Psx4all

From DingooWiki

Psx4all

Platform(s):	Dingoo-Linux
Download(s):	Github
Developer(s):	Ulrich Hecht
Version:	20091022
Status:	Released
Homepage:	Github

Introduction

The Playstation is a 32-bit fifth generation video game console released by Sony Computer Entertainment in December 1994.

The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of console and handheld game devices, which was first created and released in Japan. Successor consoles and upgrades include the Net Yaroze, PS one, PSX, PocketStation, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, and the PlayStation 3. On March 31, 2005, the PlayStation and PS one reached a combined total of 102.49 million units shipped, becoming the first video game console to reach 100 million. As of July 20, 2008, the PlayStation has sold 102 million units.Sony ceased production of the PlayStation on March 23, 2006, over 11 years after it was first produced.(Excerpt from PS1 Wiki)

[edit] About Psx4all

This is a port of handheld PlayStation emulator psx4all to Linux for the Dingoo A320 (Dingux).

It features MIPS to MIPS recompiling CPU emulation, and performance is acceptable, ranging from some 16-20 FPS in Gran Turismo to about 60 FPS in Tetris Plus (with some tweaks).

Sound works in principle, but slows down emulation considerably, which is why I have not compiled it into the default build ("psx4all"). For those who want to try it, however, a version with a working SPU ("psx4all_sound") is provided as well.

[edit] Installation

Simply copy the Psx4all directory somewhere on your SD.

To launch it with dmenu use this in your dmenu.cfg (adjust your folders accordingly):

    MenuItem Psx4all
    {
    	Icon = "res/game1.png"
    	Name = "Psx4all"
    	Executable = "./psx4all"
    	WorkDir = "/usr/local/emulators/psx4all"
    }

It is possible to run games with the integrated high-level BIOS emulation, but compatibility is so-so. It is thus highly recommended to use a PlayStation BIOS image, which psx4all expects to be situated in the same directory and to be named "scph1001.bin".

[edit] File Format

psx4all is able to use PlayStation games in BIN format (2352 byte raw sectors, file extension ".bin") and is also able to load files in the compressed CBIN format (file extension ".cbn"), which is very similar to the well-known CISO format, but uses a different sector size. A tool called "cbin" is supplied with the emulator that is able to convert BIN format images to CBN files. (Precompiled binaries are shipped for Mac OS X and Linux/i386; the source code should be trivial to compile on whatever system you are using; it only depends on zlib.)

[edit] Memory Cards

Memory cards are supported and need to be named mcd001.mcr and mcd002.mcr for Slot 1 and Slot 2, respectively. If these files do not exist, psx4all will create them.

[edit] Controls

[edit] Controller

	PSX D-Pad
	Triangle
	Square
	Circle
	Cross
	Start
+	Select
	L1
	R1
+	L2
+	R2

[edit] Functions

+	Return to Menu
+(Hold)	Quit
+	Increase Frameskip
+	Decrease Frameskip
+	Turn FPS display on
+	Turn FPS display off

[edit] Menu

	Cursor
	Select
	Change numerical Values
	Back

[edit] Graphics Options

[edit] Show FPS

Toggles to show the frame rate statstics on top of the screen

[edit] Frame Skip

Frameskipping can speed up emulation considerably,but will lead to choppy graphics and in many cases glitches. It is currently your best option to get full-speed or near full-speed emulation on many games, though. 2/3 frameskip appears to work best for most cases. 1/2 almost always causes severe problems.

[edit] Cycle Multiplier

Increasing the cycle multiplier makes the emulated PlayStation hardware run faster relative to its CPU. This can help speed up games that don't use the CPU much and mostly idle around waiting for the next frame. In other cases, it will not make a difference, or even make the game slower. Don't be fooled by the increased frame rate! If the CPU is too slow to keep up, a high frame rate will be of no consequence.

[edit] Frameskip: ....

These option allow you to fine-tune the frameskipping behavior. When frameskipping causes glitches you can turn it off for certain parts of the graphics emulation instead of turning it off completely.

[edit] Wall Clock Timing

This option is experimental, and I'm not quite sure if it is useful at all. It causes the hardware timing to be based on real-world ("wall clock") time instead of the cycle count of the emulated CPU. Its effect and its problems are very similar to that of the Cycle Multiplier option, but it locks the framerate to what it would be in real life.

[edit] Sound Options

The only option is to turn the sound on and off. And that only works in the SPU build ("psx4all_sound").

[edit] File Options

[edit] Save Game State

Freezes the emulated system and dumps its state into a file that can be reloaded later. Files are named after the game disc image, with a dash, a four-figure counter and the extension ".svs" added. Don't rename them, or psx4all won't know what disc image to use when loading them.

[edit] Load Game State

Restores a saved state.

[edit] Load A Game

Boots a CD image via the original PlayStation BIOS. BIN and CBN images are supported, plus a couple of esoteric formats I have never heard of before.

[edit] Load A Game Without BIOS

Boots a CD image with high-level BIOS emulation enabled. The compatibility is lower compared to using the original BIOS, but indicated framerates are higher. Games don't generally feel faster, though, so that may well be a bug.

[edit] Source Code

Source code, Binary Releases, Changelog, and Bug Tracking

All of these can be found on the psx4all-dingoo page at github:

github

You can also download a Dingux toolchain for Mac OS X there, should you need one.

More info at README.TXT

[edit] Psx4all Compatibility List

Here is a list of PSX games that work and do not work (This list is still being updated): Psx4all CompList.

If you cannot find the game you are looking for there is a thread over at Dingoonity Forum that may help you out: Dingoonity Psx4all Compatibility List.