Questions that do not deserve a thread

[Ikaruga11]

Although, 50hz games make precise inputs for competitive play easier.

This is the first time I've ever seen someone say that besides my brother who plays Tetris very competitively on PAL NES.
He played on my 60hz NES for about 10 minutes before throwing the controller at me.

Yeah, precise inputs are easier with PAL versions of games since they run at 50Hz. Because of the lower Hz, the framerate is lower, so each frame lasts longer than the NTSC (USA, Japanese) 60hz versions. Thus, frame-perfect inputs are easier.

BUT, the internal timers and counters for a lot of games still run at the same speed. As a result, NTSC times tend to be faster. Not necessarily because the scores or time trials are more/less optimized on PAL or NTSC, but because the timer speed is the same for both NTSC and PAL region games, while the NTSC version plays faster. See: Mario Kart 64

[Ikaruga11]

Is .n64 (Little-Endian) or .z64 (Big-Endian) better for playing on the N64 Everdrive with real N64 hardware?

[strayan]

I’m trying to force a chromecast to output 720p.

Is the Dr HDMI adapter the only option I have?

[Fudoh]

Is the Dr HDMI adapter the only option I have?

If you have to go the hardware route, then there are at least much cheaper EDID minder boxes that will do the trick.

[Kez]

Is .n64 (Little-Endian) or .z64 (Big-Endian) better for playing on the N64 Everdrive with real N64 hardware?

I don't think the Everdrive really minds, but the N64 is a big endian machine so z64 is closest to the original format.

[Lawfer]

Is .n64 (Little-Endian) or .z64 (Big-Endian) better for playing on the N64 Everdrive with real N64 hardware?

I don't think the Everdrive really minds, but the N64 is a big endian machine so z64 is closest to the original format.

Damn really? The No-Intro set is all .n64 though and I tried a few of their ROMs on my everdrive and didn't notice any issues?

[Ikaruga11]

Is .n64 (Little-Endian) or .z64 (Big-Endian) better for playing on the N64 Everdrive with real N64 hardware?

I don't think the Everdrive really minds, but the N64 is a big endian machine so z64 is closest to the original format.

Damn really? The No-Intro set is all .n64 though and I tried a few of their ROMs on my everdrive and didn't notice any issues?

No-Intro switched to .z64 in 2017. The reason why Nintendo 64 ROMs used .n64 format for so long is because the early dumping tools all used Little Endian, and PCs use Little Endian.

.n64, .v64 and z64 all contain the same content. The difference is how they're stored.

There are three major formats for N64 roms. They are called:
Little Endian (.n64)
Byte Swapped (.v64)
Big Endian (.z64)
These three formats contain the exact same data, but the difference lies in HOW they store it.
I won't go into the details of what endianess is (this is a "for dummies" guide, not a "for computer science majors" guide), but I think it'll be relatively simple to show what a snippet of a ROM looks like in these formats.
Super Mario 64 has offset 00000020 look like this when converted from hexademcial to ASCII in each format:
Big Endian/.z64:
SUPER MARIO 64
Byte Swapped/.v64:
USEP RAMIR O46
Little Endian/.n64:
EPUSAM R OIR 46

https://www.reddit.com/r/emulation/comm ... ained_for/

[Lawfer]

No-Intro switched to .z64 in 2017.

Damn gotta need to replace it all then, thanks for letting me know.

[Ikaruga11]

No-Intro switched to .z64 in 2017.

Damn gotta need to replace it all then, thanks for letting me know.

You don't have to replace them. Tool N64 allows you to losslessly convert all .n64 files to .z64

https://www.zophar.net/utilities/n64aud/tool-n64.html

[Lawfer]

No-Intro switched to .z64 in 2017.

Any other similar situation for the other consoles?

I checked No-Intro 2018 set for the SNES and it's using .sfc like it was before (btw what's the closest to the original format .sfc, .sns or .smc)?

[Ikaruga11]

Any other similar situation for the other consoles?

Not that I'm aware of.

I checked No-Intro 2018 set for the SNES and it's using .sfc like it was before (btw what's the closest to the original format .sfc, .sns or .smc)?

.sfc is official and the most accurate.

[Lawfer]

.sfc is official and the most accurate.

Thanks.

[strayan]

Is the Dr HDMI adapter the only option I have?

If you have to go the hardware route, then there are at least much cheaper EDID minder boxes that will do the trick.

