New PlayStation Emulator & PS2 Plugin

[Hacc]

I was doing my rounds of emulation and homebrew sites, and found this guy on Lukasz's GitHub followers list. I have not seen either mentioned anywhere else, so you're all welcome. It's good to see the PlayStation emu scene still alive and kicking. ePSXe got a new release recently, so I'm hoping Xebra, pSX, and any others being worked on, get a new release, too.

Source: https://github.com/r-hackett

yaPSXe

yaPSXe is a Playstation 1 emulator still in its early stages. It is written in C++ and developed in VC++ 2010. I am making it public at this stage in the hope that it might attract the attention of other emulator developers who could help get this project off the ground.

GSgl

GSgl is a hardware accelerated graphics plugin for Playstation 2 emulators conforming to the PS2Emu Pro standard.

As of 26/10/12, this project is not currently in development and should be considered a poor example of a GS plugin. The whole shameful code base needs to be rewritten, although I will leave it here for anyone who wishes to laugh, cry or cringe at it.

[Hacc]

I didn't expect to see another PlayStation emulator emerge out of nowhere... but this one has my full attention. All that info could be dangerous... *was watching clips of a Shaolin movie earlier*

Source: http://nocash.emubase.de/psx.htm

The Emulation should be complete with all hardware features fully implemented and working, though as by now it's tested with only a dozen of games, so there may be still some problems with other games (bug reports are welcome).
The BIOS is emulated via a BIOS-clone, which is free and faster than the original PSX-BIOS. There may be still some compatibilty issues (especially as most PSX games are applying patches the to original BIOS; the BIOS clone is reproducing known patches, but may fail on unknown ones). In case of problems, it may be recommended to use a copy of the original BIOS (with filename PSX-BIOS.ROM in no$psx folder).
CDROMs are supported via complete disk images (in .NRG or .CUE+BIN format), via single-track images (.ISO files), or as raw executables (.EXE files). Reading from real CDROM drives is also supported, but does require wnaspi32.dll (which appears to be a problem on WinNT and higher).
Requirements are 1-2GHz, which is maybe not so fast (other PSX emulators are said to be working at 200MHz). CPU emulation is currently done on the fly (I might get that faster by using pre-compiled code in future versions). Rendering is done by software (I could maybe improve speed by adding dual core processor support) (another way would be using hardware acceleration, but my experiences are that this stuff isn't too pixel accurate, if it's working at all).
Debugging/Development functions include disassembler, debugger, breakpoints, assembler, I/O map viewer, VRAM viewer, polygon viewer, TTY console window, and complete PSX hardware specs.
Updates are planned, I'd love to spend more months on the PSX. The problem is that I am almost totally broke, eventually I can get through December, but in January I might start needing to borrow money from my parents. That would help me temporarily, but, in long term, I don't want to become "the guy that gets paid by his parents for making emulators". So far, it would be a big relief if more people would click the donate button - money is scaring me, and I don't need much of it, but I could really need some support. If you like the program and can afford a donation: Please help!

[Helder]

That guy has been making emulators for almost every last system recently I wish he would update his no$gba debug emulator. Nice Emulator by the way! I was just testing it out and the only thing that irks me about all his emulators is no trace feature and no ram searching but other than that its top notch.

Here is the Artmoney emulator options for this emulator, it was a pain to get 100% correct but its working on my win7 x64 rig


no$PSX 1.0;NO$PSX.EXE;N;9c67a2e5a665a1b5e8307f8c7b7eadc8
;RAM 2Mb;7FFF0000;NO$PSX.EXE+P0006306F;200000

[iddqd]

//helder thanks, but base address is 80000000.

[Helder]

I know but the only way to get accurate results was by me doing that other wise the real address was off by a good 1000h.

[Demonic722]

That guy has been making emulators for almost every last system recently I wish he would update his no$gba debug emulator. Nice Emulator by the way! I was just testing it out and the only thing that irks me about all his emulators is no trace feature and no ram searching but other than that its top notch.

Yeah, he should really look into updating NO$GBA with at least a RAM Search feature or better compatibility with the latest NDS Games so we wouldn't have to use eNDryptS Advanced to get the game running.

