retroNUC

Hi all! This seems like a good place to introduce myself, and show off my project. Feel free to call me "Nuck" if you'd like a shorter nickname. Started off my collection with a Pi4 and RetroPie about 9 months ago, but realized that wasn't going to cut it for some of the 6th/7th generation platforms (PS2/Xbox/GC/Wii) I would like to play. So when Intel decided to release their 11th generation of 'NUC' (small form factor) hardware, I decided to go all in and make a project out of it, primarily for sitting under my TV as a HTPC. Core hardware for my system is an Intel NUC11PAHi7. It's a pretty capable device for gaming, even managing PS3/Switch emulation on integrated graphics (ETA PRIME has done some reviews here and here) CPU - Intel Tiger Lake i7-1165G7 @ 4.7 GHz GPU - Intel Iris XE Graphics RAM - 32GB of DDR4-3200 Storage - 8TB 2.5" SSD for games, 512GB M.2 for system/media Size - 4x4" Form Factor I'm trying to stick to 8TB (largest commercial 2.5" drive) as the hard limit for this project, meaning no external drives and no NAS. It's a fun challenge to see if I can fit every game release onto a completely standalone box! That means heavy compression on everything where relevant (7Z/CHD/CSO/RVZ), trimming down to 1G1R sets, and manually choosing the best version(s) of a game to keep for 6th/7th gen. I have a background in software development and roughly know my way around image/video editors, so I'll be contributing back to the community where I can - Bug reports and fixes on emulators, filling gaps in media databases, and making my own LB/BB themes (based on previous ones I'd created for EmulationStation).