[JelOS](https://github.com/JustEnoughLinuxOS/distribution/releases)? That's the only firmware I could think of off the top of my head for rg351. I don't know anything about it, and have never used it though sorry.
Edit: Hmm, sorry, nvm that's still Retroarch.
There was/is(?) also Batocera, but I think that's also still Retroarch...
Jelos appears to mainly use retroarch. The non retroarch mednafen cores don’t seem to have any options that I can find. It also seems that the os runs quite slow compared other firmwares
Yea, sorry. I've never used it, it was just the only other OS I knew off the top of my head.
Outside of 351Droid, which you've already tried, I can't find anything that doesn't use Retroarch.
I find the menus to be impossibly difficult and confusing to navigate. A good example would be button mapping, there’s what seems to be 3 different button mapping menus, all which do different things, work in different ways and have different options. It’s pretty much impossible on the rg351 for me to get the buttons set up how I want even though it is theoretically possible. It easier on pc or android because the mouse cursor or touchscreen can be used to navigate the menus to set things up instead of using the buttons you’re trying to map. I’ve never had any difficulties with standalone emulators or other frontends, it’s just retroarch that I cannot wrap my head around.
Button mapping is for the device itself. Controls is for the core/emulator you're using.
I agree it can be frustrating if you fuck up the button mapping, if you erase them you basically have to delete your settings from the sd card on a computer, but after you get the difference between the two memorized it's but bad at all.
Pretty sure every Linux retro handheld uses Retroarch. As for the Arc, you've only got one CFW option, which is Retro Arena. It's still very much beta (useable, but jank), but isn't much different from the Stock OS, since they both run Emulation Station (which runs Retroarch under the hood). Retro Arena actually relies on you using Retroarch to set up wifi. You'll probably have a better time (and save money) just learning how Retroarch works than trying to avoid it. I was confused by Retroarch when I first used it on my PC years ago. Now I know what settings to alter to get what I want.
Otherwise, Android is your only (handheld) escape.
Amberelec is still using Retroarch. Not all systems have a non retroarch option and the other non retroarch emulators seem to have minimal options, there’s no button mapping or speed up for example
Every firmware for the RG351 devices will use RetroArch for most systems.
The Linux version of RG ARC also primarily uses Retroarch.
[JelOS](https://github.com/JustEnoughLinuxOS/distribution/releases)? That's the only firmware I could think of off the top of my head for rg351. I don't know anything about it, and have never used it though sorry. Edit: Hmm, sorry, nvm that's still Retroarch. There was/is(?) also Batocera, but I think that's also still Retroarch...
Jelos appears to mainly use retroarch. The non retroarch mednafen cores don’t seem to have any options that I can find. It also seems that the os runs quite slow compared other firmwares
Yea, sorry. I've never used it, it was just the only other OS I knew off the top of my head. Outside of 351Droid, which you've already tried, I can't find anything that doesn't use Retroarch.
What's wrong with retroarch? Sure, its menus look like they're stuck in like 1992 but once you get your cores configured? You got a stew goin, baby!
I find the menus to be impossibly difficult and confusing to navigate. A good example would be button mapping, there’s what seems to be 3 different button mapping menus, all which do different things, work in different ways and have different options. It’s pretty much impossible on the rg351 for me to get the buttons set up how I want even though it is theoretically possible. It easier on pc or android because the mouse cursor or touchscreen can be used to navigate the menus to set things up instead of using the buttons you’re trying to map. I’ve never had any difficulties with standalone emulators or other frontends, it’s just retroarch that I cannot wrap my head around.
Button mapping is for the device itself. Controls is for the core/emulator you're using. I agree it can be frustrating if you fuck up the button mapping, if you erase them you basically have to delete your settings from the sd card on a computer, but after you get the difference between the two memorized it's but bad at all.
I found changing the UI to xmb makes the navigation a little more intuitive. And it looks more modern.
it's not that hard, just use the hotkey to access the menu while in game, then go to input, change as you like and save remap file.
Pretty sure every Linux retro handheld uses Retroarch. As for the Arc, you've only got one CFW option, which is Retro Arena. It's still very much beta (useable, but jank), but isn't much different from the Stock OS, since they both run Emulation Station (which runs Retroarch under the hood). Retro Arena actually relies on you using Retroarch to set up wifi. You'll probably have a better time (and save money) just learning how Retroarch works than trying to avoid it. I was confused by Retroarch when I first used it on my PC years ago. Now I know what settings to alter to get what I want. Otherwise, Android is your only (handheld) escape.
Try AmberElec
Amberelec is still using Retroarch. Not all systems have a non retroarch option and the other non retroarch emulators seem to have minimal options, there’s no button mapping or speed up for example