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Author Topic: Does Raspberry Pi output games at correct refresh rates to CRT?  (Read 4240 times)

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crispux3

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Does Raspberry Pi output games at correct refresh rates to CRT?
« on: October 12, 2017, 01:27:03 pm »
For instance, if I want to play MAME games that run at say, 54.7 Hz, 55Hz, or 58 Hz, will Pi play them correctly? Does Pi output SNES games at 60.08 Hz?

In other words, does the Pi output games at their exact refresh rates, or do you get frame skipping/tearing/etc. because it runs a game too fast or too slow? Also, if you have experience with retrotink, does it output refresh rates correctly?

Currently, I use groovymame and output to either my arcade monitor or PVM - would the Pi give me a similar/same experience? Thanks.

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Re: Does Raspberry Pi output games at correct refresh rates to CRT?
« Reply #2 on: October 20, 2017, 09:04:02 am »
Since you already have setups with Groovy and a PC, and you want that type of precision, you'll likely not be happy with Pi in general.
It doesn't have the emulation power that a PC does and due to its architecture you will have an inherent lag in everything...most people don't notice it depending on the speed of the game but it is still there.

Pi isn't for every gaming application, but it sure is good for lots of general gaming applications

SMB and Punchout on NES are two great examples where you can feel the limitations of Pi through the controls.

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Re: Does Raspberry Pi output games at correct refresh rates to CRT?
« Reply #3 on: October 20, 2017, 09:08:39 am »
SMB runs fine on my Pi.
I did have to tweak some settings  to get it to run without noticeable lag though.

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Re: Does Raspberry Pi output games at correct refresh rates to CRT?
« Reply #4 on: October 20, 2017, 07:44:57 pm »
The guy who maintains the AdvanceMAME project recently wrote a version customised for the Raspberry Pi that provides the facility to play games at their native resolution and refresh rate, just like the original PC version of AdvanceMAME did.

http://www.advancemame.it/
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retrorepair

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Re: Does Raspberry Pi output games at correct refresh rates to CRT?
« Reply #5 on: December 12, 2017, 07:38:12 pm »
There is also RGB-Pi which apparently does what the OP is looking for, I'm skeptical though. It supposedly does output the appropriate resolution/refresh for each game but no one has mentioned if it will switch resolutions mid game for those that need it. If it does however it seems like a huge leap in the right direction for the Pi and makes it look a lot more interesting.
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nitrogen_widget

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Re: Does Raspberry Pi output games at correct refresh rates to CRT?
« Reply #6 on: December 13, 2017, 08:34:29 pm »
There is also RGB-Pi which apparently does what the OP is looking for, I'm skeptical though. It supposedly does output the appropriate resolution/refresh for each game but no one has mentioned if it will switch resolutions mid game for those that need it. If it does however it seems like a huge leap in the right direction for the Pi and makes it look a lot more interesting.

not 100% sure but it looks like that is just a gertVGA put into a scart rgb cable.

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Re: Does Raspberry Pi output games at correct refresh rates to CRT?
« Reply #7 on: December 14, 2017, 06:47:35 am »
Well RGB-Pi is the project name, the SCART cable is pretty much a gertVGA but the OS is a modified version of recalbox. You can use it with a gertVGA instead of his cable if you prefer.

I've been testing it with a Pi 3 and gertVGA and it seems to work really, really well.
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Re: Does Raspberry Pi output games at correct refresh rates to CRT?
« Reply #8 on: December 17, 2017, 11:13:45 pm »
Well RGB-Pi is the project name, the SCART cable is pretty much a gertVGA but the OS is a modified version of recalbox. You can use it with a gertVGA instead of his cable if you prefer.

I've been testing it with a Pi 3 and gertVGA and it seems to work really, really well.

Would the rgb-pi is work over composite you think?

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Re: Does Raspberry Pi output games at correct refresh rates to CRT?
« Reply #9 on: December 18, 2017, 10:24:40 am »
No because it exploits the Pi's DPI port for the resolutions. The composite port works differently. The adapters are only about 6 quid on amazon, but if you need composite for your display check out the retrotink:

http://www.retrotink.com
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Re: Does Raspberry Pi output games at correct refresh rates to CRT?
« Reply #10 on: December 18, 2017, 02:50:46 pm »
Or you can grab an extron rgb unit off ebay cheap to do essentially the same thing.
may need an rgbscart to component convertor (also cheap)

i've read about it online but havn't done it yet though.