Arcade monitor + arcade card from ultimarc - only for experts?

[MoggFanatic]

Hi,

1. how hard and time consuming was it for you to set up (and i mean with all mame games running!!!) a cab with a arcade monitor + arcade card from ultimarc? Easy - Medium - Hard - You Will Cry Blood?
2. was it worth it in retrospect (time + money + hairloss)?
3. do you miss the bezels and art that mame can display?
4. is the hlsl setting in mame (0.167) like having a arcade monitor or close to it? I'm using this config :

#

# DIRECT3D POST-PROCESSING OPTIONS
#
hlsl_enable 1
hlslpath hlsl
hlsl_prescale_x 8
hlsl_prescale_y 8
hlsl_preset -1
hlsl_write
hlsl_snap_width 3200
hlsl_snap_height 1800
shadow_mask_alpha 0.5
shadow_mask_texture shadow-mask.png
shadow_mask_x_count 6
shadow_mask_y_count 4
shadow_mask_usize 0.1875
shadow_mask_vsize 0.25
shadow_mask_uoffset 0.0
shadow_mask_voffset 0.0
curvature 0.25
round_corner 0.15
smooth_border 0.04
reflection 0.25
vignetting 0.25
scanline_alpha 0.75
scanline_size 1.0
scanline_height 1.0
scanline_bright_scale 2.0
scanline_bright_offset 0.0
scanline_jitter 0.0
defocus 1.0,0.0
converge_x 0.0,0.0,0.0
converge_y 0.0,0.0,0.0
radial_converge_x 0.0,0.0,0.0
radial_converge_y 0.0,0.0,0.0
red_ratio 1.05,0.00,0.10
grn_ratio -0.10,1.00,0.25
blu_ratio -0.25,0.25,1.25
saturation 1.25
offset -0.30,-0.20,-0.05
scale 1.15,1.05,0.90
power 0.90,0.90,1.15
floor 0.05,0.05,0.05
phosphor_life 0.5,0.5,0.5

#
# NTSC POST-PROCESSING OPTIONS
#
yiq_enable 0
yiq_cc 3.59754545
yiq_a 0.5
yiq_b 0.5
yiq_o 1.570796325
yiq_p 1.0
yiq_n 1.0
yiq_y 6.0
yiq_i 1.2
yiq_q 0.6
yiq_scan_time 52.6
yiq_phase_count 2

#
# VECTOR POST-PROCESSING OPTIONS
#
vector_length_scale 0.8
vector_length_ratio 500.0

#
# BLOOM POST-PROCESSING OPTIONS
#
bloom_scale 0.25
bloom_overdrive 0.0,0.0,0.0
bloom_lvl0_weight 1.00
bloom_lvl1_weight 0.64
bloom_lvl2_weight 0.32
bloom_lvl3_weight 0.16
bloom_lvl4_weight 0.08
bloom_lvl5_weight 0.04
bloom_lvl6_weight 0.04
bloom_lvl7_weight 0.02
bloom_lvl8_weight 0.02
bloom_lvl9_weight 0.01
bloom_lvl10_weight 0.01

Thank You

[u-man]

If i want to use a CRT-setup (doesnt matter if arcade-CRT or TV), i would go with a recommended ATI card and GroovyMAME. Its relative easy to setup at a cost that is way below of the setup you describe... as you dont need that arcade-vga-card. I dont miss any bezel or artwork in my multi-sync-arcade-cab. Why would i? You play pixel perfect arcade games with zero lag issues, that is way more worth, then any LCD-Bezel setup IMHO.

You can achieve a close to a real CRT setup "picture/look" with HLSL, but you cant have pixel-perfect, sync-perfect, lag-free experience with HLSL+LCD... this is simply, technically impossible .

Your config for HLSL, looks ok for me... but i would reduce the prescale from 8 to 5, because it is overkill with 0167 and steals way to much power from your graphics card. Test it, and tell me, if you see any difference .

