8bitdo SN30 Pro not Launching a Player 1. Also 45 second black screen after launch screen with TV?

Markeno

Pi Model or other hardware: 4b 4gb
Power Supply used: Meanwell 5A 5v power
RetroPie Version Used : 4.7.1
Built From: (Pre made SD Image on RetroPie website, https://github.com/RetroPie/RetroPie-Setup/releases/download/4.7.1/retropie-buster-4.7.1-rpi4_400.img.gz
USB Devices connected: keyboard
Controller used: 8bitdo SN30 Pro V1.38
Guide used: https://retropie.org.uk/docs/8Bitdo-Controller/

The 8bitdo is never the the Player 1 controller it is always Player 2 if another controller is connected. Any of my USB connected controllers will be the Player 1 controller if they are used to Launch the game, but this is not the case with the SN30 Pro. If I want to use it, I must disconnect any usb connected controllers before launching a game. That is other than a USB Keyboard.

Another issue is a long delay on launching a game when connected to a TV. With a LCD monitor connected it typically launches quickly, but with it on my TV it goes from the launch splash to a black screen and stays as a black screen for about 45 seconds. It then eventually displays normally, and seems to work fine. It is just an average 1080 TV. This seems to be all emulators, Game Boy, Genesis, Nintendo, Super Nintendo, N64 etc. Performance seems the same once started when compared to running on a Monitor.

mitu

The 8bitdo is never the the Player 1 controller it is always Player 2 if another controller is connected. Any of my USB connected controllers will be the Player 1 controller if they are used to Launch the game, but this is not the case with the SN30 Pro. If I want to use it, I must disconnect any usb connected controllers before launching a game.

RetroArch sets the player order depending on how the OS (Linux) orders the detected gamepads. There's no relation between the controller used to start the game (from EmulationStation) and the 1st player.
Does this also happen if the 8Bitdo controller is the first one connected (since starting the system) ? Try booting without the USB controller connected, make sure the 8bitdo controller is connected and then add a 2nd controller.

Another issue is a long delay on launching a game when connected to a TV.

I know there's an issue with 8bitdo controllers when connected in XInput mode, they don't properly respond to the battery level queries from the OS and the operation times out. The display connected shouldn't matter. I'm not sure whether you're experiencing the same issue, but try pairing the 8bitdo controller in Switch mode and see if you get the same timeout when starting games.

Markeno

It turns out that USB Super Nintendo type controller is always Player 1 when plugged in. I took it that when I used my arcade cabinet setup that it was "picking" the player 1 controller as being the one used to launch the game. If I launched with the Arcade Controller it would be Player 1. If I plugged in these USB Super Nintendo type controllers my intention was to play with them instead, so I was launching the game and the USB Super Nintendo controller was Player 1 with the Arcade sticks being Player 2 and Player 3.

Really I haven't use it all that extensively for the work put into it especially. I just never had the USN Super Nintendo Controller plugged in when I was not intending to use it as my Player 1 controller it seems.

So the order doesn't matter. That USB controller takes over as Player 1 over either the Arcade controllers and the SN30.

I doesn't matter if that USB controller is plugged in/connected first or last. It always seems to take the top slot. The arcade sticks are plugged in all the time. I tried keeping the USB controller disconnected and connecting the SN30 first, but the USB controller still took the first slot.

I tried another TV same resulting in the same 45 second game starting delay. I'll see about trying it out on some other displays. I was hoping this other TV would work, it is a better fit for the setup. I don't believe it is related to the SN30. I wish I had another Pi 4 to setup with Retropie to see if I had the same results with the TVs. I am sure I wasn't getting that with a HDMI to VGA converter connecting to old monitors which is what I was using while setting the system up.

Markeno

With further testing the launching delay does appear related to when SN30 is connected to the bluetooth. I tried one of my VGA LCD Monitors with the hdmi adapter and had the same delays. Then I took it down to the basement where I have another display that wasn't doing it, it launched the game right up with maybe a 5-10 second black screen in between using the same HDMI to VGA adapter.

It turns out I just took down the USB Super Nintendo controller and not the SN30.

So I tried it again with the TV I was using yesterday with it, and kept the SN30 off. It Launched the game right up no delay, well something a bit over 5 seconds. I closed the game, then connected the SN30 and launched again. The 45 second black screen was back.

I did notice when connecting the SN30, when it syncs up it syncs quickly, but the Emulation Station menu won't respond to input from it for a bit of time (maybe it is 30-45 seconds?). Then it works fine and is responsive. It tried playing games with the controller after that start delay and they seem to work just fine.

Does everyone with the 8bitdo Sn30 controllers seem to see this kind of black screen delay? The process is pressing A to launch the game, the "launch" screen displays, then it goes to an all black screen for 45 seconds. Then suddenly pops in after that with the game, and in the lower left corner saying "such and such controllers connected" as normal.

BuZz

@markeno you need to remove the registered device and re-register and pair it in switch mode. Then the delay will be gone.

Markeno

@buzz Thanks. Paired in Switch Pro Controller Mode did eliminate the delay. It also let me map the lower trigger buttons, where X Controller mode did not.

I haven't seen mentioned anywhere that I have read through to try Switch mode. The only references I have seen have been people finding Switch mode didn't work or work properly. I could easily be missing somewhere obvious that it is listed though.

It does seem to have sorted the startup delay. I was doing awfully bad with it, hopefully it is lack of having the controls configured the way I am use to and not a response time issue.

Thanks for your help. I still wish I could force it to Player 1 when another controller is connected.

YFZdude

@markeno said in 8bitdo SN30 Pro not Launching a Player 1. Also 45 second black screen after launch screen with TV?:

I still wish I could force it to Player 1 when another controller is connected.

You can try this:
Go to the RetroPie item in the system list.
Choose Configuration Editor
Select basic libretro emulator options
Here you can choose to edit the configuration for all libretro emulators, or do this for specific systems, whichever suits your needs.
Choose the item Choose joypad order and set them in the order you want.

I've used this to specify that I want my arcade stick as player 1 but only when playing arcade games, otherwise it uses my wireless controller.
NOTE: This method only works for the lr-* emulators. If you have a standalone emulator it will require another method of selecting the primary controller.

Markeno

@yfzdude thanks I will give that a try.