By the way, the PSC is great, buy it while you can people!!
Even as just a plattform for retroarch. If you dont want to get into the politics of a team of dumb selfcentered devs, wanting to dream up an online plattform to create a simple database file - just so that the most easy crowd would hype them for weeks to come...
(Yes, I think that the Bleemsync team is the worst thing that happened to the PS Classic scene all things considered. They are more interested in marketing unneeded stuff to the about 70 people who still give them likes, than to create a coherent concept. Then censoring every voice that does ask what they actually have achieved for all the noise they were making. I hate them with a passion.)
Simply go that route:
https://gbatemp.net/threads/scummvm-standalone-package-for-psclassic.531672/#post-8542615
I actually start to prefer it over the stock carousel interface.
Price is there as well.
- PSC: 40 USD
- 128GB Sandisk ultrafit: 20 USD
(3.0 drive that works without issues in my case)
- 8bitdo USB receiver: 15 USD (buy them used)
- PS4 controller. Pricey. But good.
Thats 75 USD for the package without the PS4 controller.
8bitdo and PS4 controller can be used on different systems (PC, Switch, Android... so that reduces effective cost on that package).
You basically pay much less than for a RaspPi setup, get two usable controllers for free. Have a little more performance than on the RaspPie (PPSSPP is viable).
If you then want to join a cult with Bleemsync - be my guest. Commision is only the price of another USB stick...
(I personally still use xpander instead of Bleemsync on another USB stick (carousel, default PS classic emu), which basically allows you to set up a folder structure on stick, and get the database file created, once you boot the PS Classic - no GUI interface whatsoever. Resorting games, is as simple as mass renaming a bunch of folders (game and save), which I'm familiar with, and I can do in 10 seconds...
https://github.com/kounch/psxc_xpandr
Of course this has not relying me on an online interface the Bleemsync team has dreamed up...
)
Id recommend for people to also at least create a separate USB stick with just Retroarch on it (
https://gbatemp.net/threads/scummvm-standalone-package-for-psclassic.531672/#post-8542615 ), and then add to that pbp files and other roms as they please - give them custom covers... In the end it turns out to be so much simpler and cleaner than whatever the bleemcast follks have to sell you.
Now that goes for mostly singleplayer focused installs. Bleemsync will be more attractive, if they can keep the promise that with 1.1 and a hacked kernel, they can free up both front usb ports for controllers.
Because then you dont have to buy a usb hub to use two controllers. And potentially also can use two wireless receivers more conveniently.