How to configure controller for pcsx-rearmed (pi3) ?

Efriim

@Duxa I recommend updating core-retroarch and main-lr-pcsx both. Updating will enable the dualshock controller option that I mentioned earlier, it is easiest to configure that way. And this could resolve the crash as well.

It looks like scph5502 wasn't selected; that is PAL / EU bios. schp5501 is NTSC / NA. scph101 is the PSX(the compact PS1) bios; I hear has the greatest compatibility. Either scph5501 or scph101 are good to go.

There are numerous good things to say about the updates, this should be primary.
That is the retroarch updates and core updates.
I think there is something wrong with my installation or configuration directory for why the standalone pcsxr was non-functional, yet compiled from a different source would work.

mitu

@Duxa said in How to configure controller for pcsx-rearmed (pi3) ?:

Also checksum of the bin file is 2140716832 270703440 Winnie the Pooh - Kindergarden.bin
Can you confirm if we are using the same dump?

I don't know how you checksummed that file - doesn't look like a MD5/CRC. I don't have the PI handy right now, but I think I checked against http://redump.org/disc/7038/.
From the error log, looks like a bad ROM/image.

EDIT: I also use the latest RetroArch available in RetroPie (1.7.6), that may another difference.

Duxa

@mitu said in How to configure controller for pcsx-rearmed (pi3) ?:

@Duxa said in How to configure controller for pcsx-rearmed (pi3) ?:

Also checksum of the bin file is 2140716832 270703440 Winnie the Pooh - Kindergarden.bin
Can you confirm if we are using the same dump?

I don't know how you checksummed that file - doesn't look like a MD5/CRC. I don't have the PI handy right now, but I think I checked against http://redump.org/disc/7038/.
From the error log, looks like a bad ROM/image.

EDIT: I also use the latest RetroArch available in RetroPie (1.7.6), that may another difference.

I just did a cksum on it.

@Efriim I updated both. Same behavior. And I guess I have a US version of the game and this is why its selecting US BIOS? Dont think I can force an EU one?

Updated log with updated retroarch and emulator: https://pastebin.com/Vb2HWjYj

mitu

@Duxa Can you change your PAD1 type to standard from the core options and re-try ?

Duxa

@mitu said in How to configure controller for pcsx-rearmed (pi3) ?:

@Duxa Can you change your PAD1 type to standard from the core options and re-try ?

Looks like they are already set to standard? Unless Im looking in wrong place? Quick Menu -> Options -> Pad 1 Type

also forgot to mention to your earlier post about being bad rom... possible... but the other emulator runs it?

Efriim

@Duxa
I don't know how to force bios, other than by suggesting to the lr-core by removing the other bios options, and I haven't tested this, or known any priorities other than it prefers scph101.bin

As per the controller, I'm surprised that it didn't work. This also possibly BIOS related. Next course of action aquire the PSone.

mitu

@Duxa said in How to configure controller for pcsx-rearmed (pi3) ?:

Looks like they are already set to standard? Unless Im looking in wrong place? Quick Menu -> Options -> Pad 1 Type

Yes, you're right - I was looking at the previous log (where it was set to default).

also forgot to mention to your earlier post about being bad rom... possible... but the other emulator runs it?

Yes, that's puzzling.

I don't have the PI system at hand now - so I could compare the output. The only differences that I can think of:

I have lr-pcsx_rearmed installed from binary, so maybe a source update broke something due to a recent commit ? Unlikely, since it didn't work also before the update.
I run the game from the internal SD card (and not from the USB). I don't think that makes a difference, but you could try just for kicks to run it from the sd card.
the BIOS - also highly unlikely since SCPH1001.bin should be widely compatible.

Efriim

Oh it could be the secure data layer for example you have these files
winnie.cue
winnie01.bin
winnie02.bin

The cue file needs to contain the correct and case sensitive name of each track.

I haven't ever resolved one of these. Most conversions for example pbp, will lose track02..trackXX and lose audio with it. Other conversions .bin to .iso result in broken audio.

Sometimes it is a security layer or a buffer and non important.

Duxa

@mitu

Ok I think I found the issue..... "enhanced resolution" seems to have been the culprit, probably has to do with trying to do weird stuff with FMV. turning off the following two settings the game now plays!

Quick Menu -> Options -> Enhanced Resolution (slow) - disabled
Quick Menu -> Options -> Enhanced Resolution speed hack - disabled

Both of these were enabled by default.

