Newb questions - Billabs without AVGA?

[TxGlenn]

Six weeks ago I was close to buying a new Arcade Legends machine...had no idea what a "rom" was, etc.  So my brain is pretty full now.   Being that *everything* up to this point has seemingly taken days (or weeks) of research to figure out.

I've saved the whole "monitor setup" thing until the end of my arcade cabinet basically because I usually ended up more confused after researching things that I was before I started.  Anyway, I bought a Billabs 27" tri-res monitor (haven't received it yet) and started to research specifically what I need to do to get it up and running. 

If I am not concerned with native arcade resolutions, do I need an AVGA card?  I just have the standard onboard graphics card that came with the computer.  Do I need the Soft 15Khz utility if I don't go with the AVGA?  I read where windows boot screens could give my monitor trouble and I don't want to screw it up.

After reading a bunch of posts from people having all kidns of issues with setup, I have that "this isn't going to be pretty" feeling.

[ahofle]

You don't need either the AVGA or Soft15khz with a tri-sync if you "aren't concerned with native arcade resolutions".  Although why you would buy an arcade monitor and then not use its available resolutions is beyond me.  Just make sure you don't go above whatever the maximum supported resolution of your monitor is.  If you have the current tri-sync, then the max is probably 640x480.  If you have their older multisync, then it's probably 1024x768.

[TxGlenn]

Thanks for the response ahofle.  I should have stated "not concerned with native resolutions *right now*".  I will eventually get that taken care of but right now I just want to get this up and running before the 19th and didn't want to fry something by doing something stupid.

It is a new monitor (640x480) so do I just switch the resolution in windows to 640x480 and I will be set?

[ahofle]

Yeah, just to be safe you should setup windows (if you haven't already that is) using a regular PC monitor.  Once you are satisfied with it, right click on the desktop, go to 'properties', go to 'settings' tab, click 'advanced', go to the 'adapter' tab, click 'list all modes'.  Then you can select 640x480 (which is hidden by default in Windows).  Power down the PC, plug in your arcade monitor to the VGA port, restart and you should be all set.

If you later decide to pursue CGA arcade resolutions, you'll then want either an ArcadeVGA or Soft15khz.

[TxGlenn]

ahofle -

Does it matter which 640x480 I choose?  There are about 10+ different options...256 color 60 Hertz, high color 60 Hertz, high color 70 hertz, etc. and none of them are 31 htz.

[ahofle]

Try the 32-bit, 60 Hz one.  31khz is referring to the horizontal scan rate, not the refresh rate.

[TxGlenn]

Thanks ahofle.  The 32-bit, 60 Hz setting seems to work the best.  Can't really say this picture blew me away, but I guess I'm used to sitting in front of a PC montor.

I am getting some greenish-white areas on the screen you can kind of see in this pic.  What is this called?  I need to research this now but wasn't sure where to start.  The screen should be blue but the right lower corner and the middle of the left side are green.

[deadsoulz]

Thanks ahofle.  The 32-bit, 60 Hz setting seems to work the best.  Can't really say this picture blew me away, but I guess I'm used to sitting in front of a PC montor.

I am getting some greenish-white areas on the screen you can kind of see in this pic.  What is this called?  I need to research this now but wasn't sure where to start.  The screen should be blue but the right lower corner and the middle of the left side are green.

Move any speakers / other devices away from you screen, and then use the degauss tool built into your monitor, the green should go away.  You may be getting interference from your speakers, or other device.

[Ummon]

Thanks ahofle.  The 32-bit, 60 Hz setting seems to work the best.  Can't really say this picture blew me away, but I guess I'm used to sitting in front of a PC montor.

You might check out native operation.