How To Adjust Individual Games Resolution?

[FrizzleFried]

Groovymame wants to run WORLD CLASS BOWLING and SHUFFLESHOT at an interlaced resolution for some strange reason.  Each game should run at 384 x 240 ...

How do I make the change?

[Sledge]

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 or pasting it.

[FrizzleFried]

It can be difficult getting information from my MAME cabinet which is out in the garage and not "always" wired.  I'm not exactly reporting a specific game "bug" but rather trying to learn how to fix small issues like this myself so I don't have to bug the support team over small issues.  I'm going to go out on a limb and "assume" it's not too terribly difficult to adjust the resolution a game pops up in using Groovymame.  Maybe I am wrong?  If so... my apologies... but if it's NOT too difficult,  could someone explain the process so I can rectify my own issues without having to resort to posting minor resolution issues with random games here?

If it's absolutely necessary I run and submit the LOG,  I will bring out a thumb drive to bring that file over to my main PC so I can upload it... but again,  I'd rather fix my own issues like this if possible.

[digitron]

Hey Frizzle, I'm a GM noob so take these words with a grain of salt but did you generate your modes with your monitor in Windows Portrait mode by chance?

I had a similar issue because I created & and installed my VMMaker modes with my CRT in Windows Portrait mode. Once I put it back to Windows Landscape, generated the modes, THEN moved the monitor to a vertical position, I set orientation=vertical in mame.ini, went back to Windows Portrait mode, then GM picked the correct resolutions for all games, it works perfectly (super modes).

As a test to see if you have the correct modes installed, you can set interlace to 0 in mame.ini, if the game shows up in the correct res then you know you have the right modes installed and disregard everything I just said.

[FrizzleFried]

Hey Frizzle, I'm a GM noob so take these words with a grain of salt but did you generate your modes with your monitor in Windows Portrait mode by chance?

I had a similar issue because I created & and installed my VMMaker modes with my CRT in Windows Portrait mode. Once I put it back to Windows Landscape, generated the modes, THEN moved the monitor to a vertical position, I set orientation=vertical in mame.ini, went back to Windows Portrait mode, then GM picked the correct resolutions for all games, it works perfectly (super modes).

As a test to see if you have the correct modes installed, you can set interlace to 0 in mame.ini, if the game shows up in the correct res then you know you have the right modes installed and disregard everything I just said.

I have plenty of modes installed... many games (heck,  every games I've played thus far until i got to the two IT games World Class Bowling and Shuffle Shot) seem to be playing in their proper resolutions... Shuuz (for example),  plays in it's proper low resolution (well,  it plays it what APPEARS to be it's proper resolution).  Also,  my cabinet is a horizontal cabinet... I'm not attempting to play vertical games on it... both Shuffleshot and World Class Bowling are horizontal games...

Should I assume that if Groovymame doesn't find the proper resolution it will default to 640x480i?   Is that what is happening?  If that is the case,  then perhaps the specific 384x240 isn't available and it's defaulting to 640x480i?   If so,  what do I modify to force those games (and then all 384x240 games) to run at the next closest resolution that my monitor does support?

[digitron]

Ah, I'm not much of help then but I'm sure someone will reply with the info you need. Best of luck friend.

[buttersoft]

The log is required.

That said, you can bastardise a fix by using whatever-rom-name.ini files to override the main mame.ini switchres options. Either copy the mame.ini into the ini directory and rename, or just the bits of it you need. Then set the res in the video options. You do lose the correct refresh rate that way. Better to post the log.

[FrizzleFried]

The log is required.

That said, you can bastardise a fix by using whatever-rom-name.ini files to override the main mame.ini switchres options. Either copy the mame.ini into the ini directory and rename, or just the bits of it you need. Then set the res in the video options. You do lose the correct refresh rate that way. Better to post the log.

Thank you for the suggestion regarding the ini file... I will toy with that when I have a little time.  I did manage to get a txt file created and moved over ... thought I had both World Class Bowling Deluxe and Shuffleshot but nope... only the WCBowling made it over to the thumb drive.  In any case,  each game is the exact same engine and exhibits the exact same behavior.  If you fix one, the other can be fixed the same way.



Let me know if that Shuffle Shot txt file will be absolutely necessary...

Poking through the file it appears that my monitor/rig DOES do a 384x240 mode... not sure why it's dropping to an interlaced mode...

