PS2 OPL SND TEST

[uyjulian]

I know it. But the sound resources from the SCPH-10000 and 15000 models are easily extractable, instead of the SNDIMAGE ones, which looks like are somehow packed.

The files are copyrighted, so we can't easily distribute them with open-source projects.

However, other sounds are fine.

 

[Agrippa]

But you can access them directly on the every console, don't you? Instead of taking up the space with external sounds.

 

[jolek]

I think that this question was answered here:
http://www.psx-place.com/threads/open-ps2-loader-v0-9-3.13415/page-5#post-133773.

 

[uyjulian]

But you can access them directly on the every console, don't you? Instead of taking up the space with external sounds.

Not every console. Some consoles do not have the resource files in their ROMs.

 

[sp193]

I think it is not a good idea to try to access board-specific files. Those sound files are different or sometimes don't exist because their existence depends on the browser that the console had.
We have older homebrew software that are incompatible with the less-common PS2s because they use board-specific files without handling the possibility that they do not exist or are incompatible.

The SCPH-10000 & SCPH-15000 came with the original OSD. Newer PS2s have "OSD2" instead (the EEPROM bit that indicates whether the unit was run once, is known as the "osd2 init" bit), which is characterized by the significantly different code structure and modules in ROM, additional icons and support for the newer console models (support for boot certification and DVD player).
Even if the files exist, they were still just not meant for external use as their existences were not documented. They can also be changed between releases.That browser was also being reworked over the years, I'm sure (the newer ROMs don't seem to have the file you mention).

Most other (lesser-common) forms of PlayStation 2 consoles do not have any form of the common OSD - like the PSX, the Namco System 246 or the TOOL.

 

[Krah]

Instead of taking up the space with external sounds

I don't see the hubub about space anyway, sure in 2010 storage space was much more limited but these days you can get a 32gb USB at the grocery store for like $7AUD or a 2TB external HDD for $65AUD down from $200 2 years ago...Even SSDs are reasonably priced now.. I don't understand the fuss about KBs of data.

Maybe these things aren't as easily obtained in other parts of the world and that's why I don't get it?

(Not trying to be rude at all I'm just genuinely confused about why this is a concern in 2018)

 

[sp193]

(Not trying to be rude at all I'm just genuinely confused about why this is a concern in 2018)

I think the idea is that the sounds that Sony provided were not bad and can be seen as an easy source of sounds. Although using it would also mean that the product will sound like a Sony product.

 

[Krah]

Ah fair enough, I can see why some would like it to sound 'official' .. the sounds on most/all sce consoles are nice

 

[TnA]

2 days ago, MediaMarkt sold a 200GB SanDisk Micro SDXC for 33€ (40€ now)... Given the fact, that they still earn some money from it, I can only agree that memory-prices have fallen ridiculously...

Oh... And an external 4TB USB3.0 HDD costed 79€ last year... (@MediaMarkt)

 

[RivalK93]

Edit: Almost forgot, @RivalK93 I'm using your 'cancel' sound (if that's cool)

Sure, it's cool!

I'll give it a week or so for bug reports, if no issues are found I'll do a pull request after that.

• Animation-playback timing is perfect, no sound skips. (Except for when pressing rename and back multiple times really fast (because of long message sound effect), but WHY would anyone do this?? Plus it does not break anything or feels off. So i guess it is not important. I think I would leave it as it is too.)
• I noticed that in your builds made from the sfx-merge branch when i select "Start HDL Server" from the Menu (using a PS2 slim, so it should not start), the whole application freezes at "HDL Server Starting..." without printing a "Failed to start HDL Server" message when it fails. And you have to restart the console from there on. And I have not the slightest idea why this would happen because i do not own an original network adapter for my fat consoles and i have not used this feature. So if anyone uses it please make a test.
• Next is that when OPL (ifcaro, ps2-home DB) is initializing, showing only OPL's splash screen and loading icon, the user is able to explore the Menu options even though it is not being displayed. And enter the options, e.g. "Settings", "Display settings", which are then displayed over the splash screen and if they are still on display by the time OPL is ready to fade out the splash screen, it causes OPL to freeze. Note that the buttons used to explore the Menu screen are D-pad Up and Down, Cross, Circle ans Start. In your sfx-merge builds if you press any of those buttons during initialization it causes OPL to instantly freeze (without even displaying anything more). I think it is caused because it should play a sound if you press any of these buttons and OPL is not ready to. So it freezes. It is not happening with any other build i found, ifcaro, ps2-home DB, or even your gui final build. So that is my guess. IMO the user should not have the option to press any buttons until OPL is ready to fade out the splash screen. So if input was (somehow) to be disabled until that time this should fix the issues in all of these builds.

