TeaRex wrote:

Maybe it's not the CPU that's the problem when running two emulators. If you run DOSBox in an output mode other than surface, such as Overlay or OpenGL, then the two emulators could be competing for GPU resources.

I just checked, and output=surface. (I have a nearly bog standard DOSBox config file. The only difference is the autoexec section. I verified this just now with fc.)

IIRC, also, if you have any program running in DOSBox, even if it's just an editor that's sitting there waiting for input, unless it calls the DOS Idle IRQ when it's idle (pre-1990 DOS programs and even many later ones do not do that) it will use some CPU - or even a whole CPU core if DOSBox is set to cycles=max. Most DOS programs were simply not written with any kind of multitasking in mind. Even a few DOS TSRs can hog CPU when presumably idling in the background.

The editor that I use DOSBox for is WordStar 2000 from 1988, but it is not running when I have the problem. I might leave it open while doing programming work, but after that, I close it. DOSBox, when I am having issues with pSX, is idle.

I sometimes have to close Firefox as well to avoid sound breaking up in pSX. This breaking up is slight. The breaking up when DOSBox is running makes the music noise.

The music breaking up happens when pSX is working hard. If I am doing, say, character adjustment, no breaking up. If I am playing a battle where there is plenty of animation, that is when I get trouble.

Sincerely,

Gene Wirchenko

check what happens with
priority=higher,pause