[FrizzleFried]

OK... I see what's happening.  It thinks the game should run at 384 x 256 ... which I don't have a mode covering... but I do have a mode covering double that interlaced (768 x 512).  The game,  however,  should run at 384x240,  which I DO have a mode for... 

[Calamity]

The game,  however,  should run at 384x240,  which I DO have a mode for...

Are you sure the game should run at 384x240?

Your log shows the game starting at 384x240 (MAME always reports the resolution the game boots with, not necessarily the main one), then it shows how the game trying to switch to 384x256, which could be the actual in-game resolution.

[FrizzleFried]

Aside from websites telling me... like below... I have no idea.  I DO know that my last MAME version played it fine without going in to interlaced mode... and it looked fantastic.  I also know my Pi3 also plays it fine and at 384x240 and not in interlaced mode.  I did check the manual and it doesn't indicate the resolution.  You guys are the pros when it comes to this... where do you look to source your information on resolution?

What I do know... interlaced mode sucks for this game (and at the interlaced resolution run it cuts the bottom inch off the screen too).

Here are couple websites that says it's at 384x240:

Source: http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/?mame=wcbowldx

Source: http://www.arcaderestoration.com/games/10472/World+Class+Bowling+Deluxe.aspx

The top source is a MAME engine I use to create gamelists for attract-mode.

I could keep posting but I'm up to 3 sources out of 3 that says the game runs at 384x240.

Is there something else I can do to "prove" the fact?

EDIT: And frankly,  even if I can't PROVE the fact... can someone please explain how I set it up to run 384x240 even if it's' not right because at 384 x 240 it looks great... at the interlaced mode its coming up with... it sucks.

[FrizzleFried]

Also... I went out to the cab and shuffshot is using the exact same resolutions... originall 384x240 then it kicks it to 385x256 which it can't do so it uses the interlaced (doubled) version....

[Calamity]

It's MAME (the emulated hardware actually) the one requesting a mode switch. Usually, this is correct. It might happen that the emulation is wrong though. I'll check in a while.

GM will do whatever is possible in order to render the game with integer scaling. Since you don't have 384x256 available, and 768x512 is exactly 384x256 x2, that's why it picks that. If you had 384x256 available, it'll pick it instead. You need 384x256 anyway, it's a basic arcade video mode, Irem, etc.

You can force 384x240 by brute force by adding these options:

resolution 384x240
intoverscan 1

Here -intoverscan is required in order to avoid GM using fractional scaling and make it crop the frame instead.

[FrizzleFried]

It's MAME (the emulated hardware actually) the one requesting a mode switch. Usually, this is correct. It might happen that the emulation is wrong though. I'll check in a while.

GM will do whatever is possible in order to render the game with integer scaling. Since you don't have 384x256 available, and 768x512 is exactly 384x256 x2, that's why it picks that. If you had 384x256 available, it'll pick it instead. You need 384x256 anyway, it's a basic arcade video mode, Irem, etc.

You can force 384x240 by brute force by adding these options:

resolution 384x240
intoverscan 1

Here -intoverscan is required in order to avoid GM using fractional scaling and make it crop the frame instead.

Where do you add the lines above... the specific games ini file?

Thank you.

[haynor666]

Some of itech32 games uses 256 lines so either use 2560x256 or 384x256 at 55 Hz. Shrinking to 240 won't look good but overscan might help unless it won't hide important part of gameplay area.

Create wcbolw.ini in ini directory and put only those lines postd by Calamity.

[Calamity]

It's definitely 384x256.

This is another reason why super resolutions are handy, you don't need to worry about missing resolutions.

[digitron]

It's definitely 384x256.

This is another reason why super resolutions are handy, you don't need to worry about missing resolutions.

I was gonna say, I'm wondering if Frizzle has Super resolutions loaded.

[FrizzleFried]

It's definitely 384x256.

This is another reason why super resolutions are handy, you don't need to worry about missing resolutions.

I was gonna say, I'm wondering if Frizzle has Super resolutions loaded.

I've tried... but when I load in Super Resolutions I get doubled screens and very odd squished images, etc...  so I went with standard low res settings that seem to work with the majority of games.

Also,  I've only ever been able to load one or the other... can all modes be set at the same time?   When I attempt to load Super Resolutions while current resolutions are loaded,  I get like 25 or so... but they all fail (at least they did with my last video card ... to be 100% honest, I can't remember if I even tried with the 2nd card.

