ePSXe Configuaration Handbook

[fireblaster_lyz]

Questions? Mail to fireblaster_lyz@hotmail.com

ePSXe Configuaration Handbook
By fireblaster_lyz

CONTENTS:
QUICK GUIDE TO SETTING ePSXe
PLUGIN SELECTIONS
OPTIMAL PLUGIN CONFIGURATIONS
-GPU
-SPU
-CDR
PERFECT GPU CONFIGURATIONS
SPECIAL FIXES FOR CERTAIN GAMES

QUICK GUIDE TO SETTING ePSXe
This guide will assist you in setting ePSXe to its optimal performance in three easy steps.

First, obtain an Playstation BIOS(Basic Input/Output System).
This will allow the emulator to execute instructions from the BIOS.
The recommanded BIOSes are scph1001.bin and scph7502.bin.

Secondly, obtain one GPU(Graphics Processing Unit), SPU(Sound Processing Unit), and CDR(CD-ROM) plugins from list below. If you are unsure what to download, check Plugin Selections.

GPU
-P.E.O.p.s Software GPU Plugin v1.1.7
-Pete's Direct3D/OpenGL GPU Plugin v1.76
-Pete's OpenGL2 GPU Plugin v2.07

SPU
-P.E.Op.S. SPU Plugin v1.9
-Eternal SPU Plugin v.1.41/Eternal SPU Plugin v.1.50 Beta

CDR
-SaPu's CDR Plugin v1.0
-P.E.Op.S. CDR Plugin v1.4
-Mooby2 CDR Image Plugin v2.8

Thirdly, when everything is in place, unzip ePSXe to whereever you want.

Place the BIOS into the bios folder, GPU, SPU and CDR plugins in to the plugins folder UNZIPPED. You should regonise them as .DLLs(Dymanic Link Libraries)

Run ePSXe and go through the the ePSXe Config Setup. If everything is in place, you should see the the BIOS(scph1001.bin or scph7502.bin) when you press CONFIG>>

Select the BIOS and click on NEXT>>

Select the plugins you have installed and click on NEXT>>.
NOTE: ePSXe will not allow you to continue if you did not configure your CDR plugin. Just click on CONFIG and OK to continue to the next screen.

Configure the buttons by clicking on CONTROLLER 1.
NOTE: You cannot configure ENTER and TAB for ePSXe.

Click on NEXT>> and you are done!
================================================== ===
For recommanded settings for your GPUs, SPUs or CDRs, check Optimal Plugin Configuations below.
Post a thread, if a game gives you problems on performance, picture, sound, or even gamepads.

Before posting a thread, search the forums for any previously solved issues.
If there is no solution, post in this format:

Place the Playstation game name in the title.

PROBLEM
SCREENSHOTS
- (If necessary)
PLUGIN CONFIGURATIONS
- (If you suspect a specific plugin is causing the problem, post that particular plugin configuration ONLY)
PC SPECIFICATIONS
- (If only asked for)

Plugin Selections

Beginners:
-P.E.O.p.s Software GPU Plugin v1.1.7
-P.E.Op.S. SPU Plugin v1.9
-SaPu's CDR Plugin v1.0

Advanced:
-Pete's Direct3D/OpenGL GPU Plugin v1.76
-Eternal SPU Plugin v.1.41
-P.E.Op.S. CDR Plugin v1.4

For first-time users, download plugins for 'Beginners'.
For ePSXe savvy users who demand better graphics, sound quality and performance, download plugins for 'Advanced'.

Above shown plugins are for RECOMMANDED usage. For issues and problems with other plugins, mail to fireblaster_lyz@hotmail.com, or post a thread for that specific problem.

