issues with groovyarcade install

[Jimbo]

Hi

I've installed GroovyArcade-Arch2013.02.24-x86_64.iso on my PC which is running an ATI HD4350 card, and a Hantarex Polo monitor.

During setup I chose Hantarex Polo as the monitor type, and configured to have a horiz/vert rotating screen.  I then tried the "Start Frontend/Window Manager" option and played the World Rally game, it looked amazing in glorious tear-free low-res scrolling. I basically followed the instructions here https://code.google.com/p/groovyarcade/wiki/USB_installation but chose to install to an SSD instead of a pen drive.

After booting up once installed, I get to the frontend but have no video (black screen) although I can hear the sound going on so it seems it has loaded.  I have read about pressing ESC when the GA splash screen appears so I tried that and then the Frontend displays fine.... but all the games are running at a crazy fast speed, and the vertical games seem to by running horizontally as the sync is all out.  I'm not sure what I've done wrong as the Frontend/games worked fine from the Live-CD.

Any help appreciated.

Cheers

EDIT: I should add that I haven't setup any rom/snap paths as I was going to do that later.  I've just been testing the default freely available games that come on the Live-CD.

[Calamity]

Try disabling the splash screen permanently from GAsetup, check the boot options.

[Jimbo]

Thanks Calamity.

Disabling the splash screen sorts out the problem of the frontend not loading properly, and games running at correct speed now, thanks   But I still get the vertical games displaying horizontally with the sync all out (see pic).

I've tried different combinations of selecting the Monitor Type first, then Monitor Orientation second, and vice versa, but it just seems to ignore the orientation when I set it to "2 Rotating/Both".  (unless I am misunderstanding this function).

switchres.conf is showing: -

threads=1
ff=1
monitor=polo
mo=2

core rotation options in mame.ini are showing that rotate = 1, all the rest are 0

core switchres options in mame.ini are: -

modeline 1
monitor polo
orientation rotate
connector auto
interlace 1
doublescan 1
cleanstretch 1
changeres 1
powerstrip 0
lock_system_modes 1
lock_unsupported_modes 1
refresh_dont_care 0
dotclock_min 0
sync_refresh_tolerance 2.0
frame_delay 0
all the rest are auto

Cheers

[Jimbo]

It appears it could be related to this issue? 

https://code.google.com/p/groovyarcade/issues/detail?id=8

EDIT: and this? http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,141452.msg1463951.html#msg1463951 

I am using a Hantarex Polo also.

Any help appreciated.

[Calamity]

Hi Jimbo,

The Polo is supposed to support 25 kHz, but you need to switch it manually from the monitor chassis. So probably GM is simply outputting 25 kHz for the vertical games. What you should do is just use the arcade_15 or arcade_15ex presets.

Regarding vertical games and rotation, you should be able to select it from the GAsetup menu, at least it used to work but it's been a long time since I tested it. Launch the desktop and try the games from command line:

groovymame 1942 -orientation rotate_r

or

groovymame 1942 -orientation rotate_l

(-orientation rotate is supported too but you don't have control of the direction, so the others are preferred).

If that works then edit mame.ini accordingly. Let me know if it works.

[Jimbo]

Hi Calamity

OK... set to arcade_15, and the sync is fine.

I tried commando from desktop as you said:

 groovymame commando -orientation rotate_r

...this shows the game horizontally, not vertically.

[Calamity]

...this shows the game horizontally, not vertically.

Yeah I thought that was what you wanted, because you were using "orientation rotate". Notice the "orientation" option refers to the monitor, not the game. So "orientation horizontal" means the monitor is going to sit horizontally all the time while games will be rotated as required, while by "orientation rotate_r" you're telling GM that you intend to physically rotate your monitor to the right so please render all games on their native orientation.

[Jimbo]

...this shows the game horizontally, not vertically.

Yeah I thought that was what you wanted, because you were using "orientation rotate". Notice the "orientation" option refers to the monitor, not the game. So "orientation horizontal" means the monitor is going to sit horizontally all the time while games will be rotated as required, while by "orientation rotate_r" you're telling GM that you intend to physically rotate your monitor to the right so please render all games on their native orientation.

OK I'm confused.   I have a rotating monitor so want the games to always render in their native resolution.  By running "groovymame commando -orientation rotate_r" like I did I thought that's what it's supposed to do - but it showed it horizontally when I was expecting vertically (as in attached pic).  Sorry if I'm being dumb, it's been a long day.

[Calamity]

Make sure to delete all files in the .cfg folder. It sounds like you previously had tried to rotate it manually from the ui. Does it happen to all vertical games?

[Jimbo]

Yep, it happens on all vertical games I've tried.

I deleted the .cfg files but it's still happening.

Output is as follows: -

Code: [Select]

[arcade@GroovyArcade ~]$ groovymame commando -orientation rotate_l

SwitchRes: [commando] (1) vertical (224x256@60.00)->(400x256@58.48)
0: WiiMote0
1: WiiMote1
WARNING: font Liberation Sane, is not TrueType or BDF, using MAME default
Average speed: 97.47% (82 seconds)
[arcade@GroovyArcade ~]$

[Calamity]

Please post a complete log, so I can see what is happening.

[Jimbo]

thanks - attached.

[Calamity]

That's an ancient version of GroovyMAME, "rotate_r" was not implemented yet (though "rotate" was): http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=128879.0

Also, please check your vertical.ini file to see if there's a conflicting setting in it.

[Jimbo]

Aaaah that would explain it then!  I am just using the one from the most recent GA live CD.

vertical.ini is empty, but I can confirm that

Code: [Select]

groovymame commando -orientation rotateworks as expected

Many thanks!

I am now grabbing 0157 from the google drive link you posted in the other thread.

Regarding the Polo...  I have a Polo/3, which as far as I was aware is 15Khz only, I believe it is the PoloStar that is multi-sync.  I can try it again with monitor type set to Polo once I've updated groovymame.

[Calamity]

Regarding the Polo...  I have a Polo/3, which as far as I was aware is 15Khz only, I believe it is the PoloStar that is multi-sync.  I can try it again with monitor type set to Polo once I've updated groovymame.

The Polo preset was specifically made for the dual-sync Polo. For a fixed-sync monitor you're probably better set with one of the arcade_xx presets.

[Jimbo]

Thanks for the clarification - arcade_15 works great.  Cheers.