Black Screen on TG16 CD in RetroArch

SensibleStreamer · 16 June 2021 18:19

Greetings, LibRetro forums!

‘Content fails to load’ when starting TG16 CD games in RetroArch. I’ve read each forum post I can find on this topic and have tested solutions that worked for others without any success (Text in .cue file matches, BIOS directory path is correct and contains the proper files, rom files are good–work fine in EmuHawk but not in RetroArch).

So, I will share a log file to help us find out what I may have overlooked. Thank you very much for your assistance

[INFO] [CONTENT LOAD]: Updating firmware status for: C:\RetroArch-Win64\cores\mednafen_pce_fast_libretro.dll on C:\RetroArch-Win64\system
[INFO] [CORE]: Using content: C:\Users\TheSensibleStreamer\Desktop\New folder (8)\New folder\forgotten worlds\New folder\Forgotten_Worlds_(NTSC-U)_[TGXCD1030].cue.
[INFO] [Core]: Content ran for a total of: 00 hours, 00 minutes, 00 seconds.
[INFO] [Core]: Unloading core..
[INFO] [Core]: Unloading core symbols..
[INFO] [Core Options]: Saved core options file to "C:\RetroArch-Win64\config\Beetle PCE Fast\Beetle PCE Fast.opt"
[INFO] [Video]: Average monitor Hz: 104.405930 Hz. (28.436 % frame time deviation, based on 2048 last samples).
[INFO] RetroArch 1.9.4 (Git b1a3ea7)
[INFO] === Build =======================================
[INFO] CPU Model Name: AMD Ryzen 7 2700 Eight-Core Processor          
[INFO] Capabilities:  MMX MMXEXT SSE SSE2 SSE3 SSSE3 SSE4 SSE4.2 AES AVX AVX2
[INFO] Built: May 31 2021
[INFO] Version: 1.9.4
[INFO] Git: b1a3ea7
[INFO] =================================================
[INFO] [Input]: Found input driver: "dinput".
[INFO] [Core]: Loading dynamic libretro core from: "C:\RetroArch-Win64\cores\mednafen_pce_fast_libretro.dll"
[INFO] [Overrides]: No core-specific overrides found at "C:\RetroArch-Win64\config\Beetle PCE Fast\Beetle PCE Fast.cfg".
[INFO] [Overrides]: No content-dir-specific overrides found at "C:\RetroArch-Win64\config\Beetle PCE Fast\New folder.cfg".
[INFO] [Overrides]: No game-specific overrides found at "C:\RetroArch-Win64\config\Beetle PCE Fast\Forgotten_Worlds_(NTSC-U)_[TGXCD1030].cfg".
[INFO] [Environ]: GET_CORE_OPTIONS_VERSION.
[INFO] [Environ]: GET_LANGUAGE: "0".
[INFO] [Environ]: RETRO_ENVIRONMENT_SET_CORE_OPTIONS_INTL.
[INFO] [Environ]: SET_CONTROLLER_INFO.
[INFO] [Environ]: UNSUPPORTED (#65).
[INFO] Core requested VFS version >= v1, providing v3
[INFO] [Remaps]: Remap directory: "C:\RetroArch-Win64\config\remaps".
[INFO] [Overrides]: Redirecting save file to "C:\RetroArch-Win64\saves\Forgotten_Worlds_(NTSC-U)_[TGXCD1030].srm".
[INFO] [Overrides]: Redirecting save state to "C:\RetroArch-Win64\states\Forgotten_Worlds_(NTSC-U)_[TGXCD1030].state".
[INFO] [Environ]: GET_LOG_INTERFACE.
[INFO] [Environ]: SYSTEM_DIRECTORY: "C:\RetroArch-Win64\system".
[INFO] [Environ]: SET_PIXEL_FORMAT: RGB565.
[libretro INFO] Frontend supports RGB565 - will use that instead of XRGB1555.
[INFO] [Environ]: GET_PERF_INTERFACE.
[INFO] [Environ]: SET_SUPPORT_ACHIEVEMENTS: yes.
[INFO] [Environ]: PERFORMANCE_LEVEL: 5.
[INFO] [CONTENT LOAD]: Content loading skipped. Implementation will load it on its own.
[INFO] [Environ]: UNSUPPORTED (#66).
[INFO] [Environ]: SET_INPUT_DESCRIPTORS:
[INFO] [Environ]: SET_AUDIO_BUFFER_STATUS_CALLBACK.
[libretro INFO] PCE CD Audio settings changed.
[libretro INFO] Loading C:\Users\TheSensibleStreamer\Desktop\New folder (8)\New folder\forgotten worlds\New folder\Forgotten_Worlds_(NTSC-U)_[TGXCD1030].cue...

