Questions that do not deserve a thread

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FinalBaton
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Re: Questions that do not deserve a thread

Post by FinalBaton »

maxtherabbit wrote:according to dbelectronics' website, Mega Everdrive x5 and SD2SNES are good to go, the others IDK
thanks for the info!
-FM Synth & Black Metal-
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Arthrimus
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Re: Questions that do not deserve a thread

Post by Arthrimus »

FinalBaton wrote:
maxtherabbit wrote:according to dbelectronics' website, Mega Everdrive x5 and SD2SNES are good to go, the others IDK
thanks for the info!
Based on pictures of the board, the Super UFO Pro 8 appears to be using an ALTERA Max II CPLD which is only 3.3v tolerant for I/O. I don't see any level shifters on the board so I'd wager they are very susceptible to early death for this reason. As far as damage to the console, who knows? I guess it depends on how catastrophically the cart fails.
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Jademalo
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Re: Questions that do not deserve a thread

Post by Jademalo »

Having a bit of a nightmare helping a friend configure a GV-USB2.

Current chain is Console->GV->Amarec->Xsplit.

We're using Amarec since Xsplit's deinterlacing is AWFUL - forced 30fps and it discards every other line. For various reasons OBS isn't an option, as much as I wish it was.
GV is set to Weave, AmaRec is set to deinterlace top field first, and either Retro Game or Role-Playing Game depending on 480i or 240p.

For 480i, this works absolutely great. Smooth 60fps, the RGB setting deinterlaces really well, and the picture is nice and stable.
For 240p, we're having an absolute nightmare. No matter what we try, we either get serious picture instability or considerable feathering. It doesn't matter if we use Retro Game or Role-Playing Game, both result in static elements like the Super Mario World logo being extremely juddery and unstable.

We've tried all sorts.
Weave + Amarec Deinterlacing Retro - Unstable image
Weave + Amarec Deinterlacing RPG - Slightly more stable image, but blurrier.
High Motion + No Amarec Deinterlacing - Huge amount of feathering
High Motion + Amarec Deinterlacing - Awful mess with both feathering and instability

I know exactly what we need - Display only top field twice and linedouble. (Bob + Discard?) I also know that OBS has this exact option with the Retro deinterlacer, but as I mentioned, OBS isn't an option.

Any advice? I'm out of ideas now, but i've seen a few videos of people claiming to get great 240p results with the GV-USB2. Here's an example - https://www.twitch.tv/videos/108454070. Copying the exact settings in the description of that video results in a huge amount of feathering.
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FinalBaton
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Re: Questions that do not deserve a thread

Post by FinalBaton »

Arthrimus wrote:Based on pictures of the board, the Super UFO Pro 8 appears to be using an ALTERA Max II CPLD which is only 3.3v tolerant for I/O. I don't see any level shifters on the board so I'd wager they are very susceptible to early death for this reason. As far as damage to the console, who knows? I guess it depends on how catastrophically the cart fails.
Thanks Arthrimus!
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maxtherabbit
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Re: Questions that do not deserve a thread

Post by maxtherabbit »

maxtherabbit wrote:has anyone ever heard of a PS2 that will only output in black and white, or is this seller just dumb lol?

they claim the console works perfectly but only plays in black and white... this is a 39001 with the warranty sticker intact

NTSC U/C, american seller(, I assume american games?)

my first thought was using CVBS plugged into component Y port on TV or vice versa, but I didn't know if maybe there was a known issue here?
if anyone was curious, I bought it and it works perfectly fine :lol:

disc tray is a little sluggish on opening, but it's an otherwise perfect v7 ps2 for $20 shipped :D :D :D
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Gara
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Re: Questions that do not deserve a thread

Post by Gara »

maxtherabbit wrote:
maxtherabbit wrote:has anyone ever heard of a PS2 that will only output in black and white, or is this seller just dumb lol?

they claim the console works perfectly but only plays in black and white... this is a 39001 with the warranty sticker intact

NTSC U/C, american seller(, I assume american games?)

my first thought was using CVBS plugged into component Y port on TV or vice versa, but I didn't know if maybe there was a known issue here?
if anyone was curious, I bought it and it works perfectly fine :lol:

disc tray is a little sluggish on opening, but it's an otherwise perfect v7 ps2 for $20 shipped :D :D :D
I'm betting the seller was using rca composite cables and testing the console on a component port. Some tvs allow this and others will display a black and white image. What a strange thing to assume was the consoles fault. Good for you though!

