SNES9x Sound problems

[coheedcollapse]

I know this isn't really something that can be fixed at the moment as far as I know, but I'd like to keep this topic going so that when a solution is found it will be posted (or if it's already found it can be reposted here).

I've checked just about everywhere including the official SNES9x forums and no one has found a definitive fix for the crackly sound that SNES9x produces in Yellow Dog Linux 5.0 (and possibly other versions of Linux on the PS3).

It has nothing to do with CPU usage because it's never even close to 100% even on the most taxing of games according to the system monitor.

I've already tried enabling threading and tinkering with just about every other option in the program so I figure this problem won't be easily fixed.

[lawlerzz]

I've used snes9express on fc5 and messed with the sound options on the emulator. I got the game ninja gaiden to run almost perfect sound. I haven't tried running it in ydl yet. I guess I'm off to try it.

[Kilo79]

My linux guru and I tried getting Snes9x sound to work w/ no solution also so I'm am interested on hearing when/if anyone does get this fixed. It sucks to have a pair of $5000 speakers playing the game music when all you here is static. I for one turn the sound off for the moment.

[coheedcollapse]

Yeah same. With threading on I can get games to sound better, but not perfect at all. Very crackly and distorted. I bet we'll have to either get a system update of some sort or find a workaround ourselves because I've been checking out the official SNES9x forums and the developers refuse to check and see if they can make changes to the program. They say they think it has something to do with the PS3.

[Crymson]

It's not just limited to the snes9x guys... pretty much every emu group thinks it has to do the with PS3.

Personally, I'm inclined to agree, since every EMU I've run (InfoNES, FCE Ultra, snes9x, etc) all have the exact same problem.

Perhaps it's the way the Cell handles sound threading? Maybe there's only one thread for sound, and it's basically a starved thread, causing the lackluster sound.

Perhaps it's a driver issue. I remember reading elsewhere that you have to use oss for Mplayer to play without distorted sound, so perhaps there is a similar problem with the EMUs.

Now I'm contradicting myself, but if the EMUs were able to support a different type of sound driver (like oss) then perhaps the problem would get cleared up.

Enough of my rambling.

[gemini420]

I installed snes9x with the GUI (snes9express i think).

I am running it under Gnome on Gentoo.

-- note: snes9express needed the ~ppc ACCEPT_KEYWORDS flag to emerge under Gentoo, but it works.

I had crappy static sound, but just turned up all the snes9express options to their max.

Sound settings, video settings, etc. Turn them all up to the max, and see if that doesn't help anything.

Doesn't sound like dolby 5.1, but i don't think SNES ever sounded great with their MIDI sound tracks.
;o)

Gemini420


P.S. I was not able to get the 6 axis controller to control any games though, nor did I investigate it, if anyone knows ... please let me know.

[Crymson]

We can all get it running, but the staticy sound is the problem we've been trying to address. It's something in the way the PS3 handles the sound from each emulator. They all crackle.

As far as I know, there's only a PS3 SIXAXIS driver in YDL, not in gentoo, so getting the controller to work will take some doing.

[blade47167]

I had it working just fine on gentoo from gnome. Used snes9x command line to run the game. Played Battle Toads & Double Dragona all the way thru without any problems with sound or video on fullscreen. I don't know what you guys are doing wrong. I posted the steps I took the other day. I didn't have to unmask anything.

[gemini420]

blade47167

"snes9express needed the ~ppc ACCEPT_KEYWORDS flag"

'snes9express' is a GUI (that you didn't install), which is why you didn't have to unmask it.

Crymson

i wasn't boasting about getting it running. the point was to make sure you turned up the snes9x settings all the way up. i did, and it helped.

[Crymson]

blade47167

"snes9express needed the ~ppc ACCEPT_KEYWORDS flag"

'snes9express' is a GUI (that you didn't install), which is why you didn't have to unmask it.

Crymson

i wasn't boasting about getting it running. the point was to make sure you turned up the snes9x settings all the way up. i did, and it helped.

