Snes emulators "slow" on Windows Vista/7?

nintendo_nerd · Post by **nintendo_nerd** » Sun May 31, 2009 4:59 pm

Okay, so I got the new Windows 7 RC (build 7000) and with Windows Aero (if that's what they call it) everything runs smooth and looks very sleek. On the other hand, there's classic mode as well, but it looks like XP and well, doesn't look that great. What I want to know is, why do emulators like SnesGT run choppy (looks like half speed) when it clearly says it's running at 60 frames per second? Yes I could switch to Classic Mode, but I'd prefer not to. Is there anything I can do to have the best of both worlds?

sweener2001 · Post by **sweener2001** » Sun May 31, 2009 6:39 pm

you could get the RC and not the Beta, to start off with.

RC is build 7100, i believe.

and thanks for the pc specs.

Killa B · Post by **Killa B** » Sun May 31, 2009 7:19 pm

My guess is that frameskipping is enabled; it's emulating 60fps, but displaying ~30fps.

The only thing I can think of is to look for a vsync option, and disable it. Also, just make sure you aren't wasting any CPU/RAM: close any programs you aren't using.

blackmyst · Post by **blackmyst** » Sun May 31, 2009 7:22 pm

Killa B wrote:The only thing I can think of is to look for a vsync option, and disable it.

If you're going for smooth in a 2D game, the last thing you want to do is disable vsync.

Killa B · Post by **Killa B** » Sun May 31, 2009 7:34 pm

blackmyst wrote: If you're going for smooth in a 2D game, the last thing you want to do is disable vsync.

You're right, I'd much rather have half the fps than a little bit of tearing.

I.S.T. · Post by **I.S.T.** » Sun May 31, 2009 7:37 pm

Killa B wrote:
blackmyst wrote: If you're going for smooth in a 2D game, the last thing you want to do is disable vsync.
You're right, I'd much rather have half the fps than a little bit of tearing.

To be fair, the tearing can be quite severe depending on the game, etc.

But yeah losing half the frame rate in an emulated game is a far worse problem than even the worst tearing.

nintendo_nerd · Post by **nintendo_nerd** » Sun May 31, 2009 9:32 pm

PC specs:

CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 (3.00GHz not overclocked)
RAM: 2048MB DDR2 SDRAM (PC2 6400)
GPU: eVGA GeForce GTS 250 (1024MB GDDR3)
Direct X: Direct X 11.0 (March 2009)
Shader Version: 4.0
OS: Windows 7 RC Build 7000 (not the beta release)

Emulator: SnesGT 0.230b6
On screen FPS: 60
Actual FPS: Between 45-55
Frameskip: 0

I honestly can't see why this is happening since my computer
is sufficiently powerful enough to run Windows 7. Everything else
(heck, even Grandia 3 on PCSX2 runs better than SnesGT, and that's without speed hacks) runs fine, so why doesn't this?

blackmyst · Post by **blackmyst** » Sun May 31, 2009 9:58 pm

Killa B wrote:
blackmyst wrote: If you're going for smooth in a 2D game, the last thing you want to do is disable vsync.
You're right, I'd much rather have half the fps than a little bit of tearing.

If anyone anno 2009 cannot run zsnes at 60fps (something my old pentium 500 could do) then disabling vsync would be like sticking a bandaid on a cancer tumor. Unless you're dealing with new, heavy 3D games that your system cannot possibly run at max speed anyway, disabling vsync should be the absolute last resort. Yet I see it recommended way too often on some other forums by people who think running a game at 200 fps makes it look smoother, or they just heard in a thread somewhere that "vsync lowers your framerate".

nintendo_nerd · Post by **nintendo_nerd** » Sun May 31, 2009 10:27 pm

Any suggestions on how to speed things up while running Windows Aero?

Edit 3:51PM: Isn't SnesGT direct draw based while most other emulators use D3D or OpenGL?

Awakened · Post by **Awakened** » Sun May 31, 2009 11:34 pm

Try checking both "Synchronous Update" and "CPU Sleep for sync" in the video options. That's what I have mine set to with Vista and I get a full 60 fps.

nintendo_nerd · Post by **nintendo_nerd** » Mon Jun 01, 2009 12:51 am

Hmmm....Tried that and it still isn't acting normal.

franpa · Post by **franpa** » Mon Jun 01, 2009 1:00 am

Windows 7 build 7000 is BETA! learn that before trying to fiddle with emulators. Build 7100 is the Release Candidate.

In the BIOS try disabling CPU power saving features and/or disable the motherboards automatic overclocking features (if there are any) and manually adjust things to match your hardware.

Killa B · Post by **Killa B** » Mon Jun 01, 2009 1:12 am

Wow, those are much better specs than I was exspecting.

Are you trying to run PCSX2 and SnesGT at the same time? Because other than that, I have no idea. I guess it must be a Windows 7-related bug.

Also, you do not have the RC, you have the Beta (which is what franpa said, in a way that didn't make sense).

nintendo_nerd · Post by **nintendo_nerd** » Mon Jun 01, 2009 1:21 am

Yeah, I just realized that I didn't have the RC 7100, but the beta build 7000. I've seen numerous guides on the internet that allow the upgrade without doing a re-installation, such as here: http://www.tudy.ro/2009/05/04/upgrade-w ... uild-7100/
and here: http://webtrickz.com/how-to-upgrade-win ... uild-7100/ They both have the same guides....should I trust them enough to use this loophole? But the very fact that I....that might explain the weird slowdowns, then.

funkyass · Post by **funkyass** » Mon Jun 01, 2009 2:15 am

if you just installed win7 beta, just do a clean install of win7 RC

nintendo_nerd · Post by **nintendo_nerd** » Mon Jun 01, 2009 2:30 am

But wouldn't I have to reinstall all my programs? Or rather, wouldn't I have to delete the partition and then create it again?

franpa · Post by **franpa** » Mon Jun 01, 2009 2:45 am

nintendo_nerd · Post by **nintendo_nerd** » Mon Jun 01, 2009 2:49 am

That sucks...would that other method screw things up or what?

funkyass · Post by **funkyass** » Mon Jun 01, 2009 2:55 am

Assume yes, as MS probably knows better.

adventure_of_link · Post by **adventure_of_link** » Mon Jun 01, 2009 3:04 am

franpa wrote:Windows 7 build 7100 is BETA! learn that before trying to fiddle with emulators. Build 7100 is the Release Candidate.

Build 7000 is the BETA. Build 7100 is the RC. Although in a sense, both could be considered beta.

and given windows (and almost all software in general) anyway, they're ALL betas.

franpa · Post by **franpa** » Mon Jun 01, 2009 3:25 am

damn it -_-" he knew what I meant though (afaik).

nintendo_nerd · Post by **nintendo_nerd** » Mon Jun 01, 2009 3:53 am

So, there's no way to install RC7100 without losing my stuff...*sigh*.

funkyass · Post by **funkyass** » Mon Jun 01, 2009 4:00 am

you could try backing shit up.

You haven't been running win7 for that long.

sweener2001 · Post by **sweener2001** » Mon Jun 01, 2009 4:22 am

sweener2001 wrote:you could get the RC and not the Beta, to start off with.

RC is build 7100, i believe.

and thanks for the pc specs.

why, hello second post of the thread

snkcube · Post by **snkcube** » Mon Jun 01, 2009 4:55 am

Suck it up and reinstall your programs when you upgrade to RC. It's obvious that you'll end up doing that anyway.