[iddqd]

//helder emulator option by ArtMoney developers:

no$PSX 1.0;NO$PSX.EXE;N;9c67a2e5a665a1b5e8307f8c7b7eadc8
;RAM 2Mb;80000000;NO$PSX.EXE+P0006306F,10000h;200000

10000h - offset to a pointer.

[Helder]

I looked at all the guides and examples on the artmoney site but there was nothing about adding another offset but now I know how, thanks for the info.

[Hacc]

The no$psx emulator has received an update. My experience wasn't that great with the first release due to that "err80h" warning spamming my screen. Thank goodness, it's removed now.

Source: http://nocash.emubase.de/psx.htm

Changelog:

28 Dec 2012 no$psx v1.1
- audio: bugfixed right-channel CD-XA stereo decompression (allows xa_mask.bit1)
- audio: bugfixed left-channel CD-XA stereo decompression (pushes extra offhold)
- gpu: changed initial texcoord fraction (for ff tactics, but isn't perfect yet)
- cdrom: supports images with mixed sector sizes (in different tracks/areas)
- cdrom: supports libcrypt subchannel data from .sbi, .m3s, .mdf
- cdrom: supports .cdi (discjuggler) images, supports .ecm file decompression
- cdrom: supports .mds/.mdf (alcohol) and .ccd/.img (clonecd) images
- cleanup: removed "uh" warning on nonstandard/pocketstation memcard commands
- cleanup: removed 'err80h' warning on uncommon/inaccurate seek_p cdrom command
- bios: added "patch_optional_pad_output_inefficient_variant " (lemmings)
- debug: bugfixed step-over via f3-key (on call/syscall aka jal/jalr/syscal)
- debug: bugfixed native mips disassembler syntax (use dis_proc_native_retry)
- setup: moved loadbios_firsttime after loadsetup (using Default BIOS option)
- help: added subchannel-image chapter (.sbi, .m3s, .mdf, .sub, .cdi, .nrg)
- help: added .cdi (discjuggler) cd format, and ecm (pseudo-compression) specs
- help: added .mds/.mdf (alcohol) and .ccd/.img/.sub (clonecd) cd format specs
- help: added libcrypt info (16bit key, sectors, crc, cop0regs, example, etc.)
- help: added formerly unknown license strings (JP="Inc.",0Ah, US="Amer ica")
- keyboard: removed ALT+X=exit hotkey during emulation (conflicted with joypad)
- iomap: shows CD-audio playback mode (18900Hz/37800Hz/44100Hz, mono/stereo)
- setup: allows to disable MMX (just for curiosity/testing purposes)

[Helder]

Thanks for the heads up! I had that error on Street Fighter Alpha 3 in the beginning but never got it again throughout the game.

[Hacc]

No problem. I didn't test the last release of no$psx, but it's been updated again.

Source: http://nocash.emubase.de/psx.htm

Changelog:

- audio: supports 16bit sound output (less noisy on compressed adpcm samples)
- audio: supports mono output or disabled sound output (without crashing emu)
- emu: avoids triggering f8_brk_handler upon sp=FFFFFFFFh (Crash Bandicoot 3)
- emu: avoids warnings on writes to invalid io ports (unless warnings enabled)
- video: supports GP0(35h,37h,3Dh,3Fh) unused-shading commands (castlevania)
- video: added display brightness option (nonlinear bright, or linear dark)
- video: overscan: skips hidden upper scanlines (mainly for NTSC games)
- video: underscan: draws black upper/lower borders (mainly for PAL games)
- debug: memorizes old PC on emulation start (for undo "jump" via cursor left)
- debug: input boxes recognize hi,lo,pc registers (eg. for ctrl+g, goto pc)
- debug: option: allows to disable single, or multi-word disass pseudo opcodes
- debug: added optional cdrom-command logging to TTY window (see other options)
- setup: enabled automatic-save-options by default, removed fixed settings
- a22i: rejects overflow-trap-flag (t) on logical commands (via mipass_logi_inj)
- bios: fixed "extract_device_name" return value (for castlevania's "sim:")
- bios: fixed "krom_2_offset" calculation: (msb-88h)*BCh+(lsb<7Fh)+lsb-9Fh
- bios: added "patch_install_lightgun_irq_handler_inefficien t" (dqm)
- bios: added "patch_uninstall_early_card_irq_handler_inefficien t" (raiden dx)
- bios-font: 1st choice: use copy of font from psx-bios.rom (if present) (fast)
- bios-font: 2nd choice: use formerly created no$psx.chr (if present) (fast)
- bios-font: 3rd choice: create no$psx.chr from japanese 4Mbyte MS Gothic (slow)
- bios-font: 4th choice: otherwise use non-japanese font from Courier New (fast)
- bios-font: 5th choice: dummy rectangles (non-blanks required for castlevania)
- selftest: shows CPU, GPU, and SPU emulation load (in iomap "timers" window)

