CoolCV emulator for Mac OS X, Linux, Windows and Raspberry

[Jeremy Rhodes]

On 8/17/2020 at 1:24 PM, Lord Helmet said:

I've been using coolcv for a while on my retropie box and its just fantastic! Over the weekend i upgraded to a Pi4 and I don't see it available for install. I'm assuming that its not compatible yet with the Pi4?

I just want coolcv to be compatible with pi4/400. I miss it so much. lr-bluemsx is just not the same

[+nanochess]

19 hours ago, Jeremy Rhodes said:

I just want coolcv to be compatible with pi4/400. I miss it so much. lr-bluemsx is just not the same

The download for Retropie with Pi4 is in the first post (coolcv_retroarch)

[Pixelboy]

On 7/24/2015 at 6:42 PM, nanochess said:

 

That's a little more complicated

If not a menu at the top of the screen, perhaps a right-click pop-up menu, which pauses the emulator and lets the user select "Open ROM" in a list? You could also add "Settings" in that pop-up menu, and let the user access some configuration options.

 

Just my two cents. 

 

EDIT: Oops, I just realized I replied to an old post from 2015!  

Edited March 13, 2023 by Pixelboy

[Captain Cozmos]

Being is that this is 30 pages long and I did not see in the beginning as one of the requirements, I will share my experience.

 

Last night, my explorer crashed after one of Microsoft's wonderful forced updates.  Me, being smarter than them has everything backed up daily to one of my two private servers.

I reinstalled windows just to find out CoolCV was the only emulator giving me issues.

First I thought it was a PAL vs NTSC thing but that did not pan out because every other emulator which ran Colecovision software worked no matter what.

So I went through the usual addon's like the VC++ libraries up until 2023 and still nothing.

Low and behold, at least as far as Windows 11, It worked properly only after I installed DirectX 9.  Now everything is back to normal.

So, that seems to be a requirement folks, just FYI.  If you have a different experience then feel free to share, I am always eager to learn.
What is concerning is that you need a library from 20 years ago to get this thing working and from what I understand, CoolCV is not being updated for Windows anytime soon.

This is not knocking the program by any means, what I am saying is that these things need to be updated for modern OS's and screen resolutions, otherwise you are going to end up running your favorite emulator inside an emulator of an old PC.


O3 Cozmos

Edited November 17, 2023 by Captain Cozmos

[Lord Helmet]

On 3/13/2023 at 12:34 PM, nanochess said:

The download for Retropie with Pi4 is in the first post (coolcv_retroarch)

got this up and running yesterday! Thank you so much for getting it working with Libretro too!

[big_guitar]

Hi, does anyone know how to configure retroarch.cfg (Linux-ARM) to enable the right analog stick for retropad controllers with CoolCV?  Either that, or point me to good documentation for properly understanding all the rertroarch.cfg parameters?  Currently, the behavior I'm experiencing with CoolCV on this platform is as follows (see blue text).  Thank you for any feedback!

 

Edited December 27, 2023 by big_guitar

[big_guitar]

Ok, for GSP Retroarch, I got most of these set to match (coolCV + freeintv) except for the triggers and right analog. It's a closed environment, we can't interact with the Retroarch menu with a keyboard currently, but can edit cfg files deployed via SD card.

 

If I set right x plus minus +2/-2

And right y plus minus +3/-3, the right analog only records #2 and #8 moving the right stick left and right, nothing recorded up or down. Oddly this setting assigns #6 to the left trigger as well, so I currently have no idea how to properly configure these in an ideal manner so far.

[big_guitar]

ok got right analog good on Linux arm (retroarch), but proper recognition of L2/R2 and L3/R3 still a problem.  Still searching for settings, painful since unable to run the Retroarch menu properly.

[big_guitar]

On 1/1/2024 at 2:22 PM, big_guitar said:

proper recognition of L2/R2 and L3/R3 still a problem

I can only assign L3/R3 using a core remap file but only after requiring the main config to have proper values 317/318 for L3/R3, can't say the same for the triggers. But I think there are inherent issues with L2/R2 for this libretro core on Linux ARM with Retroarch unfortunately. Other cores for this platform recognize L2/R2 with matching axis settings of +2/+5, does not take with freeintv either as far as I can tell.

[big_guitar]

OK so I think the issue is that the provided COOLCV LINUX-ARM Retroarch build includes shared features from a buggy version of FREEINTV where the triggers do not work (such as what exists on the outdated libretro.com ARM libraries).

 

I found a newer build of FREEINTV that fixes the trigger problems for LINUX-ARM, so it's likely that CoolCV needs a similar bug fix to resolve the trigger problems.

[Bartsfam]

On 11/16/2023 at 11:03 PM, Captain Cozmos said:

Being is that this is 30 pages long and I did not see in the beginning as one of the requirements, I will share my experience.

