Retroblast Review of Betson Imperal Monitor

[KevSteele]

Yeah, I just finished removing the card, putting the TNT2 in, installing it in XP, uninstalling it, putting the AVGA back in, starting up in safe mode, and installing the AVGA drivers from the CD. It still refuses to show anything but 640x480 & 800x600.

I was planning on a system-wide update of my cab, but I really didn't plan on installing XP from scratch again. Now I'm thinking it may be the only way to get this situation resolved...

Kevin

[desmatic]

XP is really experimental as far as advancemame is concerned.  Advancemame really runs best on Windows 98 and Linux.  But you don't need to install either of these, if you use the floppy disk below.  Just boot your system with the floppy disk and you'll be able to test any mode you want.

http://www.msu.edu/user/jonesdes/files/advvboot.zip


If you've got a spare fat partition available you could install easycab on it, should you be interested in running advancemame.

[KevSteele]

I've actually got a spare HD in the cab, which I'm going to use for testing. But I need XP installed since I've got the cab hooked into the home network for updates and such.

It's looking more and more like a "tactical nuclear strike" (i.e., reformat and reinstall) is what I'm going to do. I just can't believe I can't get the AVGA to work properly after testing the Betson with the TNT2, especially when I never actually booted into XP with the other video card.

Ah, well...

Kevin

[desmatic]

ya, its a bummer, the old format, reinstall routine.  If you need any help with the XP install, let me know.  Slipstreaming SP2 really makes a difference in stability and it's pretty straight forward if you haven't tried it before.

[DYNAGOD]

BEFORE YOU NUKE..

download this (dont run it yet)
http://www2.ati.com/drivers/cat-uninstaller.exe


go to device manager,

disable the ArcadeVGA,

DO NOT REBOOT when prompted,

go to add/remove programs:
uninstall ATI display drivers and ATI control Panel

reboot

run cat-uninstaller
(this will remove all traces of ATI from your machine,AN ABSOLUTE MUST if you plan on shuffling between manufacturers)
reboot.

reboot.

go to control panel and re-enable the card. cancel all install wizard popups.
and resintall the drivers and such from the ultimarc disk

reboot,

see if your resolutions have returned.

...
a last ditch effort before you wipe

[KevSteele]

Heh...too late. It's nuked.  

Strange thing is, it didn't help. Even a totally clean install of the AVGA card on a brand-new XP install didn't fix the problem, leading me to believe it isn't a software but rather a hardware problem.

Just for kicks, I tried your procedure (thanks for the link to cat-uninstaller, btw!). Same problem.

Corrupted videocard bios? Dunno. CMOS scrambled? No idea. I've been talking to Andy about this, and he's baffled by it as well. Figures I'd come up with a completely unique and new problem!

Anyway, I've ordered a new AVGA card, so I should be able to narrow down if this is hardware or software-related once I get the card. If the new card works, I'm mailing the old card back to Andy so he can figure out what in the world went wrong with it.

As a bonus, I'll be able to review the new 9200-based AVGA cards!

Just got my .87 MAME DVDs today, so a full reinstall isn't that bad of a way to refresh my MAME cab's setup...next up, MAMEWAH 1.52...

Kevin

<updated: MAMEWAH's now at 1.52!>

[mwoody]

Just a note for those looking into this monitor: I had one delivered last week, and have been using it (just on a desk; cab is still being built) for a few days now with an ArcadeVGA.   It's certainly a bright picture, and when it works, it works very well.  Unfortunately, it looks like it might need to be replaced, for the reasons I described in this thread.

I called their Buena Park office (I'm in the San Diego vicinity) and talked with a tech guy, who was stumped (he didn't seem very famliar with this particular monitor).  He kept saying that there was a known problem with DDR boxes, but he'd heard nothing about this one.  Eventually he transfered me to his boss, who was similarly stumped, and even went so far as to say he didn't think this particular model would work in the setup I described (PC w/ArcadeVGA).  He then transfered me to my sales rep, and I have to wait for her to come in on Monday 10/25 before I find out if they're going to get me a replacement.

It's weird; maybe it's just because they're used to dealing with businesses, not individuals, but everyone I talked to acts like I'm the first person to ever return a defective part.  Yeesh.

Oh, and Kevin, thanks for replying to my e-mail.  I did manage to fix the "tearing" problem with your suggestion, though unfortunately none of the screen controls would fix the geometry problem that I've now encountered.

*sigh* Another day of waiting around for their truck to show up.  Last time their delivery estimate was "sometime before noon", and he showed up at around 3pm, only to rather rudely (he laughed in my face) inform me that he wouldn't help me get the darn thing up the single flight of stairs to my apartment.  I understand that policy is policy, but a) I would have liked to know that before hand, and b) he didn't need to act like I'd suggested he lay an egg.  I'm a big guy, but carrying a monitor this size up a flight of stairs by the shipping straps is not something I relish doing again - time to buy a dolly.

[whammoed]

I was hoping not to hear about any problems with the kortek monitor like we have seen with the WG.  At least WG has great customer support and sends replacements right away.  Oh well, I hope this is an isolated incident.  Good luck.  I'm sure if there are a lot of problems we will hear it.  I'd be willing to bet a lot of people will be trying out this monitor since it has Kevin's recomendation.

[mwoody]

New monitor came in; the geometry problems are still present, but now they're certainly within acceptable range.  Boo-yah!  Now, if Slikstik would just hurry up...  Eh, what do I care, I'll be doing nothing but GTA:SA for the next week, anyway.  

[KevSteele]

Glad to hear the geometry problems are acceptable!

From what I can see, the Betson can do 800x600, but it's not as good as a PC's 800x600. Lower resolutions are great, but I have noticed a bit of the "warping" or "squishing" on the edges at 800x600 (not bad on my monitor, but I bet it varies from unit to unit.)

I've been playing around today with the new Ultimarc AVGA card (the one based on the ATI 9200SE chipset)...in a word: WOW...sharp picture, vivid color, and more than acceptable 3D acceleration speed. Not to mention it no longer tries to install the ATI drivers by default, nor crashes after doing so. This is a very cool card...

Kevin

[Will]

Anyone know the part# for this monitor in a 25 inch version(25 inch viewable)?I called betson west(south san francisco) to see about ordering it in 25 inch but the guy in parts said he carried a different brand in that size and not the betson multisync.I currently have a wg 25 inch monitor that needs some work and im thinking about dumping it and getting something newer.

[telengard]

Hate to dig up an old post but I never did update the thread with what I found out.  After calling casinotech they told me that a 19" version is *not* available.  So I'm on to looking for something else.