You mean something like this?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07C8B6VYT/re ... UTF8&psc=1

[Fudoh]

Would probably work, yes.

Over here on ebay I see configurable EDID minder boxes (with a switch to select the resolution) for 20 EUR shipped.

[bobrocks95]

Looking at Retro-bit's Gamescom stuff because I'm interested in their upcoming Saturn pads.



Does anyone know what's going on with the Hori Mini-looking controllers at the bottom there? I can't find any sort of announcement that retro-bit is making N64 controllers.

[RottenToTheGore]

Just ordered an OSSC so I'm getting everything ready for when it arrives.

My MAME PC is set up using CRT_Emudriver, is there anything I should know about using it with the OSSC?

[Fudoh]

What's the point in running a PC with a 15khz output just to upscale it again the moment the video signal leaves the PC ?

[orange808]

What's the point in running a PC with a 15khz output just to upscale it again the moment the video signal leaves the PC ?

I do it.

Use cases:

1. Split output signal and use multiple displays. Send native 15khz to SD displays and upscaled signal to 31+khz displays simultaneously.

With displays that fully support the OSSC, this is be the best solution for multiple displays. Downscaling to 240p never looks perfect, it's expensive, and the only cheap option (the Corio2) introduces some latency. Avoiding downscaling altogether is cheaper, faster, and better looking.

2. Use external processing and the OSSC scanline features instead of emulator overlays and filters.

Using the OSSC combined with a good projector geometry processor, I can get really great CRT-like output "for free". It doesn't consume any resources on the PC and the external devices introduce virtually no latency. Looks great, too.

[RottenToTheGore]

Yep, currently have CRTs hooked up through a crosspoint and would be adding the HDTV with the OSSC as another display.

[cyborc]

Just ordered an OSSC so I'm getting everything ready for when it arrives.

My MAME PC is set up using CRT_Emudriver, is there anything I should know about using it with the OSSC?

I tried this with my TV (TCL 55R617) And had mixed results. The OSSC did not work very well at all with the VGA cable connected directly to the vga port on the OSSC, but transcoding the VGA signal to component and then running that to the OSSC worked. There may have been some settings I needed to adjust to get RGB working correctly but I became disinterested after realizing my TV had stuttering scrolling with Neo-Geo and Irem games.

[Dochartaigh]

I'm probably going to try it anyway for just a few minutes to test it TBH....but is it OK to plug in a Japanese (original white) PC Engine which says to use a 100v outlet, into a USA 120v outlet? I know 100/120 to a 220/240 (like Europe has) is a big no-no of course. **EDIT** wired up a component cable for it, and ran it for probably a half hour. Transformer wasn't warm whatsoever, system was a little bit warm, but not much at all (still looking for the best/proper way to go about doing this however).

If this is bad, any recommendations for a new power supply for USA use? (I've had so many crappy knock-off ones for other systems would like something quality). One with a 90º plug would be ideal (so it doesn't stick out the side too far).

[maxtherabbit]

Just ordered an OSSC so I'm getting everything ready for when it arrives.

My MAME PC is set up using CRT_Emudriver, is there anything I should know about using it with the OSSC?

I tried this with my TV (TCL 55R617) And had mixed results. The OSSC did not work very well at all with the VGA cable connected directly to the vga port on the OSSC, but transcoding the VGA signal to component and then running that to the OSSC worked. There may have been some settings I needed to adjust to get RGB working correctly but I became disinterested after realizing my TV had stuttering scrolling with Neo-Geo and Irem games.

Try setting the OSSC to always sample DTV 480p. When on auto it samples over VGA as 640x480 and over component as 480p

[Syntax]

I have a rear projection TV that only works with PS2 Namco progressive lightgun games (and DC)
I was wondering if i combined the Hsync Vsync output from the Tvs Micron and fed that to the lightgun would it work for non progressive compatible games?

Im working off the hopes and dreams that if i show the lightgun the same sync as the screen sees it might just work.

[Ikaruga11]

Can I put an American SCPH-39001 PS2 inside the casing of a Japanese SCPH-37000 PS2?

[Syntax]

Can I put an American SCPH-39001 PS2 inside the casing of a Japanese SCPH-37000 PS2?

All 30000 series that I have opened have had the same layout, but I have been lucky maybe as all my motherboards have been GH-018.

50000 series has different casing structure.

[Jademalo]

TME has the Mean Well at 27 EUR incl. tax. (EDIT: sorry, out of stock till late summer).

