MAME on CRT TV has screen tearing

[cloudeleven]

I'm running MAME 0.200 on my Windows 7 Home Premium (Service Pack 1) 64-bit desktop computer with 2.9GHz Intel Core i5-2310 Quad-Core processor, 8 GB DDR3 RAM, and onboard Intel HD Graphics 2000 graphics (The onboard graphics has VGA and HD outputs. I don't have a separate graphics card). I'm using this device:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07L6WHQ6H
to output from my desktop computer to the device via VGA cable then from the device to my RCA 20-inch CRT TV (manufactured in 2000) via yellow composite video cord. (The TV only has composite input, no S-Video or component.) For audio I just use headphones or speakers plugged into my computer. The device also outputs to my Dell 4:3 LCD computer monitor via another VGA cable so I can see the MAME screen on both my LCD computer monitor and my CRT TV at the same time.

I don't have to use this old Dell 4:3 LCD monitor for my computer though; I have an HD monitor I could use for my computer work (Internet, etc.). I use the Dell because I think the colors display better.

The graphics from MAME normally look great on my CRT TV, much better than my LCD monitor, especially when the game isn't scrolling, but I get screen tearing when the game scrolls on both vertical and horizontal games. Turning on Vertical Sync in the MAME Default Game Options doesn't help (it stops screen tearing on my LCD computer monitor but not the CRT TV). Turning these on doesn't help either: bilinear filtering, triple buffering, sync to monitor refresh. Bilinear Filtering does help the text look clearer on my CRT TV though.

I tried GroovyMAME 64-bit 0.183 with the game Legendary Wings but I got the message box "SwitchRes: could not find a video mode that meets your specs", and the screen tearing is still there on the CRT TV.

Do I need an ATI video card to use GroovyMAME correctly? A SCART adapter?

Does anyone have any advice for how to stop the screen tearing?

[Paradroid]

Do I need an ATI video card to use GroovyMAME correctly? A SCART adapter?

Your rig is definitely not optimal.

The ideal scenario is an ATI card (HD 5000+) paired with a CRT with an RGB input (second best connection option would be component).

Not only does this combination produce the best visual results, it's also the easiest to setup.

Before you dig any deeper, is there any chance of acquiring these items?

[cloudeleven]

Do I need an ATI video card to use GroovyMAME correctly? A SCART adapter?

Your rig is definitely not optimal.

The ideal scenario is an ATI card (HD 5000+) paired with a CRT with an RGB input (second best connection option would be component).

Not only does this combination produce the best visual results, it's also the easiest to setup.

Before you dig any deeper, is there any chance of acquiring these items?

Thanks for your reply. I don't think I would be able to acquire an RGB input or component input CRT TV, unless there was maybe just an adapter I could buy. I can probably get the ATI card.

Is there any way to get rid of the screen tearing with just my current setup though?

[MaximRecoil]

Is there any way to get rid of the screen tearing with just my current setup though?

Probably not. Your VGA-to-composite device is converting to standard NTSC format which is different from the original formats of the games. Since it's shoehorning every game into the same format even though the games originally used different formats, you're getting a mismatch with every game.

Do I need an ATI video card to use GroovyMAME correctly?

Yes, as far as I know. But you'll also need a TV or monitor which can accept a 15 KHz RGB or component signal. If component, then you need an RGB-to-component transcoder, one that doesn't alter the format (i.e., one that doesn't alter the refresh rate and resolution), but simply transcodes the color space from RGB to component (YPbPr). As for composite, all devices that I know of that convert to composite also convert to a standard NTSC signal, which you don't want. Plus the composite video signal is low quality to begin with. With GroovyMAME and a 15 KHz RGB or RGB-transcoded-to-component display, you would never enable bilinear filtering, because the games would be displaying at their native resolution and a bilinear filter is used for upscaling or downscaling, plus it would make it look worse, not better, anyway. On a good 15 KHz RGB CRT, the games in their native resolution look perfect as-is, and you don't get any screen tearing either.

[Zebra]

There is a list of compatible GPUs with the Groovymame / CRT EMU installation instructions. You need to use a compatible AMD card to play games in native res and refresh rate which is what you need to prevent screen tearing.

Groovymame is of no help if you use a scan converter to convert the PC's HD output to 480i. Throw that scan converter in the trash where it belongs. You can find a compatible GPU on ebay for $10.

If you don't have access to an RGB monitor, you will need a transcoder to convert the RGB output from the GPU to either Component or NTSC video without changing the res. If you can't find a CRT TV with component video, check out the Jrok devices. I used to use mine on an old Sony Trinitron TV via Svideo before I got my arcade monitors. It works OK but I would never recommend composite video for arcade games.