[libretro INFO] Loading SBI file "C:\Users\TheSensibleStreamer\Desktop\New folder (8)\New folder\forgotten worlds\New folder\Forgotten_Worlds_(NTSC-U)_[TGXCD1030].sbi"...
[libretro INFO] MDFN_MakeFName: C:\RetroArch-Win64\system\syscard3.pce
[ERROR] [CONTENT LOAD]: Failed to load content
[INFO] [Environ]: SET_PIXEL_FORMAT: RGB565.
[INFO] Version of libretro API: 1
[INFO] Compiled against API: 1
[INFO] [Audio]: Set audio input rate to: 48000.00 Hz.
[INFO] [Video]: Video @ fullscreen
[INFO] [Vulkan]: Vulkan dynamic library loaded.
[INFO] [Vulkan]: Found vulkan context: vk_w
[INFO] [Vulkan]: Detecting screen resolution 1920x1080.
[INFO] [Vulkan]: Found GPU at index 0: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070
[INFO] [Vulkan]: Using GPU index 0.
[INFO] [Vulkan]: Using GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070
[INFO] [Vulkan]: Queue family 0 supports 16 sub-queues.
[INFO] [Vulkan]: Using resolution 1920x1080
[INFO] [Vulkan]: Using RGB565 format.
[INFO] [Vulkan]: Loading stock shader.
[INFO] [XInput]: Found XInput v1.4.
[INFO] [Joypad]: Found joypad driver: "xinput".
[INFO] [Font]: Using font rendering backend: freetype.
[INFO] [Video]: Found display server: win32
[INFO] [XAudio2]: Requesting 64 ms latency, using 64 ms latency.
[INFO] [Display]: Found display driver: "vulkan".
[INFO] [Font]: Using font rendering backend: freetype.
[INFO] [Font]: Using font rendering backend: freetype.
[INFO] [Font]: Using font rendering backend: freetype.
[INFO] [Font]: Using font rendering backend: freetype.
[INFO] [Font]: Using font rendering backend: freetype.
[INFO] [Font]: Using font rendering backend: freetype.
[INFO] [Font]: Using font rendering backend: freetype.
[INFO] [Font]: Using font rendering backend: freetype.
[INFO] [Font]: Using font rendering backend: freetype.
[INFO] [SRAM]: SRAM will not be saved.
[INFO] [Shaders]: Specific shader preset found at C:\RetroArch-Win64\config\Beetle PCE Fast\Beetle PCE Fast.slangp.
[INFO] [Playlist]: Loading history file: [C:\RetroArch-Win64\content_history.lpl].
[INFO] [Playlist]: Loading history file: [C:\RetroArch-Win64\content_music_history.lpl].
[INFO] [Playlist]: Loading history file: [C:\RetroArch-Win64\content_video_history.lpl].
[INFO] [Playlist]: Loading history file: [C:\RetroArch-Win64\content_image_history.lpl].
[INFO] [Playlist]: Loading favorites file: [C:\RetroArch-Win64\content_favorites.lpl].
[INFO] [Config]: Saved new config to "C:\RetroArch-Win64\retroarch.cfg".
[INFO] [Core]: Content ran for a total of: 00 hours, 00 minutes, 00 seconds.
[INFO] [Core]: Unloading core..
[INFO] [Core]: Unloading core symbols..
[INFO] [Core Options]: Saved core options file to "C:\RetroArch-Win64\config\Beetle PCE Fast\Beetle PCE Fast.opt"
[INFO] [Video]: Does not have enough samples for monitor refresh rate estimation. Requires to run for at least 4096 frames.
[INFO] Restarting RetroArch with commandline: C:\RetroArch-Win64\retroarch.exe and C:\RetroArch-Win64\retroarch.exe
[INFO] [Video]: Does not have enough samples for monitor refresh rate estimation. Requires to run for at least 4096 frames.

hunterk · 16 June 2021 18:22

I don’t see any obvious errors in that log

If you move your RetroArch installation into somewhere in your user path (i.e., instead of at the root of C:), does it act any differently?

