Nekotaku
29-05-2008, 11:54
For all you emulation fans out there, give us your thoughts on various Playstation emulators and what you like best.
I started off with ePSXe, which is an excellent choice. Unfortunately, it has almost as many problems as qualities. For starters, it uses a plugin-based system for graphics and sound processing as well as disc reading (which is best done from a virtually mounted disk using Daemon Tools). The main problem is that finding a plugin combo which will do everything perfectly is seriously difficult. Strange though it may seem, there's a correlation between sound and graphics, since one needs to be synchronised to the other. As a result, some combinations will play FMV too fast, while others run just the right speed but have stuttering in the sound at points. For reliability a software renderer for graphics is the best choice (although you'll sacrifice such things as texture filtering) and the Eternal SPU sound plugin is a good choice either (using SPUasync mode). Another notable problem is that often you'll find the music running just a tad too slow. Hard to notice when you only use this emulator, but compare it to play on the original hardware or another emulator and you'll find out.
PCSX and PSXeven are two other emulators using plugins (and use the same ones as ePSXe). Of these, I'd say PCSX is slightly superior. With my favourite plugin combos it avoids some issues of ePSXe, playing music at the right speed and not making a mess of smoothing out SPUasync in sound. Unfortunately, it's a discontinued project. While very complete, the only way some issue will be resolved is if you or someone else does it (it is open-source, after all). The development went over to PCSX2, a PS2 emulator. Unfortunately this is the way some PSone emulators go, which is a shame since I value correct PSone emulation much higher than that of the PS2, and the latter will be harder to attain for the moment. Even though current hardware should be able to handle it, waiting an extra generation couldn't hurt. PSXeven is pretty much on the same level as PCSX. Development is inactive at the moment, though. It's another sturdy emulator.
Finally there's PSX, a one-man project and quite a feat. The author strives to emulate the original PSone hardware as accurately as possible. This means a complete lack of plugin system and no graphical superiority, but also a high compatibility rate and overall accuracy in emulation. The downside is that when something's not running quite well there's nothing you can do about it. It's a good choice if you're not uppity about making everything look better, though, and the emulator I'm keeping the closest eye on. Right now some work on PS2 emulation is being done for it. I hope this won't mean like in other cases that the further refinement of PSone emulation will be overlooked. It's indeed a bore working on a single project for years, but having a completely finished and tuned emulator would be wonderful.
So, that's my overview of what I use for PSone emulation. Do you use any other emulators? What is your experience in this field? Are you annoyed by small glitches or do you take them for what they are?
I started off with ePSXe, which is an excellent choice. Unfortunately, it has almost as many problems as qualities. For starters, it uses a plugin-based system for graphics and sound processing as well as disc reading (which is best done from a virtually mounted disk using Daemon Tools). The main problem is that finding a plugin combo which will do everything perfectly is seriously difficult. Strange though it may seem, there's a correlation between sound and graphics, since one needs to be synchronised to the other. As a result, some combinations will play FMV too fast, while others run just the right speed but have stuttering in the sound at points. For reliability a software renderer for graphics is the best choice (although you'll sacrifice such things as texture filtering) and the Eternal SPU sound plugin is a good choice either (using SPUasync mode). Another notable problem is that often you'll find the music running just a tad too slow. Hard to notice when you only use this emulator, but compare it to play on the original hardware or another emulator and you'll find out.
PCSX and PSXeven are two other emulators using plugins (and use the same ones as ePSXe). Of these, I'd say PCSX is slightly superior. With my favourite plugin combos it avoids some issues of ePSXe, playing music at the right speed and not making a mess of smoothing out SPUasync in sound. Unfortunately, it's a discontinued project. While very complete, the only way some issue will be resolved is if you or someone else does it (it is open-source, after all). The development went over to PCSX2, a PS2 emulator. Unfortunately this is the way some PSone emulators go, which is a shame since I value correct PSone emulation much higher than that of the PS2, and the latter will be harder to attain for the moment. Even though current hardware should be able to handle it, waiting an extra generation couldn't hurt. PSXeven is pretty much on the same level as PCSX. Development is inactive at the moment, though. It's another sturdy emulator.
Finally there's PSX, a one-man project and quite a feat. The author strives to emulate the original PSone hardware as accurately as possible. This means a complete lack of plugin system and no graphical superiority, but also a high compatibility rate and overall accuracy in emulation. The downside is that when something's not running quite well there's nothing you can do about it. It's a good choice if you're not uppity about making everything look better, though, and the emulator I'm keeping the closest eye on. Right now some work on PS2 emulation is being done for it. I hope this won't mean like in other cases that the further refinement of PSone emulation will be overlooked. It's indeed a bore working on a single project for years, but having a completely finished and tuned emulator would be wonderful.
So, that's my overview of what I use for PSone emulation. Do you use any other emulators? What is your experience in this field? Are you annoyed by small glitches or do you take them for what they are?