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JoeViking245

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Posts posted by JoeViking245

    Ipac2 control of launchbox

    in Troubleshooting

    Posted

    What do you mean by "can't get the games to run"?  Are you meaning launch (start) a game from LaunchBox by pressing a button?  When you use the keyboard to launch/start a game, I assume it's by pressing the Enter key.

    Unless you reconfigured the IPAC to be seen as an XInput device, you won't be able to map it as a "controller" in LaunchBox.  By default, the IPAC is seen as a keyboard (as opposed to an XInput or DInput device).

    The joystick works because it's (usually) always seen as Up/Down/Left/Right keys.

    Joystick scrolling of gamelist

    in Troubleshooting

    Posted

    The Z-axis would be the 'variable' trigger on an Xinput controller (like seen on an XBox 360 controller [and others]).  Variable: i.e. squeeze the trigger a little, it gives a little gas, say in a racing game.  The IPAC-2 has the ability to switch [input] modes so that it can be seen as Keyboard (default), Dinput or Xinput.  But it needs to have firmware version 50 which looks like may only be available in newer IPAC's.  Yours, having the PS/2 connector on it is 'older', but may still accept the firmware upgrade.  Not sure.  But I'd recommend keeping it in keyboard mode.

    The relevant info for the IPAC-2 with a PS/2 connector isn't available on the site.  But looking at their Mini-PAC, which does have info for its PS/2 connection model, and I believe uses the same IC chip, states:

    Quote

    Supports selective up/down key repeat in PS/2 mode (all keys repeat in USB mode) to give easy scrolling through lists with minimal CPU overhead and interface "clutter".

    "Selective up/down key repeat", meaning that just the up/down keys can repeat (when using a PS/2 connection) helping it stay 'safe for games'.  [Also, having all keys repeat via a PS/2 connection may overload the computer's CPU. No the case with USB].

    This up/down repeat [ via PS/2] may have been implemented after your board was produce.  I have the Mini-PAC [circa 2006] in my cab which has the PS/2 connector on it. The cable running from it to the PC is PS/2 on one end and a PS/2 & USB on the other.  I don't have a PS/2 connection on my PC, otherwise I'd give it a test. But my joystick up/down scrolls though the games in LB same as the up/down key on the keyboard does.

    If for some reason or another it ends up that it "just plain won't work" with your IPAC-2, you could do something like assign Shift + joystick Up/Down to PageUp/Down.  Where Shift (by default) is the Player 1 Start button.  Just a thought.

    Joystick scrolling of gamelist

    in Troubleshooting

    Posted

    @happyskibunny I was reading up on something else and came across something regarding that if it's plugged in via PS/2 it doesn't have auto repeat.  But if plugged in via USB, it does.  I can't find it again right now, so I may have been looking at a different Ultimarc board.  But if you can come across a PS/2 to USB cable (and have an available USB port), it might be worth a try.

    Plan "B" is to email Andy at Ultimarc and ask 'the man who knows'.  :)

    Setting up Ipac2

    in Emulation

    Posted

    2 hours ago, Headrush69 said:

    At least for a cabinet setup....

    My 1st thought was "where else would you use an IPac?"  But then I 'became-the-wiser' and thought about something like a homemade Mayflash F300 of-sorts.:D

    I got a flip down 'tray' that has the keyboard velcro'd to the inside.  That is an awesome idea to re-purpose that area/space to a wheel mount!! ?

    Setting up Ipac2

    in Emulation

    Posted

    That's good to know about the switch-over/Windows-recognize delay time.  Thanks!

    [Hijacking this thread for a sec...]  I got my cab years ago and for some reason all along I thought (assumed) it had an IPac-2.  Taking the panel off to get a closer look, it appears I might have an older [circa 2006???] Mini-Pac 2.  It does use the same IC chip as the "really old" IPac-2's (except this one is surface mounted). [my board pict]image.thumb.png.4f3ba5db5e0e5e8764f4888a291c2a2e.png 

    This 'new insight' is based off the 1st image in a write-up/review from here. https://www.retroblast.com/reviews/Ultimarc_Mini-Pac-08132006-01.html  Also, "MP-2" was a subsequent giveaway (that I just now realized. You know, "putting 2 and 2 together." lol)

    [back to our regularly scheduled thread..]  I'd agree with @Headrush69 that keeping it in keyboard mode is best.  LaunchBox (and BigBox for that matter) doesn't need an Xinput device to function at all.  And really, I can't think of anything to gain by switch the IPac mode to it.  Even for emulators.  At least for all the ones I use, I've been able to set them up using keyboard mode. Even Wii (Dolphin).  Though I REALLY DON'T recommend it. lol  That's where the 360 controller comes in handy. ;) 

     

    How to get dolphin to open on second screen?

    in Noobs

    Posted

    If that works only for the UI and not for the game, go to   ..\Emulators\Dolphin\User\Config\   open Dolphin.ini.  In the [Display] section (down around line #44), set RenderToMain to False. 

    [Display]
FullscreenResolution = Auto
Fullscreen = True
RenderToMain = False
RenderWindowXPos = 0
RenderWindowYPos = 0

     

    • Like 1

    Using MAME (MESS) Retroarch to emulate various systems

    in Emulation

    Posted

    26 minutes ago, Headrush69 said:

    kudos on your software import tool

    Thank you very much. Both of you.  It's been a fun project/learning experience.

