Confused - Arcade mode, ArcadeVGA and AdvanceMAME

[bobross]

Ok, Iâ??m in a configuration nightmare here. Let me tell you what Iâ??m trying to achieve and maybe someone can tell me how or if it can be done. Right now Iâ??m using an arcade monitor, ArcadeVGA and GameEx 5.25 running Mame32 with the â??stretch using hardwareâ? option.

1. I LOVE this because I can play all games â??full screenâ? and preserve the aspect ratio.

2. I HATE this because when this option is checked, you get this slight filtering of the game that does not look 100% authentic.

So my question is: How can I get rid of this filter effect and still have the games display nicely on my arcade monitor? I donâ??t mind at all the black sides on games like Mrs. PacMan and Raiden, but I would like games like street fighter to cover the whole screen.

Do I need to use AdvanceMAME in conjunction with GameExâ??s arcade mode? This is getting really confusing. I'm not understanding all these settings and some seem to cancel eachother out.

Thank for any suggestions,

BobRoss

[emphatic]

Tom has made a tool for this as well.

http://tomspeirs.com/arcadevga/

I hope this will help you.

Otherwise, you might want to read this:

http://www.retroblast.com/articles/monitor.html

Emph

[Tom Speirs]

First forget about my ArcadeVGA tool it was an old project, and GameEx has built in support for ArcadeVGA cards that does away with the need for my tool, Gavin's or MinWahs (although some people stilll prefer to use them instead, even though theres normally no need). Second remove Arcade Mode in GameEx from your head, this has nothing to do with ArcadeVGA cards or Arcade monitors exactly, it simply means whats shown on the screen is shrunk a little for use at lower resolutions. Thirdly the whole point of using an ArcadeVGA is that you dont need to run the games stretched as it has built in resolutions that match most games almost exactly. Combined with a low res arcade monitor makes them look just like the originals.

1. Turn off the stretching etc in MAME. Thats normal MAME. AdvanceMAME is designed for people that DONT have an ArcadeVGA card.

2. Set GameEx to run at the resolution of 640 X 288 (Anything below 640 X 480 will run in ArcadeMode automatically. it has to, to fit everything on the low res screen.)

3. Go into the ArcadeVGA settings in config and simply turn it ON.

That should suffice for 99% of ArcadeVGA users.

If not, post and I'll help

[bobross]

First forget about my ArcadeVGA tool it was an old project, and GameEx has built in support for ArcadeVGA cards that does away with the need for my tool, Gavin's or MinWahs (although some people stilll prefer to use them instead, even though theres normally no need). Second remove Arcade Mode in GameEx from your head, this has nothing to do with ArcadeVGA cards or Arcade monitors exactly, it simply means whats shown on the screen is shrunk a little for use at lower resolutions. Thirdly the whole point of using an ArcadeVGA is that you dont need to run the games stretched as it has built in resolutions that match most games almost exactly. Combined with a low res arcade monitor makes them look just like the originals.

1. Turn off the stretching etc in MAME. Thats normal MAME. AdvanceMAME is designed for people that DONT have an ArcadeVGA card.

2. Set GameEx to run at the resolution of 640 X 288 (Anything below 640 X 480 will run in ArcadeMode automatically. it has to, to fit everything on the low res screen.)

3. Go into the ArcadeVGA settings in config and simply turn it ON.

That should suffice for 99% of ArcadeVGA users.

If not, post and I'll help 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi Tom,

Something isnâ??t right here. I changed the GameEx display to 640x288. Right off the bat I need to adjust the v-hold to get GameEx to display properly, no biggie. After some monitor tweaking the GameEx display top and bottom are cut-off and no matter what tweaking I canâ??t â??shrinkâ? it back to fit the screen. GameEx seems really streched now. After turning on ArcadeVGA setting to on, game v-holds need to be adjusted wrecking the GameEx v-hold setting. The games seem to also display half size in the middle of the screen.

Strange...

