GroovyMame + Tri-Sync Monitor

[glitch77]

Ok, I will try and keep this short, but I have a few questions.

System Specs: Windows 7 x64, 3ghz i5, 8GB ram, 128GB SSD, ArcadeVGA 5000 video card, 29" Makvision tri-sync monitor (Wei-Ya M3129).


1. When my monitor syncs to medium or high resolutions on the desktop and I center the video on the CRT, the 15khz modes are shifted too far right. I use "m3129" in mame.ini. Is there a way to manually define the modes and edit the 15khz to shift a bit to the left? (http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,116023.0.html) Is there a laymans guide somewhere that could teach me what each setting does in relation to the screen?

2. Medium resolution games like NARC don't seem to output 25khz. I am getting an interlaced 15khz resolution. I have tried both "m3129" and "arcade_15_25_31". "refresh_dont_care 1" and "lock_system_modes 0" are set.

3. Is there a way to force vertical games (on a horiz crt) to display at a medium or high (640x480) and let mame stretch them to fit the screen vertically? I am not looking to preserve pixel accuracy on vert games, just make them not be overblown on the crt.

Thank you for your replies in advance!

[glitch77]

Found this post from 2011, it's not quite right, but it does define things a bit. I assume I am looking for H front and back porch, but not sure what to change to shift the 15khz image.

; monitor_specs_0-6 = "HfreqMin-HfreqMax, VfreqMin,VfreqMax, HFrontPorch, HSyncPulse, HBackPorch, VfrontPorch, VSyncPulse, VBackPorch, HSyncPol, VSyncPol, ActiveLinesLimit, VirtualLinesLimit"
;
;    * HfreqMin-HfreqMax: Minimum and maximum horizontal frequency, in Hz. Defines the range of horizontal frequencies the monitor is capable to sync.
;       The higher the horizontal frequency, the higher the vertical resolution available for the same vertical refresh.
;       The higher the horizontal frequency, the higher the vertical refresh available for the same vertical resolution.
;       The higher the horizontal frequency, the lower the horizontal amplitude of active video (narrower picture).
;
;   * VFreqMin-VfreqMax: Minimum and maximum vertical frequency, in Hz, Defines the range of vertical frequencies the monitor is capable to sync.
;
;   * HFrontPorch, HSyncPulse, HBackPorch: Horizontal timing and geometry, values in µs
;
;   * VfrontPorch, VSyncPulse, VBackPorch: Vertical timing and geometry, values in ms
;
;   * HSyncPol,VSyncPol: polarities, not in use! defaults to negative.
;
;   * ActiveLinesLimit: Vertical resolutions until ActiveLinesLimit value included, are generated as progressive, regardless the possibility
;                           of obtaining the required vertical refresh value.
;
;   * VirtualLinesLimit: Vertical resolutions above ActiveLinesLimit and below VirtualLinesLimit are virtualized, that is, an interlaced resolution
;                            bigger that the native one is generated, with the right refresh, and "hardware stretch" is applied.
;                            Vertical resolutions above VirtulaLinesLimit are generated as interlaced, without any stretching.

[Calamity]

Hi glitch77,

1. When my monitor syncs to medium or high resolutions on the desktop and I center the video on the CRT, the 15khz modes are shifted too far right. I use "m3129" in mame.ini. Is there a way to manually define the modes and edit the 15khz to shift a bit to the left?

You can't use GroovyMAME to modify the modes with an ArcadeVGA 5000. Consider them as being read-only. Powerstrip might work with AVGA 5000 however (no one has tried afaik). If PS works then GM can apply custom modelines (you need the create them manually).

Some tri-sync monitors allow independent centering of the three ranges with specific potentiometers. I don't know if it's the case with yours.

2. Medium resolution games like NARC don't seem to output 25khz. I am getting an interlaced 15khz resolution. I have tried both "m3129" and "arcade_15_25_31". "refresh_dont_care 1" and "lock_system_modes 0" are set.

Narc is 399p@54.91, maybe it's being scored badly due to the existing presets. Please post a log so I can check.

3. Is there a way to force vertical games (on a horiz crt) to display at a medium or high (640x480) and let mame stretch them to fit the screen vertically? I am not looking to preserve pixel accuracy on vert games, just make them not be overblown on the crt.

If you want all vertical games to use the same resolution, you can just create a vertical.ini file with the e.g. "resolution 640x480" inside.

[glitch77]

Sorry for the late reply, been out of state for a few days.