 

Last night, my explorer crashed after one of Microsoft's wonderful forced updates.  Me, being smarter than them has everything backed up daily to one of my two private servers.

I reinstalled windows just to find out CoolCV was the only emulator giving me issues.

First I thought it was a PAL vs NTSC thing but that did not pan out because every other emulator which ran Colecovision software worked no matter what.

So I went through the usual addon's like the VC++ libraries up until 2023 and still nothing.

Low and behold, at least as far as Windows 11, It worked properly only after I installed DirectX 9.  Now everything is back to normal.

So, that seems to be a requirement folks, just FYI.  If you have a different experience then feel free to share, I am always eager to learn.
What is concerning is that you need a library from 20 years ago to get this thing working and from what I understand, CoolCV is not being updated for Windows anytime soon.

This is not knocking the program by any means, what I am saying is that these things need to be updated for modern OS's and screen resolutions, otherwise you are going to end up running your favorite emulator inside an emulator of an old PC.


O3 Cozmos

Thanks Captain!

Unfortunately, I found your solution after skimming all 30 pages. 

Mine was running very slow and the sound was crackling and horrible.

To everyone.  For Windows 11, install DirectX 9, and all will be well!

[Jess Ragan]

Does this emulator come with an interface of any kind? Dragging files onto the emulator to get them to start is not really the way I'd like to use this. I'd use BlueMSX instead, but that comes with its own frustrations.

[+nanochess]

On 2/28/2024 at 9:06 PM, Jess Ragan said:

Does this emulator come with an interface of any kind? Dragging files onto the emulator to get them to start is not really the way I'd like to use this. I'd use BlueMSX instead, but that comes with its own frustrations.

Sorry no. As I was working with macOS, I found it was too daunting a ton of work needed to get a UI working on macOS.

 

 

[big_guitar]

Hi, a couple questions: 

• Any chance we can get the L2/R2 trigger issue looked at for the Retroarch-Linux-Arm version of CoolCV and recompiled? (trigger actions not recognized)
  At one point the same issue existed on FreeIntv, but the latest builds of FreeIntv corrected the issue and L2/R2 actions are now recognized.
   
• Does anyone know if there's a way to get Paddle controllers recognized with the RA-linux-arm (libretro) versions of CoolCV or FreeIntv? 
  It could be that the core has to be designed to support particular controller alternatives, so not very hopeful with that one.

Thank you!

Edited April 2 by big_guitar

[+nanochess]

3 hours ago, big_guitar said:

Hi, a couple questions: 

• Any chance we can get the L2/R2 trigger issue looked at for the Retroarch-Linux-Arm version of CoolCV and recompiled? (trigger actions not recognized)
  At one point the same issue existed on FreeIntv, but the latest builds of FreeIntv corrected the issue and L2/R2 actions are now recognized.
   
• Does anyone know if there's a way to get Paddle controllers recognized with the RA-linux-arm (libretro) versions of CoolCV or FreeIntv? 
  It could be that the core has to be designed to support particular controller alternatives, so not very hopeful with that one.

Thank you!

When I used the FreeIntv controller code, I didn't implement L2/R2/L3/R3 triggers, I've mapped these to Asterisk and Number sign. Also I've mapped L3 and R3 to keys 1 and 2 respectively.

 

Finally, the right trigger was mapped to movement with keypad (like in Intellivision) but my code was wrong, but as no game uses this I've mapped it to the joystick.

 

No idea about the paddles.

 

I'll compile this as soon as possible.

[+nanochess]

I just have compiled it. Please test it before I put it in the first post.

 

coolcv_retroarch_mac_pi.zip

[big_guitar]

13 hours ago, nanochess said:

I just have compiled it. Please test it before I put it in the first post.

 

coolcv_retroarch_mac_pi.zip 140.2 kB · 1 download

Thank you so much, I will try this tomorrow when I get the chance! 

 

One thing, I believe in FreeIntv, the L3 is #0 and R3 is #5, because I believe the right analog stick on it's own can select the outer numbers 1,2,3,6,9,8,7,4 (completing a full circle, 8 positions);  This leaves #0 and #5 remaining, which is why they were assigned to L3/R3.  Is it possible for you to match that?  When you said "right trigger", did you mean the right analog?  There is always the mini menu to select numbers to assign to retro button Y (#1 is default), but depending on timing/reaction concerns, being able to use the stick to select the outer numbers and then L3/R3 is a bit faster than assigning Y to a new value and then using the Y button.  Although perhaps there were more Intellivision games where those quick # button actions were required.  An example where it's helpful with INTV is Tron Deadly Discs.  If I prefer the analogs, I can use left for movement, and the right analog for shooting in a direction.  Is that what you meant when you said no CV games use this (in that type of manner)?  Thanks again! 🙂 

Edited April 3 by big_guitar

[+nanochess]

1 hour ago, big_guitar said:

Thank you so much, I will try this tomorrow when I get the chance! 

