[Solved] Black Screen when Launching PSX Game

RetroArch Linux devices
#1

Hi,

I’m really struggling with my PSX game. I tried Mednafen and Mednafen HW but it leads to the same result : black screen at launch.

So here’re the BIOS I have in ~/.config/retroarch/system : scph5500.bin scph5501.bin scph5502.bin

scph5501 is a rename of scph1001.bin

In retroarch.cfg I have : system_directory = “~/.config/retroarch/system”

My game is under ~/Jeux/Emulation/Roms/psx

I’ve a folder Demo One (Version 5) (PAL) with the following files inside: Demo One (Version 5) (PAL).img Demo One (Version 5) (PAL).ccd Demo One (Version 5) (PAL).sub Demo One (Version 5) (PAL).cue

I tried with the ccd and the cue but the result is same : black screen.

Content of the cue:

FILE “Demo One (Version 5) (PAL).img” BINARY TRACK 1 MODE2/2352 INDEX 1 00:00:00 TRACK 2 AUDIO INDEX 0 25:14:02 INDEX 1 25:16:02 TRACK 3 AUDIO INDEX 0 27:56:01 INDEX 1 27:58:01 TRACK 4 AUDIO INDEX 0 28:13:02 INDEX 1 28:15:02 TRACK 5 AUDIO INDEX 0 28:20:69 INDEX 1 28:22:69 TRACK 6 AUDIO INDEX 0 33:32:13 INDEX 1 33:34:13 TRACK 7 AUDIO INDEX 0 33:45:61 INDEX 1 33:47:61 TRACK 8 AUDIO INDEX 0 38:43:37 INDEX 1 38:45:37 TRACK 9 AUDIO INDEX 0 42:19:70 INDEX 1 42:21:70 TRACK 10 AUDIO INDEX 0 43:44:49 INDEX 1 43:46:49

Content of the ccd: [CloneCD] Version=3 [Disc] TocEntries=13 Sessions=1 DataTracksScrambled=0 CDTextLength=0 [Session 1] PreGapMode=2 PreGapSubC=1 [Entry 0] Session=1 Point=0xa0 ADR=0x01 Control=0x04 TrackNo=0 AMin=0 ASec=0 AFrame=0 ALBA=-150 Zero=0 PMin=1 PSec=32 PFrame=0 PLBA=6750 [Entry 1] Session=1 Point=0xa1 ADR=0x01 Control=0x00 TrackNo=0 AMin=0 ASec=0 AFrame=0 ALBA=-150 Zero=0 PMin=10 PSec=0 PFrame=0 PLBA=44850 [Entry 2] Session=1 Point=0xa2 ADR=0x01 Control=0x00 TrackNo=0 AMin=0 ASec=0 AFrame=0 ALBA=-150 Zero=0 PMin=47 PSec=6 PFrame=4 PLBA=211804 [Entry 3] Session=1 Point=0x01 ADR=0x01 Control=0x04 TrackNo=0 AMin=0 ASec=0 AFrame=0 ALBA=-150 Zero=0 PMin=0 PSec=2 PFrame=0 PLBA=0 [Entry 4] Session=1 Point=0x02 ADR=0x01 Control=0x00 TrackNo=0 AMin=0 ASec=0 AFrame=0 ALBA=-150 Zero=0 PMin=25 PSec=18 PFrame=2 PLBA=113702 [Entry 5] Session=1 Point=0x03 ADR=0x01 Control=0x00 TrackNo=0 AMin=0 ASec=0 AFrame=0 ALBA=-150 Zero=0 PMin=28 PSec=0 PFrame=1 PLBA=125851 [Entry 6] Session=1 Point=0x04 ADR=0x01 Control=0x00 TrackNo=0 AMin=0 ASec=0 AFrame=0 ALBA=-150 Zero=0 PMin=28 PSec=17 PFrame=2 PLBA=127127 [Entry 7] Session=1 Point=0x05 ADR=0x01 Control=0x00 TrackNo=0 AMin=0 ASec=0 AFrame=0 ALBA=-150 Zero=0 PMin=28 PSec=24 PFrame=69 PLBA=127719 [Entry 8] Session=1 Point=0x06 ADR=0x01 Control=0x00 TrackNo=0 AMin=0 ASec=0 AFrame=0 ALBA=-150 Zero=0 PMin=33 PSec=36 PFrame=13 PLBA=151063 [Entry 9] Session=1 Point=0x07 ADR=0x01 Control=0x00 TrackNo=0 AMin=0 ASec=0 AFrame=0 ALBA=-150 Zero=0 PMin=33 PSec=49 PFrame=61 PLBA=152086 [Entry 10] Session=1 Point=0x08 ADR=0x01 Control=0x00 TrackNo=0 AMin=0 ASec=0 AFrame=0 ALBA=-150 Zero=0 PMin=38 PSec=47 PFrame=37 PLBA=174412 [Entry 11] Session=1 Point=0x09 ADR=0x01 Control=0x00 TrackNo=0 AMin=0 ASec=0 AFrame=0 ALBA=-150 Zero=0 PMin=42 PSec=23 PFrame=70 PLBA=190645 [Entry 12] Session=1 Point=0x0a ADR=0x01 Control=0x00 TrackNo=0 AMin=0 ASec=0 AFrame=0 ALBA=-150 Zero=0 PMin=43 PSec=48 PFrame=49 PLBA=196999 [TRACK 1] MODE=2 INDEX 1=0 [TRACK 2] MODE=0 INDEX 0=113552 INDEX 1=113702 [TRACK 3] MODE=0 INDEX 0=125701 INDEX 1=125851 [TRACK 4] MODE=0 INDEX 0=126977 INDEX 1=127127 [TRACK 5] MODE=0 INDEX 0=127569 INDEX 1=127719 [TRACK 6] MODE=0 INDEX 0=150913 INDEX 1=151063 [TRACK 7] MODE=0 INDEX 0=151936 INDEX 1=152086 [TRACK 8] MODE=0 INDEX 0=174262 INDEX 1=174412 [TRACK 9] MODE=0 INDEX 0=190495 INDEX 1=190645 [TRACK 10] MODE=0 INDEX 0=196849 INDEX 1=196999