Thanks for helping me figure this out....

now I have one more issue.. two actually, not sure if I should start new threads for them...

one:

Trying to save current config under Configuration File config gives Failed saving config to "/opt/retropie/configs/psx/retroarch.cfg"

I checked the permissions and user pi/pi has them and its RWX

issue two:

The USB I have the roms on... once in a while (maybe one out of 5 reboots) the USB is not mounted before ES tries to start. so it boots without showing/loading the stuff on USB. Restarting ES fixes it right up (because things are now mounted). I tried adding sleep to start of /opt/retropie/configs/all/autostart.sh but didnt seem to help. Any ideas?

Efriim

@Duxa
I didn't think of that.

You could try raspi-config >> boot options >> disable network wait on boot.
This could speed up boot time and get the mountservice to run earlier.

interoperability with combining usb3.0 and 2.0 devices
https://www.raspberrypi.org/documentation/hardware/raspberrypi/usb/README.md#knownissue
it is hard to read, I'm not sure I understand it.

mitu

@Duxa said in How to configure controller for pcsx-rearmed (pi3) ?:

one:
Trying to save current config under Configuration File config gives Failed saving config to "/opt/retropie/configs/psx/retroarch.cfg"

Don't use that, it will produce a large and unnecessary config file. Instead use the 'Save Game Options' from the Options menu to have these options saved per game.

I checked the permissions and user pi/pi has them and its RWX

issue two:
The USB I have the roms on... once in a while (maybe one out of 5 reboots) the USB is not mounted before ES tries to start. so it boots without showing/loading the stuff on USB. Restarting ES fixes it right up (because things are now mounted). I tried adding sleep to start of /opt/retropie/configs/all/autostart.sh but didnt seem to help. Any ideas?

How are you mounting the USB stick ? Are you using the default RetroPie method (auto-mount) or you added the USB stick to /etc/fstab ?
Either way, I think your can modify the system boot order and have the usbmount or the fstab mounts be dependencies for the multiuser target. I remember I answered someone in the forums which had a similar problem (splashscreen was on usb-stick, but it wasn't mounted on time to be read), but for the life of me I can't find the post right now.
I'll get back on this.

Duxa

@Efriim said in How to configure controller for pcsx-rearmed (pi3) ?:

@Duxa
I didn't think of that.

You could try raspi-config >> boot options >> disable network wait on boot.
This could speed up boot time and get the mountservice to run earlier.

Some devices show inoperability when combining usb3.0 and low speed 2.0 devices
https://www.raspberrypi.org/documentation/hardware/raspberrypi/usb/README.md#knownissues

I believe that setting is off by default? Ill have to double check. Maybe I can edit something to add a wait loop somewhere to wait until usb is mounted and then like 5 seconds before even attempting to launch ES?

Duxa

@mitu said in How to configure controller for pcsx-rearmed (pi3) ?:

@Duxa said in How to configure controller for pcsx-rearmed (pi3) ?:

one:
Trying to save current config under Configuration File config gives Failed saving config to "/opt/retropie/configs/psx/retroarch.cfg"

Don't use that, it will produce a large and unnecessary config file. Instead use the 'Save Game Options' from the Options menu to have these options saved per game.

I checked the permissions and user pi/pi has them and its RWX

issue two:
The USB I have the roms on... once in a while (maybe one out of 5 reboots) the USB is not mounted before ES tries to start. so it boots without showing/loading the stuff on USB. Restarting ES fixes it right up (because things are now mounted). I tried adding sleep to start of /opt/retropie/configs/all/autostart.sh but didnt seem to help. Any ideas?

How are you mounting the USB stick ? Are you using the default RetroPie method (auto-mount) or you added the USB stick to /etc/fstab ?
Either way, I think your can modify the system boot order and have the usbmount or the fstab mounts be dependencies for the multiuser target. I remember I answered someone in the forums which had a similar problem (splashscreen was on usb-stick, but it wasn't mounted on time to be read), but for the life of me I can't find the post right now.
I'll get back on this.

Yeah I ended up doing individual settings for those two games, but I noticed that after updating retroarch it added an annoying frame count in bottom left, and only way to get rid of it is to turn it off and save the overall config, otherwise ill have to turn it off and create config for every single game. I ended up manually editing the config file to turn it off via SSH. But doesnt seem right that I cant save the file from within retroarch? This may cause other issues? So I should probably get that fixed?

For mounting I am actually using both. I have two 64GB sticks, PSX and Sega CD games dont fit on one of them, so Im using both. And auto-mount method only supports one. So I am using that on one of them, and then using fstab for second one.