This is my current HLSL setting:

## DIRECT3D POST-PROCESSING OPTIONS#hlsl_enable               1hlslpath                  hlslhlsl_prescale_x           5hlsl_prescale_y           5hlsl_preset               -1hlsl_write                hlsl_snap_width           2048hlsl_snap_height          1536shadow_mask_alpha         0.30shadow_mask_texture       shadow-mask.pngshadow_mask_x_count       6shadow_mask_y_count       4shadow_mask_usize         0.1875shadow_mask_vsize         0.25shadow_mask_uoffset       0.0shadow_mask_voffset       0.0curvature                 0.20round_corner              0.15smooth_border             0.06reflection                0.0vignetting                0.20scanline_alpha            0.7scanline_size             1.0scanline_height           1.0scanline_bright_scale     1.4scanline_bright_offset    0.0scanline_jitter           0.05defocus                   0.5,0.5converge_x                0.0,0.0,0.0converge_y                0.0,0.0,0.0radial_converge_x         0.0,0.0,0.0radial_converge_y         0.0,0.0,0.0red_ratio                 1.0,0.0,0.0grn_ratio                 0.0,1.0,0.0blu_ratio                 0.0,0.0,1.0saturation                1.0offset                    0.0,0.0,0.0scale                     1.00,1.00,1.00power                     1.00,1.00,1.00floor                     0.00,0.00,0.00phosphor_life             0.40,0.40,0.40## NTSC POST-PROCESSING OPTIONS#yiq_enable                0yiq_cc                    3.59754545yiq_a                     0.5yiq_b                     0.5yiq_o                     1.570796325yiq_p                     1.0yiq_n                     1.0yiq_y                     6.0yiq_i                     1.2yiq_q                     0.6yiq_scan_time             52.6yiq_phase_count           2## VECTOR POST-PROCESSING OPTIONS#vector_length_scale       0.8vector_length_ratio       4.0## BLOOM POST-PROCESSING OPTIONS#bloom_scale               0.30bloom_overdrive           0.25,0.25,0.25bloom_lvl0_weight         1.00bloom_lvl1_weight         0.64bloom_lvl2_weight         0.32bloom_lvl3_weight         0.16bloom_lvl4_weight         0.08bloom_lvl5_weight         0.04bloom_lvl6_weight         0.04bloom_lvl7_weight         0.02bloom_lvl8_weight         0.02bloom_lvl9_weight         0.01bloom_lvl10_weight        0.01

[MoggFanatic]

If i want to use a CRT-setup (doesnt matter if arcade-CRT or TV), i would go with a recommended ATI card and GroovyMAME. Its relative easy to setup at a cost that is way below of the setup you describe... as you dont need that arcade-vga-card. I dont miss any bezel or artwork in my multi-sync-arcade-cab. Why would i? You play pixel perfect arcade games with zero lag issues, that is way more worth, then any LCD-Bezel setup IMHO.

You can achieve a close to a real CRT setup "picture/look" with HLSL, but you cant have pixel-perfect, sync-perfect, lag-free experience with HLSL+LCD... this is simply, technically impossible .

Your config for HLSL, looks ok for me... but i would reduce the prescale from 8 to 5, because it is overkill with 0167 and steals way to much power from your graphics card. Test it, and tell me, if you see any difference .

This is my current HLSL setting:

## DIRECT3D POST-PROCESSING OPTIONS#hlsl_enable               1hlslpath                  hlslhlsl_prescale_x           5hlsl_prescale_y           5hlsl_preset               -1hlsl_write                hlsl_snap_width           2048hlsl_snap_height          1536shadow_mask_alpha         0.30shadow_mask_texture       shadow-mask.pngshadow_mask_x_count       6shadow_mask_y_count       4shadow_mask_usize         0.1875shadow_mask_vsize         0.25shadow_mask_uoffset       0.0shadow_mask_voffset       0.0curvature                 0.20round_corner              0.15smooth_border             0.06reflection                0.0vignetting                0.20scanline_alpha            0.7scanline_size             1.0scanline_height           1.0scanline_bright_scale     1.4scanline_bright_offset    0.0scanline_jitter           0.05defocus                   0.5,0.5converge_x                0.0,0.0,0.0converge_y                0.0,0.0,0.0radial_converge_x         0.0,0.0,0.0radial_converge_y         0.0,0.0,0.0red_ratio                 1.0,0.0,0.0grn_ratio                 0.0,1.0,0.0blu_ratio                 0.0,0.0,1.0saturation                1.0offset                    0.0,0.0,0.0scale                     1.00,1.00,1.00power                     1.00,1.00,1.00floor                     0.00,0.00,0.00phosphor_life             0.40,0.40,0.40## NTSC POST-PROCESSING OPTIONS#yiq_enable                0yiq_cc                    3.59754545yiq_a                     0.5yiq_b                     0.5yiq_o                     1.570796325yiq_p                     1.0yiq_n                     1.0yiq_y                     6.0yiq_i                     1.2yiq_q                     0.6yiq_scan_time             52.6yiq_phase_count           2## VECTOR POST-PROCESSING OPTIONS#vector_length_scale       0.8vector_length_ratio       4.0## BLOOM POST-PROCESSING OPTIONS#bloom_scale               0.30bloom_overdrive           0.25,0.25,0.25bloom_lvl0_weight         1.00bloom_lvl1_weight         0.64bloom_lvl2_weight         0.32bloom_lvl3_weight         0.16bloom_lvl4_weight         0.08bloom_lvl5_weight         0.04bloom_lvl6_weight         0.04bloom_lvl7_weight         0.02bloom_lvl8_weight         0.02bloom_lvl9_weight         0.01bloom_lvl10_weight        0.01

