recalboxOS - emulation platform for RPi and RPi2

[DigitalLumberjack]

Hi all,



I worked on a project called http://www.recalbox.com for a while now.

It's yet an other system for the Raspberry Pi which support up to 17 emulated systems. The system has been created in order to create a retrogaming console, so it only has controller support, no keyboard in games.

I wanted to create a system easily installable and updatable. You just have to copy distribution unzipped files on a fat32 formatted SD card. Then boot your pi and follow the instructions.
The update entry of the frontend menu update the whole system according to the last version online, keeping your saves, roms and files.

Download on https://github.com/digitalLumberjack/re ... /releases/

Please read the wiki and the manual, you'll find answers to your questions, and more.

UPDATE v3.3.0-beta1 :

• - Added Wonderswan Color libretro emulator
  - Added Lutro libretro core (LUA framework)
  - Added NeoGeo as a separated system
  - Added NeoGeo Pocket Color libretro emulator
  - Added Vectrex libretro emulator
  - Added Game And Watch libretro emulator
  - Added Lynx libretro emulator
  - Added PRBoom libretro
  - Added SuperGrafx libretro core
  - Added NXengine libretro core (cavestory)
  - Added Atari 7800 libretro emulator
  - Added Tgbdual libretro core
  - Patched kernel to support retrobit controllers
  - Patched kernel to support xin-mo controllers
  - Patched kernel to support 4NES4SNES controllers
  - Patched kernel to fix the blinking xbox led. Only on rpi2
  - Added gpu_mem for 256mo rpi1
  - Unified the branches rpi and rpi2
  - Updated buildroot sources
  - Added libretro cheats
  - Added favorites to emulationstation (from kaptainkia es modifications)
  - Added mk_arcade_joystick_rpi with one more button
  - Added adafruit-retrogame utility
  - Added recalbox-configgen support
  - Added sixad driver choice
  - Added hostname in recalbox.conf
  - Added recalbox-system (recalbox.arch file)
  - Changed bash as default shell
  - Corrected update system
  - Added Miroof's Virtual Gamepads
  - Added silent install

UPDATE v3.2.9 :

• - Added fba emulator switch
  - Added snes9x, catsfc, pocketsnes switch
  - Added virtualboy platform
  - Fixed : buttons on axis in retroarch config
  - Added timestamps in logs
  - Fixed xboxdrv pacakge
  - Bumbep to Kodi-14.2-rc1
  - Added clrmame info and dat files for mame and fba
  - Added fbalibretro system
  - Added italian translation

UPDATE V-3.2.5 :

• - Refactored the boot system
  - added /recalbox/share/system/recalbox.conf for fine tuning (see recalbox.conf wiki)
  - Support db9 and gamecon drivers from recalbox.conf
  - Add wifi config from recalbox.conf
  - Add language and keyboard selection from recalbox.conf
  - Added xboxdrv binary
  - Fixed ntfs support

UPDATE V-3.2.4 :
- Youtube support in Kodi

UPDATE V-3.2.3 :
- Full Kodi package (extensions should work)
- Added game ratio option in system settings
- Added L2 + R2 + second Joystick support in controller configuration
- Added usb mass storage support for kodi
- Added wifi dongle drivers
- Added .z64 support for N64
- Added autoconfig for GPIO controllers
- Corrected mk_arcade_joystick-rpi on RPi2
- Added NTP (timezone in next release)

I need your feedbacks
UPDATE V-3.2.0 :

• - added scummvm (see the wiki https://github.com/digitalLumberjack/re ... mmvm-games)
  - added kodi media center (press X in frontend)
  - corrected network issue
  - added wifi support and wifi configuration in frontend
  - added keyboard support when no gamepad
  - removed overclock totally from fresh install. Use the overclock setting to pass to extrem (void warranty but awesome result)

FEATURES :

