[KiwiSplodgeFace]

Sorry if a similar question has been posted before, but I've been looking through and haven't found anything.

I've been trying to make some recordings of me playing a couple of games on ePSXe. Afriend told me to try a program called Fraps, so I downloaded that. I've been able to use it on Mega Drive and SNES emulators, but I have problems when I try using it with ePSXe. When I start recording, the frame rate drops right down to 5, but as soon as I stop, it shoots back up to 30, and the game starts running normally again.

I've looked around the web for some other capture programs. Every program I've tried up to this point does OK with capturing the video, but doesn't capture the audio. All of the configs only give me the option of using a microphone as the capture device, rather than what's coming from the actual system.

So, is there anything in particular I can do with Fraps or the ePSXe plugin settings to sort this out, or, if possible, can anybody suggest another program that will record the video as well as the audio?

Here's my system specs:

Intel Core2 Duo T5450 - 1.67GHz
ATI Radeon Mobility HD2400
3GB RAM
Windows Vista Premium - 32-bit
High Definition Audio Device (I'm guessing it's onboard sound, seeing as it's a laptop)

Thanks in advance

 

[masta.g.86]

Capturing gameplay footage from a PSX emulator is tricky business. Many games will dynamically adjust their VSync settings depending on whether or not you're viewing a menu, in battle, running around on the world map, viewing an FMV, etc. This wrecks havoc with Fraps's fps settings.

Fraps was originally designed to record 3D PC games. These games use time-based frame drawing, so the faster a game is rendered the "smoother" and more responsive it gets. PSX games use a combination of frame-based and time-based frame drawing. This has to do with technical limitations within the PSX's hardware. Generally, in menus, a game will switch to 15 or 30 fps frame-based drawing to keep the cursor from moving around at uncontrollably fast speeds.

In recording with Fraps, a problem occurs. You see, Fraps tries to lock VSync at your specified recording speed. This causes problems with frame-based timing if the game is requesting a speed of say, 60 fps. With Fraps locking the speed at say, 30 fps (for example) this would cause the game to run at half speed.

But there is a solution:

View attachment 203117

Note that I have 'No Sync' checked in my example pic. This setting keeps Fraps from locking VSync at your desired recording rate. (In my case, 30 fps.)

This won't entirely stop slowdowns and pauses. As you have a laptop, I assume your ISOs are located on the same HDD that you are recording to. Try moving them to an external HDD or a USB keydrive. This way, you won't be reading and writing to the same drive which can also cause various slowdowns.

Oh, and as a note, I'm using Fraps version 2.9.7 in this example. If your version of Fraps doesn't have the 'No Sync' option, upgrade it to at least my version. I recall that this option is relatively new.

 

[KiwiSplodgeFace]

OK, I tried out what you suggested, but I still get the same problem. Guess my laptop isn't good enough for the job (at least with Fraps anyway )

 

[masta.g.86]

What frame rate are you trying to record at? Try dropping it to 15 fps.

You can also try running the game from the original disc. You don't *have* to run your ISOs from a separate drive. But please do try to keep your game and recording file location on separate drives.

Another thing: Set ePSXe's graphics settings to run in a window of 640x480 or smaller (maybe even 320x240).

You can also set Fraps to record at half resolution instead of full resolution. That way you can play at 640x480, but Fraps will record at 320x240.

 

[KiwiSplodgeFace]

I was originally recording at 30fps. I tried dropping it down to 15fps before your last post, but again, once I hit record, it dropped down to 5fps. Same goes for when I drop the resolution down, and also when I moved the file to an external drive.

 

[masta.g.86]

???oO

Which game?

 

[KiwiSplodgeFace]

I tried out two games, Abe's Oddysee and Tenchu: Stealth Assassins. I can play every game I have without any problems, just goes all screwy when I hit record on Fraps.

 

[masta.g.86]

Unfortunately, I don't have either of those games to test.

There is another method. It involves using the P.E.Op.S. video plugin. This plugin has a built-in video recorder. The only major problem with this recorder is that it doesn't support AVI OpenDML2.0. This means that the video files will "break" if they go over 2GB.

 

[KiwiSplodgeFace]

OK, well I may as well give it a go at this stage. Whereabouts can I get that?

 

[masta.g.86]

Pete's PSX GPU plugins

Look for the P.E.Op.S. "Soft" GPU section.

 

[KiwiSplodgeFace]

Cool.

Came across a thread that helps with the config. Had to play around with the settings a little bit to stop it from being jerky, but now it seems to be running OK. But now the only problem is I'm not getting any sound on the recording (aaarrrrrrrggghhh!!)