Have a just made a mistake? RetroVGA2 and MAME

[ninjabadger81]

So...

Been really happy with my MAME bartop set-up. (3.3ghz C2D, 4gb, SSD, Hyperspin).

However, I've missed those original scan lines found on CRT's (I use HLSL on my laptop and it looks wonderful).

The issue is the bartop does not have a dedicated graphics card so HLSL was out of scope (it doesn't even have a PCIe port due to being USFF).
As such I looked into scanline generators and have just ordered an RetroVGA 2 as that seemed to fit my needs.

Now. This is where I think I have made a mistake. My bartop has both horizontal AND vertical games on it (the plan is to have 2 machines in the future with dedicated Horizontal/Vertical but thats not going to happen soon).
As vertical games really should have vertical scan lines I'm wondering how bad the vertical games will look with the generated horizontal scanlines.

Does anyone have any images of vertical games playing horizontal scanlines?

If it looks poor I will have a cheap RetroVGA 2 for sale :-)

Many thanks,


*Updated to correct product.

[Malenko]

I think you ordered the wrong thing, you just need a miniSLG http://www.paradisearcadeshop.com/scan-line-generators/1253-mini-slg.html

The ArcadeVGA is for pushing out a 15Hz signal from a PC to an arcade monitor.

[ninjabadger81]

Ahhh - I meant RetroVGA 2 (SLG) - doh.

[ninjabadger81]

So any one use an slg for a mame setup playing both vertical and horizontal?

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[nitrogen_widget]

So any one use an slg for a name setup playing both vertical and horizontal?

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I have a mini-slg.
The scanlines run accross the longest dimension of the monitor reguardless of how you have mame rotated.

not sure if rotating the display via graphics drivers changes that though.

[ninjabadger81]

How does it look on the vertical games?

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[Malenko]

it looks fine, not authentic but not terrible.

[ninjabadger81]

Thanks. Better than without it at all?  Good for horizontal games though right?

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[Malenko]

Thanks. Better than without it at all?  Good for horizontal games though right?

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That is an opinion question. I personally think it looks better than without, but you may feel differently.  I dont think there is any harm in hooking it up and seeing if YOU like it. 

[ninjabadger81]

Thanks.

Sorry for all the questions.  Was tempted to cancel my order but think I'll stick with it.

Might try and wire up an external switch so I can turn it off or on externally.

Don't suppose you have any screenshots of a vertical game with horizontal scanlines?

Do you still leave the filtering in mame switched on or off like when using hlsl?

Last question... I hope...

Is there a particular resolution that works best?  The retrovga has 2 options of scanline width so hoping i get some flexibility. 

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[DeLuSioNal29]

The scanlines go the same way no matter what.  So when you have the SLG on and the monitor in the horizontal position, the lines will appear from left to right (horizontally).  When the have the monitor in the vertical position, the lines will appear from the top to the bottom (vertically).  This is how it was in the arcades back in the day too.  Take a look at any vertical game.

DeL

[Malenko]

The scanlines go the same way no matter what.  So when you have the SLG on and the monitor in the horizontal position, the lines will appear from left to right (horizontally).  When the have the monitor in the vertical position, the lines will appear from the top to the bottom (vertically).  This is how it was in the arcades back in the day too.  Take a look at any vertical game.

DeL

I'm reading it as vertical games on a horizontal display. He didn't mention a rotating monitor on his bartop.

[DeLuSioNal29]

Ah yes. I misread. :-)

Well, FWIW, I have a real CRT horizontal setup and vertical games look great on my 27" multi sync arcade monitor running GroovyMAME.

[ninjabadger81]

Thanks guys.

I'll do a review once it arrives.


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