Need Help with CRT Emudriver and Deskmini A300

[bumble]

The Problem

I don't see anything listed as a "Compatible Device" when launching "Setup" in the CRT Emudriver Folder.

Computer Hardware I'm Working With:

• Deskmini A300
• Ryzen 5 3400g
• m.2 Samsung 256G SSD
• 16 GBs RAM
• A cheap Acer Monitor with VGA input and some other modern displays.

Arcade Cabinet Info (Probably unnecessary but listing it anyway)

• Brute Force style cabinet
• Display: Wells Gardner 25k7131

Goals

• I want to install CRT Emudriver on my PC in order to eventually output to a 15kHz Arcade display. Either Windows 7 or Windows 10.
• I'm mostly interested in getting an output to the screen in general, not necessarily playing every game in it's native resolution. This screen will be used for all games, both in orientation and time period, Arcade and Console.
• I'm open to using Linux (GroovyArcade Live CD) if necessary, but I really want to use Launchbox/Bigbox as a frontend. Getting that to work via Wine in Arch Linux has proved to be difficult.

Relevant Resources

• Asrock DeskMini A300 thread: http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=159988.0
• The installation walkthrough for CRT Emudriver: https://geedorah.com/eiusdemmodi/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=1052#p1052

DISCLAIMER

I do understand that my combination of hardware isn't something officially listed as supported. I didn't necessarily choose this hardware, the Deskmini and 3400g I have had for a couple of years now. I just recently purchased a used Arcade Cabinet and started figuring out what is needed to turn it into an emulation machine, using it's existing display. To keep within budget, I'd prefer not to purchase a new LCD display, or different hardware.

Details

I have tried for a couple of days now to get CRT Emudriver to install on fresh installs of Windows 10 Home and Windows 7 Ultimate, with no success. When double clicking on setup, I see no "Compatible Devices" listed. Some more info:

• No internet was used for either install (not sure if this matters, just trying to avoid any unnecessary driver installations from Windows Update)
• The entire installation process was done connected to a VGA LCD. No other displays were connected
• On Windows 7 and Windows 10, Device Manager shows "Generic Non-PnP Monitor" under "Monitors"

[li]On Windows 7, Device Manager shows "Standard VGA Graphics Adapter" under "Display adapters" (I don't remember what it showed for Windows but it was a generic adapter)[/li]
[li]Installing relevant drivers for the A300's motherboard for VGA output, as well as chipset, seems to not matter[/li]
[/list]

According to everything I have read, I should be able to install the CRT emudriver and output progressive resolutions, just not interlaced, on this hardware via Windows. This is something I am fine with as I don't mind remote-ing in to make changes to the PC once this is all setup. I don't yet have a JPAC to interface with my Arcade monitor yet, but it seems like I should have everything I need to at least see a compatible device listed.

Any help would be very much appreciated!

[bumble]

Update

Since my post, I have gotten no further with this setup and am abandoning it. I decided to go as cheap as I could and bought supported hardware instead.

I'm currently using a Ryzen 3300x (which I already had) and a Radeon HD 6450. Was able to install CRT Emudriver with no problem, and got a nice picture to show up on my Arcade monitor! I'm going to see if I can get an RX 550 to work for more modern games, but I am happy with how things have turned out!

[Calamity]

Hi bumble,

Sorry to be late.

The latest version of CRT Emudriver is probably too old to support the 3400G, that's probably the problem. Anyway, I've discarded Windows as a viable platform for this newer hardware due to lack of interlace support. It's true that you can bypass the need of it to some extent, but it makes configuration and normal system mantainance an absolute hell.

GroovyArcade should support the 3400G nicely, though. More modern APUs aren't supported yet (interlace support needs to be implemented separately for each generation).

With regards to the RX 550, you'll probably face the same problem with lack of interlace support.

[bumble]

Hello Calamity,

Thank you for the reply!

Anyway, I've discarded Windows as a viable platform for this newer hardware due to lack of interlace support. It's true that you can bypass the need of it to some extent, but it makes configuration and normal system mantainance an absolute hell.

I'm going to go ahead and take your word for it!

GroovyArcade should support the 3400G nicely, though.

I may still investigate this route, however I have grown quite fond of Launchbox and how easy it has been to setup MAME with other emulators via RetroArch. I can't seem to get it installed via Wine on the GroovyArcade installation, and besides I'm not to worried about having every game play at it's native aspect and refresh. I find stock MAME does a good enough job at displaying the games I have tried so far on my Arcade monitor. But I might feel differently later, I'm very new to all this! I may try out GroovyMame if it's not to difficult to integrate with RetroArch/LaunchBox.

With regards to the RX 550, you'll probably face the same problem with lack of interlace support.

After I read this I tried it anyway, and you were right, lol. The RX 550 indeed does not show a picture when given an interlaced signal. I was converting from HDMI to VGA and I know that adapter supports the resolution I was giving it.

I decided to go with an R7 360 2GB model, going from the DVI-I out to VGA. Seems to work well, supports interlaced, and (I hope) has enough horsepower to run some heavier 3D emulation.

Not only am I on a financial budget, but a time budget as well. I'm trying my best to choose the path of least resistance so I think I've made it.

Thanks for your help, and also for making such great software tools! A buddy and I are restoring this Arcade cabinet together and when I finally got a picture on the Arcade monitor, we literally screamed! It was a great moment.