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PC Engine CD

PC Engine CD icon PC Engine CD logo

Overview

The PC Engine CD-ROM² add-on (TurboGrafx-CD in the West) transformed NEC’s compact console into a CD-based powerhouse with built-in audio streaming and FMV support. Later TurboDuo releases integrated the drive so no additional module was required. REG-Linux maps this hardware to the pcenginecd group to keep metadata/artwork synchronized.

Quick reference

  • ROM folder: /userdata/roms/pcenginecd
  • Accepted formats: .pce, .cue, .ccd, .iso, .img, .chd
  • Emulators: libretro: pce, libretro: pce_fast
  • System group: pcenginecd

Technical specifications

  • CPU: HuC6280 at 7.16 MHz with a dedicated CD controller on top of the cartridge bus.
  • Memory: 8 KB work RAM, 64 KB VRAM and extra CD buffer RAM for streaming sectors.
  • Display: HuC6270 video chip driving 256×239 and extra sprites suitable for the turbo engine’s graphics.
  • Sound: Six-channel PSG plus CD-DA and PCM streaming for high-fidelity audio.

BIOS

Super CD-ROM² and CD-ROM² releases depend on bios/syscard3.pce. Place this file inside /userdata/bios/ before launching the core. Additional BIOS files such as syscard1.pce, syscard2.pce or gexpress.pce may exist but can cause compatibility differences, so stick with the Super CD-ROM² bin by default.

Checksum Filename Purpose
38179df8f4ac870017db21ebcbf53114 syscard3.pce Super CD-ROM² system BIOS

ROMs

Copy each CD-ROM² release into /userdata/roms/pcenginecd. Use cue-based archives so the track layout remains intact, and keep the .cue beside the .bin/.iso. CHD containers are strongly encouraged because they bundle the cue data and compress the disc image efficiently.

Emulators

RetroArch

RetroArch runs both the libretro: pce and libretro: pce_fast cores. Open the Quick Menu ([HOTKEY] + south button) to tweak shaders, overrides or controller bindings. EmulationStation also exposes pcenginecd.videomode, pcenginecd.ratio, pcenginecd.smooth, pcenginecd.shaders, pcenginecd.pixel_perfect, pcenginecd.decoration, pcenginecd.game_translation, and the usual backend/latency (pcenginecd.gfxbackend, pcenginecd.audio_latency, pcenginecd.video_threaded) options.

libretro: pce / pce_fast

The vanilla pce core targets compatibility, while pce_fast trims options for weaker hardware. Both share:

  • global.pce_nospritelimit – lift the 16-sprites-per-line cap.
  • global.controller1_pce – pick between gamepad or optional mouse support.

Controls

Refer to the PC Engine overlay at ../images/controller-overlays/pcengine-1.png. It shows the standard gamepad layout used by REG-Linux.

Troubleshooting

  • Ensure your .cue references the .bin/.iso in the same directory.
  • If a game stutters, toggle between libretro: pce and libretro: pce_fast to see which core performs better.
  • For general issues consult the generic support pages.