centering display on a PC monitor

[Mark70]

Is the simplest answer to getting games to display centered, to set your resolution to 640x480 and force that resolution using mame or mamewah settings.

My cab isn't built yet, so I run it at 1024x768 because I use my computer for everything else.  But once I buy a new rig and put that one into the cab I'll dedicate it to 64x480.

Think that will work?

I run Mameway and Mame.  Mix in some visual pinball, and the killer instinct emulator, snes for good measure.

I know that  question above only really applies to mame.

[RayB]

You know when your monitor goes black for a bit and then mame starts? That's mame changing the resolution. Your Windows desktop resolution has NOTHING to do with what MAME uses.

[Harry Potter]

The desktop resolution has nothing to do with it, but...

...The refresh rate does.

If you switch from 640 x 480 @ 60hz to 800 x 600 @ 60hz, the image size/positioning will stay the same. As soon as you change refresh rates fron 60 to 75, it's stuffed.

Does not apply to arcade monitors of LCDs

[alank2]

Hi Mark,

To answer your question, yes.  If you don't want to constantly have to center and adjust each game you play, pick one resolution and refresh rate and stick to it.  You can set it in MAME using the ini options resolution and refresh.  You can set it in Mamewah using the layout creator.

I happen to run my arcade cabinet in one of two modes (1024x768 at 60hz, or 1024x768 at 85hz) depending on the game, so in my case I have two video modes to center and adjust and then all games look perfect.

Thanks!

Alan