CRT_EMU Driver Medium Res 24khz Model 2/Model 3 Emulators.

[desh_thiere]

Hey guys,

I am looking to convert a driving cabinet I own to run Model 2/Model 3 driving games via their respective emulators. The cabinet runs a Nanao dual res monitor setup, which is  switchable to 24khz via a plug on the chassis. I have a few questions about CRT_EMU and 24khz resolutions.

1) I will be using a J-PAC to hook everything up. If I set the J-PAC jumper to 25khz only, is that essentially the same as 24khz? Model 2/3 games run at 496 x 384, which is listed as a 24khz resolution, but I assume that the 25khz jumper on the J-PAC will keep the monitor safe?

2) Can I boot windows in 640x480 interlaced mode when running in 25khz mode, like I do when running other monitors in 15khz mode?

3) Can CRT_EMU driver run 24khz modes? If so, will it do so by default? On my 15khz MAME setups, I run GroovyMAME which selects the best resolution automatically. When I run Nebula's Model 2 and Supermodel Model 3 emulators, can I just get them to load in their default resolution and it will work on the 25khz monitor setup?

4) Do I need to do anything different with VMmaker to get 24khz resolutions, or will they be there by default?

5) Is this all a recipe for disaster and will I kill my beautiful Nanao monitor?

Thanks if anyone can help!

[Calamity]

Hi desh_thiere,

1) I will be using a J-PAC to hook everything up. If I set the J-PAC jumper to 25khz only, is that essentially the same as 24khz? Model 2/3 games run at 496 x 384, which is listed as a 24khz resolution, but I assume that the 25khz jumper on the J-PAC will keep the monitor safe?

Yes, you usually see either 24kHz or 25kHz depending on the place, both are the same.

2) Can I boot windows in 640x480 interlaced mode when running in 25khz mode, like I do when running other monitors in 15khz mode?

No. If you switch your monitor to 25 kHz, you can only sync to 25 kHz modes. An interesting 25 kHz mode for the desktop is 1024x768@60i (interlaced).

You can have both types of modelines simultaneously available in the system, awaiting for you to pick them.

3) Can CRT_EMU driver run 24khz modes? If so, will it do so by default? On my 15khz MAME setups, I run GroovyMAME which selects the best resolution automatically. When I run Nebula's Model 2 and Supermodel Model 3 emulators, can I just get them to load in their default resolution and it will work on the 25khz monitor setup?

Of course.

4) Do I need to do anything different with VMmaker to get 24khz resolutions, or will they be there by default?

You need to use a preset that contains a 24kHz range (both in vmmaker.ini and mame.ini). Either use the MS9-29 or create your own one.

5) Is this all a recipe for disaster and will I kill my beautiful Nanao monitor?

Well, it is your responsibility to operate the switch on your monitor before launching the games

What I would do... create separate mame.ini files one for 15 kHz, one for 25 kHz, so that only one of the ranges is available to GroovyMAME at once. Then decide which one to use and when.

[Sledge]

You need to use a preset that contains a 24kHz range (both in vmmaker.ini and mame.ini). Either use the MS9-29 or create your own one.

So if using the ms929 preset in GM, does that mean i have 24kHZ available?
I don't want this... i WAS using the custom setting, but have recently changed that to ms929.
That would only suit one that auto switches.. mine doesn't. (though i haven't seen any games that try to run in 24kHz..)

[desh_thiere]

Hi Calamity, thanks once again for your very comprehensive reply.

A few more questions if you have the time and patience

1) I will install CRT_EMU onto the PC and then use Arcade_OSD to set the resolution to 1024x768@60i. If I then hook the PC up to the J-PAC with ONLY the 24khz jumper selected and the 24khz plug on the chassis plugged in, I will get a stable image for windows boot? Do I need to ONLY have the 24khz jumper selected, or should I also have the 15khz? My understanding is that I do not need the 15khz jumper selected, only the 24khz. Is that correct?

2) I never plan on using MAME on this machine, it will only be for Model 2/3. Therefore, I do not need any 15khz modes, only 24khz modes. You say to use the MS9-29 preset in vmmaker.ini and also mame.ini. However, I do not plan on using MAME at all, so do I just set the monitor preset in vmmaker and it will be all good? Also, my monitor is an MS8 26 inch. Is there a preset for that, or do I just use the MS9 preset?

3) Is there any way to make the machine ONLY use 24khz modes, so as not to worry about something being accidentally booted in 15khz mode and causing damage? As this will only be used for Model 2 and 3, is there a way to tell VMMaker to only use 24khz modes?

Thanks Calamity! I am rather worried to do this, as the Nanao monitor I have is so gorgeous and it worries me that I will kill it.

[Calamity]

Hi desh_thiere,

1) I've always used JPACs on fixed frequency 15 kHz CRTs, so I'm not sure I can answer that. I guess the best you can do is ask Ultimarc, then come back and tell us.

2) If you're not using MAME, then setting vmmaker.ini is enough. If you're using this for Model 2/3, then just a few video modes are going to be required. Place them in ReslList.txt, then create the modes, and use Arcade_OSD to get perfect centering of them (be aware you need to have at leat 17 active modelines in order to be able to edit modelines dynamically in Arcade_OSD).

3) You can simply use a 24 kHz range in vmmaker.ini, like this:

MonitorType = "CUSTOM"
monitor_specs0    23900.00-24900.00, 55-65, 2.91, 3.00, 4.44, 0.451, 0.164, 1.048, 0, 0, 480, 768

However, this will apply once Windows is loaded, there's no way to have the computer boot at 24 kHz.