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    Please do not post a support request without first reading and following the advice in https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/3/read-this-first

    SNES Emulator Slow Performance

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    • C
      colossalfalafel
      last edited by mediamogul

      All:

      I've been through the forums and tried fixing this issue with numerous config changes, but nothing impacts performance. Super Mario World, Zelda: ALttP, TMNT: Turtles in Time, all have noticeable and unplayable slowdowns. I can run every other emulator (including PSX) with no slowdowns or issues at all. Issue looks to be tied to the SNES emulator in particular.

      Pi Model or other hardware: Rpi2, model B
      Power Supply used: 5V 2.4A
      RetroPie Version Used: 4.3
      Built From: Retropie download page
      USB Devices connected: 2 USB SNES controllers, 1 USB fan
      Controller used: SNES USB
      Error messages received: N/A
      Emulator: lr-snes9x2010
      Attachment of config files: See below
      How to replicate the problem: Play any SNES game

      From main retroarch.cfg file, only non-commented out lines are (all else is default):
      VIDEO:
      video_aspect_ratio_auto = "true"
      video_font_size = "12"

      No audio lines are commented out

      SNES specific retroarch.cfg looks like (excluding input/other unrelated values):

      video_driver = "gl"
record_driver = "null"
camera_driver = "null"
wifi_driver = "null"
location_driver = "null"
menu_driver = "rgui"
audio_device = ""
camera_device = ""
cheevos_username = ""
cheevos_password = ""
video_context_driver = ""
audio_driver = "alsathread"
audio_resampler = "sinc"
input_driver = "udev"
input_joypad_driver = "udev"
input_keyboard_layout = ""
bundle_assets_src_path = ""
bundle_assets_dst_path = ""
bundle_assets_dst_path_subdir = ""
video_aspect_ratio = "-1.000000"
video_scale = "1.000000"
video_refresh_rate = "60.000000"
audio_rate_control_delta = "0.005000"
audio_max_timing_skew = "0.050000"
audio_volume = "0.000000"
audio_mixer_volume = "0.000000"
input_overlay_opacity = "0.700000"
input_overlay_scale = "1.000000"
menu_wallpaper_opacity = "0.300000"
menu_framebuffer_opacity = "0.900000"
menu_footer_opacity = "1.000000"
menu_header_opacity = "1.000000"
video_message_pos_x = "0.050000"
video_message_pos_y = "0.050000"
video_font_size = "12.000000"
fastforward_ratio = "0.000000"
slowmotion_ratio = "1.000000"
input_axis_threshold = "0.500000"
state_slot = "0"
netplay_check_frames = "30"
input_bind_timeout = "5"
input_turbo_period = "6"
input_duty_cycle = "3"
input_max_users = "5"
input_menu_toggle_gamepad_combo = "0"
audio_latency = "64"
audio_block_frames = "0"
rewind_granularity = "2"
autosave_interval = "0"
libretro_log_level = "1"
keyboard_gamepad_mapping_type = "1"
input_poll_type_behavior = "2"
video_monitor_index = "0"
video_fullscreen_x = "0"
video_fullscreen_y = "0"
video_window_x = "0"
video_window_y = "0"
network_cmd_port = "55355"
network_remote_base_port = "55400"
dpi_override_value = "200"
menu_thumbnails = "3"
xmb_alpha_factor = "75"
xmb_scale_factor = "100"
xmb_theme = "0"
xmb_menu_color_theme = "4"
materialui_menu_color_theme = "0"
menu_shader_pipeline = "1"
audio_out_rate = "48000"
custom_viewport_width = "1440"
custom_viewport_height = "1080"
custom_viewport_x = "240"
custom_viewport_y = "0"
content_history_size = "100"
video_hard_sync_frames = "0"
video_frame_delay = "0"
video_max_swapchain_images = "1"
video_swap_interval = "1"
video_rotation = "0"
aspect_ratio_index = "21"

      I've tried manipulating the resolution down to 800x600, toggled windowed on/off, and I've tried overclocking by adding this to the boot config file:
      arm_freq=1000
      sdram_freq=500
      core_freq=500
      over_voltage=2
      temp_limit=80 #Will throttle to default clock speed if hit.