[digitron]

Hmm, have you tried the Generic 15khz preset? I assume you're using the Arcade 15khz preset in vmmaker?

If you change it, I would disable and re-enable EDID emulation every-time you switch presets, then select super modes (assuming your video card supports EDID emulation)

I'm just trying to help out so sorry if I'm off here, but I spent quite a bit of time on it over last weekend and got dangerous enough to get it working the way I want.

[FrizzleFried]

Well crap... it's probably best I do it now while I still have my PC LDC out and easily hooked and the cabinet pulled away from the wall...

[FrizzleFried]

OK... I intalled Super Resolutions... yay!  They seem to be working as intended... and now 384x256 resolution (the super res version) is showing up progressive ... YAY...

UNFORTUNATELY there is one small problem.  I am experiencing some decent foldover at the bottom of the screen.  I can adjust it out by making the screen THIN horizontally... but any adjustment to make the screen fill up vertically to fill the whole screen results in the bottom folding over on itself.

This happened with the interlaced resolution as well ...

Is there a way to adjust this issue out?

[FrizzleFried]

Here are a couple videos of the issue...

[FrizzleFried]

BTW ... For the record,  I did try Generic 15Khz,  Arcade 15Khz and Wells Gardner K7000 settings... I noticed all of them are slightly different than one another for this particular resolution at least but none rectified the issue... if there was much change between the three... it was slight at best.

[haynor666]

256 lines modes will be always cut off at the bottom with default TV/monitor presets. On my Sony trinitron TV I have to used v sloop option to up a bottom part of picture. Basically size/position regulation is possible besides vertical size. This can only be done in service menu and/or in monitor internal regulators. It's strange that You have such effect instead of cut off bottom part of picture.

On TV problem is with two presents - one for PAL and one for NTSC. 256 lines at 55 Hz is neither PAL (about 288 lines, 50 Hz) or NTSC (about 224 lines, 60 Hz) so You had to change geometry to correctly fill TV. As suspect arcade monitors are by default calibrated for 224 mode but even my very old arcade monitor (sadly I don't have it anymore) could display Mortal Kombat (400x256) without any problems and proper picture adjustment was possible from monitor internal pots. Maybe Your monitor don't like 256 lines.

[FrizzleFried]

Yeah... analog arcade monitor... no internal "service menu" with this bad boy.  It's so very odd that for YEARS I played this game on MAME without this issue... (my old rig using Soft15khz)... and even now,  if I plug in my ARpiCADE Pi3 rig... it will play this game without this issue to this extent (it's a little squished,  but not nearly as bad as what you see)...

Maybe I will try to force the 240 line mode as mentioned above to see how that looks... any other suggestions as to trying to at least correct the image as much as possible?

It's been years since I recapped this monitor (2008 I think it was)... might be time?  Not having issues with other resolutions though.

[FrizzleFried]

SOLUTION FOUND!  After reading haynor's post I figured I'd check the chassis out to see if there were any pots I had missed (I did look prior).  In addition to the 6 pots that had been wired to a remote board ... which I had obviously adjusted prior... there is a horizontal hold pot on the chassis as well as another one that is hot glued that adjusts when HV shutdown happens.  Disappointed I took a look at the cap-map of the board searching for anything I missed.  I saw nothing.  I then went back to the chassis and really examined it and found ANOTHER POT... tucked just behind the Horizontal Hold.  It was a flush mounted pot versus a vertical standing one like the Horizontal Hold.  I checked the cap map and sure enough,  there it was... labeled "50/60"...

I had no sure way of knowing what a 50/60 pot does though I suspected it was JUST WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR... an adjustment for between 50 & 60 hz... but I'd never seen a chassis with one of those... could it be?

Sure enough... that is EXACTLY what it is!

I was able to adjust out the curl at the bottom and the damn monitor looks the best it's ever looked!

Has anyone ever noticed a 50/60 pot on their K7000?   Is that the only chassis that has that?   I learn something new every day.

[Calamity]

Nice finding!

Once you find the thread to pull from, it looks like an user posted about the same pot 16 years ago:

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=13643.0

[hurdy]

I have a board that has sound and a garbled picture.  Any suggestion on where to start troubshooting?