Atom-15 - Unclear which operational ranges to select

[Lakersfan]

I have a Betson IMP-44-4070-RT multisync monitor that I bought a number of years ago (16yrs to be precise). I'm just getting back into this arcade building game and I'm new to the whole groovymame aspect. I have an AMD RADEON HD7450 card that has the CRT Emudriver installed and seemingly working. (I have it plugged into a LCD monitor for now, not the arcade monitor). I'm at the point where I need to patch with Atom-15 and I am unclear as to which operational changes to select. I selected all three initially and thought I bricked my card. I had to reload the original bios and everything is now back to the way it was. So before I try this again, I'm hoping someone can guide me to which ranges I select. Here's a review of my monitor: https://www.retroblast.com/reviews/betson.html

Thank you!

[buttersoft]

Atom15 is a GPU BIOS modding tool. A GPU BIOS is used while your system boots, before the OS loads. As the OS loads, the GPU hands over control to the video drivers. The video modes of the running system have nothing to do with the GPU BIOS.

You don't need to patch Atom15 for more than one, safe range. If your monitor is 15kHz capable, and that review says it is, patch for that and come back later if it works and if you need to.

The drawback to only using 15kHz is that you won't be able to see any UEFI BIOS for your system that uses 800x600 or higher res. You should set that stuff as part of the initial system setup, before loading crt_emudriver or using Atom15. Or plan to remove the card and use a mobo video port if you need to adjust system BIOS settings.

If this was a question about setting monitor ranges in Windows for GroovyMAME, start with the sticky on monitor presets up the top of this subforum, and post again in this thread if you need to

[Calamity]

Also, the fact that the card got bricked in your first attempt wasn't the result of marking all the three ranges. Instead, it might be some protection in your mobo's bios that forbids unsigned firmware. It's hard to say these days, security paranoia has killed all epic.

[Lakersfan]

Sorry it’s taken me a day to respond, but thank you both for your input.

[Lakersfan]

I tried to flash this tonight and I got the attached error ... Didn't do anything different from last time, so I'm not sure the reason. Any ideas?

[buttersoft]

No idea there, sorry.

[Lakersfan]

I was able to get it flashed by trying again. There were no errors so on the the next issue...
I'm getting an out of range message flashing on the arcade monitor with no picture display. It's hard to read because it flashes so quickly, but it does say at the top "OUT OF RANGE". Second line says HF : 30-40KHz; Third line says VF: 47-160Hz. Bottom says 48.3KHz  60Hz

I flashed it at 15KHz, so I assume I will need to reflash at another range?

[Lakersfan]

Hi guys,
Bumping this up as I still haven’t gotten past this out of range screen. I’m running W10, which was a clean install when I started this. Everything in this post above is still my set up. Thanks!

[buttersoft]

It looks like the PC is outputting 48.3KHz at 60Hz. Or i would read it that way.

When is this happening? On boot, then windows loads cleanly? Or boot looks clean, then when windows loads this happens?

Have you tried plugging in an LCD instead? How about flashing the card back to stock BIOS to prove something else hasn't gone wrong?

[Lakersfan]

Hi & thanks for the help.
This happens on boot, then doesn't load windows. If I use an LCD monitor it boots like normal. It only has this issue when booting with the arcade monitor plugged in. I have reloaded the original bios and there doesn't seem to be any issue.

[buttersoft]

Do you get a picture on the LCD during boot and then also once windows loads? This is from the same video port as the CRT would be plugged into? And after patching for 15kHz with Atom15? If so, are you sure the LCD is capable of displaying 15kHz?

[Lakersfan]

Not sure I understand the question fully, however when it is connected to my LCD, yes it fully loads and boots like normal. Picture looks like a normal PC would. When I plug my arcade monitor screen into (same video port), I get the out of range error.

So to clarify, I have an older LCD monitor with a DVI port and it works fine; I have my arcade monitor with a VGA serial connection (with DVI adapter - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07MSGX355/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1), plugged into the DVI port of the PC and I get the error.

[buttersoft]

And out-of-range message on the CRT is almost certainly the PC not delivering 15kHz but something much higher. I realise the CRT monitor is multisync, but if you flashed Atom15 at 15kHz, and the CRT can't show the resulting video mode, while the LCD can, it's almost certainly NOT 15kHz and is defaulting to something much higher like 45kHz. Do you have any way to check that? A multimeter that can read frequency could measure the h-sync line?

It might just be that while you got the card to flash, it's not working right even so. Then again it might be solvable, so if you want to keep asking we're happy to keep answering

I do sell 15kHz protection dongles that work well as 15kHz de-tection devices. But they aren't going to pass higher scan rates, so you wouldn't be able to use one if you want to go multisync - which is great to do if your monitor can handle it

[Lakersfan]

And out-of-range message on the CRT is almost certainly the PC not delivering 15kHz but something much higher. I realise the CRT monitor is multisync, but if you flashed Atom15 at 15kHz, and the CRT can't show the resulting video mode, while the LCD can, it's almost certainly NOT 15kHz and is defaulting to something much higher like 45kHz. Do you have any way to check that? A multimeter that can read frequency could measure the h-sync line?

I don't have a multimeter that can read frequency, but out of curiosity, what would your response be if I did check it and you were right? What are my options to check next?

[Calamity]

Hi Lakersfan,

That card is outputting 1024x768 for sure, that's why your monitor's osd reports 48.3 kHz. So probably the flash process didn't go well, or the wrong bios got flashed, no idea.

[Lakersfan]

Ok, thanks, I’ll play around with it some more.