"new feature" found using Cinemateq POP2 and RGB modded N64

[LEGENOARYNINLIA]

Topic says "feature" but I feel this is more akin to advice, though it can be used as a feature if someone wants to. I haven't found this information anywhere, but I assume someone somewhere already knew this. I just thought I'd share what I've stumbled upon by accident.

Here are two screenshots of Killer Instinct Gold on an RGB modded N64 running with the exact same settings. I haven't adjusted anything in the POP2, in the plasma monitor or in the camera between these two shots.





The reason for this difference is actually in the booting sequence of the equipment used. In the first shot, the N64 was already powered on when I turned on the POP2. But in the second shot, I turned on the POP2 first and flicked the N64 power switch after the POP2 said "no signal !". The results are permanent even thought KI Gold is notorious for switching between 240p and 480i. I also tried turning the N64 off and back on again, and the effect was the same if the POP2 was left running.

I hope this is useful for someone. Please notice that this does not work with a stock N64. Thanks for reading.

Spoiler

The N64 is an RGB modded Japanese system. I haven't used a stock N64 to try this out as I don't own one.
The POP2 is connected to the plasma monitor by a VGA to 5xBNC cable.

The settings on the POP2 are:
OUTPUT SIGNAL: RGBHV
RGB LUMINANCE ROOM: VESA
RESOLUTION: DOUBLING
NOISE REDUCTION: 0
DIRECTIONAL INTERPOLATION: OFF
FILM MODE: FORCE VT
TV MODE: OFF
OVERSCAN: OFF
ASPECT RATIO: PASS

Everything else has been left untouched.

[Fudoh]

Should be caused by your specific deinterlacing settings. TV mode off won't work for all sources or games.

What display is that by the way ?

[LEGENOARYNINLIA]

Where are these deinterlacing settings? If you mean the film modes, I am no longer using FORCE VT (as it causes ringing) yet the trick still works.

The plasma monitor is a Mitsubishi Leonardo.

[Fudoh]

I think TV mode is under the input settings. TV mode on forces video deinterlacing while disabling all the film DI modes.

[LEGENOARYNINLIA]

Yes, TV Mode in in the Input settings->Input Presettings menu, but it also has its own button on the remote. I can see a slight difference if I toggle it on and off, but it's not related to this effect. TV Mode ON looks more like a bilinear filtering applied on top of the picture.

What I find intriguing about this is that when I press Status Info on the remote, under Video Norm it still says "NO SIGNAL !".

I'm going to ask the person I bought the N64 from if he knows who did the mod. Maybe that will reveal something.

[LEGENOARYNINLIA]

I've now tested this out with a stock NTSC N64 using S-video cables, and the trick does not work. So it has something to do with the RGB mod.

I'll edit the topic accordingly and add the information to the first post.

[LEGENOARYNINLIA]

I came back to this nonsense while I was setting up a Mario Kart 64 setup and I noticed something that I'm surprised I didn't notice the first time I found this "feature". Basically the effect also makes everything choppier which makes me suspect it's displaying at 30 frames per second. Does that help anyone figure out what's going on?

[Blair]

it might be related but I've found that my DVDO processors do something similar when I feed them 240p line doubled to 480p and then interlaced through a scan converter. it basically merges all the dithering effects and creates a really nice image (Saturn games especially like Knights look fantastic this way)

did you try taking some screenshots of games that use dithering? or is this more like some type of Eagle filter, that removes hard edges?

I'd like to see some gameplay in action with this effect from your processor enabled.

[LEGENOARYNINLIA]

I can try it out with the games I have at hand. So pick one or two or three and I'll get to it next week.

Mario Kart 64, Wave Race 64, Goldeneye 007, Turok, Pilotwings 64, Star Fox 64, Blast Dozer, Killer Instinct Gold, Mortal Kombat Trilogy, Ocarina Of Time

[Blair]

I can try it out with the games I have at hand. So pick one or two or three and I'll get to it next week.

Mario Kart 64, Wave Race 64, Goldeneye 007, Turok, Pilotwings 64, Star Fox 64, Blast Dozer, Killer Instinct Gold, Mortal Kombat Trilogy, Ocarina Of Time

I guess Mortal Kombat trilogy, and ocarina of time. (before and after shots might also be helpful)

[LEGENOARYNINLIA]

Ocarina of Time (and all the other 3D games as well) looks like garbage through the POP2 no matter what.

Here are some comparisons of the booting sequence trick and TV-mode on/off. In the upper row the trick is in effect, on the left side TV-mode is off and on the right it is on.

Huge pics approaching:

Spoiler

KI Gold

MK Trilogy

As you can see the effect isn't doing much good in actual gameplay. It mostly just has an effect on the KI Gold title screen and attract mode.

EDIT: I've now packed my POP2 for storage, so I can't take more pics.

[Blair]

hey, thanks for taking those pictures for me. it seems like overall the POP2 isn't really that great of a machine for 240p/480i material?

I've heard that you can select your own output resolution on the analog display port, did anyone ever try to get 240p output directly from them? (seem like a few video processors can do this).

[LEGENOARYNINLIA]

I'd say the culprit here for the funky output is my N64 which has a peculiar RGB mod.