The Windows Entertainment System (NES PC)

Axeoasis · October 2, 2018

(Apologies in advance if this is in the wrong section)

Hello all! I recently completed what i'm calling the "WinES" or "Windows Entertainment System". Basically and literally, it's a Windows 7 PC inside of an original NES console. It's running Windows 7 due to how more forgiving 7 tends to be to lower end hardware compared to 10, plus I don't have any extra 10 keys at the moment lol

The Goal:

A PC inside an NES console with as little change to the outside appearance as possible (Don't worry, the NES was non functional before this project started ).

Looks:

The entirety of Windows 7 has been converted to Nintendo themes, as of now there is a Nintendo/Mario, Zelda, and Kirby theme, each with their own sounds and screensavers. Being an NES themed build, most emulation has been focused on Nintendo systems, however I'd be willing to add more brands if the ROM sets were provided.

Functionality:

We're running a Zotac G45, with a Intel Core 2 Duo E4600 with the stock heat-sink and fan. For ram, we have 4GB of DDR2 memory clocked at 401mhz (yikes), with our storage being a PNY CS900 120GB Solid State Drive. There's a internal speaker for audio, although by default the PC will output audio via the HDMI connection. And finally, we're using a 160w Pico PSU to power the system, with a modified Xbox 360 power brick. The power and reset buttons are both functional, as well as the system power LED.

For cooling, we have a total of 3 case fans, 2 cpu fans, and, I shit you not, a Wii fan. Counting the CPU fan that makes 4 total fans in this system, 1 intake, 1 CPU, and 2 exhaust (heat builds up very quickly). To make room for all components, as well as improve cooling, the motherboard was mounted upside down. You'll notice duct tape on the bottom as well, it's functionality is to act as a duct system, forcing air through the system instead of taking a u-turn out when taken in. This has dramatically improved cooling, although we're still sitting at an idle of about 120 degrees Fahrenheit, a little above the average desktop PC.

As you can see, the hardware is nowhere near fantastic, although passable enough for emulating. There may be a CPU and RAM upgrade in the future.

Gaming:

Moving on to games, due to the system having little to no space for better graphics cards, all games are forced to run on internal Intel graphics. This limits your options to mostly 2D game emulation, such as NES, SNES, Genesis, etc. There could be a way to fit a better card inside in the future, however at this time I don't have the funds nor time for it (this would enable emulation from the N64 via Mupen64 to the Wii U via Cemu). However, when it does come to games it runs 2D emulation perfectly, utilizing JoyToKey for the controllers to have centralized input controls. Nothing outside emulation has been tested, however with an abysmal 3.5 windows index due to graphics, you can use your imagination.

If you have any suggestions or questions, feel free to let me know! I'm willing to get pictures of the inside of the system, although only if requested as the system is a pain to get back together.