A guide to build the retropie setup on Ubuntu 16.04 LTS x86.
Tested with an Intel NUC Kit NUC5CPYH.
- Section 1: Install Ubuntu 16.04 LTS
- Section 2: Setup Retropie
- Section 3: FAQs
- Section 3.1: Emulationstation hangs if shutdown/restart was selected
- Section 3.2: Cannot install PS3 driver
- Section 3.3: Screen blanks after some minutes
- Section 3.4: Ubuntu does not autologin
- Section 3.5: How to setup a splashscreen?
- Section 3.6: No audio
- Section 3.7: My NUC or Intel Baytrail/Braswell powered device hangs (Ubuntu 15.10)
- Section 3.8: No HDMI audio (Ubuntu 16.04)
Download and install Ubuntu 16.04 LTS. Iso image can be used to create a bootable DVD or a USB stick. http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop
To run RetroPie-Setup user must be a member of group root/admin.
I would recommend to update and upgrade the existing APT packages with
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade
After that, we install the needed packages for the RetroPie setup script:
sudo apt-get install -y git dialog
Then we download the latest RetroPie setup script with
git clone --depth=1 https://github.com/RetroPie/RetroPie-Setup.git
The script is executed with
cd RetroPie-Setup
sudo ./retropie_setup.sh
The screen should look like this then:
Manage Packages >> Quick Install
This will install the core and main packages which are equivalent to what is provided with the RetroPie SD image.
Now, you have to copy your rom files into the ROMs directory. If you followed the steps above the main directory for all ROMs is ~/RetroPie/roms (or /home/pi/RetroPie/roms, which is the same here). In this directory there is a subdirectory for every emulated system, e.g., nes, snes, megadrive. Attention has to be taken for the extensions of the ROM files. All the information needed for each system is detailed in this wiki (see wiki home page or sidebar for systems)
EmulationStation can be run from the terminal by typing emulationstation in the terminal
You can go into Setup / Configuration and enable autostart as you like.
It is not possible to restart/shutdown if an sudo requests an password. To disable sudo password request add the line $user ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD:ALL at the end of /etc/sudoers. Replace $userwith the name of your current user.
Ubuntu has an builtin PS3 bluetooth driver. There is no need to install sixad. Make your bluetooth dongle discoverable. Connect your controller over usb. Now open "bluetooth system settings/add device". Select PS3 controller and click ok. Your controller should pair now if you press PS button.
Open Ubuntu system settings menu disable screensaver and screen lock timeouts.
Open Ubuntu system settings menu and select user accounts. Enable autologin for current user.
Use Plymouth to setup a splash screen: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Plymouth
Open Ubuntu system settings menu and select right audio output device.
The default kernel 4.1 of Ubuntu 15.10 tends to hang. It is a know bug: https://bugs.freedesktop.org/show_bug.cgi?id=91629
Update to higher kernel version solves this problem: http://sourcedigit.com/18333-how-to-install-linux-kernel-4-3-3-on-ubuntu-15-10-ubuntu-15-04/
Ubuntu 16.04 uses Pulseaudio 8 which has issues with HDMI if you suspend your device or change display resolutions at runtime. This problem will be solved with Ubuntu 16.10 and Pulseaudio 9. Mupen64plus runs a fullscreen resolution of 640x480. If your default resolution differs there will be a resolution switch and Pulseaudio will set another audio device. You can disable Pulseaudio auto output selection. Open /etc/pulse/default.pa and comment out the line:
#load-module module-switch-on-port-available