Best GFX Card for CRT Emudriver 2.0, supporting low clocks

[ID4]

Hi!

Currently I use HD5450s with CRT Emudriver 2.0, although for Mame I use super resolutions  , it is true that for other applications I use real low clock modes. 

I want to buy new graphics cards and I need them to be compatible with low clock modes. 

CRT Emudriver 2.0 is compatible with many last generation AMD cards, as I have read any card that has analog output is compatible with low clock modes, is this true? 

Previously the best graphics card was the HD5450. 

Today, What is the best GFX card (more powerful and compatible with low clock modes)  to use with CRT Emudriver?   

Thank you!

[Arroyo]

Two rescources :

AMD cards in chronological order:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_AMD_graphics_processing_units

Graphics card benchmarks:

https://gpu.userbenchmark.com/

It’s easiest to get one with Analog output in either the form of a VGA (DB9), or DVI-I connection.  The most recent card to support Analog was the R9.

Newer cards will work using the HDMI output and buying a digital to analog converter (DAC).

There are newer APU’s that have a VGA port and output analog but at this time aren’t able to be controlled  by the AMD driver hack from Calamity, and as I understand it won’t be able to in the future either.

[buttersoft]

He's after information on the dot clock minimums, i think. And i'm going to have to assume "best" means most powerful.

I can confirm the 69xx cards will do sub-8mHz. I'm using them for 320x240 modes. Which probably means the 79xx series will as well, and that the early R9 280 cards might too..? Not really sure beyond that.

[rancid]

I am using an r380x via dvi-i port no problem..  really hoping we get support for the newest and cards just released.

[schmerzkaufen]

At the 'top end' of there aren't that many.
In affordable and sometimes 'compact' form, easy to power, in second place I'd say the few R7 with either VGA or DVI, which I'd limit to GCN 2nd Gen in case FreeSync would be an alternative (plus groovy might be able to do 15khz feeesync, fingers crossed for that), therefore:
. R7 260, 260X and 360
And in first place the bulkier, more power hungry:
. R9 380 and 380X.
There are a few OEM alternatives but I haven't read any feedback. Also I'm not 100% sure this stops with the 380X but I couldn't confirm more powerful fitting models.

I don't know what your 'other applications' for low dot clock are, but even if the R9's are roughly twice as powerful as the R7's here on paper, personally I'm not convinced they make that much of a difference today.

[ID4]

Hi!

Thank you a lot!

Yeah I want the more powerful card supporting low clock modelines, we can do a quick list:

AMD Cards supporting low clock modelines:

AMD Radeon HD 69xx - Ok (with VGA or DVI-I)
AMD Radeon HD 79xx - Probably (with VGA or DVI-I)
AMD Radeon R7 260, 260X and 360 - Ok (with VGA or DVI-I)
AMD Radeon R9 380 and 380X - Ok (with VGA or DVI-I)

[buttersoft]

Just remember it has to be DVI-I because DVI-D won't do analog, and while you can use an HDMI converter or whatever it might complicate things if you use low dot clocks.

The R9 380X doesn't have DVI-I, only DVI-D

[schmerzkaufen]

Just remember it has to be DVI-I because DVI-D won't do analog, and while you can use an HDMI converter or whatever it might complicate things if you use low dot clocks.

The R9 380X doesn't have DVI-I, only DVI-D

? It does... both the 380 and 380X do.

[buttersoft]

Just remember it has to be DVI-I because DVI-D won't do analog, and while you can use an HDMI converter or whatever it might complicate things if you use low dot clocks.

The R9 380X doesn't have DVI-I, only DVI-D

? It does... both the 380 and 380X do.

Hmmm, i thought the only examples listed with DVI-I but it turned out to be incorrect, just the sellers not paying enough attention. I can certainly find some pictures of cards showing a DVI-I port connector, where i swear i've never been able to before. Maybe it's just me :/

[rancid]

Just remember it has to be DVI-I because DVI-D won't do analog, and while you can use an HDMI converter or whatever it might complicate things if you use low dot clocks.

