Questions that do not deserve a thread

[ajdesmarais]

Back with a few questions!

I've only recently noticed a weird color issue on my PVM 20m4u. It's possible it's been there since I got it ten years ago, but basically the left side of the screen seems slightly warmer, while the right side is cooler. It's so slight it won't show up in pictures and is pretty hard to notice in person unless you're looking for it, but you can definitely see it on menus with white text all over the screen. It seems to be there right from start-up, or at least immediately after, and degaussing doesn't seem to have much of an effect on it.

Obviously it might be a purity problem, which brings me to my next issue, which is that my purity rings won't budge and I'm afraid to force them. I've done my best to chip away at the liberal application of epoxy that was on them, and they definitely seem to be separated, but I'm scared to put too much pressure. Is there some kind of locking mechanism or method to moving these that I don't know about? They seem to move a little bit (with no effect on the screen) and then hard stop as if they're butting up against something.

Lastly, I've heard this could possibly be the yoke needing adjustment/reseating and I just wanted a few pointers on doing that. I see two screw-clamps holding things in place, but I'm not sure which I need to loosen. I figured I'd ask because, lately, I feel like I watch a tutorial or read something and it never goes as smoothly for me (like with the purity rings, lol), so I fully expect to loosen both of those clamps and the yoke to still not move.

Any comments are appreciated! Thanks in advance, guys!

[BlackStealth08]

I apologize in advance if this is the wrong place to ask this but I don't know where else to ask.
I recently acquired a JVC AV-36260 36inch beast. Sadly it doesn't work. I have tried asking r/crt and r/crtgaming and not a single reply. IDK if it's the way I am posting but I could really use some help or advice.

I want to know if this crt is repairable before I waste time and money trying to get it working. After soldering on a new power cord it looked like this. I'm certain I didn't have the polarity reversed but idk.

Spoiler

More images here https://imgur.com/a/Vd7M3fK

Plugged in my Sega Genesis to all composite ports and no video. There is sound but the volume needs to be on max to hear it.
Menu shows up but when Noise Muting is turned on it turns Pink when Noise Muting it turned off it turns black. There is a noticeable buzzing but it's not the normal high pitch whine.
Does anyone know what could be causing this and if it's able to be repaired?

I have wanted a 36in crt for a while and when I find one it's broken. I already have a 32in JVC but as they say bigger is better so if I can rescue this CRT from ending up in a landfill I'd be ecstatic.
If you took the time to read this I am eternally grateful.

[vol.2]

I want to know if this crt is repairable before I waste time and money trying to get it working. After soldering on a new power cord it looked like this. I'm certain I didn't have the polarity reversed but idk.

Probably fixable. It powers on and you get the menu. Obviously there is something wrong though if your console doesn't show up.

Idk those particular TVs, but the pink could just be what happens when you have no input. In that case it might just have broken solder joints on the AV inputs on the PCB.

So the real question is "Can you fix it" No one is going to be able to give you remote support on your CRT repair. All we can do it make suggestions. I would start by reflowing all the solder joints on all the connectors and anything heavy like stuff with a heatsink or the flyback.

Worst luck would be that one of the ICs are damaged and it never works again, but the tube looks alright at least

[BlackStealth08]

I want to know if this crt is repairable before I waste time and money trying to get it working. After soldering on a new power cord it looked like this. I'm certain I didn't have the polarity reversed but idk.

Probably fixable. It powers on and you get the menu. Obviously there is something wrong though if your console doesn't show up.

Idk those particular TVs, but the pink could just be what happens when you have no input. In that case it might just have broken solder joints on the AV inputs on the PCB.

So the real question is "Can you fix it" No one is going to be able to give you remote support on your CRT repair. All we can do it make suggestions. I would start by reflowing all the solder joints on all the connectors and anything heavy like stuff with a heatsink or the flyback.