- Supports Atari 2600, Atari 7800, NES, Game Boy, Game Boy color, Game Boy Advance, Super Nintendo, Famicom Disk System, Master System, Megadrive (Genesis), Gamegear, Game and Watch, Lynx, NeoGeo, NeoGeo Pocket, FBA (subset), iMame4all (subset), PCEngine, Supergrafx, MSX1/2, PSX, Sega Cd, Sega 32X, Sega SG1000, Playstation, ScummVM, Vectrex, VirtualBoy, Wonderswan
- Build with buildroot, so the root file system is only 150MB compressed.
- Rescue system based on NOOBS : reinstall directly from your sd card or get the last version from the web
- Wifi
- Online update
- Network access to rom folder, screenshots, saves
- Controller configuration in the frontend : configure once, play everywhere
- Background frontend music
- PS3, Xbox360, 8BitDo and Bluetooth built-in support (associate a controller and play)
- French, English, Spanish, German, Italian and Portugues, maybe other to come if you participate
- Frontend based on the great EmulationStation2 by Aloshi
- FBA optimized version with 4 player support
- Packaged GPIO drivers, for arcade controls, or original Nes, Snes, Megadrive, PSX controllers, XinMo 2 players
- Favorite feature
- Miroof's Virtual Gamepad support (use your phone as a controller)


MANUAL :
French : https://github.com/digitalLumberjack/re ... e-%28FR%29
English (very sorry for the translation) : https://github.com/digitalLumberjack/re ... l-%28EN%29
Portugues : https://github.com/digitalLumberjack/re ... l-%28PT%29
Do not hesitate to correct me by commenting.

INSTALLATION :
You can install the recalboxOS on a fat32 formatted sd card. Download recalboxOS.zip from https://github.com/digitalLumberjack/re ... ses/latest and copy all unzipped files to your sd.

Then boot your rpi and install the recalboxOS !

If you wired the ethernet cable, you will see on your network the recalbox sharing roms folder. Copy your unzipped roms in corresponding folders. You can also remove your sd card and add roms directly from your pc sd reader, in the SHARE partition.

Reboot the recalbox.

If you have a ps3 controller, plug it with an usb wire in the recalbox, wait 10 seconds, and unplug. The controller should be detected.

If you want to use an USB controller, plug an usb keyboard, press ENTER, then go to "Configure Inputs", and use S to accept. Use S again to launch the controller configuration, and follow instructions.

Use Q to go back.

You can now navigate in the frontend and play games with your controller.

SOURCES :
The recalbox-os is a meta project for documentation and releases :
https://github.com/digitalLumberjack/recalbox-os

You have 3 sub projects composing the whole system :
- recalbox-emulationstation :
https://github.com/digitalLumberjack/re ... ionstation (branch recalbox-buildroot)
Based on the Aloshi awesome emulationstation 2, the frontend has been a little modified to have ogg bg music, language selection, update support and controller configuration. Thank you for the great work pal. I can't wait to merge your db game branch

- recalbox buildroot :
https://github.com/digitalLumberjack/recalbox-buildroot (branch recalbox)
Based on the rmaz awesome emulator-buildroot, the recalbox system can be build from sources from the above url.
The fact that it is based on buildroot make the system very light and optimized.
I know some of you guys are working on your buildroot system : you may be interested by package/libretro-* packages

- recalbox rescue :
https://github.com/digitalLumberjack/recalbox-rescue (branch recalbox)
Based on the awesome NOOBS from rpi team, the recalbox rescue allows you to easily install recalboxOS and have a rescue partition, just in case
If you wire an ethernet cable, it will check if a new version is available from the net.

BUG REPORT AND ENHANCEMENT

If you find a bug or have a good idea please post an issue on :
https://github.com/digitalLumberjack/recalbox-os/issues


TRANSLATION

If you want to participate in the translation of the frontend, you can download the french translation file, and change all msgstr entry, basing the translation on the english msgid corresponding.

https://github.com/digitalLumberjack/re ... tation2.po

Then either you make a pull request with the source and compiled file (msgfmt command linux) or you send me the .po file by email. I'll take care of the integration.


