Vizio "game mode": fake interlacing, or something else?

[accaris]

I bought a new 28-inch Vizio (D-series) for my game setup because it has a VGA input, and I noticed something interesting about Vizio's "game mode" that I haven't seen in any other brand (including Samsung and Sony.)

Basically it appears that, strictly through composite, the game mode shows some kind of effect similar to interlacing. Objects which would normally flicker on a CRT, like the bullets in Contra, or Mr. Gimmick's star, actually flicker while using this mode as they should... but they are solid when you turn the mode off. Also, there's an extremely noticeable improvement in picture quality, as if the progressive scan frame buffer is being bypassed. NES looks almost as good as it does through my iScan Pro (through composite,) and there's very little input lag.

What's going on here? Forgive the picture quality, these were taken on my phone.

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[Josh128]

It looks very much as if its turning a 3DY/C comb filter on when you turn it on and off when you turn it off.

BTW, nice shots of the original composite pallette!!

[accaris]

It looks very much as if its turning a 3DY/C comb filter on when you turn it on and off when you turn it off.

BTW, nice shots of the original composite pallette!!

Wouldn't activating a comb filter actually increase the input lag though, rather than reduce it? And would this explain the restoration of blinking/flashing effects?

[Josh128]

I dont think the comb filter should affect lag either way. I dont think SD CRTs with comb filters have any more lag than old ones that have none.

[Fudoh]

the CF is one side (certainly won't introduce extra lag), but the extra deinterlacing will. As accaris says, 30Hz effects work fine in game mode. This means that either no deinterlacing is done or single field deinterlacing is applied. Once these effects turn solid more buffering is done (and hence more log introduced).

[accaris]

the CF is one side (certainly won't introduce extra lag), but the extra deinterlacing will. As accaris says, 30Hz effects work fine in game mode. This means that either no deinterlacing is done or single field deinterlacing is applied. Once these effects turn solid more buffering is done (and hence more log introduced).

I tried to take a video of the 30hz effects on my phone, but was unable to capture it... just looked solid when I played the video back, I guess because the capture speed of the video is syncing to the refresh rate of the TV

[telemetry]

the CF is one side (certainly won't introduce extra lag), but the extra deinterlacing will. As accaris says, 30Hz effects work fine in game mode. This means that either no deinterlacing is done or single field deinterlacing is applied. Once these effects turn solid more buffering is done (and hence more log introduced).

I can't speak for all Vizio's, but my E-series E500i-A1's game mode definitely uses the single-field deinterlacing method.

I can tell this because putting my Wii into 480i creates a flickering headache with wobbling vertical lines, whereas turning Game Mode off makes it bearably pleasant, at the expense of lag.