Should i consider getting a pi?

PorkBeans

Hello people. So i am building my entertainment system, and i have got a PS1 and PS2 and i love retro gaming, but when i look at the pricetags for an NES and an SNES i know i will never get one. The reason i dont emulate its because i really dont wanna get a PC in there. It would take way too much space. Ive heard of the pi before, but only now i hear of the Retro Pie.
Do you think it is worth it for me to buy it? I'm honestly scared i will have to buy extra hardware and controllers, since i dont think a simple PS2 controller will work.
And im scared i will be addicted :P

BuZz

It's possible I'm slightly biased - but yes - Get a RPI3 :)

mediamogul

@PorkBeans said in Should i consider getting a pi?:

And im scared i will be addicted

It's cheaper than heroin and more fun than saying "benzodiazepine" three times fast.

meleu

@PorkBeans you can use a cheap adapter to use the PlayStation controllers on Raspberry Pi. I use this way.
And yes, you will be a little more addicted when you know the RetroAchievements feature... :-)

glennlake

@PorkBeans If you aren't afraid to learn a bit about computers/linux you can get a good deal of enjoyment out of getting a pi and setting up Retropie. Of course you can just put Retropie on an SD, boot up, add your roms setup your controller and go. And speaking of addiction, the pi can be the gateway drug to a lifelong hobby (If your married you can setup the kodi as a media center if you need a plus to sell it to your spouse.)

PorkBeans

@glennlake said in Should i consider getting a pi?:

If your married you can setup the kodi as a media center if you need a plus to sell it to your spouse

Calm your horses down, i'm twelve :P

Belowstupid

The pi was great for me to naturally learn more about computers. At first I just setup the SD card, put in the games, plugged in a controller, and played (really simple, plenty of youtube guides). After a few months I was interested in doing more with it, so I started to slowly learn how to use linux. Now I'm far more literate in linux than I was a year ago. The nice part was learning those things wasn't required to just play games, but the opportunity to learn when I was ready was there.

glennlake

@PorkBeans That's Great!! I'm 63 so i'm on the other end of this ride. I have a 10 year old grandson and wish he was closer that 2500 miles away so I could share with him this habit. :-}

PorkBeans

Ill just gather some more info and most likely i will get one as well as an on and off switch

cyperghost

Are you kidding? You should consider to buy a buch of them.

One for retrogamming
One for php, email storage, owncloud, caldav, samba server, ftp server, spotify ripper
One for Kodi
One for home automatication, temperature logger, light sensoring
One for your car enterainment (in a few years)
One for replacement

So I'm just kidding, but you see - there are lots of scenarios to use this small computer. You'll learn much about linux systems. Enjoy it. Use it. For easy developing (to let 2 LEDs blink every 1 second) a Pie is definitly oversized but also useable :)

About RetroGaming:
It was never so easy to get such an experience. Consider to play all these old games in a TV with a real controller.
The cots a relativly low (a BT controller for 20$)
The forum here will give you great support (for 0$)
Then your question is answered :)

Riverstorm

@BuZz said in Should i consider getting a pi?:

It's possible I'm slightly biased...

Nuff said! :)

cyperghost

@Riverstorm said in Should i consider getting a pi?:

@BuZz said in Should i consider getting a pi?:

It's possible I'm slightly biased...

Nuff said! :)

Betting, you know in the forum no one who does not like RetroPie?

Riverstorm

@cyperghost said in Should i consider getting a pi?:

Betting, you know in the forum no one who does not like RetroPie?

Agreed, I was just hazing @Buzz due to the irony of being a core programmer/creator(?) of RetroPie and asking if he recommends a Pi, now that's funny! ;)

Speaking of @Buzz there's no about section or link on the front page or anywhere about any of the core team? I think it would be interesting to know a bit (even if only RetroPie related) about the behind the scenes group! :)

Rookervik

As far as the actual question, yes you will need additional hardware. You'll need the Pi, obviously, a power supply, hdmi cord. Then if you want to use the PS2 or PS1 controller, you will need an adapter for that as well. You will need a SD card to put RetroPie on, and a computer to do that. I don't /think/ you can do that on an android phone yet, lol. But maybe.

cyperghost

@Riverstorm said in Should i consider getting a pi?:

@cyperghost said in Should i consider getting a pi?:

Betting, you know in the forum no one who does not like RetroPie?

Agreed, I was just hazing @Buzz due to the irony of being a core programmer/creator(?) of RetroPie and asking if he recommends a Pi, now that's funny! ;)

Yes, I ment this ironic :)

Speaking of @Buzz there's no about section or link on the front page or anywhere about any of the core team? I think it would be interesting to know a bit (even if only RetroPie related) about the behind the scenes group! :)

Yes a "behind the scene" entry would be fine

PorkBeans

Thanks guys! I am definetly buying a PI from ebay in a couple days...
I will definetly be setting one up for Retro Gaming, and yes, i do have SD cards controllers and HDMI cords (yes im a techie as well as a programmer :P)

But guys... home automation?!
Can a RPI replace Amazon Echo?
Any videos or articles you guys can link me to so i can automate my bedroom?
Thanks :)

Floob

@PorkBeans You might find this interesting:
https://www.hackster.io/contests/alexa-raspberry-pi

mattrixk

@glennlake said in Should i consider getting a pi?:

If your married you can setup the kodi as a media center if you need a plus to sell it to your spouse.

Hah, that's almost exactly what I did. Our cheap android box wasn't very good, so I sold her on the RPi. Unfortunately the RPi spends more time connected to my computer while I set it up how I want it, rather than attached to the TV for media.

cyperghost

@mattrixk said in Should i consider getting a pi?:

@glennlake said in Should i consider getting a pi?:

If your married you can setup the kodi as a media center if you need a plus to sell it to your spouse.

Hah, that's almost exactly what I did. Our cheap android box wasn't very good, so I sold her on the RPi. Unfortunately the RPi spends more time connected to my computer while I set it up how I want it, rather than attached to the TV for media.

Yes yes, I see you did not read all entries here...
one important point:

One Pie as replacement
(if one is broken, or if you married (or not) ... for your spouse, your kids, grandma and the pets..... :) )

mattrixk

@cyperghost Heh yeah... I'd love to be able to afford multiple Pis: one for the lounge, one for the kitchen tv and one for play, but considering a full setup (pi, case, power cable, sd card, remote/keyboard) costs over $100 AUD, it's a tad out of my price range.