Anyone know if the Suzo 500 (or Omni-stik) is worth pursuing these days? It's been a few years since I've tried one in person so not sure if my nostalgia is just getting to me. I'm guessing I couldn't even fit it in a standard setup (Hori VLX/Mad catz) without more modification than it's worth.
Remistewart
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Re: Questions that do not deserve a thread

Post by Remistewart »

I own a BVMD24 and I’m trying to auto set the colours using SMPTE bars on the SNES 240p suite. It’s hooked into the monitor with RGB.

However, I keep getting the message. R_100IRE LEVEL : NG halfway through the calibration. Has anybody experienced this before and found a solution?
svensonson
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Re: Questions that do not deserve a thread

Post by svensonson »

Remistewart wrote:I own a BVMD24 and I’m trying to auto set the colours using SMPTE bars on the SNES 240p suite. It’s hooked into the monitor with RGB.

However, I keep getting the message. R_100IRE LEVEL : NG halfway through the calibration. Has anybody experienced this before and found a solution?
I guess you need the probe to perform the auto setup :?
Remistewart
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Re: Questions that do not deserve a thread

Post by Remistewart »

Thanks for getting back so quickly. I've never needed the probe in the past - was able to auto set up around a year or so ago. Not sure which variables have changed since then - still using the same wires, same console and same test suite bars :(
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Einzelherz
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Re: Questions that do not deserve a thread

Post by Einzelherz »

My 14L5 does that sometimes when I used to autocalibrate. Have you tried it with other inputs like S-video?

I fully recommend taking the time and expense of learning to calibrate it by hand, however.
Remistewart
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Re: Questions that do not deserve a thread

Post by Remistewart »

Hey Einzelherz, thanks for the message. I just tried using the PS3 on RGB progressive. I used an official PS3 component cable, and loaded in a png on a USB of an NTSC SMPTE export from Premiere CC and the auto calibration worked.

However, fine tuning by hand is recommended? Is it possible to have more accurate results this way? Do you have a source or guide that you could recommend that describes the process of calibrating by hand successfully?

Cheers!
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Einzelherz
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Re: Questions that do not deserve a thread

Post by Einzelherz »

If you only have one monitor/display and you're happy with the results, don't worry about it. If you're more like me and have way too many of both, you might want to look into it.

I use a Colormunki display which is a cheaper version of an i1 display pro along with HCFR calibration software (it's free). The way I learned was by following this tutorial

http://www.curtpalme.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=10457

It's for a different suite and colorimeter, but with some Google help you'll be able to sort it out.
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Xer Xian
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Re: Questions that do not deserve a thread

Post by Xer Xian »

What would you do with this board? Do I need to replace the capacitors right now?

Image

(sorry for the blurry pic)
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FBX
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Re: Questions that do not deserve a thread

Post by FBX »

Xer Xian wrote:What would you do with this board? Do I need to replace the capacitors right now?

Image

(sorry for the blurry pic)
If I saw that, I'd do a complete recap immediately.
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maxtherabbit
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Re: Questions that do not deserve a thread

Post by maxtherabbit »

is there a utility for PS2 that can edit the header information for HDD partitions (specifically *not* HD loader partitions) to change the icon and description displayed in HDDOSD?

I know hdl_dump can do this on the PC side when the HDD is connected to PC, but it would be nice to stop having to pull the thing out all the time
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Star1
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Re: Questions that do not deserve a thread

Post by Star1 »

So, I am in the process of making an arcade stick, for several systems. It seems that for the DC, piggybacking on a controller is the way to go, and that using third party ones where L and R are digital buttons on the face of the controller is best, due to a lag issue when piggybacking the original analogue triggers.

My question is: How did the third party controllers do this? As in, did they modify the input to the controller IC, or did they reverse engineer the original one? If it was the first, how feasible is such a mod?
GojiFan90
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Re: Questions that do not deserve a thread

Post by GojiFan90 »

I know the Retron 5 is not the most popular clone console out there, but I like to use it for playing translations. Does anyone know if it will read a Nintendo Power/Super Famicom memory cassette? I know it struggles with multicarts, flash carts etc.
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maxtherabbit
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Re: Questions that do not deserve a thread

Post by maxtherabbit »

maxtherabbit wrote:is there a utility for PS2 that can edit the header information for HDD partitions (specifically *not* HD loader partitions) to change the icon and description displayed in HDDOSD?