Worst luck would be that one of the ICs are damaged and it never works again, but the tube looks alright at least

I have a compatible TV remote that came with my 32in JVC. I figured it might be a cold solder joint possibly. But do you think that replacing the capacitors could help as well? Also I wanted to know in this picture the back of the tube is has this brown spot is that normal?

Spoiler

[vol.2]

I have a compatible TV remote that came with my 32in JVC. I figured it might be a cold solder joint possibly. But do you think that replacing the capacitors could help as well? Also I wanted to know in this picture the back of the tube is has this brown spot is that normal?

Nothing wrong with the brown spot. That's probably just from being left out in the rain. Water damage can mess up other stuff, but the discoloration in itself is no issue or sign of internal problems.


The caps are probably fine unless it's a really high hour set or it's got a bunch of cheapo caps from the capacitor plague era. I wouldn't focus on the caps to start with; it's likely got some other problem and maybe there are also some marginal caps that are effecting geometry. You can worry about the caps after you get it basically working.

Remember that you don't know for sure if there is something really wrong (like a blown IC), so it might be basically unfixable, and diagnosing that is pretty high level (years of experience), so don't go blowing a bunch of money on parts. Stick to cleaning up all the solder joints on the PCB, and make sure you are doing it correctly. The solder should be neat and the joint should be heated until it flows, not globbed onto the board. Watch some youtube videos about proper soldering technique if you don't know what you're doing. Also remember that cold solder joints ("cold" is the term for a broken joint) are sometimes invisible to the eye, so just reflow everything you can, especially big joints and heavy components and anything that gets stressed like a connector.

After you clean up the solder, you can clean the switches and pots. Once you do these two things, if it still doesn't work I would give it away to someone else unless you really want to get into repair work. If you want to go further, you need to buy more equipment and spend time learning more diagnosis. It's not a cheap hobby and it's not for the vaguely committed. It's also dangerous, and you need to make sure you're familiar with all the stuff inside that can kill you. Proceed at your own risk, etc.

[ldeveraux]

Why was the thread discussing Voultar's breakin deleted?

[vol.2]

Well, he did get all pissed off at the Shmups forum, so I wouldn't put it past him to actually request it. I guess you can go here if you want to get some rubbernecking jollies https://www.reddit.com/r/retrogaming/co ... _says_hes/

[ldeveraux]

Well, he did get all pissed off at the Shmups forum, so I wouldn't put it past him to actually request it. I guess you can go here if you want to get some rubbernecking jollies https://www.reddit.com/r/retrogaming/co ... _says_hes/

Wow, so after years of letting the board essentially run itself, it takes a... guy like that... to finally get some moderation? That's concerning.

[vol.2]

I mean, I don't actually know, but let's just not do that to this thread. This is a tech thread and not a drama thread.

[Arino]

Does anybody happen to know at how many Hertz the original PCB of Terra Cresta runs? I can't find much information, just that it was a "modified Galaxian" hardware. I am curious because the uploader of this video claims he captured the real hardware and it runs a lot slower than what I'm playing (Arcade Archives) https://youtu.be/lhvivR2QF88?si=zZaiwk0g66QD3Ku3 (in the description he admits playing with invincibility but that does not necessarily mean that he is lying about it being the PCB)

Edit: Hm, everywhere says 60Hz https://www.arcade-history.com/?n=terra ... il&id=2871

Or is it that hard to emulate the correct slowdown?

[Bassa-Bassa]

Slowdowns and vertical refresh are entirely different matters. Those 60hz from Mame are highly unlikely to respond to a proper measurement. Mister has it at 59.323592Hz with claims of it being verified, though I don't know how reliable these people are. Anyway, between 60 and 59hz you shoud not perceive any speed difference. Slowdowns may well not be properly emulated, on the other hand. Who developed the Hamster version?

[Arino]

Slowdowns and vertical refresh are entirely different matters. Those 60hz from Mame are highly unlikely to respond to a proper measurement. Mister has it at 59.323592Hz with claims of it being verified, though I don't know how reliable these people are. Anyway, between 60 and 59hz you shoud not perceive any speed difference. Slowdowns may well not be properly emulated, on the other hand. Who developed the Hamster version?

