Tips and Tricks
Here are some tips regarding this Rock64 Recalbox build (Beta v2).
Some tips are specific to this build while others just cover some features some users are unaware of.
Overclocking:
You can overclock this Recalbox image to get better performance in some emulators and cores. As mrfixit2001 already mentioned in his post, overclocking should only be done when you also use a heatsink on the board. If you intend to use the extreme overclock then you need a fan as the board will run very hot without it (80*C or more). In general, I think that the 'High' preset is the best option for those who wish to overclock, and offers a ~10% improvement in some emulators over the default setting. For reference, these are the OC frequencies:
Default: 600mhz GPU / 1300 mhz CPU
High: 700mhz GPU / 1400 mhz CPU
Extreme: 800mhz GPU / 1500mhz CPU
Game emulators and cores (for particular ROMs):
Some emulators work better for certain games and some emulators do not work with some games at all. Nintendo 64 - one of the more challenging systems to emulate - is a prime example of this.
For reference, it is possible to change the emulator and core for all games of a particular system by accessing the main menu and doing the following:
Advanced Settings -> Advanced Emulator Configuration -> Name of System
Here you will be able to select the emulator and core.
What few users know however is that you can set the emulator / core on a per game basis. In the game list of a particular system, press SELECT (on your controller) on the game you want to set a custom emulator for and navigate to -> Edit This Game's Metadata. You will find two settings down the list [Emulator] and [Core]. Here you can set the preferred emulator and core for the game in question; press save and launch the game.
Netplay:
This build includes netplay, which is a feature that allows you to play some games with other users or friends over the internet. This works best if your friends or people you play with live nearby.
First thing you should do is enter the main menu and nagivate -> Games Settings -> Netplay Settings. Here you will be able to set a [nickname] and choose a [netplay mitm] (geographical location). Lastly, you want to navigate to [Hash ROMs] -> Start. Once you've done all this, go back to the main screen with all the systems. Press the 'X' button your controller and select Neplay Lobby. Here you will see all netplay sessions and those which you can join. To learn more about Recalbox netplay and which systems you can play with others read this.
NB you can play with users using different boards and computers with Retroarch cores.
WebGUI:
By typing in your boards IP address (which can be found easily in Recalbox Main mMenu -> Network Settings) into a browser on your computer of phone, you'll be able to access the Recalbox WebGUI. Here you can do a bunch of things. You can monitor the system load, SOC temperature, etc., but also set some settings, use virtual gamepads, generate logs and - most importantly - upload your ROMs and BIOS files easily.
Nintendo 64:
Nintendo 64 deserves its own little tips and tricks section because so many people want to play N64 games and its a notoriously difficult system to emulate on SBCs. Some popular titles such as Mario Kart 64 or Perfect Dark greatly benefit from using the Mupen N64 plugin/ core. You should use this core for all games that run well with it and do no have any (or have very few) artifacts or glitches. The default core Mupenmk2 doesn't offer the best performance but it offers best 'performance-to-quality' AND compatibility ratio. Mupen also runs at 1080p while Libretro cores run at a much lower resolution or 480p, an in many instances the default emulator offers still better performance.
Here are some tips regarding this Rock64 Recalbox build (Beta v2).
Some tips are specific to this build while others just cover some features some users are unaware of.
Overclocking:
You can overclock this Recalbox image to get better performance in some emulators and cores. As mrfixit2001 already mentioned in his post, overclocking should only be done when you also use a heatsink on the board. If you intend to use the extreme overclock then you need a fan as the board will run very hot without it (80*C or more). In general, I think that the 'High' preset is the best option for those who wish to overclock, and offers a ~10% improvement in some emulators over the default setting. For reference, these are the OC frequencies:
Default: 600mhz GPU / 1300 mhz CPU
High: 700mhz GPU / 1400 mhz CPU
Extreme: 800mhz GPU / 1500mhz CPU
Game emulators and cores (for particular ROMs):
Some emulators work better for certain games and some emulators do not work with some games at all. Nintendo 64 - one of the more challenging systems to emulate - is a prime example of this.
For reference, it is possible to change the emulator and core for all games of a particular system by accessing the main menu and doing the following:
Advanced Settings -> Advanced Emulator Configuration -> Name of System
Here you will be able to select the emulator and core.
What few users know however is that you can set the emulator / core on a per game basis. In the game list of a particular system, press SELECT (on your controller) on the game you want to set a custom emulator for and navigate to -> Edit This Game's Metadata. You will find two settings down the list [Emulator] and [Core]. Here you can set the preferred emulator and core for the game in question; press save and launch the game.
Netplay:
This build includes netplay, which is a feature that allows you to play some games with other users or friends over the internet. This works best if your friends or people you play with live nearby.
First thing you should do is enter the main menu and nagivate -> Games Settings -> Netplay Settings. Here you will be able to set a [nickname] and choose a [netplay mitm] (geographical location). Lastly, you want to navigate to [Hash ROMs] -> Start. Once you've done all this, go back to the main screen with all the systems. Press the 'X' button your controller and select Neplay Lobby. Here you will see all netplay sessions and those which you can join. To learn more about Recalbox netplay and which systems you can play with others read this.
NB you can play with users using different boards and computers with Retroarch cores.
WebGUI:
By typing in your boards IP address (which can be found easily in Recalbox Main mMenu -> Network Settings) into a browser on your computer of phone, you'll be able to access the Recalbox WebGUI. Here you can do a bunch of things. You can monitor the system load, SOC temperature, etc., but also set some settings, use virtual gamepads, generate logs and - most importantly - upload your ROMs and BIOS files easily.
Nintendo 64:
Nintendo 64 deserves its own little tips and tricks section because so many people want to play N64 games and its a notoriously difficult system to emulate on SBCs. Some popular titles such as Mario Kart 64 or Perfect Dark greatly benefit from using the Mupen N64 plugin/ core. You should use this core for all games that run well with it and do no have any (or have very few) artifacts or glitches. The default core Mupenmk2 doesn't offer the best performance but it offers best 'performance-to-quality' AND compatibility ratio. Mupen also runs at 1080p while Libretro cores run at a much lower resolution or 480p, an in many instances the default emulator offers still better performance.