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Arcade VGA or not
shorthair:
A more specific version of this topic was over at monitor/video. My question is general, and I thought it might get more view, here: Regardless of the type of monitor you're using, could any of you interested give your opinion/impression of the visible difference between using an avga and not? I mean, aside from saying something like 'it's more like the original', can you describe what the actual qualities are (especially with 15 and 31khz games)?
ahofle:
I saw your other thread, but I'm not sure what you mean by 'not'. With a proper video card and powerstrip, you can get the same resolutions as the ArcadeVGA provides, but it's quite a bit more work. For me, it was worth the $85 to have all the resolutions built in (and I can see all the boot screens). If you are asking 'ArcadeVGA VS. no authentic arcade resolutions' then I would say definitely get the ArcadeVGA. You are basically wasting 2/3rds of your D9200's capabilities by running everything in 640x480 IMO.
shorthair:
Oh. I read through the powerstrip thread but didn't quite get it. I mean, yeah, if you're going to pay at least $60 for a card, then might as well get the avga (like you did).
If you are asking 'ArcadeVGA VS. no authentic arcade resolutions' then I would say definitely get the ArcadeVGA. You are basically wasting 2/3rds of your D9200's capabilities by running everything in 640x480 IMO.
Okay, so what do you 'see' in the difference, in-game?
For anyone else, I mean: having seen Mame run on your monitor (be it PC, TV, or arcade) without an avga, and with, what do you see as the difference?
ahofle:
--- Quote from: shorthair on February 26, 2007, 08:53:17 pm ---Oh. I read through the powerstrip thread but didn't quite get it. I mean, yeah, if you're going to pay at least $60 for a card, then might as well get the avga (like you did).
If you are asking 'ArcadeVGA VS. no authentic arcade resolutions' then I would say definitely get the ArcadeVGA. You are basically wasting 2/3rds of your D9200's capabilities by running everything in 640x480 IMO.
Okay, so what do you 'see' in the difference, in-game?
For anyone else, I mean: having seen Mame run on your monitor (be it PC, TV, or arcade) without an avga, and with, what do you see as the difference?
--- End quote ---
Well for horizontal 4:3 games, you can no longer see the scanlines like you could on the original games when you run them at 640x480. 640x480 seems to smooth the lines and pixels out a little bit. Keep in mind this is on my regular arcade monitor -- it's not a multisync like yours. It's really personal preference whether this is better or worse. Then there are vertical games. I have to turn on hardware stretching to run them at 640x480 (and fill up the screen) and this looks HORRIBLE (very blurry). But as someone mentioned, I'm not even sure you'll notice much difference on the games you mentioned which are all horizontal if I remember correctly. I just wonder why you splurged for the D9200 in the first place if you have no intention of using it's other modes. :P
If I were you, I would download powerstrip and just try ONE custom 15 khz resolution for a particular game, run the game at both resolutions and decide for yourself. I'm curious, you mentioned you used to have an ArcadeVGA. How did you configure the games in MAME? For that matter, how do you have them configured now?
shorthair:
Heh, afloe, you have me mixed up with the author of that other thread in monitor/video. I'm trying to get an idea why I might want an arcade monitor vs a 27" TV...or even just stick with my PC monitor but use an avga with it.