Got a D9500, looks great, have some questions

[telengard]

Ok, after all these years I took the plunge and I gotta say.  I wish I had done this sooner.   

The look of an arcade monitor cannot be replicated even with all the tweaking I did w/ mame advancemame.  I had a big smile on when I started up Defender.
I'm currently using my regular mame.ini (except changed from d3d to ddraw [except for vectors] and removed the d3d effect which is no longer needed yay!).
IMO even the vector games look better.  Maybe it's the brightness, I dunno.  The Tempest at funspot uses the same type of tube so it looks similar to me.  B&W vectors are the only ones that aren't as good but I'm quite happy!!   

I'll set out to tweaking soon.  I also want to run some tests to be sure everything is OK (convergence, purity, etc), and it still isn't mounted yet so I may have issues with degaussing (rotating monitor rig), hopefully not.  It has a nice little detachable OSD control which I'll make longer wires for and can replace the monstrosity that came off the PC monitor I was using.  More yay!

The specs say it can do SVGA 1024x768.  At that resolution no matter the program, I get "OVER RANGE".  The colors are there but things are pretty squiggly.  Any ideas on that that one?

Can't wait to get this baby installed proper!

[MonMotha]

SVGA is 800x600, not 1024x768.  1024x768 is XGA.  The only arcade monitor I'm aware of that supports it is the Billabs one.  You could do 1024x768 if you interlace it, but you'll likely prefer 800x600 progressive.  Check the manual - it should list horizontal and vertical scanning frequency ranges.  Multiply the number of lines by the vertical frequency to get an approximation of the horizontal frequency and verify that it's within range.

You will very likely need to turn down the contrast (and possibly brightness) controls.  Almost all monitors ship cranked so high that they're blooming.  This is bad from a reliability and burn standpoint, and it also means that the picture is not correct (high level grays will show as full white).

[telengard]

SVGA is 800x600, not 1024x768.  1024x768 is XGA.  The only arcade monitor I'm aware of that supports it is the Billabs one.  You could do 1024x768 if you interlace it, but you'll likely prefer 800x600 progressive.  Check the manual - it should list horizontal and vertical scanning frequency ranges.  Multiply the number of lines by the vertical frequency to get an approximation of the horizontal frequency and verify that it's within range.

You will very likely need to turn down the contrast (and possibly brightness) controls.  Almost all monitors ship cranked so high that they're blooming.  This is bad from a reliability and burn standpoint, and it also means that the picture is not correct (high level grays will show as full white).

Thanks for the info.  The SVGA thing I quoted was from the WG specs.  I have no clue about this stuff.  I'll fiddle w/ the brightness and contrast thanks for the tip.

Here's the spec sheet that mentions the 1024x768

     https://www.wellsgardner.com/downloads/pdf_4122006115249am.pdf

What do other folks with this monitor use for tweaking video modes (i.e. fs and no stretching)?  Powerstrip?  Something else?
I unfortunately can't put an AVGA in my computer since it only has PCI slots.   

~telengard

[infiniteomega]

According to the schematic I downloaded from them, you need to find a jumper labeled JP702 near near IC701.  With the jumper on it limits the monitor to 38kHz.  With it off, the monitor is supposed to be able to go up to 48kHz.  I'm not sure why they'd want to limit you down to 800x600, but there it is.

It's the big IC with a wells gardner label on it near the front middle (toward the tube) of the chassis.  Without removing the chassis the easiest way to get to the jumper is by reaching from underneath the frame and using your finger to push off the jumper.

I was going to take a picture for you, but the thing is well enough out of the way that it made it impossible to show the stupid thing.

Anyway, let me know if you have any problems finding it.

I haven't tested the monitor with the jumper off though.

FYI, almost no one else has this monitor.  I think there's one other person on these forums with it so you probably won't get many replies about it.

Personally, I've spent all my time with the monitor (over a year now) trying to get it to display the output from a ps2 and arcade hardware...mostly to disastrous results.  My problems with it (not that it is broken) have really halted my plans for the cabinet it was supposed to go into.

Anyway, I'm willing to help with any questions you may have.  I'm no expert, but I've been futzing with this thing for a while now.

