f-log

Was having some problems with the free Raspberry Pi games
http://yoyogames.com/pi
http://www.webfootgames.com/pi/

Though initially we had some games die with
ALSA lib confmisc.c:768:(parse_card) cannot find card '0'
    ALSA lib conf.c:4241:(_snd_config_evaluate) function snd_func_card_driver returned error: No such file or directory
    ALSA lib confmisc.c:392:(snd_func_concat) error evaluating strings
    ALSA lib conf.c:4241:(_snd_config_evaluate) function snd_func_concat returned error: No such file or directory
    ALSA lib confmisc.c:1251:(snd_func_refer) error evaluating name
    ALSA lib conf.c:4241:(_snd_config_evaluate) function snd_func_refer returned error: No such file or directory
    ALSA lib conf.c:4720:(snd_config_expand) Evaluate error: No such file or directory
    ALSA lib pcm.c:2217:(snd_pcm_open_noupdate) Unknown PCM default
    aplay: main:682: audio open error: No such file or directory
    ALSA lib confmisc.c:768:(parse_card) cannot find card '0'
    ALSA lib conf.c:4241:(_snd_config_evaluate) function snd_func_card_driver returned error: No such file or directory

and the others ran really slowly. This was fixed by adding "snd_bcm2835" to /etc/modules

sudo -s
echo "snd_bcm2835" >> /etc/modules

and

echo "amixer cset numid=3 1" >> ~/.profile
and rebooting

This is because we are not using the default of the HDMI audio output but the 3.5mm audio jack to old PC speakers.

I managed to nab a couple on Dell 2009WT 20" monitors from work that were on their way to the tip for the boys to replace the CRTs that currently heat their rooms.




But it seemed what ever I did they would not generate a display from the Raspberry Pi using a VGA->HDMI converter. Not even the text on boot, though sometimes I would get the rainbow screen briefly.

In the end I edited the /boot/config.txt and made

this section uncommented and set to

# uncomment to force a specific HDMI mode (this will force VGA)
hdmi_group=2
hdmi_mode=58


and now they work fine!

hdmi_mode=58 is 1680x1050 which is what the monitor was complaining about needing.

I also managed to get another couple of "items" that would have otherwise gone to the tip, very heavy items that I will have to investigate the worth of in the future.

FYI two separate companies have donated games for use on the Raspberry Pi and I now need to try them out, for the boys, you understand.
http://yoyogames.com/pi
http://www.webfootgames.com/pi/