The Black Hole: TV goes blank in middle of game

[Quixote Quest]

I've noticed something odd that happens fairly routinely, every couple of days. In the middle of a game all of a sudden my TV screen will go black. I can still hear the audio of the game running, but movement of my joy and buttons doesn't seem to make any effect. It's like the game running without any player input except that I also can't see anything. We can press escape and nothing will happen, but usually after randomly hitting various combinations of admin buttons it will quit the game and the TV screen will light on again as it opens back up to the Game info screen within GameEx from whence the last game was launched. (No certain keypress ever gives a successful rescue from The Black Hole.)

I can't duplicate it happening in the same parts of any certain game. Jut randomly happens in various games, from button-mashing fighting games all the way to hardly-press-any-buttons games or no-button games like Pac-Man. (Just happened last night in the middle of our tense 4-player ShuffleShot game.) I can't find any pattern, its so random, except that it happens within GameEx but never if we're running games directly from MAME32 (.v111).

Anyone else experience this?

[iano]

I've noticed something odd that happens fairly routinely, every couple of days. In the middle of a game all of a sudden my TV screen will go black. I can still hear the audio of the game running, but movement of my joy and buttons doesn't seem to make any effect. It's like the game running without any player input except that I also can't see anything. We can press escape and nothing will happen, but usually after randomly hitting various combinations of admin buttons it will quit the game and the TV screen will light on again as it opens back up to the Game info screen within GameEx from whence the last game was launched. (No certain keypress ever gives a successful rescue from The Black Hole.)

I can't duplicate it happening in the same parts of any certain game. Jut randomly happens in various games, from button-mashing fighting games all the way to hardly-press-any-buttons games or no-button games like Pac-Man. (Just happened last night in the middle of our tense 4-player ShuffleShot game.) I can't find any pattern, its so random, except that it happens within GameEx but never if we're running games directly from MAME32 (.v111).

Anyone else experience this?

Hi. Just wondering are you using an ArcadeVGA graphics card ? Something similar happens me (though it doesn't seem to be GameEX or MAME related). It happens to me very rarely and not necessarily in GameEX\MAME... screen goes black and i have to reboot.

Cheers,

iano.

[Quixote Quest]

Hi. Just wondering are you using an ArcadeVGA graphics card ? Something similar happens me (though it doesn't seem to be GameEX or MAME related). It happens to me very rarely and not necessarily in GameEX\MAME... screen goes black and i have to reboot.

Cheers,

iano.

No I have a LCD HDTV driving direct from my PC via a VGA connection. The card I have is a NVidia card that came with the HP Pavilion a1600n. The odd thing I've found is that we never see it happen in MAME or any other program. It's always GameEx. Sometimes have to reboot to regain control, but usually just pressing various combinations of the CP admin buttons will get it quit the game and open back up to GameEx.

[iano]

No I have a LCD HDTV driving direct from my PC via a VGA connection. The card I have is a NVidia card that came with the HP Pavilion a1600n. The odd thing I've found is that we never see it happen in MAME or any other program. It's always GameEx. Sometimes have to reboot to regain control, but usually just pressing various combinations of the CP admin buttons will get it quit the game and open back up to GameEx.

That rules the graphics card out then. I'd assumed it (for me anyway) was a graphics card/driver issue. But it happens so infrequent i never bothered to post. When it happens all i see is a black screen with AV1 (in green) in the top left corner and i initially i thought it was due to user inactivity but i found that moving the mouse or any other control did not bring me back to where i was and i had to reboot. I've no idea why this is happening but i'd hate to have this happen when i've my arcade cab built. Sorry, but i can't be of much use other than to say it happens to me sometimes.

Cheers,

iano.

[Adultery]

Not ruling anythng out here...

Can you hit CTRL+ALT+DEL and see if the process is still running? If so, disable GameEx from there and see what happens. When this occurs on my machine I can't even get the menu to pop up - I have to manually kill GameEx from the Program Manager for some reason.

[lingpanda]

That rules the graphics card out then. I'd assumed it (for me anyway) was a graphics card/driver issue. But it happens so infrequent i never bothered to post. When it happens all i see is a black screen with AV1 (in green) in the top left corner and i initially i thought it was due to user inactivity but i found that moving the mouse or any other control did not bring me back to where i was and i had to reboot. I've no idea why this is happening but i'd hate to have this happen when i've my arcade cab built. Sorry, but i can't be of much use other than to say it happens to me sometimes.

Cheers,

iano.

Poor connection? How is your television hooked up? When AV1 comes up it means it no longer sees an active connection from your video card.

[headkaze]

Perhaps your somehow minimising the game. Does alt-tab rescue you from "The Black Hole"?

[iano]

Poor connection? How is your television hooked up? When AV1 comes up it means it no longer sees an active connection from your video card.

Hi Ling. Thats what it looks like. The TV is connected to the ArcadeVGA via a homemade vga2scart lead. I've checked out the lead with a multimeter - it looks fine and in any case it happens very rarely (last time was months ago). I was just curious when i read someone else had this problem.