Hello U-man, thanks for your advice. I will give the monitor a try and buy a low budget ati card! Is GameEx still working good on that setup with displaying games text and videos and so on?

I also tried the prescale from 8 to 5 without noticing any difference. Then i tried your HLSL setting and it gives the extra pop on the pixels and looks very nice. i do like it better and using it now. Besides i couldn't quite remember where i got my setting but i think there was a U-man and jezze in that mame forum :-)

[u-man]

Hello U-man, thanks for your advice. I will give the monitor a try and buy a low budget ati card! Is GameEx still working good on that setup with displaying games text and videos and so on?

I also tried the prescale from 8 to 5 without noticing any difference. Then i tried your HLSL setting and it gives the extra pop on the pixels and looks very nice. i do like it better and using it now. Besides i couldn't quite remember where i got my setting but i think there was a U-man and jezze in that mame forum :-)

Glad to hear that you liked the preset . Yeah, Jezze and me posted some settings a while ago, but Jezze optimized HLSL even further, so that the high prescale is not needed anymore. Probably it will vanish at all in the near future . He has fixed a lot of bugs/quirks of HLSL and i think it is now the time, where more features will be added .

If you really go the CRT+ATI card route, please do yourself a favor and buy one of the recommended ATI-cards here:

http://geedorah.com/eiusdemmodi/forum/viewtopic.php?id=65

If you plan to use the more graphics-card demanding emulators, like Supermodel, Demul etc. I would recommend to buy at least a mid-range card. I bought the last supported ATI-card... the 4890 (toxic edition, for even more power) and i am very happy with it . You will get it for about 50euros, maybe less on e-bay etc.

Depending what kind of CRT you will use (15khz or Multisync), you will need to use specific themes for GameEx. If you decide to use a 15khz CRT, then only the low-resolution and arcade-mode themes will look good. With a multisync CRT you will have more possibilities that will look nice with GameEx.

[MoggFanatic]

Glad to hear that you liked the preset . Yeah, Jezze and me posted some settings a while ago, but Jezze optimized HLSL even further, so that the high prescale is not needed anymore. Probably it will vanish at all in the near future . He has fixed a lot of bugs/quirks of HLSL and i think it is now the time, where more features will be added .

If you really go the CRT+ATI card route, please do yourself a favor and buy one of the recommended ATI-cards here:

http://geedorah.com/eiusdemmodi/forum/viewtopic.php?id=65

If you plan to use the more graphics-card demanding emulators, like Supermodel, Demul etc. I would recommend to buy at least a mid-range card. I bought the last supported ATI-card... the 4890 (toxic edition, for even more power) and i am very happy with it . You will get it for about 50euros, maybe less on e-bay etc.

Depending what kind of CRT you will use (15khz or Multisync), you will need to use specific themes for GameEx. If you decide to use a 15khz CRT, then only the low-resolution and arcade-mode themes will look good. With a multisync CRT you will have more possibilities that will look nice with GameEx.

Thanks for your help! I will buy a ATI card then and start the CRT project with my virtua fighter cab as soon as i have the spare time.

happy gaming!

[B2K24]

Thanks u-man for posting your settings. I'm enjoying them very much

[Kustom Kid]

Thanks u-man for posting your settings. I'm enjoying them very much

u-man, I am also enjoying your settings. I had a friend over yesterday to play some Capcom fighting games and he was quite impressed, especially with the CRT look on a flat panel.