So it's been 3 months, but they're finally back in stock!
Bought one for my Super Emotia, and it seems to be absolutely perfect. Much smaller too, which is really nice since the old power brick I had that stopped working was an absolute beast.

Thanks for the tip!

[Unseen]

It's a slightly unusual device, but maybe I'm not the only one here who has one...

According to the manual of the TVone C2-6104A DVI Multiviewer, it is possible to lock the output to any of the inputs, although it says that "some units" may not have all sources available. In my particular unit with firmware 570, the menu to select a source shows up, but it only offers a single choice, DVI-U 5.

Is there another owner of such a unit here that can select other inputs as lock source? If so, what firmware does your unit have and what is its manufacturing date, listed on the label on the bottom?

[Dochartaigh]

It's a slightly unusual device, but maybe I'm not the only one here who has one...

According to the manual of the TVone C2-6104A DVI Multiviewer, it is possible to lock the output to any of the inputs, although it says that "some units" may not have all sources available. In my particular unit with firmware 570, the menu to select a source shows up, but it only offers a single choice, DVI-U 5.

Is there another owner of such a unit here that can select other inputs as lock source? If so, what firmware does your unit have and what is its manufacturing date, listed on the label on the bottom?

I have one but have VERY limited experience with it. All I've done is program in each of the 4x windows to take a 320x240 source so I can display 4x consoles at once on a HDMI flatscreen TV (which if you know how to make that more flexible, so I can input a 240p or 480p signal and not have to re-program it, PLEASE let me know!).

For the "lock" you mention, a quick view of the manual talks about "lock source" which only uses DVI-U #5 (which is the exact one your mentioned), and this is ONLY for the background image. Other types of "lock" the manual mention are a little bit over my pay grade.

For my firmware version, I flashed it back to factory with the newest firmware when I first got it. Want to say it's from 2012, but I can't be sure (and it's bolted into my rack so not easy to see the label).

Feel free to send me a PM if you have any thoughts on using this unit with retro gaming - kinda been trying to figure out what the heck I even need this thing for.

[orange808]

I'm uncertain if you're trying to find a frame lock feature, but I'll throw this out for people that want to know:

For clarity, the Corio2 "lock" is like a passthrough. The output resolution and frame rate will be identical to the input. No scaling. "Lock" is not a proper frame lock for scaled output.

My impressions of Corio2 frame lock:

It's not worth having.

A few units have a limited frame lock feature, but it's imperfect and you can match (or exceed) the performance of the frame lock feature (by manually adjusting timings in the menu) on *any* Corio2. I think TVOne knows their frame lock doesn't work very well and that explains why it appears in very few Corio2 units--and it was also removed from their newest line of scalers in a firmware update.

Here's how (I think) frame lock works (when available):

First, the unit needs you to select or create an output signal that is close to the input signal's frame rate. You can't be too far off.

The Corio2 frame lock will just sample some pixels each frame and try to detect how smoothly they are moving. If the algorithm is able to detect reoccurring frame rate conversion artifacts, it applies fine adjustments to the scanlines (horizontal timing). The algorithm is imperfect and needs time to identify good samples (details that stand out as they appear to move horizontally in the video output). You can help it by running a judder test pattern from a DVDO. Sound silly? It is.

But what's the point? Plugging in a DVDO and hoping the Corio2 algorithm will get things right after waiting five minutes is more work than just doing it yourself using the 240p Test Suite Green Hill Zone test pattern.

After all, it's just an automated version of what can be done manually and your human eyes will identify judder and skips better than the Corio2 can.

[copy]

I'm probably going to try it anyway for just a few minutes to test it TBH....but is it OK to plug in a Japanese (original white) PC Engine which says to use a 100v outlet, into a USA 120v outlet? I know 100/120 to a 220/240 (like Europe has) is a big no-no of course. **EDIT** wired up a component cable for it, and ran it for probably a half hour. Transformer wasn't warm whatsoever, system was a little bit warm, but not much at all (still looking for the best/proper way to go about doing this however).

If this is bad, any recommendations for a new power supply for USA use? (I've had so many crappy knock-off ones for other systems would like something quality). One with a 90º plug would be ideal (so it doesn't stick out the side too far).

I think it is bad in the long run to use 100V equipment on 120V power. Even if it seems to work fine, it could cause premature wear and tear eventually.

For a new power supply, I have found HD Retrovision's recommended PWR+ model to work perfectly. According to their table, you will just need to add a reverse polarity adapter to use it with the PC Engine.