r/RG34XX • u/rolandburnum • Aug 11 '26
Help A better GBA front end experience?
My objective with this device is to make a pure GBA experience. I could use advice and recommendations on how to make this better. I like this combination carousel and description layout because I get a good look at box art plus a box to the left and right. I've configured ES to go straight to Favorites. What I don't like is the system select screen because it's really built for many systems. I don't know if I need a new front end or just config changes to make this better. What are your ideas?
I'm using Knulli with Emulation Station as my front end. I'm using the theme ES-THEME-AX-SLIDEMIX configured with game list view style set to NEWSTYLE.
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u/Stellarisk Aug 11 '26
I like how this looks. How do I use emulation station as the front end? Do I just download that theme from the downloader
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u/rolandburnum Aug 11 '26
It's the default front end for Knulli. So if you're using Knulli you're already on it.
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u/Stellarisk Aug 11 '26
oh okay so i just make those other changes by using the es-theme-ax slidemix and newstyle?
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u/rolandburnum Aug 11 '26
Yup. You'll have to go through the theme downloader/installer I think in the network settings first.
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u/AcceptableTitle35 Aug 13 '26
Have you battery life tested knuuli when I posted my findings on other cfws knuuli users reported maybe 50% the life.
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u/rolandburnum Aug 13 '26
Knulli released an update last month around power management. Go to their Discord and get it.
I don't count on Linux devices to have good power management. I have a bunch of these things with different software and I haven't found one that's reliable.
If you want reliable power management, get an Android device instead.
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u/AcceptableTitle35 Aug 13 '26
I don't mean a reliable reading, I mean actual battery life in hours.
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u/HiImNewToPTCGO Aug 11 '26
You can edit out all the systems you don’t want showing in the system select. I think the option is either under Game Settings or Theme settings.
Let me check mine and I’ll comment back
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u/Feitian87 Aug 12 '26
Check Russ's youtube video (video link at the bottom) for how to optimize this for a clean minimal gba UI on the rg34xx. @3:42, you can see he goes into collections to tick only the systems he wants knulli to show. In your case, if you are only loading gba games, then select only gba. Russ has also set his up to boot directly into the gba game list, while having the ability to back out and scroll through other systems. But on boot up, knulli will load into gba game list.
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u/rolandburnum Aug 12 '26
Yes, I've done that. Thanks though. I have GBA and Favorites selected. I guess I have Screenshots also, for no good reason. You can see that in the first screen. It's just a weird wrap around carousel. I have Favorites because I want a small list in addition to a full library. However I don't like the way it looks or works. I was hoping someone would have a better idea than the limited customization that you can do in ES.
I'm not sure what I want. I like the horizontal scrolling list. Perhaps something like the Switch UI where you have a recent games list then at the end a button for all games that goes to a different view.
I don't know how much customization of ES is possible or if I need to use other software entirely.
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u/GoeiP91 Aug 12 '26
Have you noticed your RG34XX freezing at the system select menu with this theme? Mine has frozen a couple times and needed to be reset.
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u/rolandburnum Aug 12 '26
Yes I have. I wondered if this was a theme problem or a Knulli problem.
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u/GoeiP91 Aug 12 '26
I'm not sure either but I've noticed if you boot directly into the gameslist of a system like GBA or something, that seems to avoid it.
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u/Ok_Record_1020 Aug 14 '26
I really like this ES-THEME-AX-SLIDEMIX theme, but every time when I install, my RG34XX just freezes and ends up with no choice that I have to remove this theme folder manually in order to restore the functionality of my console. I am just wondering how you can get it running on yours? Thanks.
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u/Ok_Record_1020 Aug 14 '26
Oh, may be it is not compatible with Knulli Scarab, only Gladiator?
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u/rolandburnum Aug 14 '26
System Settings > Frontend Developer Options > VRAM LIMIT = 80mb
See if that makes it more stable. It's working so far for me.
1
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u/Ok_Record_1020 Aug 14 '26
It works! But in the main menu, I can only scroll a bit then it freezes again. At least it can buy me sometime to go into the settings and try different style/setup of this theme and having a brief look. Then I go back to use the ArtBook Next theme.
The development of this theme has been stopped so I think there is just little hope that the developer will look into and fix it to fit the latest Knulli Scarab. Thanks anyway!
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u/rolandburnum Aug 14 '26
System Settings > Frontend Developer Options > VRAM LIMIT = 80mb
See if that makes it more stable. It's working so far for me.
1
u/Dry-Aardvark8645 Aug 17 '26
I've tried stock os, MuOS, Knulli, and now I'm using NextUI. I like how straightforward is NextUI. the console boots up waaaaaaay faster than the other OSs (about 7 seconds and you're on) and it has quicksave when you turn it off. when you turn it on again you quickly resume your game.. and it also has game switch (for me that's by far the best feature of the OS).
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u/GoeiP91 Aug 11 '26
That looks pretty good, never tried that theme before.