I guess all my questions are moot as Powerstrip doesn't support newer cards and their support said they wont be working on it further. If I cant center high-resolution and low-resolution games the same, I will have to force everything back to low res.

I'll let everyone know if Ultimarc has any ideas.


Thank you for your reply.

[sean_sk]

I guess all my questions are moot as Powerstrip doesn't support newer cards and their support said they wont be working on it further. If I cant center high-resolution and low-resolution games the same, I will have to force everything back to low res.

Have you actually tested the most recent version of Powerstrip (v3.90 I think) with the AVGA 5000? The reason why I ask is that the AVGA 5000 is essentially an ATI HD5450 and that's not exactly a recent release GPU. It's been around for over 4 years now.
If you haven't given Powerstrip a test I highly recommend giving it a try as it has made my life easy with the AVGA 3000.

[glitch77]

Have you actually tested the most recent version of Powerstrip (v3.90 I think) with the AVGA 5000? The reason why I ask is that the AVGA 5000 is essentially an ATI HD5450 and that's not exactly a recent release GPU. It's been around for over 4 years now.
If you haven't given Powerstrip a test I highly recommend giving it a try as it has made my life easy with the AVGA 3000.

Yes, I downloaded the latest from here: http://www.entechtaiwan.com/util/ps.shtm

See their post here: http://forums.entechtaiwan.com/index.php?topic=7265.0

[sean_sk]

That's really bizzarre. Why they're not supporting it is completely beyond me. HD5450 is 4 years old yet their last release was 2 years ago. They even state down the bottom: "PowerStrip 3 is intended for use with newer display cards."

I hadn't been to the website for ages but it seems Entech is winding down support for PS altogether. I might look at an alternative, if there is one.

[Calamity]

The ATI HD 5xxx family is supported, some time ago I tried PS succesfully with an HD 5450 (integrated in an Acer laptop). The problem could be PS not recognizing the AVGA as such.

[glitch77]

Ashley Saldanha
Administrator
Re: ATI HD5450 - powerstrip custom resolution button disabled.
« Reply #1 on: April 12, 2010, 06:47:48 AM »
ATO on the HD5xxx is not supported by PowerStrip.


Sadly it doesn't seem to be the case anymore.

[Calamity]

http://forums.entechtaiwan.com/index.php?topic=2036.0

04/22/2011 - 3.90.711
- Maintenance release
- Improved HD5xxx support

[glitch77]

lol... I guess it is just not recognizing the ArcadeVGA. Uhg. If there was some way to force powerstrip to recognize it as a certain card I'd be set...

[Calamity]

lol... I guess it is just not recognizing the ArcadeVGA. Uhg. If there was some way to force powerstrip to recognize it as a certain card I'd be set...

So what does it say when you load it? Does it work but the ATO dialog is disabled? I don't think you can force things that way.

BTW why don't you try the Arcade Perfect tool: http://www.ultimarc.com/arcadeperfect.html

[glitch77]

So what does it say when you load it? Does it work but the ATO dialog is disabled? I don't think you can force things that way.

BTW why don't you try the Arcade Perfect tool: http://www.ultimarc.com/arcadeperfect.html

Yes, ATO is greyed out.


ArcadePerfect doesn't work on the AVGA5000. Andy stated to me in an email that no one uses AP anyway so it's not worth updating. Why the AracdeVGA 5000 logo is on that page is beyond me. Why the tool is even still available if it is unsupported is beyond me. I keep getting the feeling that I should have just bought a standard ATI card and modded it to 15khz. The usefulness of AVGA is slipping.

[cools]

ArcadePerfect doesn't work on the AVGA5000. Andy stated to me in an email that no one uses AP anyway so it's not worth updating. Why the AracdeVGA 5000 logo is on that page is beyond me. Why the tool is even still available if it is unsupported is beyond me. I keep getting the feeling that I should have just bought a standard ATI card and modded it to 15khz. The usefulness of AVGA is slipping.

I'd buy an ArcadeVGA if it was a decent fanless card that simply had the VESA (or whatever modes are used for the BIOS/Windows boot etc) modded, rather than all the built in non-adjustable custom ones that can't be altered with either Soft15k or CRT_Emudriver.

[Sledge]

I keep getting the feeling that I should have just bought a standard ATI card and modded it to 15khz. The usefulness of AVGA is slipping.

I have one which works fine for me... though mines 15khz only..
So for most ppl who only have 15khz screens, it's perfectly ok