The R9 380X doesn't have DVI-I, only DVI-D

? It does... both the 380 and 380X do.

Hmmm, i thought the only examples listed with DVI-I but it turned out to be incorrect, just the sellers not paying enough attention. I can certainly find some pictures of cards showing a DVI-I port connector, where i swear i've never been able to before. Maybe it's just me :/

I have multiple 380x cards and they all have DVI-I; I have yet to find a 390x that does though.

[ID4]

HI all!

Thanks for the info, updated card list! 

[tonyt76]

Does ATOM-15 work with the R9 380X?

[buttersoft]

Well, the R9 380 has had problems, so I'd imagine the R9 380X isn't going to play ball either.

[philexile]

Just out of curiosity: Is the 380 or 380X still the most powerful card supporting low dot clocks – or has this improved since 2019?

Thanks

[buttersoft]

Just out of curiosity: Is the 380 or 380X still the most powerful card supporting low dot clocks – or has this improved since 2019?

Thanks

I think it'll still be the 380/X. Everything newer is completely digital, and i think HDMI often comes with a dotclock minimum. Calamity, are you able to confirm that?

[Substring]

The HDMI specs set a 25MHz minimum dotclock. But not DisplayPort So far we've had luck (on linux) with Display Port + a very specific DP2VGA converter (that supports low dotclocks, interlaced, and does't take 3s to modeswitch). Long story short: Calamity found the DAC used in his DeskMini A300 and we luckilily found a DP2VGA using the same DAC.

[philexile]

Hi Substring,

Thank you for this information!

What is the DP2VGA converter that you're using? Also, with this in mind, how "modern" could one go in terms of video cards using DisplayPort?

Lastly: I guess that this is limited to Linux – or could Windows 10 users benefit from this as well?

[SamIAm]

While this topic is up, I'd like to post a related question:

What is the most powerful board that consumes only ~20W and doesn't use a fan? Is it the HD 6450?

[Substring]

Here is the boy on my amazon country https://www.amazon.fr/gp/product/B0192Y9XSE/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[philexile]

Hi again, Substring,

I picked up one of the DableDeconn DP to VGA units that you meantioned.

I was considering testing this out with my system just for fun – this is an i9, Windows 10 system using an RX 380 video card.

Is there anything special that needs to be done to enable the low dotclocks?

Also, if this does work well: what is the most modern video card I could possibly use with GroovyMame?

Thank you!

[Substring]

You said Windows, you've lost me I'm really of any help only on Linux

For GFX cards, I don't think anyone has tested a modern GPU (i.e. RX AMD cards) with that DP2VGA, so can't tell.

[tisurame]

Just a reminder that you can use any weak AMD card with Windows to output 240p and use a better Nvidia GPU to render the game/emulator.

So, the AMD card will only be used to display the picture, everything else will be handed by the Nvidia card.

[philexile]

You said Windows, you've lost me I'm really of any help only on Linux

For GFX cards, I don't think anyone has tested a modern GPU (i.e. RX AMD cards) with that DP2VGA, so can't tell.

Hmm, maybe this would be worthwhile to try with a new build?

How does GroovyMame perform on Linux when compared to Windows? One of the reasons I went to great lengths with my build was because I wanted to use "Frame Delay" to cut down on input lag to the greatest extent possible.

Is Linux comparable in this regard?

Just a reminder that you can use any weak AMD card with Windows to output 240p and use a better Nvidia GPU to render the game/emulator.

So, the AMD card will only be used to display the picture, everything else will be handed by the Nvidia card.

This is something that I wasn't aware of. I built this PC in early 2019, and I don't think that was an option then.

I currently use a GIGABYTE Z390 AORUS XTREME LGA 1151 motherboard. I think that you're saying that I can get a more basic AMD card and use it alongside of a modern Nvida GPU for modern games – is that correct?

Thanks agian