GroovyArcade live-CD 2022 (collaborative effort)

[robbbby]

It's supposed to ask you which output will be used for CRT, and then select a monitor type. Connectors that have to be forced to ON are turned to on before any selection happens. Can you provide the file located in /home/arcade/shared/logs/groovy.log ? (or could be /home/arcade/shared/log/groovy.log)

It should even say "Turning <connetor> to ON as required"

I'm not sure where to find this log file, this is all while booting off usb so nothing has been installed to any drives.  I cannot find any log files on the usb key either.

I tried again, this time at boot with my LCD plugged into motherboard vga, I selected 15kHz, then I promptly unplugged the monitor.
I figured if it does not detect a monitor on that port it would force the analog DVI-I on my video card.

So again, it went through all outputs, when it forces analog on DVI-I I get a screen on my arcade monitor.  I select OK, but after it finishes with video port scan the screen stays black.
I hit enter a couple times hoping something would happen but nothing does.

Something interesting I did find though, when I hit the power button for the computer to power down or reboot so I can try again, I get the groovyarade splash screen popup on my arcade monitor.

[robbbby]

Anything else I can try?
I've given it a go another dozen times or so and it's always the same thing.
Display works for me to select ok when analog on dvi-i is forced and works when powering computer down. 
Otherwise screen is always black.

[Calamity]

@robbbby,

You won't get this working with your motherboard gpu enabled, it sounds like X is sending the output to the wrong gpu. Try disabling it or at least not allowing the lcd to be detected on boot (i.e. unplug it, then turn the computer on).

[Substring]

There is no X at this moment.

Robbbby, do you have network on your pc cab ?

[robbbby]

@robbbby,

You won't get this working with your motherboard gpu enabled, it sounds like X is sending the output to the wrong gpu. Try disabling it or at least not allowing the lcd to be detected on boot (i.e. unplug it, then turn the computer on).

Good idea. I will try disabling onboard gpu and only going off the Radeon just to see if that changes anything.

There is no X at this moment.

Robbbby, do you have network on your pc cab ?

The network port is enabled in the motherboard bios but it is not hooked up to my network.
If need be I can easily connect it.

[Substring]

need network to get what's happening. How familiar are you with linux ? We'll need you to get a software called putty to type some remote commands. The logs I need can be obtained through windows network shares

[robbbby]

need network to get what's happening. How familiar are you with linux ? We'll need you to get a software called putty to type some remote commands. The logs I need can be obtained through windows network shares

I know how to use putty and ssh/telnet into another machine.  As far as linux I only know the very basic of commands to get around the filesystem.

I did however get groovyarcade installed.  I disabled the onboard gpu like was recommended and it worked fine.
Now I need to figure out how to do everything else 

[robbbby]

Already ran into issues.

I followed the GA wiki and ran pacman to do a full system upgrade.  I think it went fine, but after reboot it doesn't load attract mode, just the main GA menu.  When I go into the options, select attract mode as the front end, then try and start the front end, nothing happens.

Not sure if this helps but this is the attract.log

*** Initializing display: 'MAME'
 - Loaded master romlist 'MAME' in 1 ms (60 entries kept, 0 discarded)
 - Constructed 2 filters in 0 ms (120 comparisons)
[ALSOFT] (EE) Failed to set real-time priority for thread: Operation not permitted (1)
[ALSOFT] (EE) Failed to set real-time priority for thread: Operation not permitted (1)
Sound file not found: sloop.mp3
Failed to get output info for.primary monitor position
Sound file not found: sstart.mp3
 - Loaded layout: /home/arcade/shared/frontends/attract/layouts/Basic/ (layout.nut)
 - Working directory: /home/arcade/shared/configs/mame/
*** Running: /opt/galauncher/galauncher.sh groovymame arcade wrally
Switchres: Modeline "368x232_60 15.660000KHz 60.000000Hz" 7.485480 368 383 418 478 232 238 241 261   -hsync -vsync
ALSA lib pcm.c:2660:(snd_pcm_open_noupdate) Unknown PCM cards.pcm.rear
ALSA lib pcm.c:2660:(snd_pcm_open_noupdate) Unknown PCM cards.pcm.center_lfe
ALSA lib pcm.c:2660:(snd_pcm_open_noupdate) Unknown PCM cards.pcm.side
ALSA lib pcm_route.c:877:(find_matching_chmap) Found no matching channel map
tibpal20l8-25cnt.b23 ROM NEEDS REDUMP
gal16v8-25lnc.h21 NOT FOUND (NO GOOD DUMP KNOWN) (tried in wrally)
tibpal20l8-25cnt.h15 ROM NEEDS REDUMP
WARNING: the machine might not run correctly.
Unable to create history.db

