Stuttering audio when using bezel artwork in MAME

[secret80sman]

If i disable the artwork under video options an just select standard where no bezel is shown everything plays well. If the artwork is engaged it stutters or almost echoes ( hear the same thin twice). Using mame .140

Thanks in advance for any insight as to how to fix while allowing me to use the artwork. If i engage scanline artwork the same thing happens.

[brad808]

Just out of curiosity what computer are you running? Could it be that your computer simply isn't powerful enough and starts to chug when you give it more tasks?

[Howard_Casto]

Yeah, sounds like your machine just doesn't have enough resources.  H/W acceleration of a decent level is a requirement for .140 and beyond. 

[secret80sman]

It's a Pentium 4 266 I believe. Same problem exists if I run MAME 135u4.  I woulda thought frame skipping might have fixed this but no dice. Running Arcade VGA card in it too.

Any other thoughts or suggestions?

[Howard_Casto]

It's a Pentium 4 266 I believe. Same problem exists if I run MAME 135u4.  I woulda thought frame skipping might have fixed this but no dice. Running Arcade VGA card in it too.

Any other thoughts or suggestions?

Yeah, get a machine that isn't so slow. 

Also the whole point of arcadevga is to run the games at their native resolution.  In other words you shouldn't be using bezels.  The card isn't very high end... it doesn't need to be for what it does... but if you are doing something crazy with it like this then it's going to be too puny. 

[secret80sman]

It's a Pentium 4 266 I believe. Same problem exists if I run MAME 135u4.  I woulda thought frame skipping might have fixed this but no dice. Running Arcade VGA card in it too.

Any other thoughts or suggestions?

Yeah, get a machine that isn't so slow. 

Also the whole point of arcadevga is to run the games at their native resolution.  In other words you shouldn't be using bezels.  The card isn't very high end... it doesn't need to be for what it does... but if you are doing something crazy with it like this then it's going to be too puny.

Since its in a vertical cabinet I really don't need the bezels but for the occasional horizontal game that isn't too puny on screen. I have a lead on some free Dells my buddy has in storage so perhaps one of them will do the trick.

I would love to get away from XP to avoid the lack of screen rotation (I am still on sp2 because of this) so what is the minimum specs you guys have been able to get away with on Windows 7?

[Howard_Casto]

Updating windows will make your machine slower, not faster. 

What are you talking about in regards to "lack of screen rotation"?  You can rotate the screen on any OS from win me! and beyond. 

What resolution are you running the horizontal games at?

The last question is your issue.  Again, you should be running the games at their native resolution.  If your monitor is capable of resolutions higher than arcade resolutions, you are using either the wrong monitor or the wrong video card (it's your choice as to which one needs to be swapped out).  ArcadeVGA is for ARCADE monitors. 

If this is not your issue then you are going to have to explain your rig in detail, because thus far what you've told me you are doing doesn't make any sense. 

[secret80sman]

Updating windows will make your machine slower, not faster. 

What are you talking about in regards to "lack of screen rotation"?  You can rotate the screen on any OS from win me! and beyond. 

What resolution are you running the horizontal games at?

The last question is your issue.  Again, you should be running the games at their native resolution.  If your monitor is capable of resolutions higher than arcade resolutions, you are using either the wrong monitor or the wrong video card (it's your choice as to which one needs to be swapped out).  ArcadeVGA is for ARCADE monitors. 

If this is not your issue then you are going to have to explain your rig in detail, because thus far what you've told me you are doing doesn't make any sense.

I know win7 will slow me down so that is why I wanted to know what some might be getting away with in regards to using an old system with win7.

Regarding screen rotation unfortunately 90 degree screen rotation has been killed in Win XP as of SP3.

I am running native resolutions hence the Arcade VGA.

The system is now rebooting at will sometimes so I'm just gonna swap it out and hopefully solve all the issues but thanks for the help Howard.