 

One thing, I believe in FreeIntv, the L3 is #0 and R3 is #5, because I believe the right analog stick on it's own can select the outer numbers 1,2,3,6,9,8,7,4 (completing a full circle, 8 positions);  This leaves #0 and #5 remaining, which is why they were assigned to L3/R3.  Is it possible for you to match that?  When you said "right trigger", did you mean the right analog?  There is always the mini menu to select numbers to assign to retro button Y (#1 is default), but depending on timing/reaction concerns, being able to use the stick to select the outer numbers and then L3/R3 is a bit faster than assigning Y to a new value and then using the Y button.  Although perhaps there were more Intellivision games where those quick # button actions were required.  An example where it's helpful with INTV is Tron Deadly Discs.  If I prefer the analogs, I can use left for movement, and the right analog for shooting in a direction.  Is that what you meant when you said no CV games use this (in that type of manner)?  Thanks again! 🙂 

I preferred to use L3 for 1 and R3 for 2 as many Colecovision games have a difficulty level selection at the start.

 

My mistake, I mean the right analog. No Colecovision game that I remember uses the keypad for directions, so I put it as a joystick.

 

I can go back and match L3 to #0 and R3 #5, and this time do correctly the right analog for keys if you like.

 

[big_guitar]

5 hours ago, nanochess said:

I preferred to use L3 for 1 and R3 for 2 as many Colecovision games have a difficulty level selection at the start.

 

My mistake, I mean the right analog. No Colecovision game that I remember uses the keypad for directions, so I put it as a joystick.

 

I can go back and match L3 to #0 and R3 #5, and this time do correctly the right analog for keys if you like.

 

If you could please, thank you!  I can try both out. I think you have the left analog already mimicking dpad/joystick? Although in the RA world, they can all be different, but with remapping I can have either analog mimick dpad.

 

Unless you have the time to get the purple and blue buttons associated with something, but I'm assuming that's likely a bit more work to get implemented. I can always use remapping to move which button does what, but there has to be an initial assignment defined. One bumper could be freed otherwise from mini menu instead of having 2 for that, and wonder if controller swap is necessary, but not sure how much effort any of that would take.

 

Edited April 3 by big_guitar

[big_guitar]

On 4/2/2024 at 10:46 AM, nanochess said:

I just have compiled it. Please test it before I put it in the first post.

 

coolcv_retroarch_mac_pi.zip 140.2 kB · 2 downloads

With this version you made yesterday, the L2 and R2 triggers did work as "*" and "#", however, I got nothing out of L3 and R3 (using Bruce's controller tester as well as the Nuvatec super controller tester).

Both left and right analog controls handled the joystick (think my controller dpad as well, all 3 handled joystick).

But in RA, there is setting where left analog can be auto-set to dupe the dpad, which might be the case currently.

Edited April 3 by big_guitar

[big_guitar]

So I checked, I did not have the analog_dpad_mode set for either analog stick, so by default, left-analog, right-analog, and d-pad all handled the joystick under Retroarch using your latest build.

 

For Retroarch, given that there's no recollection of games where timing of the keypad entry was significant, the right analog could be repurposed, such as, -Y/+Y for purple/blue buttons, [even -X/+X spinner (moves mouse)], unless the core was capable of reading a local mapping file the way you have it in the stand-alone emulator.  

 

For the coolcv_pi from your 0.6.9 zip, where does it expect the MAPPING file to be located, can it be passed on the command line?  Is it limited in terms of axis range?  Thank you!

Edited April 4 by big_guitar

[big_guitar]

It appears that coolcv_pi requires libbcm_host.so, which is considered deprecated now, but I'll see if I can obtain a version of this which could work.

Edited April 11 by big_guitar

[big_guitar]

Well I didn't have enough pi compatible stuff for that, going back to the Retroarch shared object versions.

[big_guitar]

A lot of the CV homebrews would benefit from having dedicated keypad button setting options beyond initial game selections, space shuttle, utopia, et. al., which is why I still think it's good to have that match with freeintv. The hitch there though is the lacking of purple/blue. Think it's time to tweak my CV motherboard for better graphics output.

[big_guitar]

A note on the Apr 2 build, the d-pad north-related direction actions will also fire the #1 keypad on the 2nd (opposite) controller

and south-related actions will fire #2 keypad on the 2nd controller, in addition to handling the related stick directions for the 1st controller. 

I think that's what you meant to assign to L3/R3 (#1/#2), but somehow the d-pad actions are performing double duty and hitting the 2nd controller in the process.

Using the swap function (select button) does as one might assume, north/south actions perform #1/#2 on first controller while also directions on 2nd controller.

The analog sticks don't have the issue.  No issues with d-pad east/west actions (exact right/left), only d-pad north or south related actions (6 of the 8 directions available).

Good to have the triggers though as */#, frequently used L2 to start the game over.