanted): I believe there are, but I know you can make them
14) Anything I should know? Buy a bigger harddrive! And a nice chip, no stinky softmods unless you have all the stuff around.

PS: There is supposedly a port of Chankast in the works, but i havent heard anything in months. They say they played shenmue on it, but i dunno.

[Valholy]

If you softmod your xbox youll be able to do all the things liste before,you can play online but only using xlinkkay ,if you get a modchip you can get into xboxlive but your eprom will probably get banned because they detect if you have the mod

[Borman]

No they dont lol. Only if you go online with the chip on. Im online all the time with my modded xboxes

[Valholy]

Thats new,didnt know that

[Ryan]

Yeah, you can turn modchips on and off so they dont detect you. Even I know that, and I dont have anything modded.

[Valholy]

neither i,just softmod, never worked with modded things