Do I really need an arcade vga card???

[crabbymike]

I finally got my pc to display a good image with my arcade monitor but when I go to start mame 32, as soon as I click on a game to play the screen goes fuzzy. Is there a resolution button I have to tell the game to go to or what do I have to change. When I am in windows, the screen is not very sharp,and I can't read any of the writing as it is blurry, but I can see the screen not bad, so I can't really work in it properly. Is this just the way it is? Or can I change the resolution in windows to something that will work better? When I load up atomic fe, It looks very good on the screen, so I am just trying to figure out how to get the atomic manager panel to be in english so I can make sure my roms are in the right place. I am running windows xp with a pentium 1.8 Is it just a better idea to get an arcade vga card? Why does it all have to be so complicated!!!

[Hiub1]

Read up the powerstrip FAQ at the top of this forum or the Wiki entry for Powerstrip/Windows on arcade monitor.

[DaveMMR]

Basically, yes, you can just use Powerstrip - but since you complained about the complications of getting everything "just right", you may be a good candidate for an AradeVGA.  Basically, it's "time" vs. "money".   I opted for an ArcadeVGA since I have so much other stuff to configure.  One less thing to worry about is always better. 

If you're trying to save some cash, Powerstrip is a fine tool.

By the way, you're right - it can get complicated, but it's also very rewarding.  Since I started this hobby I've learned so much (basic woodworking, soldering, wiring, arcade hardware) that I don't sweat any of my roadblocks.  Hang in there.

[Kangum]

If you havent already setting up your machine to either use remote desktop or vnc or something like that makes life alot easier no matter what video card you use. then you can navigate your arcade from another pc and what you will see on the remote pc will be at the remote pcs resolution instead of your arcades.

my arcade is set up wireless with remote desk. log in from my laptop to add and remove roms or tweak windows from across the room.

turning on and off remote desk is pretty fast and easy. so you can keep it off most of the time and just flip it on real quick when you want to do some updating.

best of luck.

[youki]

HI,

I just answer to your Private message.  But i didn't read this thread before , in fact you are using an Arcade Monitor.

So What do you use to have your windows on the arcadeMonitor?  PowerStrip?

If yes, i suppose you set up a 640x480 resolution for PowerStrip.  This resolution is set up to output 15khz signal to the monitor. (as opposite to a normal PC Monitor that use 31khz). But PowerStrip provide this frequency for only one resolution that is 640x480 .  When you run a game, MAME change the resolution according to game resolution.  (ex : 320x240) . When windows switch the resolution , PowerStrip settings are bypassed and go back to a 31khz signal. It is why you screen goes fuzzy.

I think the solution (except to buy an arcadeVGA that is the better solution from my point of view) , is to force game to run at 640x480.  To do that :  If you are using the youki_mame plug'n play module of AtomicFE , go in the <atomicfe folder>\plugnplay\mame_nuss\    , open the file MAME.INI with the notepad , and replace the line :

resolution              auto

by

resolution  640x480

If you don't use that module, do the same thing in the folder where is your mame.

Hope it helps