I know that slowdowns and refresh rate are entirely different matters. But it is common for console ports to run faster than the original arcade version if the home port runs at 60 Hz and the arcade version at 57 Hz, for instance. That's why I was asking.

BIL said Gotch was behind the Hamster version.

[Bassa-Bassa]

If the refresh rate is higher on the port/emulation than it was on the original game, having the former "running faster" is not a "common" thing, it's basically a given as the video refreshes faster and game logic is never changed to compensate that. Slowdowns due to say, CPU power, may make the game run faster or slower depending on the particular play and the factors which activate them but, as it's a temporary behaviour, you don't contemplate it to say a port runs faster.

With your answer and your previous question about emulating slowdowns it doesn't seem you totally understand this.

Gotch, I believe, use to include an option to ignore v-sync'ing when the difference between the native and target rafresh rates is relevant, so if there isn't any on Terra Cresta, it's likely because the game refreshes close to 60hz natively, as they seem to care enough to measure it properly. So there's that.

[SavagePencil]

Is there a way to get a professional 4K matrix to passthrough a MiSTer Direct Video signal on HDMI? If I connect the MiSTer directly to my RT4K, Direct Video works just fine. But when run through a JTech 8x8 matrix, the signal doesn’t come through. Are there some EDID or other settings to make the matrix not interfere?

[Kilmaattikahn]

Questions about Steam Deck that google was unsurprisingly useless at answering conclusively, hopefully folks here can reply based on first-hand experience or at least link to trustworthy sources.

1. is it possible to remove the battery? Not merely disconnecting it from the board, but actually taking it out completely from the device.

2. if 1 is yes, is it a simple procedure that anyone can execute without significant risk of damaging anything (like, Nintendo DS or old Nokia mobile phone-simple)?

3. does the Steam Deck run without the battery being present at all, powered only by the charger/PSU?
By "run" I mean do everything it's supposed to do, not "well, it'll turn on and let you install games but it won't run them if load goes above 20W" or whatever.

[Kez]

Questions about Steam Deck that google was unsurprisingly useless at answering conclusively, hopefully folks here can reply based on first-hand experience or at least link to trustworthy sources.

1. is it possible to remove the battery? Not merely disconnecting it from the board, but actually taking it out completely from the device.

2. if 1 is yes, is it a simple procedure that anyone can execute without significant risk of damaging anything (like, Nintendo DS or old Nokia mobile phone-simple)?

Possible, yes. But it is a pain in the ass and is basically guaranteed to ruin the battery. iFixit have a guide here.

Not sure about it running without a battery, I've heard conflicting reports.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Questions about Steam Deck that google was unsurprisingly useless at answering conclusively, hopefully folks here can reply based on first-hand experience or at least link to trustworthy sources.

1. is it possible to remove the battery? Not merely disconnecting it from the board, but actually taking it out completely from the device.

2. if 1 is yes, is it a simple procedure that anyone can execute without significant risk of damaging anything (like, Nintendo DS or old Nokia mobile phone-simple)?

3. does the Steam Deck run without the battery being present at all, powered only by the charger/PSU?
By "run" I mean do everything it's supposed to do, not "well, it'll turn on and let you install games but it won't run them if load goes above 20W" or whatever.

The Steam Deck's battery is practically glued in within the confines of the internal chassis/shell. You'd end up messing up the screws that hold the SD's outer shell components held in place as well (this applies to the first-gen SDs released back in Feburary of 2022 and the newest OLED SDs that were released in November of 2023).

I use a 20000mAh @ 60w power bank to power up my 1st-gen SD for extended portable gaming sessions (as the internal lithium-ion battery drains rather quickly, especially if you're running an AAA game title + wi-fi access activated). Of course, ymmv depending on what Steam game is loaded up and running.

