MiSTer FPGA Forum

Maybe some noob questions but I just learned that if I use the Darksoft roms or the .neo files I only get mono sound as those only support up to 16mb of vrom. Is that correct?

Does the Mister NeoGeo Core support stereo?

Is the only way to have stereo is to make your own mame roms and unencrypt them?

Is the arcade NeoGeo Core from blackwine better regarding the sound?

This is what blackwine has to say about stereo sound:
https://www.patreon.com/posts/missing-files-60446967
It does not fully answer your question but it points to a problem with stereo sound.
Initially by post was to ask you a question which I will do now:
What are these neo files? They are mentioned in the Wiki but as everyone knows and to put it bluntly the Wiki, for the majority of cores, sucks.
I was going thru the romset.xml to see what I am missing (I use the darksoft roms). I was missing some roms and found some but not all. At one point I looked for abysall and someone posted that the abysall.neo did not work. I followed the link from this thread and effectively abysall.neo did not work. Looking at the xml I noticed that the rom was not described as the standard darksoft roms, more like mame roms. I went back to the site and there was a mame zip named ssideki.zip containing the right files and I downloaded it, renamed it abysall.zip and now it is working. I posted that and someone posted that neo roms works but only if you deleted romset.xml.
I am totally confused.

I don't understand your question?
.neo files are neo geo roms converted to be used on the NeoSD cart. They can be found but also be converted yourself somehow.
You don't have to delete the romset.xml as that is only for to use with the Darksoft romset.

BTW I know the blackwine patreon post. That is what brought me to this question in the first place. But he only talks about the Xeno Crisis sound issue and not if the Neo Geo core is stereo or not.

As I said at the end of my post I am totally confused so I will try to explain better.
I am using the darksoft roms and I was looking at the romset.xml to see what I was missing.
I was looking at abysall and the xml states that it is not in darksoft pack.
I found this thread to which I posted my findings: download ssideki.zip, rename it abysall.zip and it works.
Just after I made the post xFleks made another post and it where I got more confused.
Thanks for explaining what are these neo files.
Can they be used as is?
If I am using the darksoft roms I suppose I cannot use neo files at the same time?

Yeah just like zip files. Just put them in the game folder and they will show up. You will nned the romset.xml because this file only points out the games to the file for the Mister core. And it doesn't matter if example aof is a folder or a aof.neo file. Neo files are basically just the decrypted rom in one single file.

BTW my question is still open to answer.

As the Neo geo Mister core (console and Arcade version) use mostly the Darksoft or NeoSD unencrypted roms does that mean that stereo isn't working on the NeoGeo Mister cores?

neogeo81 wrote: ↑Sun Jan 02, 2022 12:53 am BTW my question is still open to answer.

As the Neo geo Mister core (console and Arcade version) use mostly the Darksoft or NeoSD unencrypted roms does that mean that stereo isn't working on the NeoGeo Mister cores?

Stereo is working just fine. The problem you're referring to is specifically with Xeno Crisis, a modern and unlicensed game.

jlancaster86 wrote: ↑Sun Jan 02, 2022 1:53 am

neogeo81 wrote: ↑Sun Jan 02, 2022 12:53 am BTW my question is still open to answer.

As the Neo geo Mister core (console and Arcade version) use mostly the Darksoft or NeoSD unencrypted roms does that mean that stereo isn't working on the NeoGeo Mister cores?

Stereo is working just fine. The problem you're referring to is specifically with Xeno Crisis, a modern and unlicensed game.

So only Xeno Crisis has that problem because they need more than 16MB vrom?

jlancaster86 wrote: ↑Sun Jan 02, 2022 1:53 am

neogeo81 wrote: ↑Sun Jan 02, 2022 12:53 am BTW my question is still open to answer.

As the Neo geo Mister core (console and Arcade version) use mostly the Darksoft or NeoSD unencrypted roms does that mean that stereo isn't working on the NeoGeo Mister cores?

Stereo is working just fine. The problem you're referring to is specifically with Xeno Crisis, a modern and unlicensed game.

As informed by Bitmap Bureau the Neo Geo core with Darksoft or NeoSD roms only supports Mono Sound as the Stereo Sound is mixed into one channel, see here:

neogeo81 wrote: ↑Tue Jan 04, 2022 7:49 am

jlancaster86 wrote: ↑Sun Jan 02, 2022 1:53 am

neogeo81 wrote: ↑Sun Jan 02, 2022 12:53 am BTW my question is still open to answer.

As the Neo geo Mister core (console and Arcade version) use mostly the Darksoft or NeoSD unencrypted roms does that mean that stereo isn't working on the NeoGeo Mister cores?

Stereo is working just fine. The problem you're referring to is specifically with Xeno Crisis, a modern and unlicensed game.

As informed by Bitmap Bureau the Neo Geo core with Darksoft or NeoSD roms only supports Mono Sound as the Stereo Sound is mixed into one channel, see here:

Again, Bitmap Bureau is talking specifically about Xeno Crisis, a game made by Bitmap Bureau and available in multiple ROM formats (including a MiSTer-specific ROM). I don't know why its Darksoft and NeoSD versions support only monophonic sound, but I'm guessing it's down to ROM size.

Yes, there's some compatibility issue that's currently limiting the MiSTer-specific version of Xeno Crisis to monophonic sound via a workaround, but the core doesn't generally have a problem with stereophonic sound. Just play The King of Fighters 2003 from the Darksoft set and you'll hear it in stereo.

This YouTuber has a series of three videos on a sound problem with XC, and a PCB level workaround. Is it related? https://youtu.be/LfpV1-ekwJ4

jlancaster86 wrote: ↑Tue Jan 04, 2022 8:45 am

neogeo81 wrote: ↑Tue Jan 04, 2022 7:49 am

jlancaster86 wrote: ↑Sun Jan 02, 2022 1:53 am

Stereo is working just fine. The problem you're referring to is specifically with Xeno Crisis, a modern and unlicensed game.

As informed by Bitmap Bureau the Neo Geo core with Darksoft or NeoSD roms only supports Mono Sound as the Stereo Sound is mixed into one channel, see here:

Again, Bitmap Bureau is talking specifically about Xeno Crisis, a game made by Bitmap Bureau and available in multiple ROM formats (including a MiSTer-specific ROM). I don't know why its Darksoft and NeoSD versions support only monophonic sound, but I'm guessing it's down to ROM size.

Yes, there's some compatibility issue that's currently limiting the MiSTer-specific version of Xeno Crisis to monophonic sound via a workaround, but the core doesn't generally have a problem with stereophonic sound. Just play The King of Fighters 2003 from the Darksoft set and you'll hear it in stereo.

Ok thanks for clearing up.

Am I understanding correctly that on MiSTer when using the .neo ROM you only get mono sound?
Is that also true of the .neo ROM on NeoSD?

mario64 wrote: ↑Thu Jan 06, 2022 3:07 am Am I understanding correctly that on MiSTer when using the .neo ROM you only get mono sound?
Is that also true of the .neo ROM on NeoSD?

That is what Bitmap Bureau is claiming. But it is not clear if they are reffering to their game or all NG games.