SensibleStreamer · 16 June 2021 20:42

After uninstalling and reinstalling to a different location, I received the same error. This is the latest log

[INFO] [CONTENT LOAD]: Updating firmware status for: C:\Users\TheSensibleStreamer\Desktop\New folder\cores\mednafen_pce_fast_libretro.dll on C:\Users\TheSensibleStreamer\Desktop\New folder\system
[INFO] [CORE]: Using content: C:\Users\TheSensibleStreamer\Desktop\New folder (2)\Forgotten_Worlds_(NTSC-U)_[TGXCD1030].cue.
[INFO] [Core]: Content ran for a total of: 00 hours, 00 minutes, 00 seconds.
[INFO] [Core]: Unloading core..
[INFO] [Core]: Unloading core symbols..
[INFO] [Core Options]: Saved core options file to "C:\Users\TheSensibleStreamer\Desktop\New folder\config\Beetle PCE Fast\Beetle PCE Fast.opt"
[INFO] [Video]: Average monitor Hz: 95.138426 Hz. (486.953 % frame time deviation, based on 2048 last samples).
[INFO] RetroArch 1.9.5 (Git 6738fa5)
[INFO] === Build =======================================
[INFO] CPU Model Name: AMD Ryzen 7 2700 Eight-Core Processor          
[INFO] Capabilities:  MMX MMXEXT SSE SSE2 SSE3 SSSE3 SSE4 SSE4.2 AES AVX AVX2
[INFO] Built: Jun 13 2021
[INFO] Version: 1.9.5
[INFO] Git: 6738fa5
[INFO] =================================================
[INFO] [Input]: Found input driver: "dinput".
[INFO] [Core]: Loading dynamic libretro core from: "C:\Users\TheSensibleStreamer\Desktop\New folder\cores\mednafen_pce_fast_libretro.dll"
[INFO] [Overrides]: No core-specific overrides found at "C:\Users\TheSensibleStreamer\Desktop\New folder\config\Beetle PCE Fast\Beetle PCE Fast.cfg".
[INFO] [Overrides]: No content-dir-specific overrides found at "C:\Users\TheSensibleStreamer\Desktop\New folder\config\Beetle PCE Fast\New folder (2).cfg".
[INFO] [Overrides]: No game-specific overrides found at "C:\Users\TheSensibleStreamer\Desktop\New folder\config\Beetle PCE Fast\Forgotten_Worlds_(NTSC-U)_[TGXCD1030].cfg".
[INFO] [Environ]: GET_CORE_OPTIONS_VERSION.
[INFO] [Environ]: GET_LANGUAGE: "0".
[INFO] [Environ]: RETRO_ENVIRONMENT_SET_CORE_OPTIONS_INTL.
[INFO] [Environ]: SET_CONTROLLER_INFO.
[INFO] [Environ]: RETRO_ENVIRONMENT_SET_CONTENT_INFO_OVERRIDE.
[INFO] [CONTENT OVERRIDE]: File Extension: 'pce' - need_fullpath: FALSE, persistent_data: FALSE
[INFO] Core requested VFS version >= v1, providing v3
[INFO] [Remaps]: Remap directory: "C:\Users\TheSensibleStreamer\Desktop\New folder\config\remaps".
[INFO] [Overrides]: Redirecting save file to "C:\Users\TheSensibleStreamer\Desktop\New folder\saves\Forgotten_Worlds_(NTSC-U)_[TGXCD1030].srm".
[INFO] [Overrides]: Redirecting save state to "C:\Users\TheSensibleStreamer\Desktop\New folder\states\Forgotten_Worlds_(NTSC-U)_[TGXCD1030].state".
[INFO] [Environ]: GET_LOG_INTERFACE.
[INFO] [Environ]: SYSTEM_DIRECTORY: "C:\Users\TheSensibleStreamer\Desktop\New folder\system".
[INFO] [Environ]: SET_PIXEL_FORMAT: RGB565.
[libretro INFO] Frontend supports RGB565 - will use that instead of XRGB1555.
[INFO] [Environ]: GET_PERF_INTERFACE.
[INFO] [Environ]: SET_SUPPORT_ACHIEVEMENTS: yes.
[INFO] [Environ]: PERFORMANCE_LEVEL: 5.
[INFO] [CONTENT LOAD]: Content loading skipped. Implementation will load it on its own.
[INFO] [Environ]: RETRO_ENVIRONMENT_GET_GAME_INFO_EXT.
[INFO] [Environ]: SET_INPUT_DESCRIPTORS:
[INFO] [Environ]: SET_AUDIO_BUFFER_STATUS_CALLBACK.
[libretro INFO] PCE CD Audio settings changed.
[libretro INFO] Loading C:\Users\TheSensibleStreamer\Desktop\New folder (2)\Forgotten_Worlds_(NTSC-U)_[TGXCD1030].cue...

