Pandora's Box - Which version?

[PrettyFly]

Anyone has a solid line a decent Pandora's box?

It's hard enough to pick between all the features but the clones of each version?!

Basically I'd love a link where you bought any version (ideally with SF3 Third Strike) that you are happy with the performance of so I can try and buy one too.

If you haven't seen Pandora's box it's a small SBC with arcade games on it often packaged into a arcade stick like here:

 

[Stwert]

I’ve got a 4s and it’s ok for what it is I suppose. To be honest it’s not something I’d normally buy, but I was in the market for a Supergun and the best deal I found at the time had the Pandora’s box with it.

I’ve not used the PB all that much but the few games I tried seemed to run acceptably.

 

[PrettyFly]

Remember where you bought it by any chance?

 

[Stwert]

It was just on eBay, sorry. One of those coincidence things when I was in the market for a Supergun. Just by chance one day I saw one of my saved sellers doing a used Supergun MAK Strike at a price too good to say no to. The PB (Jamma type) was included with it.

 

[PrettyFly]

It was just on eBay, sorry. One of those coincidence things when I was in the market for a Supergun. Just by chance one day I saw one of my saved sellers doing a used Supergun MAK Strike at a price too good to say no to. The PB (Jamma type) was included with it.

Ah the jamma type just the pcb with a case.

That seems to be a safer bet I might just get one of those. Thanks mate.

 

[Stwert]

Ah the jamma type just the pcb with a case.

That seems to be a safer bet I might just get one of those. Thanks mate.

I'll admit the PB's aren't exactly something I know an awful lot about, from what I know the electronics are much the same. At least amongst the same manufacturers different models, there's a crapload of clones.
I've seen people mention that the stick versions aren't the best quality sticks and buttons, which would bug the crap out of me. But you can easily replace them with good quality arcade components. I just like to keep things separate, that way if one part breaks, the whole thing isn't ruined.

When I do use the PB, I use my 8BitDo N30 Arcade Stick, I hate being tethered by wires. I use a SNES to Neo-Geo adapter on the SuperGun (handily it's the same joystick connector as on my Neo-Geo) and a SNES Retro Receiver hooked to that. The N30 can be upgraded as well with better quality parts if you ever feel the need -- I've not so far.

I do believe you can get the JAMMA style PB with HDMI/VGA and sound out and a USB for controllers. If you did want to keep all of the main components separate. But that could possibly be a much more expensive prospect if you don't already have controller./

One thing I would say though, you could achieve as good, and in some cases, better and more flexible results by doing it yourself. A Raspberry Pi 3+, or better yet a Tinker Board or Odroid will give you more power, more systems to emulate and a lot more flexibility for the future. But it's entirely a personal choice.

 

[PrettyFly]

I'll admit the PB's aren't exactly something I know an awful lot about, from what I know the electronics are much the same. At least amongst the same manufacturers different models, there's a crapload of clones.
I've seen people mention that the stick versions aren't the best quality sticks and buttons, which would bug the crap out of me. But you can easily replace them with good quality arcade components. I just like to keep things separate, that way if one part breaks, the whole thing isn't ruined.

When I do use the PB, I use my 8BitDo N30 Arcade Stick, I hate being tethered by wires. I use a SNES to Neo-Geo adapter on the SuperGun (handily it's the same joystick connector as on my Neo-Geo) and a SNES Retro Receiver hooked to that. The N30 can be upgraded as well with better quality parts if you ever feel the need -- I've not so far.

I do believe you can get the JAMMA style PB with HDMI/VGA and sound out and a USB for controllers. If you did want to keep all of the main components separate. But that could possibly be a much more expensive prospect if you don't already have controller./

One thing I would say though, you could achieve as good, and in some cases, better and more flexible results by doing it yourself. A Raspberry Pi 3+, or better yet a Tinker Board or Odroid will give you more power, more systems to emulate and a lot more flexibility for the future. But it's entirely a personal choice.

Thanks for the detailed replay, I'd love an 8bitdo arcade stick and have seen a few youtube videos converting them to sanwa hardware which looks easy and not too expensive if I don't like the controls.

The clones are what concerns me really. Over time I'm seeing more bad reviews than good! I think people who bought before PB 5 (maybe 5S) god the original nice systems. And these days it's hard to know whats what.

I've got a raspberry pi but I'm really interested in third strike on the PS2 and don't think the performance is there (I don't think there is a retroarch ps2 core yet actually).

I'll have to look into tinker board and odroid I'm turning into a SBC fanatic so I'm sure they'll be put to good use!

 

[Stwert]

Thanks for the detailed replay, I'd love an 8bitdo arcade stick and have seen a few youtube videos converting them to sanwa hardware which looks easy and not too expensive if I don't like the controls.


The clones are what concerns me really. Over time I'm seeing more bad reviews than good! I think people who bought before PB 5 (maybe 5S) god the original nice systems. And these days it's hard to know whats what.


I've got a raspberry pi but I'm really interested in third strike on the PS2 and don't think the performance is there (I don't think there is a retroarch ps2 core yet actually).


I'll have to look into tinker board and odroid I'm turning into a SBC fanatic so I'm sure they'll be put to good use!

Yeah these days there are significantly more clones than from the original manufacture. Though to be fair, manufacturing problems aside, the hardware and software isn’t difficult to reproduce.


As for third strike, I’m assuming you mean Street Fighter III Third Strike, I can’t think of any other. If that’s your main concern, does it have to be the PS2 version?


I mean, don’t get me wrong, great game and a great port. It’s almost arcade perfect, almost.


It’s that almost bit which leads me to this, if you’re going to emulate anyway, why not emulate the arcade rom and have literally arcade perfect. Rather than almost perfect?


Plus the arcade rom is a helluva lot easier to emulate, requiring significantly less powerful hardware than emulating a PS2.

 

[PrettyFly]

Yeah these days there are significantly more clones than from the original manufacture. Though to be fair, manufacturing problems aside, the hardware and software isn’t difficult to reproduce.


As for third strike, I’m assuming you mean Street Fighter III Third Strike, I can’t think of any other. If that’s your main concern, does it have to be the PS2 version?


I mean, don’t get me wrong, great game and a great port. It’s almost arcade perfect, almost.


It’s that almost bit which leads me to this, if you’re going to emulate anyway, why not emulate the arcade rom and have literally arcade perfect. Rather than almost perfect?


Plus the arcade rom is a helluva lot easier to emulate, requiring significantly less powerful hardware than emulating a PS2.

I have just tried it out on fightcade and it does play well indeed.