Thanks again,

iano.

[Quixote Quest]

Perhaps your somehow minimising the game. Does alt-tab rescue you from "The Black Hole"?

Next time it happens I will try and report. I probably won't have to wait long: it happened twice last night. Once in Galaga 3 another in NBA Hangtime. (Again, just no pattern here I can see.) Was able to to exit from one finally by pressing both start buttons at same time (two shift presses) and another the otrher game by pressing the pause and panel-view button at the same time. So wierd and unpredictable this is.

[eproxy]

Next time it happens I will try and report. I probably won't have to wait long: it happened twice last night. Once in Galaga 3 another in NBA Hangtime. (Again, just no pattern here I can see.) Was able to to exit from one finally by pressing both start buttons at same time (two shift presses) and another the otrher game by pressing the pause and panel-view button at the same time. So wierd and unpredictable this is.

Slap me if im wrong but could it have anything to do with GameEX's screensaver settings? have you guys tried disabling to test?

[headkaze]

I wonder if you have the CP Viewer VK code setup and your CP is somehow triggering it. The default key for the CP Viewer is L, so try pressing L while playing Mame and see if you get the same effect.

[Quixote Quest]

Perhaps your somehow minimising the game. Does alt-tab rescue you from "The Black Hole"?

I told my son when playing today to try this key combo if the "Black Hole" reappeared. He said it happened today. While pressing down the keys he said a little menu with numbers in it came on screen for a little bit and then it went back to the game in progress. If he can duplicate it when I can see it I'll look closely at what that menu says. Otherwise, it appears the alt-tab does rescue us. What does this mean?

[Quixote Quest]

I wonder if you have the CP Viewer VK code setup and your CP is somehow triggering it. The default key for the CP Viewer is L, so try pressing L while playing Mame and see if you get the same effect.

My CP maker built an escape button into the admin button setup. I got tired of guests accidentally escaping from the game so I turned that button into a shift-function escape button. I then mapped its normal keypress to "L" so that the CP Viewer could be triggered.

NEWS FLASH:

While writing this post my son came and said the "black hole" happened. I pressed the alt-tab, and while both keys are held there was a window with three side by side icons that scrolled/highlighted quickly over and over horizontally while in a text field underneath I could see text flashing by quickly. I could see the name of the game that was running quickly among the text.

After letting go of the keys nothing happened. Black Hole still. Pressed again. Saw the same window again, but when let go... the CP Viewer for the game came up! (My son said it didn't do this earlier today; once he pressed and released both keys the game came back except he also saw that scrolling window in the interim, too.) Anyway, once the CP Viewer graphic for the game at hand came up I just pressed the button for "L" and then we were back at the game in progress.

I looked closer at "the black hole" and it is just like the pause you get momentarily when you launch the CP Viewer except that no CP graphic comes up. Since after hitting Alt-tab the CP Viewer came up I think you are right to suspect there is something about the CP Viewer being tied to "The Black Hole".

I know that the "L" button on our CP is not accidentally getting pressed while playing. When we decidedly press that button the CP Viewer comes up. Pressing it again takes us back to the game. Works just as we want. All of the other buttons are mapped and doing everything we want. There are no shift functions assigned to any of the 7 player buttons clusters for either player. But it definitely seems like GameEx is launching the CP Viewer on its own except that it freezes before the image actually comes up. (And we can hear the sound of the game in progress still going on, which doesn't happen when we press "L".) What could be causing this?

Any thoughts? (And thanks for the clues so far.)

[EDIT: ADDED: I discovered I can launch the "black hole" by pressing alt-tab while any game is in progress. I see the flashing window while both keys are held down. When I let go I'm in The Hole. I have to press the same key combo sometimes several times to get back to the game, still in progress. I haven't been able to duplicate again the CP Viewer coming up in conjunction with these keypresses/getting out of The Hole.]

[headkaze]

Perhaps you have Sticky Keys turned on (it's on by default). To turn it off go to Start->Settings->Control Panel->Accessibility Options->Keyboard Tab->Take tick off Use StickyKeys. StickyKeys is invoked when you hold down a button for a certain length of time. It is very annoying on a cab and should be switched off.

[Quixote Quest]

Perhaps you have Sticky Keys turned on (it's on by default). To turn it off go to Start->Settings->Control Panel->Accessibility Options->Keyboard Tab->Take tick off Use StickyKeys. StickyKeys is invoked when you hold down a button for a certain length of time. It is very annoying on a cab and should be switched off.

My PC came with StickyKeys enabled and within the first 15 minutes of playing our arcade we discoverd this annoying feature. (I guess useful for some people, but certainly not for an arcade.) So, yes, this function is definitely disabled, so doesn't seem the likely culprit.

What made you think to suggest I try the alt-tab combo? It's been funny to find this is a way to enter and exit The Black Hole at will. (Who knows what is causing the involuntary problem, however.) Is it normally a troubleshooting utility or windowpane for GameEx? The little window running while they are both pressed looks like it is related to GameEx.

