Work around for ArcadeVGA and Win 7 64 bit?

[BigDaddyE]

I put this on the software blog, but the more I though about this, the more I thought this probably belongs here?

Hopefully someone in here can help.

Thanks.

Eric

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Just upgraded my processor and motherboard, the motherboard has an on board ATI Readon 4250 HD and the damn ArcadeVGA software hangs up every time I try to install. From what I have been reading, the Readon software is finicky and I would imagine it does not like going backwards for compatibility.

Anyone have a work around for this? I am about ready to whip the ArcadeVGA against a wall.

Thanks.

Eric 
 
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bitbytebit
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    Re: Work around for ArcadeVGA and Win 7 64 bit?
« Reply #1 on: Yesterday at 01:20:24 AM » Quote 

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Quote from: BigDaddyE on December 05, 2010, 10:02:40 PM
Just upgraded my processor and motherboard, the motherboard has an on board ATI Readon 4250 HD and the damn ArcadeVGA software hangs up every time I try to install. From what I have been reading, the Readon software is finicky and I would imagine it does not like going backwards for compatibility.

Anyone have a work around for this? I am about ready to whip the ArcadeVGA against a wall.

Thanks.

Eric

I'd just use the Radeon 4250 and Soft15Khz, it's really the exact same thing and you just don't get a bios boot screen yet everything else plus more flexible resolutions.
 
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BigDaddyE
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     Re: Work around for ArcadeVGA and Win 7 64 bit?
« Reply #2 on: Yesterday at 07:39:38 AM » Quote Modify 

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I was thinking of that last night before I went to bed! I'll try it later today and see what happens!

Thanks for the info, I appreciate it!

Eric 
 
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    Re: Work around for ArcadeVGA and Win 7 64 bit?
« Reply #3 on: Yesterday at 08:57:06 AM » Quote 

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I upgraded as well and Win 7 64bit did not work well for me with soft15.  I could only display resolutions 600 and bellow in my CRT arcade monitor.  I need it 720 x and 800 x res...  I used three different ATI 4000 cards and all different versions of Catalyst.  At the end, windXP 64bit was what worked for me.  It was not a video card or Catalyst problem.  Somehow it was a Win 7 64bit problem. After winxp 64bit, I could display 720 x and 800 x resolution and below res.  I moved from and arcadeVGA to an ATI 4550 but I love the arcadeVGA cards, it just that this time around I need it a more powerfull video card for my cab.  Stay away from Win 7 64bit.
 
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     Re: Work around for ArcadeVGA and Win 7 64 bit?
« Reply #4 on: Yesterday at 04:43:32 PM » Quote 

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Quote from: BigDaddyE on December 05, 2010, 10:02:40 PM
Just upgraded my processor and motherboard, the motherboard has an on board ATI Readon 4250 HD and the damn ArcadeVGA software hangs up every time


Are you using the newer ArcadeVGA 3000?  Have you disabled the on-board 4250 adapter in your BIOS and completely removed the existing ATI drivers before trying to install the AVGA? 

And no, the onboard video with Soft15khz is not exactly the same as the ArcadeVGA.  You will still get non-CGA resolutions on POST/boot screens (before Windows loads).  The ArcadeVGA filters those out.
 
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      Re: Work around for ArcadeVGA and Win 7 64 bit?
« Reply #5 on: Yesterday at 04:48:51 PM » Quote 

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And I'll second the issues with Soft15Khz under Win7 64 bit. I had several resolutions not show up and several show up that were not valid. Switching to XP64 was a 'solution', as Soft15Khz worked fine in it, but it still wasn't what I wanted to do.
 
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BigDaddyE
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     Re: Work around for ArcadeVGA and Win 7 64 bit?
« Reply #6 on: Yesterday at 04:58:37 PM » Quote Modify 

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Hmm....

I haven't tried soft15 yet, not home from work yet, doesn't look like the solution.

No, I don't have the ArcadeVGA 3000, I unfortunately bought the last version, just befroe the 3000 came out, although I'm sure Andy would probably say I am fine with the older version.

I did disable the 4250, but I did not do anything in the BIOS, that kinda scares me. I'm not a computer programming guy, although, with this hobby, programming should be a prereq! I will probably dive in to the BIOS and see what I can find and hope I don't screw anything up too bad.

I did have the ArcadeVGA working just fine for about a week and now it is all screwed up!

Thanks again.

Eric 
 
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BigDaddyE
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     Re: Work around for ArcadeVGA and Win 7 64 bit?
« Reply #7 on: Yesterday at 07:16:46 PM » Quote Modify 

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  Unflippin believable.

Uninstalled all video drivers, reloaded only the ArcadeVGA, loaded fine, thought I had it made. Now DirectX is screwed up!

I can play everything just fine on a flat panel, switch to the crt and MAME can't find directdraw. And I wanted the real arcade experience....

I throw myself to the mercy of the court.

Eric

PS, ran DXDIAG and everything checks out fine   
 
« Last Edit: Yesterday at 07:19:05 PM by BigDaddyE » 
 
 
 

[Gray_Area]

Why aren't you simply using the onboard Radeon?

[newmanfamilyvlogs]

probably because Soft15Khz does not play nicely under Win7 64.

[BigDaddyE]

I have been told that soft 15 does not work well with Win7 64, never tried it.

