Software Support > GroovyMAME
Problems with GroovyMame, ArcadeVGA 3000, MakVision Tri-Mode 25”. Missing step?
msingleton1977:
Thanks Krick. I have adjusted all the knobs on the remote control board and the only knob that looks even close is the vhold pot but that doesn’t solve it either. Yes, it’s connected to the VGA port. Yes, the tri-sync utility is installed properly. The resolutions don’t specify if the KHz. Are 15KHz just the lower resolutions? Many of the quickres resolutions work but many don’t. For example, using quickres switching to 512x448 is shaky but 512x384 looks fine. I’m getting the same results with Arcade_OSD as I’m getting with quickres. So, I had some thoughts
1) Is there a way to exclude resolutions in GroovyMame? So, it uses 512x384 instead of 512x448?
2) Is it possible for a damaged monitor to display some resolutions perfectly and others not?
3) Maybe the ArcadeVGA is damaged? Would I get a better result by just buying a regular video card and using Calamity’s drivers?
Thanks,
Monty
Calamity:
Hi msingleton1977,
Arcade_OSD doesn't show the horizontal frequency because that information is not available, the OS doesn't care. However, it's easy to guess it once with some practice.
15/31 are kHz, not Hz. This is horizontal frequency.
--- Quote from: msingleton1977 on July 24, 2012, 01:51:09 pm ---1) Is there a way to exclude resolutions in GroovyMame? So, it uses 512x384 instead of 512x448?
--- End quote ---
You can't exclude resolutions in GroovyMAME. GroovyMAME assumes that if you have a resolution available, it's because it works.
However you can force a given game to run at a different resolution by means of an ini file. But you can't do this globally. And it's a bad solution if you ask me.
--- Quote from: msingleton1977 on July 24, 2012, 01:51:09 pm ---2) Is it possible for a damaged monitor to display some resolutions perfectly and others not?
--- End quote ---
I don't believe that's possible.
--- Quote ---3) Maybe the ArcadeVGA is damaged? Would I get a better result by just buying a regular video card and using Calamity’s drivers?
--- End quote ---
I don't think the AVGA is damaged.
I mean these things are not totally random. There is usually a rule for a group or resolutions that does't work.
Anything below 288 lines is 15 KHz.
512 x 384 is 24 KHz, so that means that range is probably fine.
512 x 448 is either 15 or 31 KHz, depending if interlace is on. Interlace means a shaky picture, but you need to judge if the shake you're seeing is due to interlace or it's something different.
The tri-sync utility however should remove interlaced resolutions and make them progressive, as far as I understand.
krick:
--- Quote from: msingleton1977 on July 24, 2012, 01:51:09 pm ---I have adjusted all the knobs on the remote control board and the only knob that looks even close is the vhold pot but that doesn’t solve it either. Yes, it’s connected to the VGA port. Yes, the tri-sync utility is installed properly. The resolutions don’t specify if the KHz. Are 15KHz just the lower resolutions? Many of the quickres resolutions work but many don’t. For example, using quickres switching to 512x448 is shaky but 512x384 looks fine. I’m getting the same results with Arcade_OSD as I’m getting with quickres.
--- End quote ---
Is the shaky effect you're seeing interlacing? I was using an ArcadeVGA 3000 and most interlaced resolutions were pretty rough on the eyes. I ended up reporting it to Andy @ Ultimarc and we eventually traced it to a driver problem. He posted updated drivers here for XP x64. I don't know if he updated the normal XP drivers or not...
http://www.ultimarc.com/avgadrivers.html
If you're using the drivers that came on the CD with your ArcadeVGA, they might be the older drivers with the interlace problem.
As for your question about using an ArcadeVGA vs a normal ATI card + Calamity's modified drivers... That's up to you. Personally, I love the ArcadeVGA and I've owned both an AGP version and the current PCIe version. If you want plug and play, it's the easiest solution available, though the number of resolutions are limited.
With that said, you really should at least TRY a normal ATI card to see which you like better. Having nearly unlimited resolutions with the "magic resolution" feature is pretty awesome. My current recommendation is something in the ATI Radeon HD 4000 series if you often run modern PC games (not MAME) on your monitor and need the extra performance. If you are only running MAME and other emulators, then I recommend an ATI Radeon X600 XT. You can find them on Ebay pretty cheap. I recommend getting one with a VGA port if possible. I also lean toward fanless models because the tiny high rpm fans on those old cards were crap quality and very noisy.
msingleton1977:
Thanks Calamity and Krick for the details.
The problem I’m seeing is definitely interlacing. Looks exactly like Interline Twitter (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interlaced_video#Problems_caused_by_interlacing) at 512x448.
Krick, I just removed the Ultimarc software, downloaded the latest Windows XP 64 drivers, and installed them. Still getting interlacing at 512 x 448. I used the Tri-Sync to work at 15hz only and also Mutli-Freq with the exact same results.
Another strange thing is Ms. Pacman looks terrible. It’s running at 288x224 and looks very blurry. I went to Arcade_OSD and also the Galaga icon and there was no 288x224 resolution listed so it looks like it’s running at an un-supported resolution for some reason.
Any other ideas? Is there a way to check (besides visually) if a resolution is running in progressive or interlaced mode? I’ll also order some of those ATI cards and see if I can get better results. Thanks.
Monty
krick:
--- Quote from: msingleton1977 on July 25, 2012, 04:06:35 pm ---Krick, I just removed the Ultimarc software, downloaded the latest Windows XP 64 drivers, and installed them. Still getting interlacing at 512 x 448. I used the Tri-Sync to work at 15hz only and also Mutli-Freq with the exact same results.
--- End quote ---
The updated drivers don't prevent interlacing, they just make certain interlaced resolutions easier on the eyes.
With the tri-sync utility, there should be three buttons. The first is 15KHz, the second two are multi-sync. Which one you choose depends on the capabilities of your monitor. I *think* your monitor should be the second button...
There's supposedly an updated tri-sync utility on this page. I don't know if it's the same version you have or not...
http://www.ultimarc.com/download.html
--- Quote from: msingleton1977 on July 25, 2012, 04:06:35 pm ---Another strange thing is Ms. Pacman looks terrible. It’s running at 288x224 and looks very blurry. I went to Arcade_OSD and also the Galaga icon and there was no 288x224 resolution listed so it looks like it’s running at an un-supported resolution for some reason.
--- End quote ---
You should generate a log file from ms pacman and attach it here so Calamity can look at it...
groovymame.exe mspacman -v -md 4 > mspacman.txt
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