Custom vido modes on MAME on arcade monitor and refresh rates

[TheManuel]

If I use Soft-15KHz to create modes with a refresh rate that matches the games original and use this on an arcade monitor, is there still the potential for tearing artifacts or is there a way to run the monitor at the exact refresh rate of the original game?

What are the MAME video options typically used for arcade monitors to address this?

Thanks.

[ahofle]

Yes there is still a potential for tearing.  I get tearing in some games that even run at the exact refresh and resolution in MAME.  I have no idea why MAME does this. 

[TheManuel]

Well that just sucks.
I read here something to the effect that MAME has a timer and the monitor has its own so that even if you specify the same exact refresh rate as the original game your monitor might be off by a little:
http://www.retroblast.com/Articles/RetroBlast-MAME-Monitor-Tweaks.php

Have you played with triple buffer?
According to that article, if you enable syncrefresh and triple buffer, MAME will only draw each frame at the timing of the monitor so there will be no tearing.  The disadvantage is that the game will run at the speed of the monitor refresh so if a game ran at 53fps, then you will force it to run faster to stay at 60fps. 
However, I suppose that if you specify a video mode at with the same refresh rate as the original game, say 60Hz, you will get the benefit of no tearing and the difference in speed (due to the monitor not running exactly at 60Hz) should be negligible.
Would you interested in giving this a try and letting us know if it worked?
Basically, just enable syncrefresh and triplebuffer and compare to your current parameters

Has anyone played with this to try to get it right?

[ahofle]

Yes I've tried both triple buffering and sync to refresh.  Neither works perfectly.  Triple buffer removes the tear, at the expense of a periodic video stutter (and sometimes causes sound stuttering).  Sync to refresh also sometimes causes sound stuttering and doesn't seem to help remove the tear.

[TheManuel]

Yes I've tried both triple buffering and sync to refresh.  Neither works perfectly.  Triple buffer removes the tear, at the expense of a periodic video stutter (and sometimes causes sound stuttering).  Sync to refresh also sometimes causes sound stuttering and doesn't seem to help remove the tear

Oh crap!
Looks like we're stuck on that one.
How can you then wake up in the morning every day and get through life? 

[ahofle]

With the hope that someday this will work correctly without tearing in MAME. 

You should try those options though.  Some people seem to be happy with them.

[TheManuel]

 
I sure will try it as soon as I get my hands on an arcade monitor.

[TheManuel]

Hey ahofle:
I think this horse has a little meat left for us to beat up.
When you enable syncrefresh and triplebuffer, hit f10 and check if the emulation is being unthrottled.  If it is, then you are not really getting triplebuffer and that might explain the tearing.

According to this tread in the mameworld forum, some drivers support the feature and some don't.

Regards.