POPStarter

PS2 POPStarter 2019/06/05

Download
Overview Extra info Reviews (1) History Discussion
Hi. I'm using the latest OPL version and installed popstarter and some VCDs on HDD using PSF Batchkit Manager. My PS2 is hooked to a CRT TV through component cables. When I run my PS1 games from HDD, it's displayed in interlaced mode (I think it's 480i). I'd like to run in 240p as my TV supports it and it looks much better than 480i. Is there some configuration I should change so that POPSTARTER launch POPS in 240p instead 480i?

On a related note, I had an old pendrive with some old OPL installed on it. I have some PS1 VCD games in this pendrive that were installed using an old app. When I run these PS1 games in USB through this old OPL (called as an app), they run in 240p! So it's possible! But I don't know which settings should I change so that my current OPL run PS1 games from HDD in 240p.

What am I missing?
 
Hyllian said:
Hi. I'm using the latest OPL version and installed popstarter and some VCDs on HDD using PSF Batchkit Manager. My PS2 is hooked to a CRT TV through component cables. When I run my PS1 games from HDD, it's displayed in interlaced mode (I think it's 480i). I'd like to run in 240p as my TV supports it and it looks much better than 480i. Is there some configuration I should change so that POPSTARTER launch POPS in 240p instead 480i?

On a related note, I had an old pendrive with some old OPL installed on it. I have some PS1 VCD games in this pendrive that were installed using an old app. When I run these PS1 games in USB through this old OPL (called as an app), they run in 240p! So it's possible! But I don't know which settings should I change so that my current OPL run PS1 games from HDD in 240p.

What am I missing?
Click to expand...

Did you use CHEATS.TXT and might have activated $HDTVFIX in your HDD setup by a chance?
Modified POPSTARTER.ELF might also caused it.
 
BloodRaynare said:
Did you use CHEATS.TXT and might have activated $HDTVFIX in your HDD setup by a chance?
Modified POPSTARTER.ELF might also caused it.
Click to expand...

Humm. I'll have to see the hdd contents. I've relied on PSF app to install PS1 games and popstarter. Maybe it indeed put this setting in CHEATS.TXT by default without asking.

I have to learn how to do these things manually...
 
BloodRaynare said:
Did you use CHEATS.TXT and might have activated $HDTVFIX in your HDD setup by a chance?
Modified POPSTARTER.ELF might also caused it.
Click to expand...
IT was that, indeed! Thanks!

Another question: How do I make IGR work with Popstarter when using games from HDD?

I call POPSTARTER through OPL (latest beta version) APPS, where I have multiple copies of POSTARTER.ELF renamed to each of my PS1 games in HDD. So, I call some game (it's a popstarter elf renamed) and it calls POPS which run the game as intended. In my OPL, IGR works correctly for PS2 games and it's set to "mc0:/BOOT.BOOT.ELF". But, when running a PS1 game from procedure above, if I hit SELECT+L1+R1, a popup screen appears asking if I want to exit the game (YES/NO). If I choose YES, it gives me a black screen and I have to do a hard power off.

So, how should I configure IGR correctly for POPSTARTER exist the game in a sane way?
 
krHACKen said:
You may write $IGR5 in your CHEATS.TXT file to have an OPL-like IGR (Select+Start+L1+L2+R1+R2 and no popup screen).
Click to expand...
Ok, that's easy, I'll do soon.

krHACKen said:
As for the black screen, I'm afraid that your BOOT.ELF is "incompatible" with POPStarter. The workaround is to disable the ELF loader (so it doesn't exit to BOOT.ELF), or maybe recompress your BOOT.ELF with another packer (maybe NRLPack?).
Click to expand...
So, is the latest 1.2.0 beta 2048 OPL incompatible with POPStarter? What do you mean by "disabling the ELF loader"? I shouldn't use OPL to load POPStarter?
 
Hyllian said:
So, is the latest 1.2.0 beta 2048 OPL incompatible with POPStarter?
Click to expand...

Not that it doesn't compatible with OPL, but trying to IGR-ing POPStarter back to it isn't advisable as it ELF Loader was bugged

Hyllian said:
What do you mean by "disabling the ELF loader"?
Click to expand...

What @krHACKen meant is disabling the POPStarter's own ELF Loader.

Hyllian said:
I shouldn't use OPL to load POPStarter?
Click to expand...