Optimal GPU Plugin Configuations

Plugin: P.E.Op.S. Soft Driver 1.1.17
Author: Pete Bernert and the P.E.Op.S. team

Resolution/Color:
- 800x600 Fullscreen - [16 Bit]
Stretch mode: 1
Dither mode: 1

Framerate:
- FPS limit: on
- Frame skipping: off
- FPS limit: 60

Misc:
- Scanlines: disabled
- Game fixes: off [00000000]

================================================== ===

Plugin: Pete's D3D Driver 1.1.76
Author: Pete Bernert

Resolution/Color:
- 800x600 Fullscreen - [16 Bit]

Textures:
- R8G8A8A8
- Filtering: 3
- Hi-Res textures: 0
- VRam size: 0 MBytes

Framerate:
- FPS limit: on
- Frame skipping: off
- FPS limit: 60

Compatibility:
- Offscreen drawing: 2
- Framebuffer texture: 0
- Framebuffer access: 2
- Alpha multipass: on
- Mask bit: off
- Advanced blending: hardware

Misc:
- Scanlines: off [0]
- Unfiltered FB: off
- Dithering: off
- Screen smoothing: off
- Full vram: off
- Game fixes: off [00000000]

================================================== ===

Plugin: Pete's OpenGL Driver 1.1.76
Author: Pete Bernert

Resolution/Color:
- 800x600 Fullscreen - NO desktop changing [16 Bit]
- Keep psx aspect ratio: off

Textures:
- B8G8R8A8
- Filtering: 0
- Hi-Res textures: 0
- VRam size: 0 MBytes

Framerate:
- FPS limitation: on
- Frame skipping: off
- FPS limit: 60

Compatibility:
- Offscreen drawing: 2
- Framebuffer texture: 0
- Framebuffer access: 2
- Alpha multipass: on
- Mask bit: off
- Advanced blending: on

Misc:
- Scanlines: off
- Line mode: off
- Unfiltered FB: off
- 15 bit FB: off
- Dithering: off
- Screen smoothing: off
- Screen cushion: off
- Game fixes: off [00000000]

================================================== ===

Plugin: Pete's OpenGL2 Driver 2.7
Author: Pete Bernert

Resolution/Color:
- 800x600 Fullscreen - NO desktop changing
- Internal X resolution: 1
- Internal Y resolution: 1
- Keep psx aspect ratio: off
- No render-to-texture: off

- Filtering: 0
- Hi-Res textures: 0
- TexWin pixel shader: off
- VRam size: 0 MBytes

Framerate:
- FPS limitation: on
- Frame skipping: off
- FPS limit: 60

Compatibility:
- Offscreen drawing: 1
- Framebuffer effects: 2
- Framebuffer uploads: 1

Full screen filters:
- Screen filtering: off
- Shader effects: disabled
- Flicker-fix border: 0
- Shader level: disabled

Misc:
- Scanlines: off
- Mdec filter: off
- Screen filtering: off
- Shader effects: 0/1
- Flicker-fix border size: 0
- GF4/XP crash fix: off
- Game fixes: off [00000000]

Optimal SPU Plugin Configurations

ePSXe SPU core 1.5.2
No configuration is required.

================================================== ===

P.E.Op.s DSound Audio Driver 1.9
General Settings:
- Mode: 2
- Volume: 2
- Reverb: 2
- Interpolation: 3

XA Music:
- Enable XA playing: on
- Change XA speed: on

Misc:
- SPU IRQ - wait for CPU action: off
- SPU IRQ - handle irqs in decoded sound areas: off
- Mono sound mode: off
- Enable developer debug mode: off
- Enable sound recording window: off

================================================== ===

Eternal SPU Plugin 1.41/Eternal SPU Plugin v.1.50 Beta
Audio device:
- Directsound
- Buffer Size: 32

Audio out method:
- SPUasync
- Async mode: Smooth

Special game fix:
- Update before acessing register: off
- SPU IRQ - Wait CPU action: off
- SPU IRQ - Force interruption flag7: off

Misc:
- Show realtime config window: off
- Wait for XA buffer is free: disabled
- Cache VAG decode: off
- Fine tune [-360 - 360]: 0
- Reverb: Neill's

Rec option:
- REG write: on
- REG read: off
- DMA write: off
- DMA read: off
- XA play: off
- CDDA play: off

Optimal CDR Plugin Configurations

ePSXe CDR ASPI core 1.5.2
ePSXe CDR IOCTL core 1.5.2
No configuation is required.