[u-man]

Glad to hear that you all like the preset, i just want to remind and urge you, that it is better to honor and thank Jezze , because he is the person who constantly is improving HLSL. I just help him sometimes or fed him with ideas, but he is the smart mind behind the changes and he deserves the most respect.

The latest vector improvements are really awesome and i attached you here my Asteroids.ini settings. If you have any asteroid.cfg files, please backup and delete them prior using this preset.

## CORE SCREEN OPTIONS#brightness                1.30contrast                  1.0gamma                     1.8pause_brightness          1.0effect                    none## CORE VECTOR OPTIONS#antialias                 1beam_width_min            0.9beam_width_max            3.6beam_intensity_weight     0.82flicker                   0.32## DIRECT3D POST-PROCESSING OPTIONS#hlsl_enable               1hlslpath                  hlslhlsl_prescale_x           5hlsl_prescale_y           5hlsl_preset               -1hlsl_write                hlsl_snap_width           1920hlsl_snap_height          1080shadow_mask_alpha         0.0shadow_mask_texture       ShadowMask.pngshadow_mask_x_count       6shadow_mask_y_count       4shadow_mask_usize         0.1875shadow_mask_vsize         0.25shadow_mask_uoffset       0.0shadow_mask_voffset       0.0curvature                 0.20round_corner              0.15smooth_border             0.06reflection                0.00vignetting                0.20scanline_alpha            0.00scanline_size             1.0scanline_height           1.0scanline_bright_scale     1.0scanline_bright_offset    0.0scanline_jitter           0.05defocus                   0.0,0.0converge_x                0.0,0.0,0.0converge_y                0.0,0.0,0.0radial_converge_x         0.0,0.0,0.0radial_converge_y         0.0,0.0,0.0red_ratio                 1.00,0.00,0.00grn_ratio                 0.00,1.00,0.00blu_ratio                 0.0,0.0,1.0saturation                1.25offset                    0,0,0scale                     1.00,1.00,1.00power                     1.40,1.40,1.40floor                     0.00,0.00,0.00phosphor_life             0.60,0.60,0.61## VECTOR POST-PROCESSING OPTIONS#vector_length_scale       0.77vector_length_ratio       4.0## BLOOM POST-PROCESSING OPTIONS#bloom_scale               0.85bloom_overdrive           0.25,0.25,0.25bloom_lvl0_weight         1.00bloom_lvl1_weight         0.16bloom_lvl2_weight         0.24bloom_lvl3_weight         0.32bloom_lvl4_weight         0.48bloom_lvl5_weight         0.00bloom_lvl6_weight         0.96bloom_lvl7_weight         0.72bloom_lvl8_weight         0.48bloom_lvl9_weight         0.24bloom_lvl10_weight        0.12

[alcoatjez]

Thanks a lot for sharing these settings. I just reinstalled my HTPC, compiled a fresh MAME and can't wait to try these settings!

I have some questions:

• Are these settings still current with the 0.169 HLSL changes?
• Are the Asteroids settings also usable for all vector games?

Thanks in advance

[Kustom Kid]

Thanks a lot for sharing these settings. I just reinstalled my HTPC, compiled a fresh MAME and can't wait to try these settings!

I have some questions:

• Are these settings still current with the 0.169 HLSL changes?
• Are the Asteroids settings also usable for all vector games?

Thanks in advance

I can't speak for the vector games as I haven't tried it out yet, but the other settings work with 0.169 just fine from the few games I've played since updating.

[rtkiii]

Joining Late but here is my input.

1. how hard and time consuming was it for you to set up (and i mean with all mame games running!!!) a cab with a arcade monitor + arcade card from ultimarc? I thought it made good sense on how the device. I do not recall any TOUGH issues but it does take time to wire and configure the Ultimarc. The only thing I have run into is at one point my card reset itself or something and I could not remeber how to program it back to exactly how I had it...but the defaults are working just fine.

2. was it worth it in retrospect (time + money + hairloss)? - YES! I don't know how you finish a cabinet without it.

3. do you miss the bezels and art that mame can display? I thought I would...but honestly I do not. I created a custom bezel for my arcade so when the game shows up in full screen and I see my bezel...it looks fine.

I am sure you probably moved forward but there is my bit of info.