Note: an SRM file has been created which is maybe a good sign…

I hope I can get some help 'cause I’m stucked. Do you have any suggestion ?

I did not found where to find the logs. I someone can tell me I will upload them.

#2

Open the command and in the RA path run this: retroarch --menu --verbose >> log.txt 2>&1

A file called log.txt will get generated in the main RA folder.

Do you have any shaders enabled? Have you tried with other games? Try with a cue/bin one. Do you hear any sound at all?

1 Like
#3

Check that your Bios files match the MD5 posted here: https://mednafen.github.io/documentation/psx.html

You can use http://onlinemd5.com/ to verify them

I had a similar black screen problem and it was the result of wrong bios…

#4

I’ve not enabled any shader. But I don’t know if by default some are.

I tried with other cue / bin and result is same.

I don’t hear any sound.

I’ll check the MD5 for my BIOS’s and keep you posted. If they are good, I’ll enable the logs and see if I see something.

Thanks for your help !

I also tried the hw version and the non hw version but result is same. What’s the difference between both ?

#5

dude, use [ code ] for long text…

The forum is plenty of these bios threads…

https://forums.libretro.com/search?q=playstation%20bios
#6

hw version has hardware render support (OpenGL and Vulkan), the non-hw version has only software renderer.

1 Like
#7

I’ve been having this problem as well. What’s odd is I had this problem at first, found out it was the BIOS and fixed it so PSX was working GREAT, but then after a few days and adding a few more systems it was doing nothing but going to black screen. I have tried MANY combinations of every set of BIOS out there, tried ones with the exact MD5s listed, everything I can. The only thing I could get was one set of BIOS would give a slight audio crackle at the start but then nothing. I have even tried a full reinstall so I really don’t know what it could be. Has the Mednafen PSX core been updated in the last few days?

#8

So only the scph5500 had both the MD5 and SHA-256 being correct. I’ll try to find other versions of those BIOS files and retry.

Edit: problem solved !

#9

How you solved the issue? I having the same problems with mednafen.

#10

It was incorrect BIOS images.

1 Like