Unable to create history.db

Unable to create history.db

Average speed: 100.02% (48 seconds)
Failed to get output info for.primary monitor position
[ALSOFT] (EE) Failed to set real-time priority for thread: Operation not permitted (1)
Failed to get output info for.primary monitor position
Sound file not found: sloop.mp3
 - Loaded layout: /home/arcade/shared/frontends/attract/layouts/Basic/ (layout.nut)
Attract-Mode v2.6.1 (Linux, SFML 2.5.1 +FontConfig +Xinerama +SWF +7z +Curl)
avcodec 58.54.100 / avformat 58.29.100 / swscale 5.5.100 / avutil 56.31.100 / swresample 3.5.100

And one other stupid question.  I've searched and cannot find anything, and when I was running GM under windows it worked out of the box.... How do I map my joysticks?  None of the controllers or buttons work.  I have a JPAC PC to Jamma.

[Substring]

For the big update that has problems with AM not loading, just run sudo chmod +s /usr/lib/Xorg.wrap (it's a bug on Arch side, they haven't replied yet)

Joysticks do work on Linux GM. That they were mapped automatically is a different thing When you press TAB and go the the input settings, your pads are not responding ?

[robbbby]

For the big update that has problems with AM not loading, just run sudo chmod +s /usr/lib/Xorg.wrap (it's a bug on Arch side, they haven't replied yet)

Joysticks do work on Linux GM. That they were mapped automatically is a different thing When you press TAB and go the the input settings, your pads are not responding ?

Awesome, got it up and running and some Roms imported.
My romset is 0.232, GM is 0.229.  Will I have issues or should GM be upgraded.

When I go to input controls in GM my joysticks and buttons still aren’t working. Is there anyway to see if the JPAC is recognized via the USB connection?

Thanks

[Substring]

I'm working on the groovymame update, I hope to release it in the next 24h

[b4nd1t0]

hi @substring, one question, to compile the groovy for your distro, from the github repo, i need to remove the d3d9ex patch included or will it work anyway?
Thanks in advance.

[Substring]

Hey b4nd1t0!

Last time I read you here, you had problems with your cab when you tried GroovyArcade hehe

Calamity's GM repo already provides a linux binary (which is the one I ship in the groovymame package, takes too long to build a full GM on the poor little Atom server I use). It builds the full GM code, without any distinction. The Windows code is not compiled since it's not used on Linux.

GM 232 is almost done, I need to test the update on my test rig this evening and then I'll release it.

[b4nd1t0]

Hey b4nd1t0!

Last time I read you here, you had problems with your cab when you tried GroovyArcade hehe

it's true, after a bit of testing, however, I managed to make it work perfectly, currently, however, I am without a cab, I hope to be able to make another one in the coming months and surely the distro that I will mount will be yours, in the meantime I enjoy doing some test with my crt and the dedicated pc.

So if i understand correctly i can use the linux source on calamity guthub that doesn't have the d3d9ex patch applied, is that correct?
Thanks as always for your availability.

[sonik]

Been trying to use GroovyArcade 2021.03 Live with no success.

My system have 3 GPUs:

Nvidia GTX 1070
ATI HD 5450
Intel onboard

ATI have native VGA out and I use a VGA to SCART RGB cable.

Tested output on all cards. On Nvidia and Intel I had to use an active DVI digital to VGA.

Intel have some image with minor sync problem on top. Works during the boot menu then black screen.
ATI have menu image but rolling. Then black screen.
Nvida no screen at all.


It's supposed to work at least with the ATI card right?

[Substring]

On what monitor ? The rolling image is just tuining the pots on your monitor. I use GA on a CRT TV, a Hantarex m9110 and a lcd, all work well

[sonik]

15k on a sony pvm.

[Substring]

don't PVM need CSYNC ?

[sonik]

Yes it does.
I can use two solutions for it.

VGA to SCART (with csync), then SCART to 4xBNC.
VGA to 5xBNC and use an Y connector on the sync.

Tested with both.

[Substring]

An ever rolling picture is a VSync problem, but I'm really not experienced into that

[sonik]

I think the problem is linked to having multiple GPUs.
Other linux distros I tested have same problem.

