CRT Emudriver with component out?

[gmegbln]

I've been struggling with this for the past couple days and I'm about to throw in the towel, but thought I'd ask around to see if there's any hope for getting this working yet.

Trying to install CRT Emudriver 2.0 on a Windows 7 machine with a Radeon HD 4890. It's going into a regular CRT TV via component and the card has component video out (I think usually referred to as TV OUT) using a 7 pin mini-DIN. CRT Emudriver is creating a second monitor (as shown on most guides) but the component out always seems to be the third monitor instead of the second, and I can't get VMMaker to add any custom resolutions to the tv out, only the default 720x480 and 640x480.

Is it possible to get CRT Emudriver to work with the TV OUT port, or will it only work over VGA? Any help would be appreciated! Thanks!

[burn_654]

Typically the TV OUT port is defined as a fixed resolution(s) and afaik isn't programmable for custom resolutions in the ways that crt_emudriver needs. For instance, a composite or S-Video output can *accept* computer standard (800x600, 1024x768) resolutions but will always convert the result into a 480i image.

You will need a signal chain that converts the vga to component as this will pass the resolution through without scaling/changing it. I've heard of people using something like this:
https://www.amazon.com/SPECIALTY-AV-SCART-Component-Converter-Genesis/dp/B004XSSDPO

While plugging a vga to scart cable or adapter such as this
http://arcadeforge.net/UMSA:::15.html
into their computer with results.

I basically use a homemade circuit similar to the 'specialty scart converter' to convert my 15khz RGB consoles (genesis, turbografx) to work on a component CRT, it's the same idea here.

[gmegbln]

Thanks for the reply! That's unfortunate, I bought the card specifically for the component out.

Is your custom cable similar to this? Would this work okay? Looks like the schematic I've seen online without opening it:

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/VGA-TO-SCART-RGB-ARCADEVGA-CABLE-ADAPTER-1-6M-EUROCONECTOR-for-JAMMA-system-/141663388712?hash=item20fbcbc428:g:DF8AAOSwD0lUfz1z

[buttersoft]

Sadly burn_654 is right - the TV outs are a bad way to go. Even if you're already outputting 480i, they'll probably resample.

[jan25th]

This is certainly doable and has been by several users. What is needed is a vga 2 component video transcoder like the https://www.audioauthority.com/product_details/9A60A
unfortunately it is not a cheap solution. I am pretty sure the din hookup you are using won't work as that output is always converted to a fixed resolution. Look up the work down by the user rCadeGaming on this forum for more examples.

[maiki]

Typically the TV OUT port is defined as a fixed resolution(s) and afaik isn't programmable for custom resolutions in the ways that crt_emudriver needs. For instance, a composite or S-Video output can *accept* computer standard (800x600, 1024x768) resolutions but will always convert the result into a 480i image.

I believe no one around the world has ever tried reprogramming TV out encoders, yet evebody knows they can't be counted in. Just if you think about it, isn't TV out chip actually a 15 kHz video mode generator? If it can output 480i 60 Hz 15 kHz, there sure is a way to get it producing 240p 60 Hz 15 kHz. And not even talking horizontal resolution, which, as we know, is virtually anything. It is really sad this area has never been explored. Platforms like Xbox would definitely benefit from 240p 15 kHz through TV out chipset. That has never happened hence everyone messing with soft-15s and hacked VGA to RGB glued-up monsters...

Not to mention a TV out chip will do RGB and composite if both are addressed in the code. True NES composite picture anyone?

[buttersoft]

I believe no one around the world has ever tried reprogramming TV out encoders, yet evebody knows they can't be counted in. Just if you think about it, isn't TV out chip actually a 15 kHz video mode generator? If it can output 480i 60 Hz 15 kHz, there sure is a way to get it producing 240p 60 Hz 15 kHz. And not even talking horizontal resolution, which, as we know, is virtually anything. It is really sad this area has never been explored. Platforms like Xbox would definitely benefit from 240p 15 kHz through TV out chipset. That has never happened hence everyone messing with soft-15s and hacked VGA to RGB glued-up monsters...

Not to mention a TV out chip will do RGB and composite if both are addressed in the code. True NES composite picture anyone?

I wonder about this. The information out there talks about the modes being hardwired - you wouldn't want your GPU messing up the TV out resolution or in extreme cases it could actually damage a CRT TV. Was component-out fixed to 720p or anything? S-Video was 480i only and I'd always presumed it was EEPROM based or something, and thus not accessible by the drivers. In that vein - can the TV-out even be programmed without physically interfacing with the device somehow?

Assuming you can get the modes into the encoder, you'd still need to have the PC output 15kHz to get a 1:1 mode. Wouldn't you? Could you actually set a 480i mode on a TV-out, or were you setting 480p and having it interlaced by the encoder? I know you could set higher resolutions and have them downscaled and laced. I haven't used one of these things for years. And what do you do about resampling? Add more modes? What if that doesn't help?

In addition, cards with a TV-out are becoming less and less useful as they age. EDID emulation is the bomb, and more powerful cards are good with Demul, Supermodel and TTX. Not to mention the fact MAME is getting hungrier, so more modern systems are required, and older GPU's will start getting less compatible.

It'd be an interesting experiment though, I'm always keen to find more ways to get 15kHz.

[Tzakiel]

I've done this and you just need the right chain of cable and adapter. It needs to go vga out from the card to a vga to component transcoder (one that can truly transcode without affecting res or interlacing) and then component cables to the tv. The transcoder I have isn't made any more, it is a crescendo systems transcoder and I believe the owner died. I don't know what other options have been proven to work. One thing I did learn is that the s-video, tv out etc outputs don't work at native resolution, only VGA or I guess DVI (not sure) which then has to be transcoded without modification to component.