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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

    Dosbox on pi 4, game window is fullscreen but not centered on screen

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    • S
      Simrose @quicksilver
      last edited by

      @quicksilver

      Did those same video settings work for all your dos games?
      I am finding some of them not correct fitting.
      Thanks
      Sim

      quicksilverQ 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • quicksilverQ
        quicksilver @Simrose
        last edited by

        @Simrose The game is appearing too small or they are being cut off?

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        • S
          Simrose @quicksilver
          last edited by

          @quicksilver
          I can actually play the games what dont fit they just being cut off missing just a small part of top etc ( Full Screen)

          quicksilverQ 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • quicksilverQ
            quicksilver @Simrose
            last edited by

            @Simrose hmm, im not sure, I havent seen this with any of my games.

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            • R
              RussellB
              last edited by RussellB

              20200731_182719.jpg

              Hi,

              I've been working with Hurrican, the Linux port and switched over to the DOS version and came up with the DOSBOX issue on the RPI4. I setup my dosbox.conf per this thread as well as runcommand-onstart and runcommand-onend so it flips to 640x480. The image comes up centered but as you can see it leaves a lot of black border around the image. I assume it's keeping the aspect ratio. Is this expected?

              Russ

              quicksilverQ 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • quicksilverQ
                quicksilver @RussellB
                last edited by

                @RussellB said in Dosbox on pi 4, game window is fullscreen but not centered on screen:

                I assume it's keeping the aspect ratio. Is this expected?

                If you have aspect=true then yes it will preserve the original aspect ratio.

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                • R
                  RussellB
                  last edited by RussellB

                  Ok this is weird... using the same setup on another RPi4 a friend has the overscanning issue, and I don't. Using the same executable and the same dosbox-SVN.conf.

                  Ok... my bad... the TV did not support 640x480 properly. Switched to zoom mode and viola. Time for a new tv!

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                  • ectoE
                    ecto
                    last edited by

                    I made some quick tests yesterday and wanted to share my findings:

                    Since SDL1 is patched, dispmanx can be used again with the right aspect ratio (as in not streched across the whole screen) in dosbox.

                    This is true, and it's nice to see this improvement. Games just ran along nicely. I tested Blood with a resolution up to 640x480.

                    What didn't work was Ultima 7.2 (Serpent Isle), because there where severe slowdowns whenever the screen faded. I also tried System Shock with the same outcome: screenfading is very slow.

                    I did not change output=surfacein the dosbox.conf, so that might be another go at it. But so far I would suggest to stick to the workaround quicksilver suggested.

                    BuZzB quicksilverQ 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 1
                    • BuZzB
                      BuZz administrators @ecto
                      last edited by BuZz

                      @ecto there are some performance issues with dosbox and the sdl1 dispmanx driver, but it's better than the previous overlay config for most things.

                      I've just committed a change to default to dispmanx on the rpi4 and I removed some previous default configs. It's worth removing the dosbox-SVN.conf from /opt/retropie/configs/pc and reinstalling after updating retropie setup as the old entries could make trouble. But it sounds like your config is probably correct, but just in case.

                      To help us help you - please make sure you read the sticky topics before posting - https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/3/read-this-first

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                      • BuZzB
                        BuZz administrators
                        last edited by BuZz

                        I can confirm the fading issue with system shock. It's likely due to the way the dispmanx driver double buffers and enforces vsync. I will see if there's a workaround in the driver code (but it's an old issue, and I don't think there's a quick fix. Probably better to focus on the libretro cores etc).

                        It's been a while since I looked at the dosbox modules also, so I will see. Maybe there are alternatives/improvements for the sdl2 core also.

                        To help us help you - please make sure you read the sticky topics before posting - https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/3/read-this-first

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                        • BuZzB
                          BuZz administrators
                          last edited by

                          I will also look at adding dosbox-staging or replacing current dosbox-sdl2 with it if it works better.

                          To help us help you - please make sure you read the sticky topics before posting - https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/3/read-this-first

                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                          • N
                            nemo93
                            last edited by nemo93

                            @BuZz happy to assist with dosbox-staging if you need. As stated in my other post, it works better (perf wise, no tearing, interesting new features) yet some stuff are still missing like proper fluidsynth (almost done though) or mt32 support. Devs are also looking closely at improving perf on pi platforms too.

                            BuZzB 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • BuZzB
                              BuZz administrators @nemo93
                              last edited by

                              @nemo93 dosbox staging seems to require fluidsynth 2 which is too new for Debian Buster. But it worked as well as our existing sdl2 dosbox from limited testing.

                              To help us help you - please make sure you read the sticky topics before posting - https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/3/read-this-first

                              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                              • quicksilverQ
                                quicksilver @ecto
                                last edited by quicksilver

                                @ecto I have another solution now for dosbox-svn. It requires running dosbox in an x session but does not require dispmanx for scaling. Performance is better and you don't need to force 640x480 via scripts (like in my previous solution). I'll try to update the thread with details for those who are interested in trying it out.

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                                • N
                                  nemo93
                                  last edited by

                                  @BuZz said in Dosbox on pi 4, game window is fullscreen but not centered on screen:

                                  @nemo93 dosbox staging seems to require fluidsynth 2 which is too new for Debian Buster. But it worked as well as our existing sdl2 dosbox from limited testing.

                                  That is correct. A discussion is ongoing to backport fluidsynth 1.x. Also there's no mt32 support as we speak. Yet I'm confident both will be added and properly added in the coming weeks/months. Devs are extremly supportive, active and simply kind. If you don't mind I'll keep reviewing the various DOSbox ports/forks and report back in my other thread. I'll give you a nudge should new features or additions are interesting enough to be merged within Retropie.

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                                  • shavecatS
                                    shavecat @quicksilver
                                    last edited by shavecat

                                    @quicksilver
                                    Works amazing your scripts.
                                    But when i go back to emulationstain its a bit more drak (the screen)
                                    but still amazing thanks ! :)
                                    will love if u have any news of that

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                                    • R
                                      realgreg @quicksilver
                                      last edited by

                                      @quicksilver Can you please post this solution ?

                                      quicksilverQ 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                      • quicksilverQ
                                        quicksilver @realgreg
                                        last edited by

                                        @realgreg sorry for the delay, has been a busy past few weeks. I will try to take a moment to do it this week.

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                                          lazd @quicksilver
                                          last edited by

                                          @quicksilver did you end up posting your solution anywhere? Thanks!

                                          quicksilverQ 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                          • quicksilverQ
                                            quicksilver @lazd
                                            last edited by

                                            @lazd I did not, sorry keep forgetting. I'll try to get that done.

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