[robbbby]

GM 232 is almost done, I need to test the update on my test rig this evening and then I'll release it.

Hey substring, how is testing going with the new release?

I have finally got everything running and setup and am much happier than I was with the windows setup.
Only thing I’ve noticed is that I have quite a few roms that don’t load and default back to attract more screen.
Is there a way to check if it’s just a compatibility issue between .232 roms and .229 GM?

Thanks!

[Substring]

GM232 is available, although there is a minor problem with GM not finding the ui.ini file

Regarding roms, do I beed to mention clrmamepro ?

[robbbby]

GM232 is available, although there is a minor problem with GM not finding the ui.ini file

Ahh sorry, I misunderstood.  I thought you were testing a new release of GA that included GM232.
I will do a bit of research on how to update GM

[Substring]

Updating the os is available from gasetup
Otherwise simply : sudo pacman -Syu groovymame groovymame-tools

[robbbby]

Finally got around to updating the OS, I did it through gasetup menu.

Now when GA boots up the front end doesn’t load.
When I try selecting start front end from the main ga menu nothing happens.
Cursor sort of freezes for about 10 seconds before giving me control back.

Any advice how I can get attract mode going again?

Thanks

[Substring]

Yup, it might be listed somewhere above. The command is pinned on discord, I don't have it at hand right now. Just know it's a bug on Arch Linux, not my fault (for once hehe)

Edit: sudo chmod +s /usr/lib/Xorg.wrap

[snappleman]

Not sure if this is the right topic to ask in, but I'm building a new GA setup on a SCART capable TV and I just need confirmation that only the sync coming out of the GPU is TTL level and the RGB lines are 0.7vpp 75ohm? So far I've only ever done this on arcade monitors or component video converters.

[Substring]

I test everything I do on GA on a TV with this cable : http://retrocables.es/tienda/index.php?id_product=55&controller=product&id_lang=4 and it works just great

[Giddygoon]

I have just downloaded the pre release GA and it has fixed the freezing problem that I had with the March release, Amazing results, never seen the games run so well on my Sega Net City

Well done to all involved  !!!

[Giddygoon]

I have a noob question

I have just come over from Windows 10 and I am now using GA on Linux. everything is running great but how do you enable the no nag option, I tried copy MKChamps no nag commands into my new GA ini txt file didn't work

I thought i read that the Substring version GA was already patched with the no nag.

Sorry to ask but I still getting used to the new platform, very impressed tho  ( :

[Substring]

GM is not compiled with the nonag patch as per Calamity's wish. The reason is to avoid people screaming for a game working bad whereas the info screen would have stated it clearly

[Giddygoon]

Ok, Thanks for the update ....  that makes sense

[Giddygoon]

GA has just frozen again, did somebody on here say that it is the mp4 videos that make the front end freeze, it a major PITA I will add a video at a time and see which videos cause the Attract mode to freeze, if anybody has any advice, thanks again

My videos are from emumovies

Also where is Groovymame located in LDLX system ?? I can't remember if thats the name of the basic system sorry

Thanks again for any advice

[Substring]

There are hundreds of references to AM freezing with video snaps when using an ATI card at an interlaced resolution.

There are several steps to "fix" that :
- use a progressive resolution (will always work)
- disable power_saving functionnality in AM (although it should be default)
- don't use video snaps

Other solutions will come with time, but they are mostly workarounds as the original problem is within AMD drivers.

Also where is Groovymame located in LDLX system ?? I can't remember if thats the name of the basic system sorry

I'm afraid I don't understand your question. What is LDLX ?

[Giddygoon]

Sorry, I mean the linux operating system I was going to replace regular GM with a Linux no nag from B4nd1tO's repository ..... it will probably break GA but I just wanted to see what happens

[Giddygoon]

Thanks for the help btw  ( :

[MK3FANATIC]

I would like to thank you for GA, I really appreciate the system. The ISO august-2021, in the patch notes says that Retroarch was added, but I didn't find it, and I can't even download it through the terminal. I also tried the setup/emulators setup and also couldn't. What is the procedure to install it?

[Giddygoon]

Ok, I went back to snaps again ( all works well )

But like try and get around AMD issue

You said use a progressive resolution (will always work)

How do I set GA to 640x480p

I have installed the GA cd install

Thanks again

[Substring]

Gasetup > setup > video > boot resolution