After a week, I have let my anger subside and I am trying again.

I have been doing more reading and found this:

"""Biostar came out with a 890gx board now.

from biostar

"ATI Hybrid CrossFireX boosts PC performance by enabling the AMD Chipset's integrated graphics processor and a discrete GPU (ATI Radeon™ HD 2400 Series ATI Radeon™ HD 3400 Series)"

http://www.biostar.com.tw/app/en/mb/...n.php?S_ID=474

notice they say HD 24xx and HD 34xx"""

Could the mobo be trying to Hybrid the ArcadeVGA HD 2400 and by doing this get screwed up?

When the 2400 is not in and I run on the flat panel, everything is fine and all emu's work as they should. When the 2400 card is placed in and drivers placed in, all kinds of funky stuff happens. I am going to go through the BIOS and try to just have the PCIe slot there to start......

Thanks.

Eric

[BigDaddyE]

Ok. Tryin something different.

Switched over to WIN XP 64. Got mostly set up but need the ArcadeVGA XP 64 drivers.

I have emailed Andy, but he is probably sleeping, you know us, can never wait!

Anybody got them?

Thanks-

Eric

[BigDaddyE]

 

Hmm.... Looks like I'm screwed any way I cut it.

I guess I didn't do enough research.

Turns out that there are no Win XP 64 drivers for ArcadeVGA 2 cards. So, after over a month of heart ache and pain, it looks like I am left with an ArcadeVGA 2 card that works up to Win XP SP3 (that is what it used to work in) and nothing else and I have to shell out 80 plus bucks for a "new" ArcadeVGA card, that may or may not work with XP 64 or Win 7 64, depending on who you listen too.

Anybody have any other ideas? I've been through the bios, tried every driver set, even the beta's, cussed, drank, thought "this is the last one, this has to work..."

All this cause I wanted the true arcade experience with a CRT.... I guess I got it, I now feel the pain of all those arcade owners in the '80s!!! I'd still own an Alladin's Castle though!

Thanks.

Eric

[newmanfamilyvlogs]

It'd be a little ass backwards, but can you use generic radeon drivers on the card and then use soft15khz under winxp64?

[bitbytebit]

It'd be a little ass backwards, but can you use generic radeon drivers on the card and then use soft15khz under winxp64?

Only using the original video bios for the ATI card, or hacked drivers from ATI listening to the custom ID the bios on the AVGA cards have.  I reflashed my AVGA 3000 bios and could use Soft15khz just fine with it, but of course it's not 'recommended' to flash the bios and could destroy your card void your warrenty and break the laws of the universe .   If we had the original video bios from Andy this wouldn't be such a bad option, but if we don't then it's probably going to be a mismatch slightly bios and things like power management and general outputs setup might be different.  Mine worked fine with a video bios I found, but I might have had a bit more extra insight and wouldn't say just anyone could do this unfortunately.  Otherwise generic ATI CCC drivers won't recognize the unique ATOM ID on the cards bios Andy has, but of course a hacked ATI driver to understand that ID would probably also be a way without reflashing to the original bios.

[newmanfamilyvlogs]

It'd be a little ass backwards, but can you use generic radeon drivers on the card and then use soft15khz under winxp64?

Only using the original video bios for the ATI card, or hacked drivers from ATI listening to the custom ID the bios on the AVGA cards have.  I reflashed my AVGA 3000 bios and could use Soft15khz just fine with it, but of course it's not 'recommended' to flash the bios and could destroy your card void your warrenty and break the laws of the universe .   If we had the original video bios from Andy this wouldn't be such a bad option, but if we don't then it's probably going to be a mismatch slightly bios and things like power management and general outputs setup might be different.  Mine worked fine with a video bios I found, but I might have had a bit more extra insight and wouldn't say just anyone could do this unfortunately.  Otherwise generic ATI CCC drivers won't recognize the unique ATOM ID on the cards bios Andy has, but of course a hacked ATI driver to understand that ID would probably also be a way without reflashing to the original bios.

I just assumed you could add a line with the cards DEV/VEN code in the .inf. Oh well.

[BigDaddyE]

Wow, I was sweating just reading this! I can pretty much solidify that I am in no way capable of anything said by bit.

Anyway, before I order the ArcadeVGA 3000, can someone verify that they are having success using it on a CRT with WIN 7 64 bit?

Thanks.

Eric

[BigDaddyE]

Here's the latest.

Ditched the ArcadeVGA2 card, Win 7 64.

Using Win XP 32 and Soft 15 kHz. Using the Radeon 4250 internal card.

I have the Soft15 kHz working, BUT:

Vertical rolls below 800 x 600, have not used vertical adjustment in the 640 x 480 res, pretty sure I can adjust the vertical roll out. I have read the WIKI on soft 15 and I currently have no custom res folder for soft 15, is this needed? Also, even with the roll in the 640 x 480 res, I was able to command line mame and check 2 games, Mario Bros and Pac Man, both made the screen roll like nuts. Nestopia was fine (remember I was running the desktop at 800 x600), Nostalgia rolls. Those were the only 3 emu's tested.

I will work on the 640 x 480 res, but I am concerned about the other res with soft 15.

Thanks for any input ahead of time.

Eric

[TeamTEOR]

Hey Eric, did you ever figure this out? Did you ever grab the ArcadeVGA 3000?