      Any ideas? I've re-downloaded Super Mario World and Zelda: ALttP roms to ensure they're the 60Hz NTSC/USA roms. They are. The slowdowns seem to happen when a lot is happening on screen.

      Z ruckageR 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • Z
        zerojay @colossalfalafel
        last edited by

        @colossalfalafel You do realize that both games do have some slowdown in them at times, right?

        C 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • ruckageR
          ruckage @colossalfalafel
          last edited by ruckage

          @colossalfalafel

          Try switching the emulator to lr-snes9x2005 . The default I believe is snes9x2010 which is more accurate but is also more processor intensive.

          SNES mini/Nes mini/Famicom mini theme developer.

          If you'd like to support my work you can donate here: Donate

          C 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • C
            colossalfalafel @zerojay
            last edited by

            @zerojay Very much aware of this. I've played the physical versions and have emulated them without slowdowns of this nature before.

            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • C
              colossalfalafel @ruckage
              last edited by

              @ruckage Thank you, I'll definitely give this a go! :)

              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • C
                colossalfalafel @ruckage
                last edited by

                @ruckage Just made the change and it's a night and day difference in terms of performance. Audio emulation isn't as well-done, but the gameplay was my main concern. 100% better. Thank you so much!

                For anyone else trying to figure out how to switch the default emulator in Retropie 4.3, you can go to the emulators.cfg file in the config directory for the emulator you're planning to use. Open emulators.cfg and change the value in quotes after "default = " to the wildcard ID'd in the file for the emulator.

                The SNES emulator.cfg file lists three different emulators you can use, snes9x2002, snes9x2005, and snes9x2010. The wild card for each version can be found in the emulators.cfg file and references the arguments necessary to start that particular emulator.

                For my example, I was moving to snes9x2005 to obtain better gameplay emulation (which absolutely worked like a charm) as snes9x2010 (default SNES emulator) seems to have slower emulation at times:

                Original (defaults to snes9x2010) - default = "lr-snes9x2010"
                Using new emulator (defaults to snes9x2005) - default = "lr-snes9x2005"

                ruckageR 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote -1
                • ruckageR
                  ruckage @colossalfalafel
                  last edited by

                  @colossalfalafel
                  You don't actually need to do that, just press a button after launching a game and it will bring up a menu where you can change the emulator used (amongst other things). You can even specify which emulator is used on a per-game basis.
                  You should read the wiki as it covers pretty much everything needed to use retropie.

                  SNES mini/Nes mini/Famicom mini theme developer.

                  If you'd like to support my work you can donate here: Donate

                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • R
                    radiofreero
                    last edited by

                    https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/13663/improved-performance just like my post I just linked to... you will need an 3A power source. The people who made the pi claim it uses 2A when in actuality it uses 3A. Otherwise you'll receive an visual indicator in the top right. This indicator shows up when your system does not receive enough amperage. When this happens emulators that normally do well on the Raspberry Pi lag.

                    ruckageR 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote -1
                    • ruckageR
                      ruckage @radiofreero
                      last edited by

                      @radiofreero said in SNES Emulator Slow Performance:

                      https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/13663/improved-performance just like my post I just linked to... you will need an 3A power source. The people who made the pi claim it uses 2A when in actuality it uses 3A. Otherwise you'll receive an visual indicator in the top right. This indicator shows up when your system does not receive enough amperage. When this happens emulators that normally do well on the Raspberry Pi lag.

                      That's not true, I've tested the current draw on rpi3 and it's not even close to that.
                      You would only need a bigger power supply if you had lots of external devices drawing power from the pi.
                      You do however need a good power supply that delivers the correct voltage, I've never had a problem with any of the official Raspberry Pi power supplies.

                      SNES mini/Nes mini/Famicom mini theme developer.

                      If you'd like to support my work you can donate here: Donate

                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                      • S
                        SergV
                        last edited by

                        Pi is very demanding on the power supply.
                        If the voltage is below 5.2V, turbo mode is disabled
                        PI will operate at a reduced frequency in throttling mode.
                        Some SNES games, even on an optimized driver under the SNES2002 AWS, will slow down.

                        avoid warnings=2 fixit problem

                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
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