================================================== ===

P.E.Op.S. CDR Driver 1.4
- Interface: OS Dependent
(If you are using Windows 2000/XP, choose W2K/XP - IOCTL scsi commands)
(If you are using Windows 95, 98, 98SE or ME, choose W9X/ME - ASPI scsi commands)
- Drive: Select the drive you are using to play Playstation CDs
- Read mode: BE_2(ATAPI SPEC 2)
- Caching mode: Async read - faster, additional asynchronous reads
- Use additonal 4 MByte data cache: on

Misc:
- Try to limit speed: off
- Don't wait until drive is ready: off

Error handling:
- Try again on reading error: on
- Retry count(1-10): 3
- Show message box on reading error: off

PPF patches:
- Use PPF patch file: off
- File: (Leave blank)

Subchannel reading
- Don't read subchannels

================================================== ===

SaPu's CD-ROM Plugin 1.0
Drive Properties:
- Drive Selection: Autodetect...
- Interface Type: Autodetect...
- Read Mode: Autodetect...

Performance Settings:
- Caching Level: 3 - Enabled, prefetch with async reads
- Cache Size: 32 - Large
- Track ISO9660 File System: on

================================================== ===

Mooby2 cd disk image driver 2.8
Self-explainary

PERFECT GPU Plugin Configurations

WARNING: Use these settings only if you have the
following computer specifications:

AMD Atlhon XP Series/Intel Pentium 4 with HT Technology
512 DDR SDRAM

FOR Pete's OGL2 Plugin:
AT LEAST A ATI Radeon 9500 or nVidia GeForce FX series

USE THESE SETTINGS AT YOUR OWN RISK. I WILL NOT BE HELD
RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGE CAUSED OR PROBLEMS OCCURING
FROM THE USAGE OF THESE SETTINGS.
================================================== ===

Plugin: P.E.Op.S. Soft Driver 1.1.17
Author: Pete Bernert and the P.E.Op.S. team

Resolution/Color:
- 1600x1200 Fullscreen - [32 Bit]
Stretch mode: 6
Dither mode: 2

Framerate:
- FPS limit: on
- Frame skipping: off
- FPS limit: 60

Misc:
- Scanlines: standard
- Wait for VSYNC : On
- Game fixes: off [00000000]

================================================== ===

Plugin: Pete's D3D Driver 1.1.76
Author: Pete Bernert

Resolution/Color:
- 1600x1200 Fullscreen - [32 Bit]

Textures:
- R8G8A8A8
- Filtering: 6
- Hi-Res textures: 2
- VRam size: 0 MBytes

Framerate:
- FPS limit: on
- Frame skipping: off
- FPS limit: 60

Compatibility:
- Offscreen drawing: 3
- Framebuffer texture: 3
- Framebuffer access: 4
- Alpha multipass: on
- Mask bit: on
- Advanced blending: hardware

Misc:
- Scanlines: off [0]
- Unfiltered FB: off
- Dithering: on
- Screen smoothing: on
- Full vram: off
- Game fixes: off [00000000]

================================================== ===

Plugin: Pete's OpenGL Driver 1.1.76
Author: Pete Bernert

Resolution/Color:
- 1600x1200 Fullscreen - NO desktop changing [32 Bit]
- Keep psx aspect ratio: off

Textures:
- R8G8B8A8
- Filtering: 6
- Hi-Res textures: 2
- VRam size: 0 MBytes

Framerate:
- FPS limitation: on
- Frame skipping: off
- FPS limit: Auto

Compatibility:
- Offscreen drawing: 3
- Framebuffer texture: 3
- Framebuffer access: 4
- Alpha multipass: on
- Mask bit: on
- Advanced blending: on

Misc:
- Scanlines: off
- Line mode: off
- Unfiltered FB: off
- 15 bit FB: off
- Dithering: on
- Screen smoothing: on
- Screen cushion: off
- Game fixes: off [00000000]

================================================== ===

Plugin: Pete's OpenGL2 Driver 2.7
Author: Pete Bernert

Resolution/Color:
- 1600x1200 Fullscreen - NO desktop changing
- Internal X resolution: 2
- Internal Y resolution: 2
- Keep psx aspect ratio: off
- No render-to-texture: off

