Emulator running slow; Looking for Best Configuration/Plugins Based on Specs

[djcfla1]

I'm not the greatest with these things and my brother aint around to set it up for me. I tried using an online tutorial to set it up but it didn't work. Now I plan on playing MGS but with normal games that don't give people problems I've had issues. It's been slow. With MGS the sound skipped.

All help greatly appreciated.

[jonc2006]

what version of epsxe are you using? if you are using anything other than 1.7.0 you need to have epsxe only running under one of your cpu cores.

[KrossX]

You could've cropped the images at least... >.>

Suggestion: Remove the images and post the following information instead.

Press WIN+R, type dxdiag in it and press ENTER.
Use the Save Information button and save the file on your computer.
Post ONLY the information from System Information and Display Devices.

Also, post the emulator (assuming ePSXe) and version of it you're using and, plugins and its settings.

As of now, that computer should be able to handle it perfectly... using Pete's Soft plugin. =P (cannot say anymore without display information)

[jonc2006]

how do you have your video plugin configured and what kind of video card do you have?

[djcfla1]

------------------
System Information
------------------
Time of this report: 7/7/2008, 19:30:56
Machine name: ACER-47CBE8A5ED
Operating System: Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 2 (2600.xpsp_sp2_qfe.070227-2300)
Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: Acer
System Model: Extensa 4620
BIOS: Ver 1.00PARTTBL
Processor: Intel(R) Pentium(R) Dual CPU T2330 @ 1.60GHz (2 CPUs)
Memory: 1014MB RAM
Page File: 502MB used, 1937MB available
Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS
DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
DxDiag Version: 5.03.2600.2180 32bit Unicode

---------------
Display Devices
---------------
Card name: Mobile Intel(R) 965 Express Chipset Family
Manufacturer: Intel Corporation
Chip type: Mobile Intel(R) 965 Express Chipset Family
DAC type: Internal
Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_2A02&SUBSYS_011C1025&REV_03
Display Memory: 384.0 MB
Current Mode: 1280 x 800 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor: Plug and Play Monitor
Monitor Max Res: 1600,1200
Driver Name: igxprd32.dll
Driver Version: 6.14.0010.4837 (English)
DDI Version: 9 (or higher)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
Driver Date/Size: 6/5/2007 18:48:40, 57344 bytes
WHQL Logo'd: Yes
WHQL Date Stamp: n/a
VDD: n/a
Mini VDD: igxpmp32.sys
Mini VDD Date: 6/5/2007 18:48:58, 5761728 bytes
Device Identifier: {D7B78E66-6942-11CF-7061-1621A2C2CB35}
Vendor ID: 0x8086
Device ID: 0x2A02
SubSys ID: 0x011C1025
Revision ID: 0x0003
Revision ID: 0x0003
Video Accel:
Deinterlace Caps: n/a
Registry: OK
DDraw Status: Enabled
D3D Status: Enabled
AGP Status: Not Available
DDraw Test Result: Not run
D3D7 Test Result: Not run
D3D8 Test Result: Not run
D3D9 Test Result: Not run

emulator is epsxe v1.7 (have run psxfin and that works smoothly on most of my games but there are a couple that don't look quite as good as they should and epsxe is the most widely recognized emulator which worked great on my other computer).

[KrossX]

Pete's Soft plugins should give you the best performance/compatibility for your mobile IGP. You could also try with Pete's DX6 D3D Plugin, or Pete's D3D.

Make sure you have the latest ones from Pete's website.

[djcfla1]

Available plugins: PEOPS Soft Driver 1.17, Pete's D3D Driver 1.76, Pete's DX6 D3D Driver 1.76, Pete's OpenGL Driver 1.76, Pete's OpenGL2 Driver 2.8 (no picture when trying this), External SPU Plugin 1.41, " " Lite 1.41, Mooby2 cd disk image driver 2.8, PEOPS CDR Driver 1.4, SCPH-1001 BIOS.

Main settings: (using PEOPS after Pete's didn't work well) in windowed mode (800 x 600), stretched to fit window size and keep ratio, no dithering, Use FPS limit/Auto-detect FPS, no scanlines, debug mode checked. External SPU Plugin for sound: directsound, 128 buffer size, wait for XA buffer and cache vag decode checked. CDRMooby2 has repeat all CDDA tracks.

[KrossX]

Get the latest plugins from Pete's site (http://www.pbernert.com/html/gpu.htm).

Use the Soft plugin from start, do not switch. Check the performance, it should be alright. Also, use the ePSXe Core sound plugin and see if MGS still has sound issues for you.

Also, remember that ePSXe v1.7.0 has a built in Frame Limit. Thus, it's recomended to disable the FPS Limit in the plugins.

[djcfla1]

well i updated the plugins and kept the PEOPS as the plugin (1.18 now) and it seemed to run better. the sound doesn't skip anymore. Would still like to know w/in specific settings like window stretching and all those side options which ones are best, since it still seems the picture should look better. I shut off the frame limit too.

What is VSYNC and should any of the "special game fixes" be checked?

oh yeah, something weird happened. when i clicked X to close the window and thus the emulator the window closed but the sound kept going as if I were playing the game.

As a side note, since I was wondering this, how do you incorporate saves from a playstation memory card into an emulator?

[robolee]

you have to close under file->exit, otherwise you will have to manually end the process... I thought they would fix that with the new release, but I'm used to it now.

[KrossX]

=> Information about VSYNC (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vertical_synchronization).

I would say, if there's no real *issue* with the game... don't use the gamefixes. Check them and see if the game you're playing or the issue fits the description, otherwise don't use them at all.

The Soft plugin, it's the most compatible but not most pretty. Depending on the GPU, it could also be the fastest.

As for the stretching settings, try them and see wich one looks nice to thine eyes and doesn't slow the game down. (wich shouldn't be an issue with your processor)

Only one general setting recomendation, disable the FPS Limit on the plugin if using ePSXe v1.7.0.

Also, you should read the plugin's documentation... and the emulator's too... >.>

[jonc2006]

like robolee said, you need to do file>exit in order to exit out of the emulator correctly. not only does shutting it down in the method you used create things like the music issue you are describing, it also compromises game saves (both memory card and save states) and any progress you made during your time with the emulator so make sure you do file>exit and only file>exit.

[djcfla1]

when i play in either fullscreen or window the mouse disappears and I can't access any of the menus. how do I fix that?

[jonc2006]

press the esc key while in-game to return to the GUI, then do file>exit.

[Galway no Sora]

I've downloaded the v1.7, and ePSXe still have this closing error issue? Wew, I tought it was fixed in the new version. It will occur when you use ALT+F4 also, right?

[jonc2006]

i dont do the ALT+F4 thing but i would imagine it would mess it up as well. the way you should exit out in any version of epsxe is by pressing the esc key while still in-game, then once you are in the GUI you do file>exit.