I know hdl_dump can do this on the PC side when the HDD is connected to PC, but it would be nice to stop having to pull the thing out all the time
apparently if you use the hdl_svr program bundled with the hdl_dump package, you can modify the headers over the network without removing the drive!

guess I should have RTFM :oops:
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Stevens
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Re: Questions that do not deserve a thread

Post by Stevens »

It's anyone familiar with the Zenith H3247DT? I may have an opportunity to acquire one with fairly low hours on it (used in a school).

Not much out there other than manuals.
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rquez
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Re: Questions that do not deserve a thread

Post by rquez »

I'm having some issues with the Toro Box.

I recently got it and have it connected to a Framesiter (lastest firmware) using SCART and the latest Firebrandx Toro Box Dreamcast profile (38DCTORO.BIN). I have scanlines turned off and using VGA mode.

My issue is that on several games the screen starts to black in and out. The game continues as the video goes black and then back so I'm certain its not related to the console or the disc. The audio some times goes out with the video but sometimes it stays.

I've tried the following.
- Replacing the SCART cable that connects the Toro box to the Frameister
- Reseat all connections on the Frameister, Toro box and Dreamcast
- Doing a data reset on the Frameister and then loading the 38DCTORO profile.
- Setting the VGA/RGB switch to RGB, but that just made the video output fuzzy and broken. Not playable.
- There's a switch under the Toro box cover that changes the output from RGBHV or RGBS according to the manual. I tried both settings. The manuals show that this switch is either jumpers or a push button, but my Toro box has a switch similar to the switches on the side of the box. From what I understand both RGBHV or RGBS output work with the Framemeister.

The last thing I tried that worked (but caused another issue) is set the SYNC_MODE to OFF on the Framemeister. With this setting, the flashing black screen stopped and everything seems to work. However, in some specific areas of games the video very briefly gets this blue fuzzy flash and then goes away. The places I've noticed this issue (so far) is half through the plane shooting minigame in Sonic Adventure, the mirrored hallway in Twinkle Park with Amy in Sonic Adventure, and the Spawn boss battle fight with Admonisher when I move between rooms.

I'm still a novice to all this. I appreciate any advice and guidance on this issue. Thank you.
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maxtherabbit
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Re: Questions that do not deserve a thread

Post by maxtherabbit »

How good are the Sony consumer wega FD Trinitron TVs? Do they even come close to a pvm? There's a KV-32FS13 at my local thrift store for $30...
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Re: Questions that do not deserve a thread

Post by nmalinoski »

rquez wrote:I recently got it and have it connected to a Framesiter (lastest firmware) using SCART and the latest Firebrandx Toro Box Dreamcast profile (38DCTORO.BIN). I have scanlines turned off and using VGA mode.
...
- There's a switch under the Toro box cover that changes the output from RGBHV or RGBS according to the manual. I tried both settings. The manuals show that this switch is either jumpers or a push button, but my Toro box has a switch similar to the switches on the side of the box. From what I understand both RGBHV or RGBS output work with the Framemeister.
If you're going to use the SCART output on the Toro, you need to set that switch under the cover to RGBS, because SCART has no facility for the separate horizontal and vertical sync signals required by RGBHV (What you're calling VGA).

The "VGA/RGB" switch on the side of the unit effectively just signals to the Dreamcast whether to use 480i or 480p; you can leave it set to 480p, and then flip it for games that don't support 480p (you can trick them into booting in 480p by flipping it back during the Sega licensing screen).

Unfortunately, while I have a Toro, I don't own and have never used a Framemeister, so someone who has better knowledge of it will need to chime in regarding that part of your configuration.
nmalinoski
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Re: Questions that do not deserve a thread

Post by nmalinoski »

maxtherabbit wrote:How good are the Sony consumer wega FD Trinitron TVs? Do they even come close to a pvm? There's a KV-32FS13 at my local thrift store for $30...
Trinitrons are generally good. Bring a console and see if they'll let you test it in the store.
Nutricula
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Re: Questions that do not deserve a thread

Post by Nutricula »

Hi all, I have a question regarding resistor caps (75ohm) on CRT broadcast monitors with RGB scart. (Mine is an Ikegami HTM 1990-R).

Can anyone tell me if there is any difference between having no resistor caps on the outputs and the contrast turned down, or alternatively using resistor caps on the outputs but having the contrast turned up to achieve the same contrast level. My manual for the monitor says the caps are optional. But what I'm thinking is, would the screen be forced to be working harder without the caps even if you adjust for the same contrast in both circumstances?