TODO :
- test other usb controllers brands
- pcsx_rearmed runs very slow, must change compilation script

[mgoulart]

Very nice project!

I saw on libretro.com some news about RetroArch 1.1.
Is there any plans to update retroboxOS after RetroArch 1.1 launch?

[KitchUK]

I saw the blog on Libretro about the RetroArch 1.1. They also mentioned CatSFC Snes emulator that should hopefully run better for the Raspberry Pi.

Very interesting.

[DigitalLumberjack]

Hi, yes of course it will be integrated when it will be released, retrobox already uses last retroarch sources.

https://github.com/libretro/CATSFC-libretro/ is already here but with the overclocked config that comes with retroboxOS, the snes emulation is already really smooth !

[dan3008]

oooo new distro to try

looks really good

[mgoulart]

About the translation to the other languages, if it's a process that won't need code programming. I can help with Portuguese!

[DigitalLumberjack]

Ok good i'll post the process to create translation files !

[DigitalLumberjack]

Ho yeah and i compiled the kernel with joystick support and many usb joystick drivers, but please report any non working usb controller !

[DigitalLumberjack]

mgoulart i edited the first message to add translation instructions.

[mgoulart]

Done!

How I send the file?

[DigitalLumberjack]

digitallumberjack@retrobox.fr

[mgoulart]

Please, check your mail box!

[expandables]

Thanks will try

[expandables]

HI what is the SSH password?

[DigitalLumberjack]

Hi there is no password. You can't connect throught ssh without creating a root password.

You can access a terminal by pressing ALT+F2 with an usb keyboard and enter "root" in the login prompt.

From there, you can create a password for root with passwd, but you won't have emulationstation booting at startup.

Don't forget it's a buildroot based system, you have only some commands available, no package manager, no compiler etc...

[DigitalLumberjack]

Thank to you mgoulart, the new release is now available in Portugues !
https://github.com/digitalLumberjack/re ... tag/v2.6.6

[mgoulart]

If it's possible I would like to translate the manual to Portuguese. But I will take more time to do it.

[expandables]

Hi how can i put my own background music?

[mgoulart]

Hi,

I found a mispell on the translation! (Sorry about that! )
Can I send a new file?

Is there any possibility to edit es_systems.cfg? Because I saw that the only extension allowed to use on Atari 2600 is .a26 but it's possible to use .bin changing by es_systems.cfg!

[mgoulart]

Two more things!

Is it normal to take so long to start Emulation Station when I copy some roms on SD card?

And I'm getting a problem when I try to copy all my roms to the SHARE partition, it's saying that I don't have enough space but I have 27GB free and my roms have 16GB. I'm copying my roms through my computer, inserting the sd card on my sd reader and transfering the files on SHARE partition.

[DigitalLumberjack]

Hi pals,

expendables you can change background music by modifyiing ogg files in /root/.emulationstation/themes/simplesvg/[yourtheme]/sounds/system.ogg either by ssh if you changed root password, or by pluggin the sd on a linux computer.

mgoulart you can update your system from the menu, i changed the es_setting files to accept bin extension. Tell me if all is ok

But if you want to modify some files by your own, you can use what i said to expendables.

Don't forget that if you modify existing files, your files will be overwritten when you will make an update.

For the size issue, i have no idea what it could be. I imagine you don't have file > 4GB ?

[mgoulart]

Is there a way to choose the audio output (HDMI or P2)? I'm trying to force my RPi to use P2!

[mgoulart]

And I think that a solved the problem about the space on my sd card! My Mame folder has (70k files) and Fat32 has a limit of files inside the folder!

[DigitalLumberjack]

And I think that a solved the problem about the space on my sd card! My Mame folder has (70k files) and Fat32 has a limit of files inside the folder!

Good to know

If you want to force audio output try to edit config.txt in the boot partition and remove hdmi_drive=2. I'm not sure of that though.

[mgoulart]

Just for our knowledge, maximum number of files in a single folder on Fat32: 65,534