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Author Topic: New CRT Emudriver/VMMaker/Arcade OSD download, documentation and discussion site  (Read 199007 times)

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deadsoulz

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spacorn,

Your gpu was probably released after this version of the driver. We'd need a new CRT Emudriver based on a newer AMD driver in order to support it.

At the moment I can't give any probable date for this to happen.
Just wanted to post that we're a number of people who would greatly appreciate it if it happens, having the main PC for this purpose is nice, both from a CPU viewpoint (being able to utilizie the best most modern CPU you own for MAME) and just from a convenience point of view as many keep our 15kHz CRT's near our desks anyway.

Have a friend try get their dual GPU (modern nvidia GPU+HD5450) setup working with win11, which worked perfectly with vulkan and flawless CRTswitchres in win10. But despite my recommendation on ignoring win11, they decided to upgrade anway and ended up with the rejected by driver issue. Which is how I found out about the whole DX11 compatibility clash.
Personally I disabled unsuspecting win11 upgrades in every way I can.

All the work you've put into this is greatly appreciated either way, can't imagine a world with CRT's but without CRTEmudriver!  :applaud:

Unrelated to the above:
Been helping people set all of this up through discord a lot, as I threw together some guide PDF's for this setup:


Hardware needed+CRTemudriver install+guide and presets for RA CRTSwitchres+gui alternatives (all on the CRT, or optionally game browsing on an LCD) and that sort of thing, very roughly put together but I'm easily available anyway.

So anyone who needs help, just hit me up and I'll gladly help getting the setup up and running, both emulation and windows native games that support 15kHz resolutions, have a bunch of those setup with batch+ahk scripts for perfect output set at game launch, no stutters or screen tearing at all. 4x internal resolutions for 3D systems at 2560 super res output (yes it makes a difference https://imgur.com/a/2eVfjla last pic is 4x internal) vulkan allowing for main GPU processing, outputting to the HD5450 while the CRT is set as main display for switchres. With no lag or a <16ms subframe lag cost (240 fps highspeed cam test showing perfect syncronization between CRT and modern monitor).

More than happy to share how any of this is done. :)

Thanks for the offer.  I am super interested in your batch+ahk scripts etc.....guides for setting this up.  I recently setup Windows 10 + CRTEMU on a 15-25-31khz arcade screen, + AMD 280x + LaunchBox/BigBox which is using RetroArch and Groovymame.   I have some problems getting RetroArch to display resolutions etc....correctly, and Even GroovyMame has some horizontal refresh tearing that happens.

apeezy

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I am having an issue in retroarch running switchres where whenever an in game resolution switch occurs from 240p to 480i I get a slight stutter and I am able to see the desktop and taskbar for a second before it swaps back to the game. It doesn't matter if I use 2 monitors and hide the taskbar on the gaming monitor, because the desktop background will still flash and i'll get a stutter. I've been trying to troubleshoot this for a few days now and am lost on how to fix this. When switching in game from 480i to 240p, however, it is completely seamless with no issues at all there.

I am using the current build of crt emudriver with an hd 5450.

Any help or ideas as to why this might be happening would be great. Thanks so much! Other than this issue everything works great and it’s been so fun to play all these games on my crt!

I’d be happy to provide video of the issue if needed.

r1ggles

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I am having an issue in retroarch running switchres where whenever an in game resolution switch occurs from 240p to 480i I get a slight stutter and I am able to see the desktop and taskbar for a second before it swaps back to the game. It doesn't matter if I use 2 monitors and hide the taskbar on the gaming monitor, because the desktop background will still flash and i'll get a stutter. I've been trying to troubleshoot this for a few days now and am lost on how to fix this. When switching in game from 480i to 240p, however, it is completely seamless with no issues at all there.

I am using the current build of crt emudriver with an hd 5450.
Any help or ideas as to why this might be happening would be great. Thanks so much! Other than this issue everything works great and it’s been so fun to play all these games on my crt!
I’d be happy to provide video of the issue if needed.

Helped you on discord, for anyone wondering just message me for the exact setup.
It was related to the taskbar positioned behind the full screen game, I made a batch+ahk script for primary display switching that also moves the taskbar away from the CRT onto one of the LCDs automatically.
With the taskbar no longer on the CRT it would no longer cause said slight interference during resolution switching.

deadsoulz

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I wonder if these drivers would be a good starting point for a updated CRT EMU driver.   They support multiple generations back.

https://www.amernimezone.com/#home

Rion

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I wonder if these drivers would be a good starting point for a updated CRT EMU driver.   They support multiple generations back.

https://www.amernimezone.com/#home
That is a great idea. I use them myself.

nati_grin12

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Hello everyone
Does crt emudriver utilize s-video/composite video outputs or only vga? Got a hd 3450 with s vid and another on the way with composite and i was hoping To maybe use crt emu with switchres instead of just constant 480i. thanks in advance
« Last Edit: March 25, 2023, 12:52:31 am by nati_grin12 »

r1ggles

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Hello everyone
Does crt emudriver utilize s-video/composite video outputs or only vga? Got a hd 3450 with s vid and another on the way with composite and i was hoping To maybe use crt emu with switchres instead of just constant 480i. thanks in advance
No it doesn't, it generates a 15kHz signal in RGB only, RGB with separate Horizontal and Vertical sync, so a TV with RGB support will need a sync combiner as well (I recommend the UMSA as it also reworks the sync signal for better compatibility, but others such as VGA2Scart works).

