🍓 Pi 5

[rhurst]

Continuing off this thread as their new Linux distro is made to be backward compatible, the focus here is on the latest Pi 5.

I remade a new 'plug & play' Pi image to run on Pi 4/400 and the new Pi 5. I prepared it to startup using KDE Plasma on Wayland desktop as a sane starting point over the generic distribution. Call me old or old fashioned, but I prefer well-spaced icons and a roman numeral desktop clock with chimes.

It's pre-loaded with updated emulation engines for arcade, computer, consoles, and handhelds with a LOT of game content that are tuned to run smoothly on these little devices. Its change log can be read here and downloaded off GDrive folder.

Desktop startup

Console switch to Playlists

[rhurst]

It's gratifying to see the Pi 5 firmware, software, and associated add-ons mature so quickly, in particular, Mesa and the Vulkan drivers. And, the boot image still supports launching on Pi 4/400 without much fuss. I've been incrementally improving the image for usability and friendliness.

Of note, I added desktop menu favorites shortcut to Commodore VIC 20 with the Mega-Cart attached. Its change log from my last post can be read here and the latest boot image can be found off this GDrive folder.

[rhurst]

Hardware support using the Linux 6.6 tree has arrived along with Mesa 24 and updated firmware. I am sticking with the latest improvements in KDE Plasma 5 for its maturity while 6 is still getting closer. Playing RetroArch off the Wayland display is finally usable, so I added a menu icon for C64 running the Megacart PD alongside VIC's Mega-Cart.

The console Playlists mode is still the best way to run the 10k+ content and my frontend menu script is about as friendly as it can get with keyboard, mouse, and joysticks controls. Pi 4/400 works great for just about every emulator, but Pi 5 is the way to go to run N64 content without any hiccups.

This boot image now has a nice Museum list of old computers for a nostalgic visit and also Apple II and IIGS with Plus/4 content to play.

Re-pasted: Its change log can be read here and downloaded off GDrive folder.

[rhurst]

A simple bump notification that I am posting a freshened image for download. You can read its updated HELP doc for how this works.

Of note is the latest retroarch built along with several active cores including the new releases for VICE 3.8 and PUAE 5.3, and MAME 0.269

[rhurst]

I got a little ambitious since Coin-Ops Legends RetroFE no longer runs on the latest Debian Bookworm for me -- and it was getting a little stale.
In steps Emulation Station, whereas it stays fresh by starting up using a random modern theme (5-star ratings) of the 4 installed.
These examples don't do it any justice:

You can read its list of the Emulation Station content I added so far.

[rhurst]

Happy New Year! Pi 5 now easily runs Dreamcast content. I completed a full list (most with manuals) as part of the new Pi OS boot image.

The Retro drive link can be found here: https://github.com/theflyingape/RetroArch

Enjoy!

[rhurst]

FWIIW, I dropped a new image - use the links provided here. Of note:

• RetroArch v1.20 built with the latest git commits

• rebuilt emulator cores, of note, latest MAME 0.275 and VICE 3.9

• much improved use of Cheevos and game save/load state handling

• can launch Chromium web browser out of the Linux console (uses weston)

... and many updates to the variety of gaming frontends added.

[pixel]

I gave Recallbox a try. Nice animations. I would have preferred working pads though. Tried three models and it's a disappointment. That was rather unexpected.
However, I could work on that Pi5 should the regular machine get nuked – am very happy with it.