[headkaze]

Try turning off the built in CP Viewer. Unless somehow you have a shift function on your IPAC that invokes TAB, so when you press the ALT key and a shift function it presses ALT-TAB.

Either way try turning off the built in CP Viewer and see if it remedies the problem, if not we can assume it's something else.

Start->Programs->GameEx->Setup Wizard->Custom->Enable/Disable Features (2)->Enable Panel Viewer->No

You can also try assigning a different key to the CP Viewer in Setup Wizard->Custom->Advanced Mame Settings->Ingame CP View VK

[Quixote Quest]

Try turning off the built in CP Viewer. Unless somehow you have a shift function on your IPAC that invokes TAB, so when you press the ALT key and a shift function it presses ALT-TAB.

Either way try turning off the built in CP Viewer and see if it remedies the problem, if not we can assume it's something else.

Start->Programs->GameEx->Setup Wizard->Custom->Enable/Disable Features (2)->Enable Panel Viewer->No

You can also try assigning a different key to the CP Viewer in Setup Wizard->Custom->Advanced Mame Settings->Ingame CP View VK

I've disabled the Panel Viewer. (Bummer 'cause I like this feature.) I can still enter the "Black Hole" by pressing Alt-tab, but at least I can see whether the random appearance of the problem will be gone by disabling the Panel Viewer.

May also try your other suggestion after I've let this change run for a couple of days.

Thanks!

[lingpanda]

I've disabled the Panel Viewer. (Bummer 'cause I like this feature.) I can still enter the "Black Hole" by pressing Alt-tab, but at least I can see whether the random appearance of the problem will be gone by disabling the Panel Viewer.

May also try your other suggestion after I've let this change run for a couple of days.

Thanks!

Alt+Tab lets you return to Desktop from GameEx. The black hole seems like its kicking you back to the desktop. Enable show Desktop. See whats going on when it kicks you out.

[Quixote Quest]

Try turning off the built in CP Viewer. Unless somehow you have a shift function on your IPAC that invokes TAB, so when you press the ALT key and a shift function it presses ALT-TAB.

Either way try turning off the built in CP Viewer and see if it remedies the problem, if not we can assume it's something else.

Start->Programs->GameEx->Setup Wizard->Custom->Enable/Disable Features (2)->Enable Panel Viewer->No

You can also try assigning a different key to the CP Viewer in Setup Wizard->Custom->Advanced Mame Settings->Ingame CP View VK

Well, The Black Hole returned last night despite the CP Viewer function being disabled. So that was not the solution.

The next thing I have tried is mapping the CP View VK to a different key: right bracket. Plus, I also checked my IPAC to see if there was a shift function that invoked TAB. There was nothing directly showing to be shift-programmed as TAB, but did discover that when pressing 1p start and 1p coin at the same times that TAB (config menu) would come up. (Coin was sharing a shift-value of Escape just like different key.) I went and mapped shift-coin value to something unique (and usused by MAME since I can't figure out in WiniPac how to give a button the value of "None"). Now TAB appears that it cannot be invoked at all by the CP except via the keyboard.

Lingpanda: I already had Show Desktop enabled. So it doesn't appear that is related to the Black Hole.

[Quixote Quest]

Bummer. . . I am getting the "Black Hole" problem still even after making the changes to the IPac --to make sure TAB cannot be launched via the CP-- and changing what key launches the Panel Viewer. (I did re-enable the Panel View feature after disabling it failed to eliminate the problem.). I still cannot duplicate the issue when running directly in MAME32, so it seems related to GameEx. I couldn't say that for sure, just that it seems so since it only has appeared when running MAME via GameEx.

Any thoughts on what to test next?

[headkaze]

Are you using a wireless keyboard or mouse? If so believe it or not interference (especially from wireless network traffic) can cause them to do strange things.

[Quixote Quest]

Are you using a wireless keyboard or mouse? If so believe it or not interference (especially from wireless network traffic) can cause them to do strange things.

No, just using the stock ps/2 mouse and keyboard that came with my HP PC.

[mnel22]

I have recently started to have this problem also. Ill be in a middle of a game and then Game ex seems to minimize itself to a black screen. Quite annoying as Ive had it happen as much as 3 times in 5 minutes or so. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[Tom Speirs]

I have recently started to have this problem also. Ill be in a middle of a game and then Game ex seems to minimize itself to a black screen. Quite annoying as Ive had it happen as much as 3 times in 5 minutes or so. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Post your log (with this happening). I'm also not sure how GameEx can minimize while playing a game as its hidden?

[Michael]

Bummer. . . I am getting the "Black Hole" problem still even after making the changes to the IPac --to make sure TAB cannot be launched via the CP-- and changing what key launches the Panel Viewer. (I did re-enable the Panel View feature after disabling it failed to eliminate the problem.). I still cannot duplicate the issue when running directly in MAME32, so it seems related to GameEx. I couldn't say that for sure, just that it seems so since it only has appeared when running MAME via GameEx.

Any thoughts on what to test next?

i have had a simaler problem and it turned out to be windows power saving worth a try in turning it off if its on other than that im not sure