You can keep using OPL to load POPStarter just don't IGR-ing it back to that.
Or replace the BOOT.ELF with something like LaunchELF.
 
krHACKen said:
You may write $IGR5 in your CHEATS.TXT file to have an OPL-like IGR (Select+Start+L1+L2+R1+R2 and no popup screen).

As for the black screen, I'm afraid that your BOOT.ELF is "incompatible" with POPStarter. The workaround is to disable the ELF loader (so it doesn't exit to BOOT.ELF), or maybe recompress your BOOT.ELF with another packer (maybe NRLPack?).
Click to expand...

I didn't understand very well the explanation, but I followed the instructions and put that bin inside POPS folder. Now when I try IGR through POPSTARTER it doesn't freeze in a black screen anymore. Though it doesn't get me back to OPL. ACTUALLY, it sends me to PS2 Browser, at the memory cards screen. At least it exits in a sane way. Unfortunately I have to hard reset from browser to enter OPL again by pressing R1.
 
Hyllian said:
I didn't understand very well the explanation, but I followed the instructions and put that bin inside POPS folder. Now when I try IGR through POPSTARTER it doesn't freeze in a black screen anymore. Though it doesn't get me back to OPL. ACTUALLY, it sends me to PS2 Browser, at the memory cards screen. At least it exits in a sane way. Unfortunately I have to hard reset from browser to enter OPL again by pressing R1.
Click to expand...

You can name OPL to BOOT.ELF and put it into BOOT folder.
 
I've got popstarter working inside OPL Apps for USB and SMB but HDD just hangs on black screen with hdd indicator light stuck on. Requires physically powering the ps2 down.
Wondering what I've done wrong.

And yes wLE khr successfully launches both usb and hdd vcd.
So I don't really understand the issue.
The elfs work when launched from any wlaunch also. So it's literally only hanging when launching the elf from hdd via opl apps page. Otherwise the elf works, the vcd works, and the game works usb and smb. Why black screen HDD?

EDIT: SOLVED/BUG EXPOSED If you have BDM, SMB, and HDD set to AUTO, HDD POPSTARTER ELFS will hang on black screen until physically powered down. Turning BDM and SMB to Manual resolved this issue - but doesn't work for my intended use of running all 3 together for listing on apps page.
I thought this was an old bug but it still applies to the current official beta.
I will report back with more specific findings.
 
Last edited:
Does anyone happen to know what USB bluetooth adapter the BT module for Popstarter was designed for? I'd love to just be able to use my PS3 controller for everything on my PS2.
 
Is there any open-source PS1 emulators for the PS2? I know most projects like PS2PSXe have been abandoned, and this emulator was only supposed to work on one specific game, not the entire PS1 library, which is why many games do not work. I just tried 3 or 4 back ups the other day and only got 1 to work (on ps2psxe). I've just been using my PC, but I've seen some people (namely hugopocked), who are patching games to run correctly with Pops. Seems very tedious to have to patch individual games to get them working. I know that it was very difficult for SNES compatibility to get up to 100% but Near was able to do it on Bsnes. Just seems silly that PS2 can't run these PS2 iso when there's literal PS1 hardware inside. Yes, I know PS1 does not have native access to network adapter (for fat-3900x) or usb drive but come on.
 
pianohombre said:
Is there any open-source PS1 emulators for the PS2? I know most projects like PS2PSXe have been abandoned, and this emulator was only supposed to work on one specific game, not the entire PS1 library, which is why many games do not work. I just tried 3 or 4 back ups the other day and only got 1 to work (on ps2psxe). I've just been using my PC, but I've seen some people (namely hugopocked), who are patching games to run correctly with Pops. Seems very tedious to have to patch individual games to get them working. I know that it was very difficult for SNES compatibility to get up to 100% but Near was able to do it on Bsnes. Just seems silly that PS2 can't run these PS2 iso when there's literal PS1 hardware inside. Yes, I know PS1 does not have native access to network adapter (for fat-3900x) or usb drive but come on.
Click to expand...
Bless the developers who took the time to attempt working with POPS's limitations.
Hugo is set to release more this December I believe, but donations can get you early access.
Hugopocket fixes are super easy to implement, you just place the per game files in the VMC folder for each game.
I think with more time and more community interest, we will get there one day.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Back
Top