[libretro INFO] Loading SBI file "C:\Users\TheSensibleStreamer\Desktop\New folder (2)\Forgotten_Worlds_(NTSC-U)_[TGXCD1030].sbi"...
[libretro INFO] MDFN_MakeFName: C:\Users\TheSensibleStreamer\Desktop\New folder\system\syscard3.pce
[ERROR] [CONTENT LOAD]: Failed to load content
[INFO] [Environ]: SET_PIXEL_FORMAT: RGB565.
[INFO] Version of libretro API: 1
[INFO] Compiled against API: 1
[INFO] [Audio]: Set audio input rate to: 48000.00 Hz.
[INFO] [Video]: Video @ 960x720
[INFO] [GL]: Found GL context: wgl
[INFO] [GL]: Detecting screen resolution 1920x1080.
[INFO] [WGL] extensions: WGL_ARB_buffer_region WGL_ARB_create_context WGL_ARB_create_context_no_error WGL_ARB_create_context_profile WGL_ARB_create_context_robustness WGL_ARB_context_flush_control WGL_ARB_extensions_string WGL_ARB_make_current_read WGL_ARB_multi[INFO] [WGL]: Adaptive VSync supported.
[INFO] [GL]: Vendor: NVIDIA Corporation, Renderer: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070/PCIe/SSE2.
[INFO] [GL]: Version: 4.6.0 NVIDIA 466.77.
[INFO] [GL]: Using resolution 960x720
[INFO] [GL]: Default shader backend found: glsl.
[INFO] [Shader driver]: Using GLSL shader backend.
[INFO] [GLSL]: Checking GLSL shader support ...
[WARN] [GL]: Stock GLSL shaders will be used.
[INFO] [GLSL]: Found GLSL vertex shader.
[INFO] [GLSL]: Found GLSL fragment shader.
[INFO] [GLSL]: Linking GLSL program.
[INFO] [GLSL]: Found GLSL vertex shader.
[INFO] [GLSL]: Found GLSL fragment shader.
[INFO] [GLSL]: Linking GLSL program.
[INFO] [GLSL]: Found GLSL vertex shader.
[INFO] [GLSL]: Found GLSL fragment shader.
[INFO] [GLSL]: Linking GLSL program.
[INFO] [GL]: Using 4 textures.
[INFO] [GL]: Loaded 1 program(s).
[INFO] [GL]: Using GL_RGB565 for texture uploads.
[INFO] [XInput]: Found XInput v1.4.
[INFO] [Joypad]: Found joypad driver: "xinput".
[INFO] [Font]: Using font rendering backend: freetype.
[INFO] [Video]: Found display server: win32
[INFO] [XAudio2]: Requesting 64 ms latency, using 64 ms latency.
[INFO] [Display]: Found display driver: "gl".
[INFO] [Font]: Using font rendering backend: freetype.
[INFO] [Font]: Using font rendering backend: freetype.
[INFO] [Font]: Using font rendering backend: freetype.
[INFO] [Font]: Using font rendering backend: freetype.
[INFO] [Font]: Using font rendering backend: freetype.
[INFO] [Font]: Using font rendering backend: freetype.
[INFO] [Font]: Using font rendering backend: freetype.
[INFO] [Font]: Using font rendering backend: freetype.
[INFO] [Font]: Using font rendering backend: freetype.
[INFO] [SRAM]: SRAM will not be saved.
[INFO] [Playlist]: Loading history file: [C:\Users\TheSensibleStreamer\Desktop\New folder\content_history.lpl].
[INFO] [Playlist]: Loading history file: [C:\Users\TheSensibleStreamer\Desktop\New folder\content_music_history.lpl].
[INFO] [Playlist]: Loading history file: [C:\Users\TheSensibleStreamer\Desktop\New folder\content_video_history.lpl].
[INFO] [Playlist]: Loading history file: [C:\Users\TheSensibleStreamer\Desktop\New folder\content_image_history.lpl].
[INFO] [Playlist]: Loading favorites file: [C:\Users\TheSensibleStreamer\Desktop\New folder\content_favorites.lpl].