[Tom Speirs]

Hi Tom,

Something isnâ??t right here.  I changed the GameEx display to 640x288.  Right off the bat I need to adjust the v-hold to get GameEx to display properly, no biggie.  After some monitor tweaking the GameEx display top and bottom are cut-off and no matter what tweaking I canâ??t â??shrinkâ? it back to fit the screen.  GameEx seems really streched now. After turning on ArcadeVGA setting to on, game v-holds need to be adjusted wrecking the GameEx v-hold setting.  The games seem to also display half size in the middle of the screen.

Strange...

Actually sounds like its working to me. These are just monitor issues by the sound of it. You can try running GameEx at 640X264 see if that's better.Are the games flickering when in the center of the screen. If not sounds like it might just be your monitor controls.

Check ou the ultimarc site of Mameworld forums for more help with your monitor:

http://www.ultimarc.com

http://www.mameworld.info

[bobross]

Actually sounds like its working to me. These are just monitor issues by the sound of it. You can try running GameEx at 640X264 see if that's better.Are the games flickering when in the center of the screen. If not sounds like it might just be your monitor controls.

Check ou the ultimarc site of Mameworld forums for more help with your monitor:

http://www.ultimarc.com

http://www.mameworld.info

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Maybe I do not understand the principles here. So here is my current scenario. GameEx @ 640x288, Turn off the stretching etc in MAME, ArcadeVGA settings are on. So with the GameEx menu stable, I launch a Neo*Geo game, next SF2, runs fine, perfect. Now I launch a Battle Zone and Mrs. Pac Man and the v-hold is all jacked. So by fixing these games, the GameEx menu is now flipping out v-hold wise. On top of all this, when I exit to windows, its v-hold is flipping out.

I really can't seem to figure out why it is so confusing. I mean, I have all the hardware, ArcadeVGA, Arcade monitor... What am I missing here?

Should all my Mame32 ini's be deleted? I guess I do not really understand what the ArcadeVGA settings are really doing, what do you mean by stretch to 640x288 GameEx is already at 640x288? Why would I want to stretch to 256? When does this always stretch take effect? Does that override something?

In a perfect world I would like the GameEx menu at 640x480, and all the games to run unfiltered.

Man I feel stupid!

[Tom Speirs]

Maybe I do not understand the principles here.  So here is my current scenario.  GameEx @ 640x288, Turn off the stretching etc in MAME, ArcadeVGA settings are on.  So with the GameEx menu stable, I launch a Neo*Geo game, next SF2, runs fine, perfect.  Now I launch a Battle Zone and Mrs. Pac Man and the v-hold is all jacked.  So by fixing these games, the GameEx menu is now flipping out v-hold wise.  On top of all this, when I exit to windows, its v-hold is flipping out. 

I really can't seem to figure out why it is so confusing.  I mean, I have all the hardware, ArcadeVGA, Arcade monitor...  What am I missing here?

Should all my Mame32 ini's be deleted?  I guess I do not really understand what the ArcadeVGA settings are really doing, what do you mean by stretch to 640x288 GameEx is already at 640x288?  Why would I want to stretch to 256?  When does this always stretch take effect?  Does that override something? 

In a perfect world I would like the GameEx menu at 640x480, and all the games to run unfiltered.

Man I feel stupid!

As I said, actually sounds like its working as it should. These issues are caused by your arcade monitor. Sounds like you need to find the 'sweet' spot for the controls with it. This is normal. We all normally have to do that. If you use the QuickRes tool included with the ArcadeVGA drivers, you can use this to test all resolutions while at the desktop. You can also try using UlraVNC so you can view the monitor on another PC, if it loses Sync. Unfortunatly this is what we all I have to do with old monitors as I said. Its par for the course.

Also to get less stretching in GameEx try running it at at 640X264. You can of course run it at 640X480 (Interlaced/Flickering).

[vibez]

I agree with Tom. You need to find the sweet spot. I spent a good hour or so with my arcade monitor adjusting the vhold. The dials are really sensitive, so only move them a tiny bit at a time

Edited August 13, 2012 by Draco1962
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