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Less input lag in newer GroovyMAME+CRT Emudriver setup?

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David Courant:
Hello,

I have installed GroovyMAME (with soft15kHz patch) on my arcade cabinet in 2013 and haven't changed anything on that setup since then. It is still running Windows XP and I am using groovymame32_142.012o (any newer version doesn't run on my system).
I am now considering buying a new PC with Windows 7 and installing the newest version of CRT Emudriver and GroovyMAME. My question is: Is there an improvement with regards to input lag when updating to the newest version?

With my setup I have 2 frames lag in Donkey Kong.
There is a special mame version called shmupmame with reduced input lag and with shmupmame I get 1 frame lag in DK, so 1 frame less then the old GroovyMAME version am still using. Would this reduced lag also be possible with a newer version of GroovyMAME?

And if someone wants do me a favor: Could you please check the input lag on Donkey Kong on your groovymame setup. In the game press p to pause, then press and hold the joystick in one direction and then press shift+p to advance the emulation 1 frame until the player sprite moves in this direction. 

Thanks

Calamity:
Hi David,


--- Quote from: David Courant on October 16, 2025, 04:56:08 am ---I am now considering buying a new PC with Windows 7 and installing the newest version of CRT Emudriver and GroovyMAME.

--- End quote ---

If you're building a new PC, I'd definitely skip Windows 7, we have a brand new deprecated Windows version already: Windows 10.


--- Quote ---My question is: Is there an improvement with regards to input lag when updating to the newest version?
--- End quote ---

Recent GroovyMAME is better at reducing input lag. However, the biggest improvement will be determined by having a faster CPU. The faster the CPU, the lower the latency.


--- Quote ---With my setup I have 2 frames lag in Donkey Kong.
There is a special mame version called shmupmame with reduced input lag and with shmupmame I get 1 frame lag in DK, so 1 frame less then the old GroovyMAME version am still using. Would this reduced lag also be possible with a newer version of GroovyMAME?

--- End quote ---

What you're talking about is the internal (built-in) game input response latency, not the input lag itself of your system which is likely higher than that. What shmupmame did is to hack the emulation to remove some of that built-in latency, in part compensating for the otherwise poor overall system response. GroovyMAME's strategy is different, it tries to lower the system's response time to the minimum, while not hacking the emulation.

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