Boot up sound isn't amazing but the idea was to keep it simple, this doesn't even have to be the one that gets compiled in if anyone is able to provide a better & suitable royalty free one...but its taking a long time to try find/make one so this is it for now.

I agree, boot sound is not amazing. I have found an other option which i tested and i really like! And i can also explain why. It is simple, has nice stereo sound, it is still short, creative commons licensed, not genre specific and it has the epicness i need when i boot such a kick-ass homebrew project! I cannot post the link here, the site will not let me, but "WelcomeToWhatever" from eardeer on freesound org is the sound. But it is not the one i used to test how it sounds. I choped up the dead waveform and made (mainly) the first half shorter in duration. It starts playing when the splash screen fade out starts and happens to "burst" exactly(!) the moment splashscreen is completely out. It is just perfect. This guy has done an amazing job. According to the cc licence i am free to share and adapt this sound, so here is the one i finally used and propose:

 

[Krah]

I noticed that in your builds made from the sfx-merge branch when i select "Start HDL Server" from the Menu (using a PS2 slim, so it should not start), the whole application freezes at "HDL Server Starting..." without printing a "Failed to start HDL Server" message when it fails. And you have to restart the console from there on. And I have not the slightest idea why this would happen because i do not own an original network adapter for my fat consoles and i have not used this feature. So if anyone uses it please make a test.

I guess this is in regards to what @sp193 said about syncing audio with the main thread in that audio playback needs to be stopped when 'launching a game, starting hdl server or quitting opl'. I thought it was only related to BGM but it seems SFX needs to do this also.

Next is that when OPL (ifcaro, ps2-home DB) is initializing, showing only OPL's splash screen and loading icon, the user is able to explore the Menu options even though it is not being displayed. And enter the options, e.g. "Settings", "Display settings", which are then displayed over the splash screen and if they are still on display by the time OPL is ready to fade out the splash screen, it causes OPL to freeze. Note that the buttons used to explore the Menu screen are D-pad Up and Down, Cross, Circle ans Start. In your sfx-merge builds if you press any of those buttons during initialization it causes OPL to instantly freeze (without even displaying anything more). I think it is caused because it should play a sound if you press any of these buttons and OPL is not ready to. So it freezes. It is not happening with any other build i found, ifcaro, ps2-home DB, or even your gui final build. So that is my guess. IMO the user should not have the option to press any buttons until OPL is ready to fade out the splash screen. So if input was (somehow) to be disabled until that time this should fix the issues in all of these builds.

Hmm yea it'd be because it's trying to play sounds before the modules are loaded. I had no idea you could navigate menus while the intro is displayed. Might just be as simple as removing the call to readPads() from the intro function, not in front of my PC so this is just from memory trying to think what is in there.. I'll try play with it.

As for the boot sound I'll have to look at it later but thanks for given an alternative, kids are sick so I can't really get on the PC.

Thanks for your time testing and reporting!

All the best.

 

[Krah]

Ok new version

• fix running hdl server (along side sfx)
• fix user (to stop) being able to navigate menus during init
• new boot sound provided by @Tupakaveli

Thanks to:
@jolek @NewFile @RivalK93 @sandungas @sp193 @TnA @Tupakaveli @Vedita BR

and anyone else who showed interest who I might be forgetting thanks guys.

 

[TnA]

It seems to work well, but has some kind of theme-reset-issue... On another note, I ran into a freeze, when I changed my network-settings.

Oh! ...and I really like that the boot-sound is atleast working the way it does (even tho' not during the logo).

This thing should really be configurable via the theme's config, to link to a new boot-sound...

I think pretty much all sfx-related paths/links, should be in the theme's config (or at least a function to search for a SND-folder in the theme's folder, if the themes config's entry [to turn the theme's sounds, instead of the internal sounds on] is set to '1') and solely some basic functions defined in OPL's main-config!

 

[Krah]

It seems to work well, but has some kind of theme-reset-issue... On another note, I ran into a freeze, when I changed my network-settings.

can anyone else confirm these issues?
I'm not having any problems changing themes or network settings with v1.0.