     

    23 minutes ago, SiriusVI said:

    Would be great if there was a way to filter out all the non-games from the software lists.

    I haven't looked at all, but if you can find a current compiled 'category'-type file for Software Lists, it's definitely something that could be looked into. :) 

    Joystick scrolling of gamelist

    in Troubleshooting

    Posted

    Your joystick connected through your IPac-2 should be tied to the keyboards Up/Down/Left/Right arrow keys.  When you have a game selected, and then hold the joystick down, it should zip right through them (same as the down arrow key).   The 'focus' need to be in the games section though.

    Too Dumb for Colecovision

    in Troubleshooting

    Posted

    Using stand alone MAME (i.e. mame64.exe) as your emulator...

    • In LaunchBox, go to Tools, Manage Emulators and select MAME.
    • Under the Associated Platforms tab, add in your ColecoVision Platform (named exactly as you have the Platform Named)
    • Set the Default Command-Line Parameter to "coleco -cart"
    • Check the box for Default emulator.

    image.thumb.png.3ef7ce36d034c0b550f36f4ff6a7c6b1.png

    • Click OK. OK.
    • Start a game.

    This all assumes:

    • You've imported your ColecoVision roms into LaunchBox
    • You've setup the path in mame.ini for where your ColecoVision roms are located
    • You have the coleco.zip rom (bios) file in with your roms folder.

     

    Using MAME (MESS) Retroarch to emulate various systems

    in Emulation

    Posted

    We might be looking at different implementations between Computers vs Consoles and also how they're ripped.  Ya, ya... bits/bytes, toma[y]to /toma[h]to. (Binary might in there too).  Anyway, different implementations: the team working on Computers may be more lenient towards filenames whereas the Console team working with the binary rips say "I'm going to call it whatever I want."

    My guess with TOSEC zip renaming (5200), once MAME sees the correct [zip] filename, it doesn't care what's inside.  As long as the crc [?and/or sha1 [both?]] check out. 

    ZX Spectrum via Mame

    in Troubleshooting

    Posted

    2 lines down from "autoboot_command", there's the line "autoboot_script".   I think (per the straw I'm grasping at) you can point that to a lua script you create, that could probably do all sorts of cool shtuff for you.  But beware, the straw I grabbed may very well be the short one. :D  

    Otherwise, no.  You're stuck with emulating the computer(s) through MAME as the MAMEDev Team meant for it to be:  As authentic and accurate as possible "to preserve decades of software history". 

    Using MAME (MESS) Retroarch to emulate various systems

    in Emulation

    Posted

    You've got my morbid curiosity going now.... let's try some reverse-engineering.

    Look at apple2_cass.  [grabbing a file near the top of the list] let's compare the MAME rom "advent0.zip".  Is your TOSEC rom for the same game by any chance named something along the lines of "adventure 0 special sampler (1979)(adventure international)"?

    same thing...

    apple2_flop_orig  --  1on1.zip.   Is your TOSEC rom named "one on one"?

    Mame doesn't work

    in Troubleshooting

    Posted

    I think by default, MAME puts "mame.ini" in it's "ini" folder and needs to be moved into it's root folder.  Hence, my prior question.

    Whatever rom set you have, Use The Same Revision Of The MAME Executable!  So rom-pack 0.197, use mame64.exe for revision 0.197.

    So...

    • The MAME executable and roms are of the same revision (0.197 or whatever. Doesn't matter as long as they're the same).
    • mame.ini has been moved to (or was already in) MAME's  root folder.
    • There isn't 2 copies of mame.ini  (root folder and ini folder). Only the one mentioned above?
    • You double-click mame64.exe in Windows Explorer and the MAME UI window opens.  You double-click on one of the games and you can play it just fine.  Hit Escape, the game closes and you're back at the MAME UI screen, hit Escape again and MAME closes.
    • You set up the Arcade Platform in LaunchBox and the MAME emulator just as described in the 2 referenced videos above.
    • You double-click an Arcade game (say, the same one you were playing in the 4th bulleted item above) in LaunchBox.  You momentarily get a black screen and then you're back inside LB.  The game wouldn't launch.
    • You the right click on that game you just tried to play, and select "open MAME...", the same thing happens with the momentary black screen.image.png.2bade427ed28566d2fd35e21283515ae.png 

    Is that all correct (so far)?

    Using MAME (MESS) Retroarch to emulate various systems

    in Emulation

    Posted

    I've never tried MAME roms in RotroArch because... well MAME works.  But if you're using the MAME core in RA, you were really close to answering your own question when talking about BerZerk.   "berzerk.zip" works, but "BerZerk (USA).zip" does not.

    MAME, be it stand alone or through RA uses and looks for it's file naming convention.  i.e. berzerk.zip  or  adventur.zip.  So when it see "BerZerk (USA).zip", it doesn't recognize it, so probably doesn't even bother to look inside the zip for the .bin file.  I don't know about the 5200 no-intros, but the 2600 set, inside the zip file has a ".a26" file extension.  Again, MAME probably wants a ".bin".   So kind of a double wammy of using non-MAME roms with the MAME core.

    But if you have the other [no-intro] sets you could still use RA but with a different core loaded. Couldn't you?

     

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