- Filtering: 6
- Hi-Res textures: 2
- TexWin pixel shader: on
- VRam size: 0 MBytes

Framerate:
- FPS limitation: on
- Frame skipping: off
- FPS limit: 60

Compatibility:
- Offscreen drawing: 2
- Framebuffer effects: 3
- Framebuffer uploads: 2

Misc:
- Scanlines: off
- Mdec filter: on
- Screen filtering: on
- Shader effects: 0/1
- Flicker-fix border size: 0
- GF4/XP crash fix: off
- Game fixes: off [00000000]

SPECIAL FIXES

Certain Playstation games require special fixes to operate and are reflected against
here. These options MUST be activaed prior running to the specifc game or problems
will be occured.

Square-Enix Games:
- Chrono Cross

Using ePSXe 1.6.0,
You must add -noauto to the command line prior running to Chrono Cross.

No special fixes are required for ePSXe 1.5.2

Pete's D3D/OGL Plugin 1.75:
SPECIAL GAME FIXES
Odd/Even Bit Hack

- Final Fantasy Series (VII, VIII and IX)

Using ePSXe 1.5.2 (FF7 and FF9),

Pete's D3D/OGL Plugin 1.75:
SPECIAL GAME FIXES
Adjust Framebuffer Access (FF7 Only)
G4 Polygon Cache (FF9 Only)

Eternal SPU 1.41/Eternal SPU Plugin v.1.50 Beta
Update before accessing register

- Valkyie Profile

Eternal SPU 1.41/Eternal SPU Plugin v.1.50 Beta
SPECIAL GAME FIX
SPU IRQ - Wait CPU Action
SPU IRQ - Force Interuption Flag7

[Erzesel]

fireblaster lyz have writen a verry good Config Handbook.
It�s verry good for a nice start in PSX Emulation.
if he�s not angree to me, i want add in later Posts some tested gamespecific Setings for Final Fantasy Series , Starocean , Valkyrie and .......

But at 1st a little Goody for NVidiacart User:

Many people never look for advance driver setings, but it can verry needfull.
What it bring ?
a little bit more clear and sharp while drawing with OGL and D3D plugins.
(pictures 4 and 5) Special Setings for the Plugins follow

here also Step by Step:

I have only the german Driver ( be lucky thats not the russian)
(if evryone can make shouts from the english Driver do it and post it.)

the points are the same
*blabla = I don�t know yet what there writen in the engish Driver.

look NV1.jpg

red arrow: set to global blabla....

blue arrow: press add profile...

look nv2.jpg

darkgreen arrow: write a new profilename (psx or what ever )

yellow arrow: search for your PSemu exeutable (here ePSXe.exe or Psxeven.exe or what ever)

magenta arrow: mark the choosen executable and press ok

the new Profiele shut be added.

nv3.jpg

brown arrow: choose your new profile

orange arrow: mark advanced setings

now you must normaly see

mipmap blabla after vertical sync...blabla

cyan arrow: set to trilinear

in addition can you set Anlialiasing 2 or more (can slowdown the Drawspeed !! test it!!)
and anisotroph filtering.

Petes Plugins dont have Switches to set this from Plugin.
press ok!

that was....the driver shut be start the profile automaticly with the call of your emu exe.

if you use more then one EMU so evry EMU exe must have an own profile

if you don�t can make this step ? update your driver? www.nvidia.com.

...then i don�t know

[fireblaster_lyz]

That's is ok.

But, with the settings above, it is ONLY recommanded for computers with higher-end performance. (>1 GHz)

Enabling trilinear can SERIOUSLY break down the performance on slower PCs.
Besides, it is only appliciable to PCs who use the Pete's OGL plugin, which supports FSAA.

I will update this document in end-May with ATI/nVidia Settings and the effect of using shaders in Pete's OGL2.

By then, this guide would be complete. (I will also include your name in this guide and publish it to the web.)

EDIT: I also be including guides to using PSX ISOs, Images and ALSO gamepads....everything AND anything related to ePSXe.

Any item missing and/or anything to add into this guide? Glady post them and I will include them.... (Good posts will be included.)

