RetroPlayer Testing

cdu13a · 17 October 2018 08:44

While some users are happily playing their favorite retro games, using RetroPlayer on CoreELEC.
Others are unfortunately still having issues getting RetroPlayer working on their devices.

This is sadly to be expected since, CoreELEC, Kodi and all it’s new features such as RetroPlayer are still in development. Bugs and unfinished features are expected in software that is still in development.

Since none of the developers have all of the supported devices and all the possible TVs and other accessories to go with them, let alone the time to test every feature with every combination (The developers are volunteers, working in their spare time after all).

So I would like to ask for the communities help in narrowing down exactly which devices exhibit these issues.

Starting with the black screen issue that some users have been reporting.

edit: Post #27 in this thread links to a test build that may resolve the black screen issue.

All that is required to help is that you install the VRAM test from the games addons / standalone games section of the CoreELEC addon repository, run it and post your results here. There is no roms, controllers, or anything special required to be able to, just a couple minutes of your time.

To make results easier to read if you could use the following template when reporting your results it would be appreciated.

Device Tested: <device>
Image Used: <image>
DTB File Used: <dtb_file>  *
Test Pattern Visible: <yes,no,other>
Display Used: <TV,Monitor> *
Screen Resolution: <720p,1080p,2160p,etc..>
Does your Display Support: HDR or 10bit colour: <yes,no>

*(Some images don’t require a dtb file so leave blank in that case.)
*(Feel free to list an exact model if you want, but that’s not required)

Uukrul · 17 October 2018 13:22

With a fresh installation:

Device Tested: Mecool KI Pro
Image Used: CoreELEC-S905.arm-9.0-nightly_20181015
DTB File Used: gxl_p230_k1_pro.dtb
Test Pattern Visible: no
Display Used: Monitor
Screen Resolution: 1080p
Does your Display Support: HDR or 10bit colour: no

kodi logs: http://ix.io/1po8
dmesg: http://ix.io/1po9

The same happens on a Mecool M8S Pro+:

kodi logs: http://ix.io/1pog
dmesg: http://ix.io/1poi

Just to be sure it isn’t because of the monitor, I also tried the M8S Pro+ on a LG 50PV350 and got the same black screen.

Rascal · 17 October 2018 15:38

Device Tested: Mecool KIII Pro
Image Used: 8.95.3
DTB File Used: gxm_q200_k3_pro
Test Pattern Visible: No
Display Used: TV
Screen Resolution: 1080p
Does your Display Support: HDR or 10bit colour: No

My screen is black as well but when I press backspace on keyboard the configuration screen appears and I can see what I think is the test pattern. I tried changing pretty much every setting but when resuming it always goes back to black screen.

On another note, some emulators do run but others give me the same black screen.

kassak · 17 October 2018 18:23

Device Tested: Tanix TX92
Image Used: 8.95.3
DTB File Used: gxm_q200_3g
Test Pattern Visible: no
Display Used: TV (Toshiba-40HL933RK)
Screen Resolution: 1080p
Does your Display Support: no

Pattern is only visible in menu.
kodi.log (27.6 KB)

kodiwpigulce_pl · 17 October 2018 22:14

Device Tested: MECOOL M8S PRO PLUS
Image Used: nightly_20181004_relkai
DTB File Used: gxl_p212_2g.dtb
Test Pattern Visible: no
Display Used: TV
Screen Resolution: 1080p
Does your Display Support: HDR or 10bit colour: no

kaiben · 18 October 2018 09:13

Device Tested: Wetek Play 2
Image Used: CoreELEC 8.95.3
DTB File Used: The one for Wetek Play 2, do not remember name
Test Pattern Visible: yes
Display Used: TV
Screen Resolution: 1080p
Does your Display Support: HDR or 10bit colour: no

roel · 18 October 2018 11:43

Device Tested: Khadas Vim S905
Image Used: 8.95.3
DTB File Used: I should check that, can’t remember I ever added a DTB
Test Pattern Visible: other -> Visible as background in the menu, otherwise black screen
Display Used: TV
Screen Resolution: 1080p
Does your Display Support: HDR or 10bit colour: no

