RetroPie Setup

# SD Card Setup

• Download the image for your version of the Raspberry Pi https://retropie.org.uk/download/
• Format an SD Card to Fat32
• Use Balena Etcher to write the downloaded image to the SD Card

# Configuration

Setup WiFi and SSH

• Create the following files in the root directory of the sd card
  • wpa_supplicant.conf with the below contents

  ctrl_interface=DIR=/var/run/wpa_supplicant GROUP=netdev
  update_config=1
  country=US
  
  network={
          ssid="your_ssid"
          psk="your-psk-here"
          key_mgmt=WPA-PSK
  }
  
  • Empty file named ssh

# Setting up the video output

# Composite

Edit config.txt to output to composite

sdtv_mode=16    # progressive NTSC

If you want to force hdmi, leave the below uncommented. For SCART or Composite output, make sure the force hdmi is commented out

#hdmi_force_hotplug=1

Add the below instead to ignore hdmi and force composite

hdmi_ignore_hotplug=1

Add this to the config.txt so that when booting the text doesn't look unreadable

#sdtv_mode=16    # progressive 240p NTSC
sdtv_mode=0 #Enables NTSC 480i mode. EmulationStation will switch to 240p mode when Retroarch launches.
sdtv_aspect=1 #4:3 aspect ratio.
disable_overscan=1 #We'll handle overscan on a per-system basis with Retroarch.

Copy the configs and bios stuff from retropie-crt-tvout-master.zip to retropie samba share to the appropriate directory.

# SCART via Pi2SCART

Uncomment the below under Pi2SCART & VGA666 only!! and make sure other hdmi_timings are turned off vga666 overlay is important, otherwise the colors will be messed up

dtoverlay=vga666 hdmi_timings=320 1 16 30 34 240 1 2 3 22 0 0 0 60 0 6400000 1 #Pi2SCART/VGA666 320x240p@60hz

# HDMI with custom resolution

Setup 1366 x 768 resolution using the below instructions.

86 = DMT (86) 1366x768p @ 60 Hz

# uncomment to force a specific HDMI mode (this will force VGA)
hdmi_group=2
hdmi_mode=86

Also disable overscan settings

disable_overscan=1

# WiFi setup

Follow the wpa_supplicant.conf method mentioned above

In addition to the above wifi setup the following RGB-Pi config file should be edited to enable wifi

~/RGB-Pi/data/options.csv

Find

"system_options","/options/system/network/activate_wifi","off,on","off"

Set to

"system_options","/options/system/network/activate_wifi","off,on","on"

Save and reboot

# Accessing the Pi via SSH

ssh 192.168.100.xxx -l pi

Default password is raspberry or rgbpi

Change password using passwd command. c******e

# Update Retropie

• Using the controller, go to RetroPie Setup

Update

Say no to OS updates etc. This can take some time, with lots of text scrolling.

# Update the firmware

Apparently the latest firmware has better support for 240p

sudo rpi-update

# Setting up the Bluetooth Controller

It is easier to setup the bluetooth controller with the 8bitdo USB adapter. However, follow the below method to use the built in bluetooth device.

From ssh go to rpi-setup directory and run setup.sh as root

cd RetroPie-Setup
sudo ./retropie_setup.sh

1. Go to `Congiguration / tools` > `Bluetooth`

2. `Register and Connect to Bluetooth Device`

3. Software will start searching for a device.

4. Select the controller and register device

# Setting up the controller

• Go to input

# Hot keys

• Hot Key + X Get to the retroarch menu. Press again to exit the menu.

# Copy rom files to retropie

Go on your macbook or windows and find the network drive and mount. Copy rom files to the appropriate roms directory.

PI:/roms/snes

Refresh games list while copying is in progress.

• Click on Start button on the controller
• Select Quit > Restart Emulationstation

Don't worry restarting emulation station will not stop the smb copying that is in progress

# Setting up Audio

Using the controller, go to the main menu. Hitting the start button.

Go to Sound Settings > Audio Device > Head Phone

Quit and Restart EmulationStation

sudo raspi-config

System Options > Audio > Head Phones.

# Sound card issue on raspberry pi zero

snd_func_card_driver returned error

# Installing Kodi

From the main screen go to RetroPie > RetroPie Setup > Manage Packages > Manage Optional Packages

• Select kodi under RetroPie ports (it's far down the list)
• Install from the precompiled library. Click ok and yes

# Upgrade Raspberry pi

sudo apt update && sudo apt full-upgrade

Setup Bluetooth

# Backup SD Card

List all the mounted disks

diskutil list

If your SD card is mounted at /dev/disk2, then use the below to backup

sudo dd bs=4m if=/dev/rdisk2 of=crt_backup.img

# Backing up an SD Card on macOS

diskutil list

Find the SD Card disk /dev/disk2

Unmount disk diskutil unmountDisk /dev/disk2

Create a backup image sudo dd bs=16m if=/dev/rdisk2 of=backup.img; sync

Press Control + T in the command line to see the progress