[Helder]

I wish this guy would add a trace or log to text feature, hell I even emailed him and offered to pay a donation up to $50 to have these features implemented in his future builds and especially the nds too. Got no reply

[Hacc]

That would be a nice feature to add. There are other emulators with that feature, though. Check them out here. I've never used it in the Agemo debugger, and I've been planning to test PCSXTrace some more.

[Hacc]

no$psx has been updated again. Releases might stop or be slow, due to his money situation. That nazi bit was also interesting to see.

Source: http://nocash.emubase.de/psx.htm

- video: new rendering modes: 32bpp (mostly for MDECs), 8bpp (for old PCs), Auto
- video: supports horizontal screen centering and left/right screen borders
- video: matched PAL vertical centering to values used by "majority" of games
- video: fixed lower-border rendering (always using xsiz instead xsiz_div16)
- video: optional forced-automatic-centering (recommended for chaotic PAL games)
- video: optional better-than-real rendering with quads instead of triangles
- gpu: supports linestrips with uncommon end-codes (Wild Arms 2 uses 50005000h)
- cdrom: supports .sub files (for libcrypt, and for .ccd's without index 0)
- cdrom: supports .cdz files (and optionally deleting them after decompression)
- cdrom: supports error on "standby" command (used by Nightmare Creatures 2)
- cdrom: supports (de-)mute (avoid noise during modchip detect in Dino Crisis 1)
- cdrom: seek+setloc goto sectors before target (not to target) (tomb raider 2)
- cdrom: seek aborts reading (for Wild Arms 1 which lacks preceeding pause cmd)
- cdrom: seek updates data for any following getloc (needed for Resident Evil 1)
- cdrom: added getloc_l errors during seek (required for legacy of kain intro)
- cdrom: added newly discovered cd xa adpcm-buffer-empty-flag (1F801800h.bit2)
- cdrom: fixed subchannel-Q crc_16_ccitt byte-order (crc must be big-endian)
- cdrom: odd stuff like setloc+read+setloc+read+pause+read+pause+read combos
- vram-viewer: shows logged GPU command origins (CPU PC and DMA start/link)
- vram-viewer: shows laser-arrow for GP0(E3h,E4h,E5h) commands draw area/ offset
- vram-viewer: allows tree-access after run (fill_3d_poly_tree_if_any_if_needed)
- vram-viewer: prevents mishandled ESC-key in hex-gpu-command child window
- debug: dynamic data/break-list allocation (no more limit on .sym datazones)
- bios: added "patch_missing_cop0r13_14opcodes_k0_k1" variant (ridge racer)
- help: added details on gpu-linestrip end-code and various new cdrom details
- help: added "information" on Xe Multi System Emulator's CD Image File Format
- help: added notes on chaotic screen centering values used by most PAL games
- icon: psx button-style icon symbols, at 12x12,16x16,32x32,48x48 pix sizes
- web: uploaded photos of the psx-xboo bios and parallel port upload circuit
- web: added nonazi logo (we are no longer mass-murdering ourselves in germany)

[Helder]

I wonder if the guy got the email I sent him over a month ago? I was offering up to $50 for adding the trace to his emulators which I don't think is too hard for him to implement.