PandoryDX

(includes PandoryTool Ultimate in the download)

About

PandoryDX is a set of improvements / new features for the DX range of the Pandora Box arcade boards, fixing many errors and misconfigurations that the system has when it comes from the factory. Pandory does not modify your firmware and runs completely from the micro-sd or usb-stick, so is completely removable if needed.

It is compatible with the following models:

• Pandora Box DX 3000 (versions 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3)
• Pandora Box DX "Special" 5000 (versions 1.3, 1.4)
• Pandora Saga DX (3000 and 5000 versions¹ with the green heatsync on the motherboard)
• Pandora Box King of Air 2 and Dual-Boot DX-Vertical (versions 1.2, 1.3, 1.4)

^{1 - There are variants with 20000+ games. These will work but you won't be able to add games.}

Features

Skins

PandoryDX gives you a new skin, removes the annoying "click" when you scroll through the menus, and lets you swap out the Pandora DX logos / graphics.

4:3 Aspect Ratio Correction

Old arcade games were mostly in 4:3 aspect ratio, but the Pandora Box DX will stretch this image to the size of your screen, even if you have a 16:9 monitor. PandoryDX will correct this for you automatically.

^{Advanced users: PandoryDX includes options to modify the aspect ratio manually, either globally or on a per-game basis by using the forceHeight and forceHeight options in the pandory.xml on your micro-sd card/usb stick.}

Sharp Pixels / Blur Removal

The DX arcade boards scale up the low resolution arcade game image to fit your monitor, but also applies an awful blur to the image. This is not necessary on high resolution displays. Pandory removes the blur and intelligently applies optional integer scaling to give you crispy pixels and a razor-sharp image.

^{Advanced users: The blur is needed on some low-resolution arcade monitors and can be optionally re-enabled in the pandory.xml file on your micro-sd card/usb stick.}

Final Burn Alpha Core Clock Boost

Final Burn Alpha, an emulator which is used to play many Neo-Geo Arcade games, also simulates the "slow-down" that some games of the era experienced, such as Metal Slug 2. Pandory can overclock the emulated CPU of these games to give you a fluid and, in our opinion, better gaming experience.

^{Advanced users: This can be disabled in the pandory.xml configuration file.}

Dipswitches

Want to configure/tweak your game, or maybe enable blood in censored games? Hold down START while in a game and, if the game supports it, you can access the dipswitch menu to change settings.

Smoother Scrolling

We have optimised many graphics settings to enable smoother scrolling on some games, especially when playing over HDMI.

Character Unlocks

Is your favourite character missing in your game? PandoryDX includes presets for many of the stock games which unlock the missing characters by default.

Buttons Reconfigured

Are the controls of your game a bit wonky? PandoryDX will correct many misconfigured games and also lets you define custom remappings in the configuration file.

King of Air 2 - Aspect-Ratio correction

The KOA2 vertical variant of the DX sometimes displays vertical games with the incorrect width. PandoryDX will correct this for you.

Attract-Mode

When in freeplay-mode the DX auto-inserts a coin for the player so that they can start their game more quickly. This, however, deactivates many of the classic "attract-mode" demos that are shown before you start playing. Pandory disables coin-insertion and reactivates attract mode for a more true arcade experience.

^{Advanced users: This can be disabled in the pandory.xml configuration file.}

Improved Scanlines

The DX simulates old arcade screen scanlines but, from the factory, these are quite thick and ugly. We obtained advice from a resident scan-line expert and developed a custom set of low-cpu-usage replacement scanline settings called "JPINO-Royale".

^{Advanced users: The scanline graphic and opacity-settings can be modified in the pandory.xml configuration file.}

King of Air 2: HD filter disabled

The King of Air 2 force-activates an HD image filter which makes all the pixel graphics look like an oil-painting. This leads, in our opinion, to the KOA2 being unusable in its default configuration. Pandory removes this HD filter, making the original arcade pixels visible again.

^{Advanced users: You can deactive this option in the settings file, but only if you're, you know, nuts.}

Extra Emulators

The DX by default only includes a small set of emulators. Pandory includes additional emulators for the following systems, and allows you to add games for these systems to the roms_pandory subfolder of your micro-sd or usb stick¹.

^{1 - some systems, like Amiga, require Kickstart/Bios files, which you will need to supply yourself.}

TATE Mode

Pandory can auto, or manually, rotate vertical games if needed to fit your vertical (or rotatable) screen.

^{Advanced users: This needs to be activated in the configuration file and also allows you to play horizontal games on a vertical screen if needed. See pandory.xml}

Custom Cores

From the factory, some games are misconfigured and start with a non-optimal emulator. Pandory can auto-switch certain roms and start them with a more suited emulator for better performance or control settings.

^{Advanced users: Example: Pandory can switch a game from Final Burn Alpha to MAME2003. See pandory.xml for many examples.}

Free Games!

We have included several free, legal, homebrew or shareware games which can be started by scrolling to the end of your game list.

Menu Music

Normally the DX menu is silent. PandoryDX contains some demo music and can act as a jukebox to play your own custom mp3 files.

^{Advanced users: If you add your own mp3 files, remove all spaces from their filenames.}

Quake

PandoryDX also includes the shareware version of Quake, so you can relive some old IBM-PC nostalgia!

About

PandoryDX is installed via our PandoryTool Ultimate software, which is included in the download and can also improve other Pandora variants. We will send you an installation guide as soon as you start downloading.

License

PandoryTool is libre software, licensed under the freedoms of the GPL2. All source-code is available to compile free-of-charge on Github. Pre-compiled builds of the latest version are available here on Itch and any proceeds support further development of our software. Older pre-compiled builds are available without cost on our website, but may not include all the latest features you see on this page.

Videos

PandoryDX Release Video (1.10)

PandoryDX Update Video (1.11)

Discord

Got stuck or have questions? Come and talk to @dajoho or @emuchicken on our Discord server and we will try to help as much as we can. No question is a stupid question.