[telengard]

According to the schematic I downloaded from them, you need to find a jumper labeled JP702 near near IC701.  With the jumper on it limits the monitor to 38kHz.  With it off, the monitor is supposed to be able to go up to 48kHz.  I'm not sure why they'd want to limit you down to 800x600, but there it is.

It's the big IC with a wells gardner label on it near the front middle (toward the tube) of the chassis.  Without removing the chassis the easiest way to get to the jumper is by reaching from underneath the frame and using your finger to push off the jumper.

I was going to take a picture for you, but the thing is well enough out of the way that it made it impossible to show the stupid thing.

Anyway, let me know if you have any problems finding it.

I haven't tested the monitor with the jumper off though.

FYI, almost no one else has this monitor.  I think there's one other person on these forums with it so you probably won't get many replies about it.

Personally, I've spent all my time with the monitor (over a year now) trying to get it to display the output from a ps2 and arcade hardware...mostly to disastrous results.  My problems with it (not that it is broken) have really halted my plans for the cabinet it was supposed to go into.

Anyway, I'm willing to help with any questions you may have.  I'm no expert, but I've been futzing with this thing for a while now.

Heya infiniteomega,

You can now ignore that PM I sent you (at least I think I did) about a pic of Ast Delux on your monitor.  I just couldn't resist any more and I'm glad I bought it.   

Your post were helpful in making the decision.  And yep, I've noticed only a few people have it.  I'm surprised since it seems perfect for cabs but then again, I don't like the bigger monitors w/ the old games and I have a rotating one so I don't need the bigger size for vertical games.  Without the rotation I'd probably be singing a different tune.

I'll try out that jumper but the only thing I was hoping to get the 1024x768 for was vector games.  They look decent @ 800x600.  I have to dismantle the thing anyway to mount on my rotating harness anyway so I'll try it then.  Gotta lot of work ahead of me.

Sorry to hear about the issues you are having with it.      Have you contacted WG?

Thanks for the info, much appreciated!

EDIT: Seems I never sent the PM,  boy getting old stinks!   

~telengard

[infiniteomega]

I don't believe there is anything necessarily wrong with the monitor since I can get it to sync down to 15khz using advancemame and my neo geo works.  I guess that it's just extremely picky about what it will display..hence my problems.

[MonMotha]

PS2s output broken composite sync on their CVBS lines, and many digital monitors have trouble decomposing it correctly, mine (the Betson/Kortek) included.  If you're already using an LM1881/EL1881 to strip the sync off the CVBS line, you're in luck, though.  You can use the vertical sync output and a 74xx86 XOR gate to recover separate sync, which most monitors will make some attempt at syncing to.  I can get you a schematic if you are interested, or I can build it for you for a modest price (mostly parts and shipping).  You can also try just hooking composite up to the horizontal input and vertical up to the vertical input.  Many monitors will accept that, as well.

I had a similar problem with MK2, but MK2 has the video port on the side for separate sync, which I can use.  I've been meaning to program a tiny little micro to digitally separate and clean up sync signals for a while now, but I've never gotten around to it.

As for why not many people have it, see one of the stickied topics in this forum.  There are numerous reports of shoddy build quality on modern Wells Gardner monitors.

[infiniteomega]

Go ahead and shoot me the schematic.  I'm actually using an el4583 to do my sync separation because it provides true h sync.  That said, I may still benefit from the xor gate.

[MonMotha]

You don't need the extra hardware then.  Just tag pins 15 and 5 for horizontal and vertical sync, respectively.  If they are the wrong polarity for your monitor (specs should say what it wants), use a 74LS04 or 74HCT04 to invert as needed.

[infiniteomega]

Yeah...guess I'm back to my having bigger problems than most.  The monitor never clamps down on the signal.  I just get a rolling display.  Interestingly enough, an old sun crt monitor I have will work.

I read something about dc restore somewhere else...but I don't know how I'd need to implement that, or if it would even help.

This monitor is just plain picky.   If you've got any other ideas, I'm all ears.

[MonMotha]

A DC restore has to do with getting a video signal with embedded composite sync back to the correct DC levels.  Normally, the active video would be positive going to about 0.7V and the sync would drop below the ground reference to about -0.3V in these cases, but if you AC couple the video through a capacitor (to eliminate a DC path - there are various reasons to do this), the signal will "center" itself over the ground reference rather than maintaining those absolute edges.  If you have TTL level sync signals, this would have nothing to do with it.