Oh! ...and I really like that the boot-sound is atleast working the way it does (even tho' not during the logo).

This thing should really be configurable via the theme's config, to link to a new boot-sound...

I think pretty much all sfx-related paths/links, should be in the theme's config (or at least a function to search for a SND-folder in the theme's folder, if the themes config's entry [to turn the theme's sounds, instead of the internal sounds on] is set to '1') and solely some basic functions defined in OPL's main-config!

Its already customizable, someone else in the future can look into per-theme sfx I already said I won't be looking into this. Not because I think its a bad idea or anything, I honestly wouldn't know where to even start so I think its better left up to someone more capable.

 

[TnA]

IMO, that's probably easier to implement, than most of the other things you are working on .

The first needed thing would be a more flexible pathing... (which would be needed for per game-sfx/BGM as well)


Overall, I like how SFX are finally working... The implementation seems to be merge-ready.

I would prefer a separate loudness-slider for the boot-sound tho'.

 

[jolek]

These are only my suggestions\issues:

1. Why not by default enable sound-sfx?
   I mean this is a test sound OPL.
   Currently to enable sound-sfx, I've to turn it on in settings and save these setting if I want to have e.g. boot-sound.
   Which I don't like like, because I don't know how these setting will react with others builds (e.g. OPL 1200).
   
   
2. Is there a chance that boot-sound can initialize quicker (when OPL logo pops, not after)?
   Maybe currently it works that way, because it OPL needs to load\read setting, when it found that sound has been enabled,
   then it "allows" boot-sound to be played.
   
   
3. I have couple freezes (probably random).
   E.g. I enabled sounds, change V-mode (720p), launch Max Payne, IGR, launch OPL, enable sounds, change V-mode (720p)
   and after that OPL freezes.

I meantime I can test themes.

BTW @TnA I do not fully understand what means:

I ran into a freeze, when I changed my network-settings.

You have changed default setting and after that OPL freezes?

 

[Krah]

Why not by default enable sound-sfx?
I mean this is a test sound OPL.
Currently to enable sound-sfx, I've to turn it on in settings and save these setting if I want to have e.g. boot-sound.
Which I don't like like, because I don't know how these setting will react with others builds (e.g. OPL 1200).

Good point, that's fair enough I'll enable it by default for the test builds.

Is there a chance that boot-sound can initialize quicker (when OPL logo pops, not after)?
Maybe currently it works that way, because it OPL needs to load\read setting, when it found that sound has been enabled,
then it "allows" boot-sound to be played.

Unfortunately no (I too would like to have it when the logo first appears), the boot sound is played immediately after the modules are loaded so playing the sound any sooner causes the console to freeze.

I have couple freezes (probably random).
E.g. I enabled sounds, change V-mode (720p), launch Max Payne, IGR, launch OPL, enable sounds, change V-mode (720p)
and after that OPL freezes.

Thanks, I'll try fix it this evening..Pretty sure I know what the issue is.

Thanks for your suggestions/report

 

[jolek]

Unfortunately no (I too would like to have it when the logo first appears), the boot sound is played immediately after the modules are loaded so playing the sound any sooner causes the console to freeze.

What do you think about extend OPL logo display time?
I mean currently OPL logo shows for about 2-3 sec (maybe even 5, I don't remember).
The logo can disappear after boot-sound will ends.

Thanks, I'll try fix it this evening..Pretty sure I know what the issue is.

Thanks for support.

Thanks for your suggestions/report

Well... I hope it was a suggestions not cheap shots.

 

[Tupakaveli]

I think the amount of time the logo is displayed for varies depending on whether you have a device set to automatically start, what device it is and also the size.

E.g. When I boot OPL with my 2Tb main internal HDD the logo is displayed for longer than when I boot it with my 40Gb test internal HDD.

EDIT: Well I tested it and it scans the device for games before the modules are loaded and the sound is played so it should always play it at the same point before the logo fades.

2 sec delay should do the trick.

 

[Krah]

@jolek
I don't have Max Payne so I couldn't do an exact replica of your situation but I tested several other games, IGR back to browser, boot OPL etc I didn't have any freezes. Hopefully this fixes the problem.

Well... I hope it was a suggestions not cheap shots.

not at all mate, I'd rather know now and try fix it instead of after a pull request