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Author Topic: CRT Emudriver + Sony BVM: Several issues and questions.  (Read 4522 times)

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Crayfish

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CRT Emudriver + Sony BVM: Several issues and questions.
« on: November 18, 2017, 07:13:10 am »
Hi guys. Very glad to find this forum and all the discussion of Emudriver etc.
Recently put together a dedicated emulator PC outputting to a Sony BVM. It basically works fine, but I am having a few issues and would really appreciate some answers and advice from some of the experienced users here. The questions pertain to the crt emudriver / emu software as well as the BVM hardware.

My setup is as follows:
Core2 Duo E7600 @3.06GHz - 4GB Ram
Radeon 4300/4500 512MB With CRT Emudriver (thought I installed 2.0 but listed as WDDM v1.1?)

Windows 7 64bit. I am using Win 7 so I can use the latest emulators for online play (fightcade 2 etc)

Monitor 1: Sony BVM-20F1U 15KHz (+BKM Control unit).
Monitor 2: Generic 4:3 LCD running at 800x600 31KHz (I have this as main monitor for web browsing, settings, emulator menu navigation etc)

ISSUES & QUESTIONS:

1.) A couple of my emulators, including Fightcade 2 (FBA) are asking for D3DX9_43.DLL before they will load. I understand this means the Direct X is out of date. Can I update my Direct X without messing up CRT Emudriver?

2.) From the install process of CRT Emudriver, I still have the 'Test Mode Win7 Build 7601' message in the bottom corner of both screens. Can I get rid of this for fear of screen burn on my CRT'?

3.) I am trying to use 1to1 pixel ratios (no strech) with different arcade boards and console emulators, is it possible to save different settings within the Sony BKM control unit so that I dont have to manually adjust each board/system to correctly fit within the bezel each time I switch? If so, how many can I save and do I need to find one of the memory cards for the BKM?
Or will the BKM simply remember the geometry and other setting based on what res I feed into it like I remember some of my PC 31KHz CRTs doing in the past?

4a.) I am trying to run 1to1 pixel ratios but I have gaps in my supported resolutions. Between 336x224 & 512x448 there is only 384x240. Many boards I emulate have vertical res of 250 or more. I would just run the monitor at 512x448 and adjust the geometry, but it simply wont strech that far.
If I am only running CRT Emudriver 1.1, would updating to 2.0 give me more resolutions or would I need to downgrade to XP to get those extra resolutions?

4b.) The main arcade systems I emulate are Capcom's CPS boards which run at 384x224. Now I would just run the monitor at the available 384x240 and have borders top and bottom that I could strech out using the monitor geometry, but for some reason, my bvm HATES 384x240. Running is this mode gives me these ugly greenish screen width horizontal shadows that are cast by on screen sprites. It is very strange since the resolutions above and below it listed above work fine. This is very strange and frustrating since it is the most practical compromise res available atm. Anyone else have a BVM that doesnt like this res? The other CRT I've tested with (a JVC broadcast monitor) doesnt have a problem with this res, but I would really like to keep using the BVM as my main.

5.) If I leave the brightness at its default level, my BVM flickers quite violently on screens with large areas of block white (title/logo screens etc). Just turning down the brightness solves this, but just wondering if this is natural/common? I do remember having to turn off a brightess settting on my Ikagami monitor for the same reason.

Many thanks in advance for any help.
« Last Edit: November 18, 2017, 07:54:42 am by Crayfish »

haynor666

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Re: CRT Emudriver + Sony BVM: Several issues and questions.
« Reply #1 on: November 18, 2017, 02:08:16 pm »
1. Yes, I also had to update DirectX for naomi emulators.
2. Search for Remove Watermark v0.8
3. I never had any BVM but I don't it's possible
4a. 1.1 is old and it does not works correctly with newer groovymame. You can safely use old driver and new tools 2.0beta10
4b. I've never seen any report that 384x240 works bad on Sony BVM. Maybe there is something wrong with Your monitor

Crayfish

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Re: CRT Emudriver + Sony BVM: Several issues and questions.
« Reply #2 on: November 18, 2017, 02:41:00 pm »
Thanks for the feedback, I'll look into those.

buttersoft

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Re: CRT Emudriver + Sony BVM: Several issues and questions.
« Reply #3 on: November 19, 2017, 10:09:52 pm »
4. I'd install crt_emudriver v2. I'd also use super resolutions. Either way, you'll need to edit the ini files to add modelines like 2560x256 or 320x256 or whatever you need.