I dont mind if boot time is longer, even if its like an extra 15 to 30 seconds, as long as it can reliably mount both of them, so yeah some sort of dependency config would be great for my use. I wish auto mount method supported multiple USBs, like having folder "retropie-mount0" on one then "retropie-mount1" on another... up to at least 4 total (0-3) for the 4 USB ports on a pi. I could get a 128GB single stick, but I already have these laying around so kind of a workaround not a solution.

hhromic

@Efriim

@Duxa

I don't know how to force bios, other than by suggesting to the lr-core by removing the other bios options, and I haven't tested this, or known any priorities other than it prefers scph101.bin

The search order for BIOS files is fixed: https://github.com/hhromic/pcsx_rearmed/blob/588bf7918460109815d5cc505ada4334a4c5a791/frontend/libretro.c#L1934-L1939

	const char *bios[] = {
		"SCPH101", "scph101",
		"SCPH5501", "scph5501",
		"SCPH7001", "scph7001",
		"SCPH1001", "scph1001"
	};

@Duxa

Quick Menu -> Options -> Enhanced Resolution (slow) - disabled

Quick Menu -> Options -> Enhanced Resolution speed hack - disabled

Both of these were enabled by default.

Are you 100% sure these are enabled by default? As far as as I know that is not true.

From the source code: https://github.com/libretro/pcsx_rearmed/blob/588bf7918460109815d5cc505ada4334a4c5a791/frontend/libretro.c#L495-L497
It can be seen that these options are defaulted to disabled, and as far as I remember they are disabled on fresh install of the core.

mitu

@Duxa I would advise to use the manual mount method, it's more flexible (i.e. edit /etc/fstab and add the mount manually). I've found the old topic (see here) with the similar problem.
You can modify the autologin service to start after any local filesystems have been brought online (i.e. mounted). The systemd unit file is at

/etc/systemd/system/autologin@.service

so just add a After=local-fs.target in the Unit's dependencies sections.

Duxa

@hhromic said in How to configure controller for pcsx-rearmed (pi3) ?:

@Efriim

@Duxa

I don't know how to force bios, other than by suggesting to the lr-core by removing the other bios options, and I haven't tested this, or known any priorities other than it prefers scph101.bin

The search order for BIOS files is fixed: https://github.com/hhromic/pcsx_rearmed/blob/588bf7918460109815d5cc505ada4334a4c5a791/frontend/libretro.c#L1934-L1939
	const char *bios[] = {
		"SCPH101", "scph101",
		"SCPH5501", "scph5501",
		"SCPH7001", "scph7001",
		"SCPH1001", "scph1001"
	};
@Duxa

Quick Menu -> Options -> Enhanced Resolution (slow) - disabled

Quick Menu -> Options -> Enhanced Resolution speed hack - disabled

Both of these were enabled by default.

Are you 100% sure these are enabled by default? As far as as I know that is not true.

From the source code: https://github.com/libretro/pcsx_rearmed/blob/588bf7918460109815d5cc505ada4334a4c5a791/frontend/libretro.c#L495-L497
It can be seen that these options are defaulted to disabled, and as far as I remember they are disabled on fresh install of the core.

Fairly sure, I certainly didnt set them, maybe some other setting set these? Although if I select to Load Defaults, it still sets these to Enabled. Which is a good thing for 99% of other games, because it does make them look better. Its just these two games need a custom config added or something to future builds.

truglodite

@Duxa

I know this is a necro, but I just discovered some quirky stuff that may help some folks out in this same situation.

I am working with the latest retropie on a 3b+ (usb mount roms), and in the process of building it out I noticed probably half of the psx titles I try wouldn't play at all (back to es after rgui), while the other half played perfectly. Similar to the OP's situation, these happened to be ringer titles for me... I wasn't going to give up on these without a good fight. I tried 4 different ROMs of the same game and none worked. I tried 3 different bios downloads, including mixing some of the files together, without success. So guess what randomly worked for me?

Converting the zipped cue/bin roms to chd v5 using the chdman.exe script, lol... so worth the shot in the dark!!!

I learned how to make such chd's in the process of getting reicast working, and noticed an excerpt in the retropie psx docs about chd compatibility. I already downloaded 4 slightly different copies of one of the games and none of them work. So what was there to lose by trying just one of those downloaded cue/bins as a chd. Sure enough it worked!!! So I converted the rest of the non-working psx titles to chd, and now they all work!!!

It's a 4xwin situation too... gets non-working roms to work + reduces file size + reduces file count + (this is a big one) the games load up like 100x faster using chd vs bin/cue!!!