Mame 132 sound issues ?

[rbarr110]

Ever since I "upgraded" to mame version 132 I have noticed alot of sound stutters in games that never had them before (was using 101 I think).  Anyone else having sound issues with 132?

Donkey Kong and Star Wars are definite offenders. (Recently re-did the windows and mame install in my cab and those two are ones I remember having issues)

[u_rebelscum]

One of two issues could be your cause.

A) You're running at 60 Hz, and the game ran at faster, and after 0.106, mame's sound was more effected by the screen's refresh rate.  (Both DK & SW run at ~60.6 Hz.)

B) You computer might not be fast enough anymore.  For Donkey Kong, it now is fully simulating the sound chip, instead of using less CPU intence but less accurate samples.  For Star Wars, vector had a big rewrite (0.106?).  Also, as a general rule (IOW usually but not always true) newer versions of mame need faster CPUs.

While A) is the usual cause for sound, moving that many versions hints that B) is at least partially effecting the output.  Add that crossing the 0.106-0.107 line also needs stronger video card, and it's a toss up without more info on your system specs and other games

[FrizzleFried]

  Add that crossing the 0.106-0.107 line also needs stronger video card, and it's a toss up without more info on your system specs and other games

How so?  My understanding is that MAME doesn't use the GPU at all?   I'm running a really really weak video card in my horizontal mame (GF7200) and it runs .132 fine...

[rbarr110]

One of two issues could be your cause.

A) You're running at 60 Hz, and the game ran at faster, and after 0.106, mame's sound was more effected by the screen's refresh rate.  (Both DK & SW run at ~60.6 Hz.)

B) You computer might not be fast enough anymore.  For Donkey Kong, it now is fully simulating the sound chip, instead of using less CPU intence but less accurate samples.  For Star Wars, vector had a big rewrite (0.106?).  Also, as a general rule (IOW usually but not always true) newer versions of mame need faster CPUs.

While A) is the usual cause for sound, moving that many versions hints that B) is at least partially effecting the output.  Add that crossing the 0.106-0.107 line also needs stronger video card, and it's a toss up without more info on your system specs and other games

My Mame Cab Specs (to the best of my recollection)

CPU - Athlon 2600+ (1.66 Ghz-ish)
RAM - 512 MB DDR2
VID - AGP ATI X800XL

Thats about all I can recall at the moment, other games havent been played much since I had to re-do the system due to a hard drive failure that I am fixing now and have now encountered these sound issues.

[u_rebelscum]

It's just that Mame didn't use the GPU at all, but now it does a little bit.  It still doesn't use the GPU for emulation, true, but for rotation, resolution changing, artwork/bezel, etc (if you have video set to d3d or ddraw).  Other minor directX 9.0 stuff, too, but again not for actual emulation, and only if you have the setting to use it.

You don't need a super powerful top of the line GPU, any dX 9.0 compatible will do pretty will.  Bottom of the line on-board GPUs are boarderline, though, especially when running at higher res and or with artwork on with a Core 2^tm CPU.  And pre dX 9 can also be boarderline, if matched with modern CPUs.  If the CPU is as old as the GPU, though, it's very likely the CPU is still the bottleneck (depending on exact CPU, game, mame version, and GPU in question, of course).


In summery, after 0.106, it's wrong to say "the GPU doesn't matter", but it's correct to say "all you need is a decent dx 9 GPU", or "the GPU won't speed it up, but it can slow it down", or "basically a modern or last gen GPU will be fine", or even "the GPU probably won't matter if you buy a new one".

[u_rebelscum]

One of two issues could be your cause.

A) You're running at 60 Hz, and the game ran at faster, and after 0.106, mame's sound was more effected by the screen's refresh rate.  (Both DK & SW run at ~60.6 Hz.)

B) You computer might not be fast enough anymore.  For Donkey Kong, it now is fully simulating the sound chip, instead of using less CPU intence but less accurate samples.  For Star Wars, vector had a big rewrite (0.106?).  Also, as a general rule (IOW usually but not always true) newer versions of mame need faster CPUs.

My Mame Cab Specs (to the best of my recollection)

CPU - Athlon 2600+ (1.66 Ghz-ish)
RAM - 512 MB DDR2
VID - AGP ATI X800XL

Then mostly A) (but DK might be partially due to B), also). 
So try enabling the new -refreshspeed option.  Or set your own numbers with the -speed option; however try the first one before trying the second.  (More info on them in mame's docs/config.txt file.)

[rbarr110]

Then mostly A) (but DK might be partially due to B), also). 
So try enabling the new -refreshspeed option.  Or set your own numbers with the -speed option; however try the first one before trying the second.  (More info on them in mame's docs/config.txt file.)

OK - I ran the commad to get the full mame.ini with all teh options, found it under core section.... this is what I saw

refreshspeed             0

I changed it to a 1...... and saw no difference.  I assume that is what I should have tried (at work, dont have access to the ini right now, or I would have posted it).

If thats the correct edit, zero to a one, then I think I may be upgrading my mame cab....

[u_rebelscum]

You tried the right thing.  Assuming you're running your screen at 60 Hz (any LCD monitor), you can do the same by setting the speed to 1.02.  Mame has had sound problems with monitors saying they're running at 50 Hz, but really are running at 59.98 (or whatever) with the refreshspeed option.