[Zorlon]

auto patching a name convention for ePSXe to auto patch, it's so simple but still there are tons that can't use it

A guide for pec including it's cheat searhing features would be a nice add on aswell apart from anything people find it hard enough just using it (don't ask why I find it simple ) never mind the fact that alot of people don't even know it can create codes aswell as apply them

Sound and video recording guides aswell, both are built into alot of the Sound and Video plugins

More, probobly that was just off the top of my head

[fireblaster_lyz]

True...
By then..I will be able to compile a list and ready a webby for everyone to view and download stuff to remedy all their problems.

EDIT: Not up yet...
emuconfigs.bizhat.com

By end-May, see ePSXe configs and also other emu configs available up for grabs.

[Zorlon]

If I had more time to write up this for you I would but at the moment I have several projects I want to get done before starting anything new.

Any other time I would help out in this sort of thing and have wrote a few guides before

[fireblaster_lyz]

At least, we get to keep emuparadise's emulation threads clean and green.

[Erzesel]

"Beauty lies in the eye of the viewer"

Thats for my Eyes the best aviable:

Plugin: Pete's OpenGL Driver 1.1.75
Author: Pete Bernert
Card vendor: NVIDIA Corporation
GFX card: GeForce FX 5600/AGP/SSE/3DNOW!

Resolution/Color:
- 1024x768 Fullscreen - NO desktop changing [32 Bit]
- Keep psx aspect ratio: off (can on , it�s my Thing so)

Textures:
- B8G8R8A8
- Filtering: 2 - edge clamping supported (only this works without Trash) all other things makes the Hardware look on NVidiasetings

- Hi-Res textures: 0 (all other makes Border around some Textures- looks wasted)
- Palettized tex windows: on
- VRam size: 128MBytes - 196 textures usable (type it per Hand)

Framerate:
- FPS limitation: on
- Frame skipping: on (upps! must off for pefect Final Fantasy 7 8 9 are hate Frameskipping) (a Sharingtool -needs 40% of CPU--was runnig at the Moment off Shout)
- FPS limit: 53 makes result 50 (PAL Version German)
Auto or 62 (NTSC)

Compatibility:
- Offscreen drawing: 2 or 3
- Framebuffer texture: 0 Makes real PSX Battlewirl (for slower pc use 1)
- Framebuffer access: 4 Makes real PSX Battlewirl (for slower pc use 0 makes a Pseudowirl) looks not bad

- Alpha multipass: on
- Mask bit: off
- Advanced blending: on (hardware)
- Subtractive blending: activated

Misc:
- Scanlines: off
- Line mode: off
- Unfiltered FB: off
- 15 bit FB: off
- Dithering: off
- Screen smoothing: off (can on)
- Screen cushion: off
- Game fixes: on [00010001] (Adjust Framebuffer on) (normal for FF7, but only in FF8 in the Cave of Fire can later dissabled ) (I don�t know is unsharp in the Cave an Effect or an Bug ? or only in the German Vers.)

NVidia advance setings !!!
Anti Aliasing 2x (must not, nomal in action is [off] not to see)
Anistrophe Filter off
Mipmap Trilinear (Makes beter backround )

what for ATI is needed ,...idon�t know.



Why vote for Petes OGL 1.1.75 to play:
With this Plugin i see the best tested Quality and Sharpness
An Face looks like an Face (Bloodpain.jpg) not pixeled.
All the in the attached Pictures bluecirceled Things I can�t reproduce with the OGL2 in this Quality and nothing with Peops SoftGPU 1.16.
In addition, I would like not to conceal, that it little Gliches gives.(nothing is 100% perfect.)

For little Gliches i have a perfct Filter,this have evryone evrytime:
Look at your Wife or Girl, She is or was perfect for you.
Right, it�s your Brain.
I�m playing for fun,not for Errorhunting.


Many People are use the OGL2 plugin as an newer OGL plugin, there isn�t right.

Here is an comment of Peter Bernert (the father of Petes GPU�s),to a Question between the drawing Quality of the two OGL plugins:

erzesel,

the OpenGL and OpenGL2 are two completely different plugins, the GL2 is not a replacement for the GL one.

