Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum

Main => Monitor/Video Forum => Topic started by: shatterhand on April 20, 2016, 11:55:29 am

Title: Can I use CRT Emudriver on primary PC?
Post by: shatterhand on April 20, 2016, 11:55:29 am

I wanted to know if it is possible and practical to use CRT Emudriver on my primary PC running Windows 7?  I don't have another PC to dedicate to using emulators with CRT Emudriver so this would be my only choice right now.  I have a Radeon HD 7750 video card that I know is compatible with CRT Emudriver 2.0 beta.  I would be using an LCD monitor for my everyday use and then I want to connect my PC to my SD CRT TV to play emulators using a vga to component transcoder.

Would my PC lose any functionality by doing this?  For example, could I still watch HD videos, Youtube, play modern games, etc?  I have read that without flashing the bios on my GPU using Atom-15 that the Bios/POST screen will still run at 31 Khz when using CRT Emudriver.  Could it damage my SD CRT TV if the Bios/POST screens run at 31 Khz while my PC is connected to my CRT TV?

Title: Re: Can I use CRT Emudriver on primary PC?
Post by: WunderCade on August 05, 2016, 10:25:35 pm

I guess no one in the know cared to respond. My understanding is that EmuDriver is specifically for use with a CRT monitor (arcade or TV). For LCD monitors, like computer monitors, you'd utilize the HLSL settings in Mame.ini to make your LCD have the scanlines that mimic a CRT, and not EmuDriver. I believe that is because with an LCD, you are stuck with the monitor's native resolution, with scan lines imposed through HLSL.

Here is a good HLSL tutorial:
https://www.videogameperfection.com/2014/07/27/hlsl-for-everyone/ (https://www.videogameperfection.com/2014/07/27/hlsl-for-everyone/)

Title: Re: Can I use CRT Emudriver on primary PC?
Post by: yo1dog on August 06, 2016, 02:26:56 pm

He stated that he had a CRT in addition to his LCD that would be connected to play emulators.

I am no expert, but CRT Emudriver is a custom driver for ATI cards that allows your card to output custom resolutions and refresh rates. I don't see any reason why you wouldn't be able to have your normal desktop resolution configured along side your custom resolutions for your emulators. I would confirm this :dunno

I'm not sure, however, how well it can do both at the same time. Meaning, I don't know if you can output your desktop resolution to your LCD and your custom resolution to your TV at the same time. :dunno

I've also heard that TVs are much more resilient to bad signals than arcade monitors. But again, I am no expert. :dunno

Sorry I'm not much help :P