Help for the Ultimate Multi-Console Gaming Setup?

punkrockgeekboy asks: "In our recreation room we have an NES, SNES, N64, GameCube, and a PS2. In the next few months I plan to replace the PS2 with a PS3, and also add a WII, and an Xbox360. Most of my consoles just gather dust because it's too much of a hassle to hook them up when I just want a quick Mario fix. How do people manage all of these console? In a perfect world there would be some nice, attractive rack system with 10 shelves that has clean wire management, and some sort of a built-in console switcher, so I can just power one on, hit the 'shelf 2' button, turn on my tv & surround sound, and start mashing buttons. Does anything like this exist?"

Here's something.

[therpham]

It's not 100% exactly what you're looking for (I don't think, I didn't actually read the article) but it's pretty close. Ultimate DIY Gamer's Cabinet [lifehacker.com].

AV Control Center

[trickydisko]

Joytech (among others) make a few devices which will switch between various audio/video inputs. The manufacturer's page is at:

http://www.joytech.net/1/products/av/9/AV-Equipmen t.htm [joytech.net]

I use the European version of the AVCC2, and I like it!

As for a rack, all 3 of the new consoles will stand vertically, which may save you some space. The Wii will replace your GC, and the older Nintendos if you can stand to pay for them yet again.

Not really that hard

[lidocaineus]

Get a preamp or integrated amp with every connector from composite on up - for general stuff like this, Denon makes some kickass integrated amps on a good scale of power and connectivity - they have upconversion from composite and s-video to component and analog to digital hdmi, which is sweet for cutting out some monitor cables, and you can go as basic or fully frilled out along their product line, with various power steps (the AVR-887 [denon.com] has a good pile of connectors and is fine for video game systems). If there aren't enough connectors, get a break-out switcher box such as the Pelican [pelicanacc.com] System Selector Pro - everything from component on down to composite with digital audio inputs (there are a bunch of different, older versions that you can get for cheaper too).

As for actual physical layout, well, if you want it to look nice, you'll really just have to get a custom install, though you can get away with messy with a false wall, or just buy something that looks good, wire up really well in the back, and never move the systems.

I have an Xbox 360, Xbox, PS2, GCN, Dreamcast, Saturn, SNES and Genesis + Sega CD (tray loading) + 32x, and it's all set up very cleanly on a generic shelving unit in the corner, next to a smoked cabinet for all the actual audio/video components... but god help me if I ever move one of the systems.

Recommended auto-sensing component switcher

[jchenx]

I have a similar dilemma myself. I have a PS2, 360, and (hopefully soon) a Wii. Unfortunately, my HDTV only has so many component inputs.

I finally purchased a component switcher recently, the Audio Authority 1154A [audioauthority.com]. It's powered, which keeps the quality very high, and even better, will automatically sense which console is on and send that signal to the TV. No more messing with extra remote controls or having to press a button on the unit to switch. It's very nice feature, especially since the next-gen systems should allow you to wireless turn on the console (well, I know the 360 does at least).

That said, I've heard some people may have problems with auto-sensing units in general. I'm not sure if it's a problem with their TV or the other units they plug into the siwtcher (certain DVD players, etc. I imagine). I do know, though, that the PS2 and 360 play along very well.

Re:Wii

[StillAnonymous]

A modded XBox is a better choice if you're looking to emulate old systems. Throw in a big hard drive, all the emulators you want and go to town. You don't have to worry about which titles will be released, when, and how much they'll cost.

Re:Erm...

[StingRay02]

IKEA's not a bad way to go for this. I have a TV cabinet from Wal-Mart that has six shelves, space for my 36" TV, and two cabinet spaces. I keep my Dreamcast, SNES, N64, PS2, Cube, Xbox, DVD Player, Combo player (with broken DVD drive), switcher, 45 games, 60 VHS tapes, controllers, wires, component switcher and assorted other crap all inside it.

My TV (SD) has one coax, one S-video/composite, and one component/composite input. It also has audio out which I plug into my surround sound. The component switcher ($20-$25 at Wal-Mart when I bought it last year) has every input but coax. The DVD player, VCR, PS2 and Xbox all run through it. The SNES and Dreamcast use RF adapters, so they daisy chain off the coax plug. The Cube plugs directly into the S-Video on the TV. The N64 was added late to the lineup, and so is the only one I have to plug in before playing, but it goes into the inputs on the front of the VCR, nice and easy like.

It's not an ultimate, smoking, moving, color-changing machine, but it gets the job done, and gets it done rather easily. The biggest obstacle I've run into in setting up console wiring is just the number of inputs the TV has. The more the merrier. Component switchers are great, too. My setup was done with limited funds and my personal resignation to the fact that I'm going to perpetually have more wires behind my TV than there are grains of sand on the beach. If you're looking for a more elegant, less convoluted, and, overall, more expensive option, I don't think you're going to find anything that isn't going to have to be custom built.

As a side note, I wouldn't replace your PS2 with the PS3 just yet. As I understand it, PS2 and PS1 peripherals aren't compatible without a workaround, and if you play Guitar Hero, there's not even a workaround yet.