My mistake. I turned it up, but things were still all screwy with the sound. Nothing is really helping.

I followed blades original post, but sound was all messed up in snes9x too - so something is off.

Is there something extra you installed blade? A different sound driver perhaps?

[Razgoull]

the sound quality in fceub (nes emulator) is perfect when you put the quality to 1. It's the only one with perfect sound.

[Crymson]

What's the command line argument to set sound quality to 1?
-= Double Post =-
Nevermind, -soundq 0

I'm having another problem though. I think I messed up my FCEU install.

It was working, but I'm on a really crappy small TV (like 13") and so the bottom of the screen was off the viewable area.

I started playing around with -xres, -yres, -xscale, -yscale to try and make it fit, and now it won't load at all!

My Gnome res is 576x384 (really effin small I know)

If I set -xres to 576, I get the following:

Initializing video...yscale out of bounds.

If -xres is something else, I get the same error, but on xscale instead of yscale.

I tried running

emerge -C fceultra
emerge fceultra

But no luck. It recompiled fine, but still won't run.

Any ideas on what is messed up here? I'd love to get it work, especially if I can "fix" the sound by setting it to low quality.

I'm on Gentoo BTW.

Thanks in advance

[Razgoull]

If you really want to enjoy emulator on PS3, please use ydl 5.0 (it as PS3sixasix driver already install and work also with ps1 and ps2 controllers)
My friend install gentoo and try debian before and it's a mess!
I use ydl5.0 and all my emulators works fine. Except for sound in snex9xpress and advancemame. This problem are in the emu. Don't think you can change options to help. Wait patiently for an update version. BTW they are really slow...it's not like psp homebrew. These guys are fast!
-= Double Post =-

What's the command line argument to set sound quality to 1?
-= Double Post =-
Nevermind, -soundq 0

I'm having another problem though. I think I messed up my FCEU install.

It was working, but I'm on a really crappy small TV (like 13") and so the bottom of the screen was off the viewable area.

I started playing around with -xres, -yres, -xscale, -yscale to try and make it fit, and now it won't load at all!

My Gnome res is 576x384 (really effin small I know)

If I set -xres to 576, I get the following:

Initializing video...yscale out of bounds.

If -xres is something else, I get the same error, but on xscale instead of yscale.

I tried running

emerge -C fceultra
emerge fceultra

But no luck. It recompiled fine, but still won't run.

Any ideas on what is messed up here? I'd love to get it work, especially if I can "fix" the sound by setting it to low quality.

I'm on Gentoo BTW.

Thanks in advance

I'm here to help you so...On fceu you can't size the image in fullscreen.(emu problem) Ok now to set the video to a decent output type: -fs 0 -xscale 2 -yscale 2 <romname>.
If you want to a perfect audio sound type: -soundq 1 <romname>
Finally if you want to configure your controller type:-inputcfg gamepad1 <romname> To save the input button press twice on the same key! Good luck!

[Crymson]

Thanks so much for the reply! I finally got video back in FCEU.

Still having sound issues though. I had disabled sound using -sound 0 since it was messed up.

What's a good value for playback rate? (-sound = ???) I think that in conjunction with -soundq will fix the sound problems in FCEU at least.

Thanks again for your help!
-= Double Post =-
DOUBLE POST

Also, I'm sure this is a total n00b question, but is it possible to transfer drivers between YDL and Gentoo? I'd like to get the controller working, but I don't want to install another distro (Gentoo took long enough to get setup the way I wanted!)

Just curious if it's possible.

Thanks again for all your help, FCEU is at least playable now! Woo!

[Razgoull]

put sound on...the sound in fceu is perfect. Use this: -sound 1 -soundq 1 <romname>

[Crymson]

Ok, -sound 1 -soundq 1 (or 0 for that matter) didn't make a difference, the sound is still scratchy.

I think it must just be the way gentoo handles the sound instructions.

Oh well, I think I can handle games with no sound for now.

Thanks!