RETROPIE vs RECALBOX? (THOUGHT 4 THE DEVS)

[haris1977]

Greetings

I have recently discovered a Retro-pie alternative called recalbox (youtube video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4YJni-sybU
and here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyyhGa4poZ0)

It is based on ES (as retropie) but has a finer touch with better es menu with pics and music!

Can this be implemented in RteroPie too?

Just a thought..

[herbfargus]

They’ve done a lot more custom changes to emulationstation. There are a couple themes that have some sounds integrated, but retropie focuses more on functionality whereas recalbox focuses more on simplicity and aesthetics. Perhaps in the future some of those things might be integrated, but they aren’t high on the priority list right now.

All of that should be able to be done with themeing alone without changing the source code- you’re more than welcome to create a theme that includes music and we could probably add it to the new theme installation script.

[haris1977]

Thanks!

[epe9686518]

recalbox looks like a pretty stripped down and basic version of Retropie. With the massive improvements in Retropie 3.0, specially in controls, I don’t think there is really a userbase for this. Some things such as the menus might make sense down the road for Retropie, but like Herb said, this is pretty basic.

[haris1977]

Epe9686518 i agree 100%…

I tried to install RecalBox on my sdcard and -beleive me- i made it possible only once !! I was trying to do it for 2 hours and i couldnt.. Many many bugs , i had no internet (no ethernet at all), but on the other hand i saw same things that i really liked

1) Input configuration (with up to 4 controlls)

2) Update button !!

3) Kodi launch (from inside recalbox)

But the most good one about this, was the fact that you could modify some options like hide kodi in emulationstation, or START KODI ON SYSTEM START UP, avoid x button to start kodi etc) something which – i think – Retropie isn’t capable of??…

[Jassen Payen]

I tried Recalbox a while ago, and it is extremely basic compared to Retropie. Whilst all the things you’ve mentioned are nice touches on ES, the performance and version of the emulators used aren’t very good, and support has been slow/bad. I’ve asked questions on there that have gone ignored for months, and there is only one main guy that works on it, who is busy now as he has another job.

Retropie in comparison has immense support and community backing. The configuration aspect of it has been frustrating, but it is coming along. I look forward to trying 3.0 soon to see how the controller config aspect has changed since 2.3 (the last version I used!!).

[haris1977]

Jassen i agree.. I tried recalbox only once (as i couldnt even install it !!). I ve seen many bugs out there, but as i said i ‘ve seen nice touches on ES (like the 4 player input setup) which i really liked:P

I like RetroPie more though..We keep our fingers crossed for future updates though..

[reivaax]

[quote=104123]I tried Recalbox a while ago, and it is extremely basic compared to Retropie.[/quote]
“basic” ? hum… To the side plug and play, we agree. Recalbox is much easier to access. For scalability by the user, retropie is more open to an advanced user.

[quote=104123]Whilst all the things you’ve mentioned are nice touches on ES, the performance and version of the emulators used aren’t very good.[/quote]
Emulators used are the same as retropie. But Recalbox use the Update system for update the emulators core. All the emulators are not included to avoid having too big distribution. Only the more “stable” and “compatible” known are inclued. Retropie is open and you can update yoursalf the retroarch, mupen64, piFBA, etc, etc core. For the “performance” it’s subjective point no ?

[quote=104123]and support has been slow/bad. I’ve asked questions on there that have gone ignored for months, and there is only one main guy that works on it, who is busy now as he has another job. Retropie in comparison has immense support and community backing.[/quote]
For support, indeed, as you say the retropie community is much older and therefore larger. Recalbox a smaller community, but we try to help as much as possible all users and there is a good group of users that help as they can. :).

For conclued and replay to the topic subject, for me retropie and recalbox is two very nice open source distributions for players. We have the choice and that is verry nice and good for all of us. :)

Retropie is a raspbian based, distribution. More open, you can add packages yoursalfe, make your choice of emulator for all the system. Try a update core or a alpha / beta core for a new system quickly. But you necessary edit configurations files for a working system.

Recalbox is a buildroot based, distribution. You have an update system option. It’s plug and play solution. You have a only one configuration file if you want change options and a majors configuration avalable by the emulationstation menu. But you can’t add paquages yoursalf. You need to wait an recalbox update for that.

For me, retropie is more easier for advanced users and recalbox is more easier for newbie users. But both give you a realy good experience of retrogaming on raspberry. Both is open source and both have a nice and good community. After, it’s everyone to make his choice according to his expectations and his tastes =). It’s open source, try it ! :D.
There is no competition to see who have the biggest. (simple because it’s me :p).

Tank’s for all the developpers and contributors of the open source world. We are lucky to have you :).

[dankcushions]

yeah i think this thread has been a little harsh on recalbox! it looks good and i think it’s great we have two different approaches to the same thing – competition helps everyone :)

i’d love to see a distribution using the ‘attact-mode’ interface (http://attractmode.org). it’s a beautiful interface more like hyperspin, with videos, fancy fonts, sound effects, etc. someone has got it running on a pi (based on retropie, in fact) in the video below, and it looks so good!

it would be great as a multi-boot with emulation station. you could use the attract-mode UI for a more curated list of games, but ES for access to your entire library.

anyway, that’s the dream :)

[haris1977]

Oh..i didn’t know about this frontend. But i reckon we are not gonna see it along with ES..(maybe as an addon script?)

Very very impressive though..

[haris1977]

[quote=104118]Epe9686518 i agree 100%…

I tried to install RecalBox on my sdcard and -beleive me- i made it possible only once !! I was trying to do it for 2 hours and i couldnt.. Many many bugs , i had no internet (no ethernet at all), but on the other hand i saw same things that i really liked

1) Input configuration (with up to 4 controlls)

2) Update button !!

3) Kodi launch (from inside recalbox)

But the most good one about this, was the fact that you could modify some options like hide kodi in emulationstation, or START KODI ON SYSTEM START UP, avoid x button to start kodi etc) something which – i think – Retropie isn’t capable of??…

[/quote]

Edit: “Maybe” the source of my installation problems relies on my old Sony sd card..So..i keep my fingers crossed until i manage to install recalbox..

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