Goliash · 23 October 2018 07:20

Device Tested: Mini M8S II
Image Used: 8.95.3
DTB File Used: gxl_p212_1g.dtb
Test Pattern Visible: no
Display Used: TV
Screen Resolution: 1080p
Does your Display Support: HDR or 10bit colour: no

Getting black screen…

DigiTo · 25 October 2018 11:46

Device Tested: MXQ Pro 4K (S905X version)
Image Used: 8.95.3
DTB File Used: gxl_p212_1g.dtb
Test Pattern Visible: no
Display Used: TV
Screen Resolution: 1080p
Does your Display Support: HDR or 10bit colour: no

Kurkurbon · 25 October 2018 16:48

Device Tested: Mecool M8S Pro +
Image Used: CoreELEC-S905.arm-8.95.4
DTB File Used: gxl_p212_2g.dtb
Test Pattern Visible: no, only when I press back and it opens the configuration screen i can see the test pattern.
Display Used: Monitor
Screen Resolution: 1080p
Does your Display Support: HDR or 10bit colour: no

Goliash · 26 October 2018 14:47

I’ve updated to 8.95.4.1 and nothing has changed. It still doesn’t work.

djnice · 27 October 2018 12:38

Device Tested: X92 S912 (3/16)
Image Used: 8.95.4.1
DTB File Used: gxm_q200_3g
Test Pattern Visible: no
Display Used: Monitor TV (Samsung T24D391)
Screen Resolution: 1080p
Does your Display Support: HDR or 10bit colour: no

linuxlou · 27 October 2018 19:21

Device Tested: M8S Pro L S912 (3/32)
Image Used: 8.95.4.1
DTB File Used: gxm_q201_3g
Test Pattern Visible: YES
Display Used: TV (Samsung UE55KS9000TXXU )
Screen Resolution: 4K
Does your Display Support: HDR or 10bit colour:yes

wizardknight · 28 October 2018 07:14

Device Tested: A95x (S905x)
Image Used: CoreELEC 8.95.4.0
DTB File Used:  gxl_p212_1g
Test Pattern Visible: yes (for 1 emulator) 
Display Used: TV
Screen Resolution: 1080i
Does your Display Support: HDR or 10bit colour: no

Nintendo - NES / Famicon (FCEUmm) works fine. The other NES emulators all have issues, generally a black screen.

relkai · 28 October 2018 10:24

That’s probably the normal behavior. Out of all emulators for a specific system only one is working flawless for most devices. Just find the one, which doesn’t cause any problems, and stick with it.

cdu13a · 28 October 2018 19:45

@linuxlou

Since you are one of the first users with an S912 based device to report the test pattern being visible, do you mind trying the test again, and providing me a log file after running the test?

If you have time to try the “mr.boom” game addon or the nintendo emulators “Nintendo - NES / Famicon (Nestopia)” and “Nintendo - NES / Famicon (FCEUmm)”

(I can provide a legal open source nintendo game rom if you need a rom to test with.)

You don’t need to play the games, I just need to know if you get a picture when trying them.

linuxlou · 2 November 2018 15:00

Sorry for the delay here is the link to log https://paste.kodi.tv/lerejoyanu

mjkaye · 12 December 2018 14:33

Device Tested: Beelink GT1 Ultimate
Image Used: CoreELEC-S912.arm-8.95.6-S912.img
DTB File Used: gxm_q200_3g.dtb
Test Pattern Visible: only when menu displayed, black screen otherwise
Display Used: TV - Samsung QE55Q9FNA
Screen Resolution: 2160p
Does your Display Support: HDR or 10bit colour: yes and yes

cdu13a · 12 December 2018 17:45

I know it’s been a while, but mr.boom and nestopia both showed a picture and worked ok for you?

linuxlou · 13 December 2018 17:56

Hi how can I help