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Main => Software Forum => Topic started by: DeLuSioNal29 on December 18, 2007, 11:12:16 pm

Title: Just Upgraded to Dual Core-Which MAME should I be Using?
Post by: DeLuSioNal29 on December 18, 2007, 11:12:16 pm

Hi,

I just upgraded my Arcade to a dedicated machine!   :cheers:

AMD X2 4000+ (dual core)

I am running the Win 32 command line of MAME.

Is there a "dual core version" out that is optimized for my processor?  Perhaps a command line that I need to initiate somewhere?

Thanks in advance for your help gang!

~ DeLuSioNaL

Title: Re: Just Upgraded to Dual Core-Which MAME should I be Using?
Post by: u_rebelscum on December 19, 2007, 07:09:47 pm

Quote from: DeLuSioNal29 on December 18, 2007, 11:12:16 pm

AMD X2 4000+ (dual core)

I am running the Win 32 command line of MAME.

Is there a "dual core version" out that is optimized for my processor?  Perhaps a command line that I need to initiate somewhere?

Current mame is multithreaded capable, but the increase you might see is around 0%-5%.  Enable -multithread (aka -mt).

Also there are athlon and athlon64 optimized builds of mame.  You can compile your own, or try to find one out there (I didn't find a current version on my one google try).  The increase compared to standard build: 0%-5% or even (but rare) a 0%-2% decrease depending on the game.  More common on the net are i686, pp, and pm optimized builds, which might help your cpu but probably not as much, and p4 optimized which might crash your cpu in rare cases.

And if you used a 64 bit build of mame (on a 64 bit OS, of course), you'll see the biggest jump on most games.  (A very few games slow down, though.)  Either Vista64 or XP64 will run the official mame 64 bit binary.

Good luck

Title: Re: Just Upgraded to Dual Core-Which MAME should I be Using?
Post by: DeLuSioNal29 on December 19, 2007, 07:45:13 pm

Quote from: u_rebelscum on December 19, 2007, 07:09:47 pm

Quote from: DeLuSioNal29 on December 18, 2007, 11:12:16 pm

AMD X2 4000+ (dual core)

I am running the Win 32 command line of MAME.

Is there a "dual core version" out that is optimized for my processor?  Perhaps a command line that I need to initiate somewhere?

And if you used a 64 bit build of mame (on a 64 bit OS, of course), you'll see the biggest jump on most games.  (A very few games slow down, though.)  Either Vista64 or XP64 will run the official mame 64 bit binary.

Thanks for the great detailed info!

After some thought, I think the 64 bit OS is out of the question since I am currently using Tiny XP (made using NLite and my Win XP Pro CD).  I am already getting a significant performance increase by doing this so I'm guessing that after all that upgrade trouble to the 64 bit OS and such, it will probably have a similar performance in the long run and won't be worth it.

I have to give that -mt parameter a try though.  It can't hurt.

Thanks again!

~ DeLusioNaL