video setup review

[kortina]

Hi Guys,

I have been playing with MAME .0160 for a few days now and I am trying to get the best display out of my setup.

CPU:       Intel E8400 (C2D 3.0Ghz)
Video:       Nvidia  GT520 (passive)
Display:    VGA-CRT (Sony G520 - running at 1280x1024@85Hz)

Frontend:    Hyperspin

I have been reading for hours over various posts, and would like some additional help into trying to filter all of this info into what is best for my setup.

I think that I am having the most trouble because I dont really fit into the main categories of:
ArcadeCRT (the 15Khz or tri-mode)
PC-LCD (1920x1080@60Hz)



This is what I have come up with so far:

video      d3d
window      0
hlsl_enable   1
triplebuffer   1
multithreading   0
sleep      0

Pros:
Seems to give the best all round result, but nothing that is "perfect"

Cons:
Cant really decide what refresh rate to run at 60,70,75,85 or other.



What doesn't seem to work so well:
OpenGL (Lottes shader)
Massive stuttering, with audio hiccups. Followed details from bulbousbeard posts, but poor results (I must be doing something wrong, GPU not good enough?).


SwitchRes
Weird wobbly picture on some refresh rates, picture quality massively reduced



Thoughts:
Should I be attempting to have switchres switch to the closest Hz (slights above) then have MAME speed up?
EG: MK2 running at 54Hz (not 53.2), then speed up slightly?

Any feedback from some video pro's would be helpful. I don't think I can figure this one out on my own.

[bulbousbeard]

If you've got a CRT, you should be running GroovyMAME. I wouldn't even use a pixel shader. I'd just double/triple/quadruple the game's pixels and use a scanline effect with GroovyMAME. You could be running every game at its native refresh rate with an awesome picture on that monitor. Head to the GroovyMAME forums and ask Calamity and cools for help. cools should be especially helpful because I believe that's what he's doing with one of his setups (doubling pixels and just using a simple scanline effect). It looks pretty good and doesn't have a high end GPU requirement. Just tell them which monitor you have and that you want to do a pixel doubling/tripling/quadrupling setup with GroovyMAME.

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/board,52.0.html

Just for reference, the Lottes shader is a beast. It's totally unoptimized. Your GPU isn't fast enough for it. You literally need a GTX 970 video card or better to run that thing at 2880x2160 at 60hz+. It's ridiculous how GPU hungry it gets at high resolutions. The Lottes shader is basically for people with high end Nvidia cards and LCD G-Sync monitors.

I'd also recommend against Hyperspin; it's notorious for making MAME and GroovyMAME run like steaming piles of crapola. You're way better off with Mala or Attract Mode.

[kortina]

thanks bolbousbeard

before I head over to the other forum and ask more stupid questions:
1) Groovymame
Are the instructions outdated? it looks like groovymame and MAME are just distributed now as a single EXE. With no need to compile anymore?
So the instructions to patch are not needed? (http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,135823.0.html)

Code: [Select]

c:\mame_source>patch -p0 -E <hi_161.diff
c:\mame_source>patch -p0 -E <0161_groovymame_015g.diff
c:\mame_source>make
2) CRT_Emu
I am running a GT520 (NVidia) card, however I suspect that I need a ATI card to get the most out of my VGA-CRT correct?
I can get a HD4670 for about $50 (AUS), just wanted to double check that it is required.

3) Is Win8.1 (x64) supported for CRT_EMU and GroovyMame, all references state Win7 (x64). Is it safe to assume that 8.1 is OK?

Assuming that the answers are yes,yes,yes: I guess my next steps are:
Copy GroovyMame to my Arcade machine
Install a HD4670, and the CRT_EMU drivers
Head over to the other forum and get some help to create a fantastic monitor preset to get the most out of the G520, maybe use the "pc_70_120" to see what happens first?

FYI G520 specs:
CRT Super Fine Pitch 21” Flat Trinitron®
Viewable Image Size 19.8”
Aperture Grille Pitch 0.24 mm
Screen Treatment High Contrast AR Coating
Horizontal Scan    30kHz - 130kHz
Vertical Refresh    48Hz - 170Hz
Maximum Resolution    2048 x 1536

[bulbousbeard]

GroovyMAME is just a MAME build. Because it has nag screen removal built into it, you really don't need to compile it yourself. You can just download one of the GroovyMAME binaries.

In Linux, I think you can use GroovyMAME (GroovyArcade) with Nvidia cards. Personally, I wouldn't wipe ---my bottom--- with Linux for gaming (Linux MAME has confirmed additional input lag, there are fewer frontend options, fewer game options, and so on), but that's just me. The Windows versions seem to be for only ATI cards though. Any of the HD4000 series cards will work, and some of the lower end ones such as the 4350 are as cheap as dirt ($10 USD). The fastest card you can get that will work with GroovyMAME is the 4890, I believe, but it's not worth it unless you're actually running 3D games such as Street Fighter IV.

GroovyMAME does work with Windows 8.1, but I believe there are some restrictions that aren't there in Windows 7. Windows 7 is the preferred platform to get all features.

I would go to the forums and just ask for some tips before you do anything. Remember that bad video modes could potentially damage your monitor. I wouldn't screw around with it.