The colour issue might be an issue with timings - that's a guess though. Try adjusting the horizontal front and back porches for the 240p mode in ArcadeOSD, mb. This will move the left and right side of the screen in and out. Then you leave the modeline and adjust the size either in mame.ini or manually. ArcadeOSD is a tool that came with the crt_emudriver package, and it works to switch resolutions and alter their fine details - use it rather than other methods of changing screen res for testing, because it always does things right.

5. I've never seen that issue with a pro monitor, but i have seen it on some TV chassis when playing around. Brightness is fine, picture stable, then you open a normal window over a third of the screen and the whole screen almost starts strobing, right? I reckon it's an AKB/beam current limit feedback issue.  I managed to fix it by turning the brightness down until a bit below the problem vanished and then turned the Screen pot up to compensate. The Screen adjustment will effectively work to brighten things up, but isn't directly affected by the AKB, whereas the brightness is. The Screen adjustment is normally one of the dials on the flyback, marked G1 or Screen, the other dial being Focus, but Sony often moves those dials around. If you have the service manual for the 20F1U see if you can find where it is. It's certainly going to involve opening the set and adjusting it live - not dangerous if you get a screwdriver with a nice long handle and don't touch anything else.
« Last Edit: November 19, 2017, 10:29:44 pm by buttersoft »

Crayfish

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Re: CRT Emudriver + Sony BVM: Several issues and questions.
« Reply #4 on: November 22, 2017, 06:38:01 am »
Many thanks again buttersoft.
It is a while since I did the initial install, as it turns out i do have 2.0 installed.
All I really need to know now is how to add in extra modes. There are several .ini files covering the different resolutions. I need to figure out how to add in extra modes via ArcadeOSD, also how to select which monitor it effects, if I try to test even the modes I already have with it, its changing my monitor 2 lcd desktop, not my crt..


haynor666

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Re: CRT Emudriver + Sony BVM: Several issues and questions.
« Reply #5 on: November 22, 2017, 03:41:24 pm »
Extra resolutions You can add via VMMaker using user_modes.ini, ArcadeOSD is used for tweaking existing modelines.

buttersoft

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Re: CRT Emudriver + Sony BVM: Several issues and questions.
« Reply #6 on: November 22, 2017, 05:55:31 pm »
What Haynor says first. You add modelines via VMM. after that, if you need to use ArcadeOSD you hit the "2" key, the number key, and it should change, then you make sure to hit... "1", is it, to focus on the current monitor? The name up the top should change from //display1../ to //display2../ or whatever they're actually called.

Crayfish

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Re: CRT Emudriver + Sony BVM: Several issues and questions.
« Reply #7 on: November 24, 2017, 10:25:30 am »
Huge thanks again guys.
I found that yes it is easy to add in resolutions just via the txt file and then use VMMaker to install them.
I tried creating some other resolutions to fit all needs like a 384x256 and 400x300 and it didn't acknowledge them but it did allowed me to create a proper Capcom CPS 384x224 but it suffers the same problem as the 384x240.
Here is a picture of what I am getting:
https://gyazo.com/035d452f5b4d2bfbce47085502640cd4
There are horizontal bars that run the full width of the screen and stain the image green. They seem to be cast like shadows by on screen sprites and move up and down with them, but they also appear static on a light colored screen, like when i move a desktop window onto the crt.

I have tried editing in some lower refresh rates onto the ini file, but they all just seem to go to 60HZs when i put them into VMMaker anyway, and I can't see how to edit the refresh rate in ArcadeOSD.

I cannot use Super resolutions from my desktop with 2 screen setup right? Only on a single 15hz setup? Or could i set a super resolution to just my crt alongside my 31khz desktop monitor?

