Information on Real CD support?

Libretro Cores
#1

I remember a while back RetroArch introduced the ability to dump a game from a real CD, I think this was strictly for PlayStation, if I’m nit mistaken. I’m having trouble finding any documentation on the feature though, through both the official documentation as well as the forums search.

Is there somewhere I can see what cores support this feature, or any other relevant info?

I’m toying with the idea of getting ODE’s for some of my systems, which will kill my ability to use the discs, so I’m hoping to see what RetroArch will let me do as an alternative so they don’t just become useless shelf-art whenever I buy a new game.

#2

There’s not a lot of documentation, no. However, it’s pretty straightforward: it only works with CDs, but the dumping, at least, should work with most CD-based platforms, AFAIK. Running games on the fly is less consistent, but it should work on more than just PS1, I think.

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#3

I think I understand, so it’s more a function of RetroArch than of any particular core(s)? That’s actually pretty cool, since updates to the functionality wouldn’t be tied to any particular emulator’s development.

Hopefully GD-ROM support makes it’s way in there at some point. Dreamcast was the one I was most likely to slap an ODE in lol.

#4

Basically, retroarch “virtualize” a disc-at-once cue/bin dump for the core, so as long as the core is able to read that kind of dump, and the proper support to access that virtual dump was implemented in the core, it should work. I don’t know if there is a list of the cores supporting this (the only one i can tell is Kronos, since i implemented it).

I’m missing the point here since you can’t read a GD-ROM with a computer.

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#5

I actually didn’t realize that. I mean, it does make sense, I just had never thought about it before. So I guess there’s no way Dreamcast games could ever be supported with the feature. Bummer.

#6

Well, to be fair, you can read a GD-ROM with a computer, but afaik the only way to do that is to use some specific model(s) of cd-reader flashed with custom firmware (and the cd-reader couln’t read normal CD after that).