HD3450 isn't recommended as only 5xxx + cards such as HD5450 can do Emulated EDID (giving you a lot of modelines), just helped someone wanting to set this up and they ended up buying an HD5450 to make this work properly with CRTSwitchres.

Dual GPU is a really great way to do it as you can without introduced lag (under a frame) output to the CRTEmudriver GPU, but have your modern GPU handle the processing for GPU utilizing emulators like Flycast.
https://imgur.com/a/2eVfjla (Here you see Dolphin Blue running at 640px, 1280px and 2560px, the modern GPU allows you to run games at super res internally, which makes for a crazy detailed horizontal resolution, abusing the fact that CRT TV's don't have a horizontal resolution.


From RGB you can use something like a wakabavideo transcoder to transcode into a color space your TV accepts, they sell VGA(RGBHV)>Component(YPbPr) that also combines the HV sync into one for TV's. I believe the also have a transcoder for composite. But you're going to lose a lot of visual fidelity with composite. I will have to ask Jam about this, as I'm unsure what someone limited to composite would have to do.

Maybe you should look into RGB modding your TV.

Keep in mind that if you're in the US with a US TV you'll be able to play console games perfectly with Switchres, but arcade stuff will be limited to games that run fine at 60Hz, since arcade games also go anywhere from 55-59Hz which US TV's don't like (Euro CRT's do sync anywhere between 50-60Hz though). It's fine to speed up 58Hz>60Hz, but games that run below that will be a much worse experience at the incorrect speed. You can read about what refreshrates different games have on arcade italia database adb.

I've posted my guide earlier in this thread for RA CRTSwitchres (by Calamity as well), but just PM me and I can help in detail to get this up and running.
I wonder if these drivers would be a good starting point for a updated CRT EMU driver.   They support multiple generations back.

https://www.amernimezone.com/#home

I hope so! Seems like a sound idea. Some users that I've helped are asking me about the windows 11 situation, so there are a lot of people who wish to use win11 now.
I'll stay on win10 as long as possible personally but when it comes to a long term plan something will have to be developed. Nothing beats CRTEmudriver+CRTSwitchres since old games came in all sorts of resolutions, refreshrates and sometimes switched modes mid game.

And beyond emulation there still are new windows native games that come out in 240p 4:3, like Steel Assault for example, plays perfectly with a CRTEmuGPU+RTX/GTX setup and multimonitortool batch scripts (sets CRT modeline as you launch the game), other games need .ahk scaling scripts for perfect 1x scaling. Bit of a long single time setup, but totally worth it and something we eventually will need win11 support to keep doing.

I'll keep helping people to set this up as much as possible, the more people we are who use this and know how to set things up the better it is for everyone.

Zebidee

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Hello everyone
Does crt emudriver utilize s-video/composite video outputs or only vga? Got a hd 3450 with s vid and another on the way with composite and i was hoping To maybe use crt emu with switchres instead of just constant 480i. thanks in advance

You mean one of those old cards with TV-out support via a s-video or composite output directly on the card? No, CRTEMU won't give work for that. You are stuck with your interlaced mode. The cards are all too old for CRTEMU 2.0+ anyway.

The only way I can think of would be to hack the video driver so that it outputs the TV signal via VGA head. I did this once about 15 years ago to get YPbPr out of a Radeon 9XXX?, using Powerstrip, but that software is old and not maintained anymore.

Anyway, it was a huge hassle. Better solution is to use a transcoder, and that is one reason why we designed the GreenAntz VGA and SCART to YPbPr units. They do the sync combining but, unfortunately they don't do svideo or composite, the colour spaces are different - you would get a picture, but it would be monochrome.

I do believe I've seen a Jam/wakabavideo unit with VGA in and composite out. You'd have to ask him directly regarding availability. He makes good stuff and gives support. There may be other composite transcoders out there, but I can't attest to quality. Trouble with the cheap adapters is that they probably just give you that 480i composite signal output.

RGB modding the TV is a great idea, the best, if you can manage a little soldering. If it can't be RGB modded, often you can component (YPbPr) mod it, especially with later mid-1990s+ TVs with the mega-jungle ~64-pin chips that integrate the OSD function, thus blocking that route for RGB modding. I wrote a guide for component-modding a TV, is usually simpler than RGB modding as the inputs are often just there waiting, no need to OSD hack etc. The next steps for that would be to have a look inside the TV, and to get schematics or at least a part number for the jungle chip.
« Last Edit: April 29, 2023, 06:53:16 pm by Zebidee »
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jackb77

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Hello!
Who can make me some explanations about the different choice of drivers
I have some ATI cards... the best that I can use for CRTEMUDRIVERS are HD7770 or R7 240
I don't understand what drivers are the best for these

- Adrenalin 18.5.1 for GCN* cards
or
- Crimson 16.2.1 for GCN* cards

I suppose both are fine but what difference?

The operating system is Windows 7 64bit

DJO_Maverick

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Any current plans of expanding out Emudriver's support to newer AMD cards (like the RX 6400)?