I also want to mention that I am using a T-joint BNC connector to combine my H & V sync from my VGA to RGBHV lead. I mentioned this to another crtemudriver to bvm user and he said he heard that this wans't a good setup to use to combine your sync. Could this be the problem? pls remember that the other lower resolutions work beautifully, here is a pic of it running at 320x224:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1z45BkPF_O27d_qiGtnLq5kX8HejSfs56/view
and when i fed the 512interlaced res into it, that worked fine too.
*I am trying to track down an Extron RGB203RXI to combine my sync instead of relying on the T-joint.
 

haynor666

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Re: CRT Emudriver + Sony BVM: Several issues and questions.
« Reply #8 on: November 24, 2017, 11:02:08 am »
Try some cheap TV if it's possible. 90% for damaged Sony. After all many people are using Sony BVM and like I mentioned earlier I've never seen any report about such problem.

Crayfish

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Re: CRT Emudriver + Sony BVM: Several issues and questions.
« Reply #9 on: November 25, 2017, 01:07:57 pm »
It seems it is interference of some kind.
I tried switching around cables and taking the matrix switcher out of the equation and it got slightly better each time. Still not perfect, but can still improve things from here.
Thanks again for all the help!

haynor666

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Re: CRT Emudriver + Sony BVM: Several issues and questions.
« Reply #10 on: November 26, 2017, 05:48:22 am »
You could look into video socket in Your BVM. Might need repairs.

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Re: CRT Emudriver + Sony BVM: Several issues and questions.
« Reply #11 on: November 26, 2017, 06:43:05 am »
I cannot use Super resolutions from my desktop with 2 screen setup right? Only on a single 15hz setup? Or could i set a super resolution to just my crt alongside my 31khz desktop monitor?

You can use super resolutions on either of your monitors, and keep the other one with normal resolutions, or use super resolutions on both, etc. Just point to the right monitor from VMMaker's dialog when creating the video modes.

It's odd that only 384x224 is affected. If the other ones are not, then using super resolutions will probably fix the issue.
Important note: posts reporting GM issues without a log will be IGNORED.
Steps to create a log:
 - From command line, run: groovymame.exe -v romname >romname.txt
 - Attach resulting romname.txt file to your post, instead of pasting it.

CRT Emudriver, VMMaker & Arcade OSD downloads, documentation and discussion:  Eiusdemmodi

haynor666

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Re: CRT Emudriver + Sony BVM: Several issues and questions.
« Reply #12 on: November 26, 2017, 08:45:20 am »
Did You tried 768x240 (galaxian driver) or 512x240 (system1 driver)?

For combining both synces there is tutorial - http://digilander.libero.it/venturi1975/index.html

Crayfish

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Re: CRT Emudriver + Sony BVM: Several issues and questions.
« Reply #13 on: December 10, 2017, 10:39:08 am »
Hey guys. Sorry for the late reply, but I wanted to get my Extron 203Rxi before I replied to see how that affected things.
The strange green shadowing effect at 384 resolutions was caused my external sync, possibly bc of the using the T-joint to combine HV. Now that I am using the Extron to combine the syncs, I don't need to enable external sync on the monitor and the picture is now perfect!

I am still very eager to know if I can store extra geometry settings on a memory card for the BMK control module.

Also, Im having some problems with getting mame (MameUI64 not Groovy) stretching my games.
I simply want mame to output my 2nd screen resolution of 384x240 and to display the games within that with no stretching. So If I run a game that is 320x224, i would have black borders around the edge (8 pixel top & bottom and 32 either side). I do this because I am outputting to a Sony BVM broadcast monitor (at 15KHz) that can simply change saved geometry settings at the push of a button to fit the screen with no need to switch resolution output.
I have been using Mame Plus, and that does what i want by just setting resolution to 'Auto' and game view to 'Pixel Aspect'. But Mame UI keeps stretching the image to the resolution. MamePlus had an option for 'Hardware Stretching' that you could uncheck, but if I have pixel aspect selected, MameUI shouldn't be streching the image anyway no?

Any help appreciated.
« Last Edit: December 10, 2017, 10:41:18 am by Crayfish »

buttersoft

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Re: CRT Emudriver + Sony BVM: Several issues and questions.
« Reply #14 on: December 10, 2017, 09:07:25 pm »
If you set up GM to use super resolutions you won't even need to push that single button, the horizontal size will be taken care of for you. Admittedly vertical size and position might be better handled by the BVM, but these aren't normally much of a problem.