Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum
Main => Monitor/Video Forum => Topic started by: B-Radical on April 13, 2013, 12:30:38 pm
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I currently have my pc hooked up to a 27"sanyo flat screen CRT TV.
It is connected by using soft-15khz and a tc1600 transcoder. My pc is connected to the transcoder via VGA cable and the transcoder connects to my tv via component.
Running windows xp 64bit - have video settings to 640x480 (32 bit colour option) and I think 60khz
The issues I am currently experiencing are:
- A slight annoying flickering (almost a vibrating, like it is being shifted up and down ever so slightly)
- Some warping to the picture in the bottom left corner of the tv.
- cannot see the whole desktop when in windows, making it really annoying to tinker with settings etc.
Here are pictures of the warping in the lower left corner both in windows and also while playing mario bros on a NES. As you can see, the warping is present from both sources. I should also add that the picture seems tilted, kind of like if a picture frame was hung badly.
Any help or suggestions you guys can provide would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
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Hi, I'm certainly not the best to help but I can share some thoughts.
- A slight annoying flickering (almost a vibrating, like it is being shifted up and down ever so slightly)
The way I understand it the ideal resolution to run windows is not interlaced (480i) but in progressive (480p). If you are running windows on an SD tv then it's probably running in 480i (unless the tv is upscaling) and the interlaced lines are fighting against each other each time a frame is refreshed which causes the "vibrating". Not sure there is a fix for this other than to find a progressive res that works on your tv.
- Some warping to the picture in the bottom left corner of the tv.
If your tv has a service mode or service menu you might be able to adjust this warping. You might also consider using Powerstrip as it contains some ability to adjust screen geometry I believe.
- cannot see the whole desktop when in windows, making it really annoying to tinker with settings etc.
I think this is related to the resolution you're using. For the windows desktop you probably want to use 640x480 interlaced or lower. You can also tweak some of this out (if it's just overscan) by using your tv service menu to adjust your horizontal/vertical size and this should also be adjustable in Powerstrip as well.
Let me know if/when you make some progress as I am in a similar situation.
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Yes, interlace flickering is normal. It is more pronounced when viewing computer graphics with single pixel wide horizontal lines and will not be as noticeable in a game or with a good front end. You won't be able to avoid this in Windows, as you can't display much more than 240 lines in progressive. If you're running most of you MAME games at native res (a waste of the TV if you're not), they should be around 240p, but it's not enough resolution to work with on the desktop.
Powerstrip won't give you geometry adjustments outside of limited changes in overall size. You need to get into the service menu, and to make changes to very specific areas, you'd have to open up the TV and adjust some of the small convergence magnets on the back of the tube. If you try it, learn about discharging a CRT. Don't electrocute yourself.