hunterk · 16 June 2021 20:50

Hmm, well, it finds your syscard3.pce BIOS, but that’s for a Japanese PCE-CD console, I think. Do you have/need the syscard2u.pce or *3u.pce BIOS for NTSC-U games?

Duimon · 17 June 2021 00:53

Your test is using the same image. Have you tried loading different content? Maybe try a different format or source collection. i.e. TOSEC, Redump or MAME SL CHD.

I am thinking there is something wrong with your content.

Here is a portion of what I get in a log

[libretro INFO] Loading SBI file "E:\Emulation New\Forgotten_Worlds_(NTSC-U)_[TGXCD1030]\Forgotten_Worlds_(NTSC-U)_[TGXCD1030].sbi"...
[libretro INFO] CD 1 Layout:

[libretro INFO]   Track  1, LBA:      0  AUDIO

[libretro INFO]   Track  2, LBA:   3234  DATA

[libretro INFO]   Track  3, LBA:   6910  AUDIO

[libretro INFO]   Track  4, LBA:  21541  AUDIO

[libretro INFO]   Track  5, LBA:  35198  AUDIO

[libretro INFO]   Track  6, LBA:  49423  AUDIO

[libretro INFO]   Track  7, LBA:  51125  AUDIO

[libretro INFO]   Track  8, LBA:  64674  AUDIO

[libretro INFO]   Track  9, LBA:  65330  AUDIO

[libretro INFO]   Track 10, LBA:  76817  AUDIO

[libretro INFO]   Track 11, LBA:  89971  AUDIO

[libretro INFO]   Track 12, LBA: 105722  AUDIO

[libretro INFO]   Track 13, LBA: 122471  AUDIO

[libretro INFO]   Track 14, LBA: 137638  AUDIO

[libretro INFO]   Track 15, LBA: 152822  AUDIO

[libretro INFO]   Track 16, LBA: 167644  AUDIO

[libretro INFO]   Track 17, LBA: 179326  AUDIO

[libretro INFO]   Track 18, LBA: 196471  AUDIO

[libretro INFO]   Track 19, LBA: 197341  AUDIO

[libretro INFO]   Track 20, LBA: 197968  AUDIO

[libretro INFO]   Track 21, LBA: 204382  AUDIO

[libretro INFO]   Track 22, LBA: 214308  AUDIO

[libretro INFO]   Track 23, LBA: 224403  AUDIO

[libretro INFO]   Track 24, LBA: 229394  AUDIO

[libretro INFO]   Track 25, LBA: 239479  DATA

[libretro INFO]   Leadout: 242856

[libretro INFO]

[libretro INFO] Using module: pce.

Notice it reads all the tracks. Yours just says

[ERROR] [CONTENT LOAD]: Failed to load content

SensibleStreamer · 17 June 2021 01:47

While investigating whether I have syscard2u.pce, a google search of “syscard2u.pce” led me to this webpage. I quickly learned that “[BIOS] Super CD-ROM System (Japan) (v3.0).pce” corresponds to “syscard3.pce”. The required BIOS files that I DUMPED FROM MY OWN CONSOLE use no-intro names for TG16-CD BIOS files instead of recognized names. Renaming that single BIOS file to its recognized name “syscard3.pce” makes TG16 CD roms work. Thank you so much for the quick, enlightening responses