Each of them has different pros and cons, here are the main ones:

- The OGL2 one cannot use FSAA. The OGL one can.
- The OGL2 one is limited in the rendering resolution, it cannot reach a real 1600x1200 res, for example.
- The OGL2 can use post-process shaders, the OGL cannot.
- The OGL2 can emulate certain PSX effects (like the battle screens in VH2) without problems, the OGL cannot emulate them at all (wild flickering will happen).
- the OGL2 plugin has always a correct internal aspect ration, so small border glitches (like the ones in L.o.Dragoon) will not happen.


So, you can decide:

Do you want very high resolutions and/or FSAA, with the risk of some small glitches? Go for the OGL plugin. Do you want to use some eye candy fullscreen shaders, like (for example) ShadX's "Fast Convolution ARB Shader", which will improve 2D games alot? go for the OGL2 plugin.

Personally I don't care which plugin you prefer... just try to have fun

*FSAA = Full Screen Antialias

Gamer with a still Love vor massive bluring can use OGL2, but the Pixelshaders are need a lot of Power and Newgeneration Graphicchips. (OGL2 makes no Sense or Fun with a GF 4800 Graphiccart or (and) a CPU < 2GHz).

The Peops SoftGPU isn�t good for use in 3D Games.

At Last the Sound :
for best Quality i prefer for:

SPU Ethernal 1.41 (async - smuth| update before accessing register - on| SpuIRQ off|

*async means not the Sounds are asyncron (what it mean? i�ve read it,but alzheimer)

Who not will live with little Gliches and bugs........ I offer for only 10000 � an PS2 + PlasmaTV + FF8 ( Joke).

[fireblaster_lyz]

Your settings are abit off.
Avoid using frameskipping.

Try reading my guide above and use the settings I provided.

[Erzesel]

Most Setings are the same as FF 8

FF9 reacts to Setings like a OperaDiva !

Plugin: Pete's OpenGL Driver 1.1.75
Author: Pete Bernert
Card vendor: NVIDIA Corporation
GFX card: GeForce FX 5600/AGP/SSE/3DNOW!

Resolution/Color:
- 1024x768 Fullscreen - NO desktop changing [32 Bit]
- Keep psx aspect ratio: off (What�s with on ? see you in Fieldmode off the Game )

Textures:
- R8G8B8A8
- Filtering: 2 - edge clamping supported
- Hi-Res textures: 0
- Palettized tex windows: on
- VRam size: 128 MBytes - 196 textures usable

Framerate:
- FPS limitation: on
- Frame skipping: off (FF 7-9 no loves skipping)
- FPS limit: 53 (for Pal) (varies real between 48 and 53)
- FPS limit: Auto or 63? (for NTSC)

Compatibility: For Slower Systems <1,3 GHz recommented
- Offscreen drawing: 2 (recommented ) (0 is pixeled - higher can Textures have Borders)
- Framebuffer texture: 1 Draws no Batlltwirl (scene black for 1-2 sec.)
- Framebuffer access: 0

Compatibility: Draws the Battlewirl Without or minimal Slowdowns
- Offscreen drawing: 2
- Framebuffer texture: 0
- Framebuffer access: 4 any other Framebuffersetings can Slowdown the Wirl to 5 FPS

Compatibility: all Systems
- Alpha multipass: on
- Mask bit: off (in all FF 7-9 no needed)
- Advanced blending: on (hardware)
- Subtractive blending: activated


Misc:
- Scanlines: off
- Line mode: off
- Unfiltered FB: off
- 15 bit FB: off
- Dithering: off
- Screen smoothing: off
- Screen cushion: off
- Game fixes: on [00010000] [G4 Polygon Cache (FF9 Only)]



SPU Ethernal 1.41 like FF8
on Slower Systems:
Spu Peops Dsound 1.9 /Mode: 2 spu async /Reverb: 1 Simple/Interpolation: 0-2 (for higher Quality is Ethernal 1.41 better)/XA: all off no needed/Misc: SPU IRQ all two on all other Off)

Special Commandline arg for Epsexe: -ff9pal (only Pal version) -nocd (if starting the game with "Run ISO")

additionel needed :

PPF Patches