Ideally I don't want to shorten the life of the monitor really.
|StarscreaM|
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Re: Questions that do not deserve a thread

Post by |StarscreaM| »

Hello, I'm looking into Nintendo 64 RGB mods, most likely the 7374. I want the most authentic N64 output possible, meaning, no de-blur like Tim's mod or anything like that, same ole' N64 blurriness, but with the accuracy of RGB. Should I have LPF on or off on the 7374 to achieve this? I plan to play on a CRT with retrovision's composite cables. Thanks!
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Gara
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Re: Questions that do not deserve a thread

Post by Gara »

I want to hook up both Ypbpr and RGB BNC to my PVM without having to switch cables each time. The BKM-129X is expensive so I'd like to avoid that solution. What's another easy way to do this?

Would some T-Adapters work? Only one console would be powered at any given time so in theory that would just require switching between YPBPR and RGB on the PVM depending on what I want to use. Would this work? Any downsides to splitting the inputs with T-adapters?

A YPbPr to Scart adapter maybe? I don't think my GscartSW_lite would detect that though. Would at least be easier to switch connections instead of disconnecting the BNC connectors each time.
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orange808
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Re: Questions that do not deserve a thread

Post by orange808 »

Gara wrote:I want to hook up both Ypbpr and RGB BNC to my PVM without having to switch cables each time. The BKM-129X is expensive so I'd like to avoid that solution. What's another easy way to do this?

Would some T-Adapters work? Only one console would be powered at any given time so in theory that would just require switching between YPBPR and RGB on the PVM depending on what I want to use. Would this work? Any downsides to splitting the inputs with T-adapters?

A YPbPr to Scart adapter maybe? I don't think my GscartSW_lite would detect that though. Would at least be easier to switch connections instead of disconnecting the BNC connectors each time.
Buy a switch.
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Gara
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Re: Questions that do not deserve a thread

Post by Gara »

orange808 wrote:
Gara wrote:I want to hook up both Ypbpr and RGB BNC to my PVM without having to switch cables each time. The BKM-129X is expensive so I'd like to avoid that solution. What's another easy way to do this?

Would some T-Adapters work? Only one console would be powered at any given time so in theory that would just require switching between YPBPR and RGB on the PVM depending on what I want to use. Would this work? Any downsides to splitting the inputs with T-adapters?

A YPbPr to Scart adapter maybe? I don't think my GscartSW_lite would detect that though. Would at least be easier to switch connections instead of disconnecting the BNC connectors each time.
Buy a switch.
Haha helpful! I'm assuming you mean like an Extron? I'm already setup for scart and component switchers. Hoping I don't have to add another switch to the chain just to get these 2 inputs in. I may as well just get the BKM-129X.

If there is a small and cheap switch that will handle what I am trying to do then by all means.
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orange808
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Re: Questions that do not deserve a thread

Post by orange808 »

Gara wrote:
orange808 wrote:
Gara wrote:I want to hook up both Ypbpr and RGB BNC to my PVM without having to switch cables each time. The BKM-129X is expensive so I'd like to avoid that solution. What's another easy way to do this?

Would some T-Adapters work? Only one console would be powered at any given time so in theory that would just require switching between YPBPR and RGB on the PVM depending on what I want to use. Would this work? Any downsides to splitting the inputs with T-adapters?

A YPbPr to Scart adapter maybe? I don't think my GscartSW_lite would detect that though. Would at least be easier to switch connections instead of disconnecting the BNC connectors each time.
Buy a switch.
Haha helpful! I'm assuming you mean like an Extron? I'm already setup for scart and component switchers. Hoping I don't have to add another switch to the chain just to get these 2 inputs in. I may as well just get the BKM-129X.

If there is a small and cheap switch that will handle what I am trying to do then by all means.
Of course there is.

Most any little cheap powered RGBHV switch (avoid high end switches with K-Storm and ADSP) will be fine. Avoid new and automatic switches, too.

I see cheap Kramer RGBHV switches that can do it dirt cheap all the time.
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Xer Xian
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Re: Questions that do not deserve a thread

Post by Xer Xian »

Non-powered switches are fine too if you don't run long cables, and some are designed to work both ways. I use a Kramer VP-201xl as a 1x2 switch to two VGA monitors, and it's ok (can only drive one monitor of course, or work as 2x1 switch). You'll need a few connector adapters for your setup though.
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