The NEW Build Your Own Arcade Controls

Main => Software Forum => Topic started by: Lilwolf on September 21, 2003, 11:08:06 am

Title: FrontEnds -> changing resolutions?
Post by: Lilwolf on September 21, 2003, 11:08:06 am

I was about to release a new version of JFront (non-3d version for now..)  Lots of little fixes and cleanups.

Well, one feature I never added for safety is changing resolutions.  Why?  I never wanted to blow someones monitor because they messed up the configuration.

But I created a skin that works at 320x200 and wanted to create a 320x240 so that people could run it with arcadevga without interlaced.  

So the question is... should I try to add the ability for my frontend to change resolutions / color depth / refresh?

Title: Re:FrontEnds -> changing resolutions?
Post by: Howard_Casto on September 21, 2003, 05:38:28 pm

If you use the "windoze" api method then it's fairly safe.  If it doesn't find a supported mode for your card then it won't switch the res.  Also I've used more aggressive methods in the past and they still didn't do any damage.  Monitors are fairly robust devices assuming you don't try to get them to display in a mode that isn't even close to one they support.  

Title: Re:FrontEnds -> changing resolutions?
Post by: Lilwolf on September 22, 2003, 08:47:01 am

I'm not worried about setting a resolution that the video card can't handle.

But I don't have an arcadeVGA hooked to a real arcade monitor.  But I built up some skins that run 320x200 (since arcadevga looks better without the interlace I hear)...  More just to do it...

I'm worried about someone setting it up on a standard VGA monitor or something then switching over... and blowing their monitor.

Title: Re:FrontEnds -> changing resolutions?
Post by: Minwah on September 22, 2003, 02:06:23 pm

Quote from: Lilwolf on September 22, 2003, 08:47:01 am

I'm not worried about setting a resolution that the video card can't handle.

But I don't have an arcadeVGA hooked to a real arcade monitor.  But I built up some skins that run 320x200 (since arcadevga looks better without the interlace I hear)...  More just to do it...

I'm worried about someone setting it up on a standard VGA monitor or something then switching over... and blowing their monitor.

Well when I have tried this with my FE & AVGA skins with my PC monitor plugged in, Windows usually stays in the same res (1024x768 or whatever) and displays the FE in a small box of the correct pixel dimensions.

I can only assume this *should* always happen in Windows, since it should know which resolutions are available.  Even if the res were to be allowed by the video card, most PC monitors should not allow the signal of such a low res to get through...

FWIW the low resolutions are very worth it with the AVGA ;)