Using 5:4 Ratio Screen Vertically. Side Effetcs??

[lettuce]

Until the other day i didnt even know that 17" & 19" LCD screens were not your tipical 4:3 screen ratio, they are infact 5:4!! Playing around with the idea of using an LCD screen in a possible bartop project to play vertical games, i was considering using a 20" monitor which IS 4:3 ratio, but am thinking that the screen size would be too big for a bartop project, though it would be mounted vertically so wouldnt be as wide. If i was to use either a ArcadeVGA card or the soft15khz program, what sort of screen side effects would i get in using a 5:4 screen ratio screen than a 4:3?? Would i get boarders on the screen anywhere even though i would be displaying the games in there native resolutions thanks to ArcadeVGA or Soft15khz??

[javeryh]

It doesn't really make a difference.  Bella's Arcade uses a 5:4 monitor and it plays perfectly.

[Blanka]

Only problem with 17 and 19 inch is that they are 99% certain TN panels, and TN panels mount vertical suck in viewing angles. In 20/21 inch there are much better screens.

[lettuce]

Yeah must admit im finding it hard to find a 19" non TN panel, the only one i found available is the Samsung SyncMaster SM-971P. Are even modern day (as in this years models) still that bad for vertical mounting?, like the LG L1954TQ or the Dell Ultrasharp 1908FP? , i mean they should be fine if your the one standing in front of it playing mame shouldnt they???

[Blanka]

Go ahead and try it. You might be less picky than I am.

[nexus6]

you dont need an arcadevga for a lcd-screen.

[Ummon]

you dont need an arcadevga for a lcd-screen.

Yeah, what he said.

Yeah, what he said.

.........in which case, the default set-up in mame fills the screen....which you can always change by setting a different aspect ratio....for each game if desired.

[javeryh]

I'm using a 5:4 19" LCD Dell 197 something... EP maybe?  Anyway, there is absolutely no problem whatsoever with the viewing angle and I have it in a Ms. Pac-man replica so the monitor is almost laying down.  It plays great.  I did have a problem getting the games to fill the screen though - I had to buy a video card because the video with my motherboard would only display cutting 2" off the top and bottom and about 3/4" on the sides. 

[lettuce]

Was the model 1908FP??

[javeryh]

I don't think so... I honestly can't remember.  I looked at the Dell site and I want to say it is a 1907FP but I don't remember there being any USB ports on the back...

[shardian]

If you set mame to auto resolution/auto hardware stretch/keep aspect ratio, it would then have vertical bars on each side.

[lettuce]

I don't think so... I honestly can't remember.  I looked at the Dell site and I want to say it is a 1907FP but I don't remember there being any USB ports on the back...

Maybe it was an older model that they dont stock anymore then?

[javeryh]

I don't think so... I honestly can't remember.  I looked at the Dell site and I want to say it is a 1907FP but I don't remember there being any USB ports on the back...

Maybe it was an older model that they dont stock anymore then?

That's a good possibility.  I'm 99% sure it was a Dell 197FP - if I do a google image search it appears to be the exact one I have.   

[Ummon]

If you set mame to auto resolution/auto hardware stretch/keep aspect ratio, it would then have vertical bars on each side.

Yes. I think when this came out as part of the re-write, it was checked by default and I got confused. I notice it's not default anymore.

[u_rebelscum]

If you set mame to auto resolution/auto hardware stretch/keep aspect ratio, it would then have vertical bars on each side.

Yes. I think when this came out as part of the re-write, it was checked by default and I got confused. I notice it's not default anymore.

Err, the default is to keep desktop resolution & keep aspect ratio (which forces stretch).  So the default for a 5:4 monitor, rotated & running at it's recommended resolution (1280x1024), will have black bars on the slides.

Now, if you change mame's settings, or run the monitor at a resolution different from the recommended one, it's possible not to have the black bars, BUT the images will therefore be stretched wider than they were is the arcades.  And if you run an LCD at a different than recommended resolution, the image will be lower quality.

So with a 5:4 monitor, either you get black bars or a stretched image.  (Same idea as mame horizontal games on a widescreen.)

[Ummon]

It's just a matter of whether you want the screen filled if not using a 4:3 aspect display. It's surely cool that newer mame offers pixel aspect.