Running a SD with a Steam Deck dock station setup yields better screen resolutions with 1080p and up to 4K as well (compared to the default 1280 x 800 resolution with the 1st-gen & OLED SDs). With a SD in dock mode, you can hook up a usb keyboard, usb mouse, usb gamepad or even an usb arcade stick for playing both FTG & STG games + the ability to hook up a larger gaming monitor setup via the hdmi output port.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[spmbx]

Yes the deck works works fine with the battery unplugged. You can find plenty of reddit posts about it or see it running on youtube.

[LDigital]

Docked steam deck sounds very interesting. How well does it run switch games using the forbidden emulator? Is it smoother and higher res than native hardware?

[lechu]

Can anyone help me with HDMI Timings for a Raspberry Pi?

I have a VGA666RGBS hat for my Pi, and I want to use it for SD content on my CRT. It's 480i (so for video content, I'm assuming that's 720x480 interlaced, NTSC). These are the settings that were provided to me:

Code: Select all

dtoverlay=vga666
enable_dpi_lcd=1
display_default_lcd=1

dpi_group=2

dpi_mode=87

hdmi_timings=320 1 20 29 35 224 1 10 14 16 0 0 0 60 0 640000 1 #320:224 Sega Genesis
hdmi_timings=450 1 50 30 85 288 1 10 1 25 0 0 0 60 0 960000 1
hdmi_timings=480 1 40 20 75 270 1 10 1 22 0 0 0 50 0 960000 1
hdmi_timings=480 1 14 45 56 300 1 10 5 5 0 0 0 60 0 960000 1
hdmi_timings=480 1 24 45 75 270 1 10 10 8 0 0 0 50 0 960000 1
hdmi_timings=256 1 8 17 21 224 1 7 10 24 0 0 0 60 0 480000 1 #256:224 NES, SNES (NTSC)
hdmi_timings=320 1 16 30 34 240 1 2 3 22 0 0 0 60 0 640000 1 #240p

I have no clue what any of these numbers mean. Does anyone know how to change it to 480i video content?

[vol.2]

Can anyone help me with HDMI Timings for a Raspberry Pi?

I have a VGA666RGBS hat for my Pi, and I want to use it for SD content on my CRT. It's 480i (so for video content, I'm assuming that's 720x480 interlaced, NTSC). These are the settings that were provided to me:

Code: Select all

dtoverlay=vga666
enable_dpi_lcd=1
display_default_lcd=1

dpi_group=2

dpi_mode=87

hdmi_timings=320 1 20 29 35 224 1 10 14 16 0 0 0 60 0 640000 1 #320:224 Sega Genesis
hdmi_timings=450 1 50 30 85 288 1 10 1 25 0 0 0 60 0 960000 1
hdmi_timings=480 1 40 20 75 270 1 10 1 22 0 0 0 50 0 960000 1
hdmi_timings=480 1 14 45 56 300 1 10 5 5 0 0 0 60 0 960000 1
hdmi_timings=480 1 24 45 75 270 1 10 10 8 0 0 0 50 0 960000 1
hdmi_timings=256 1 8 17 21 224 1 7 10 24 0 0 0 60 0 480000 1 #256:224 NES, SNES (NTSC)
hdmi_timings=320 1 16 30 34 240 1 2 3 22 0 0 0 60 0 640000 1 #240p

I have no clue what any of these numbers mean. Does anyone know how to change it to 480i video content?

Those are all deprecated config settings, but they will still work with older pis still running old software. This is the explanation https://www.raspberrypi.com/documentati ... g_txt.html

From what I can remember, it's a lot easier to get interlaced working using Retro Pi. However, there are some major downsides like having to setup multiple emulation profiles ahead of time and the fact that you can't use super resolutions with interlaced also sucks.

The new Raspberry Pi OS uses the Wayland compositor, https://www.raspberrypi.com/documentati ... d-rotation

to set manual resolutions. Idk how to set arbitrary resolutions with that or if it's even possible; I stopped messing around with new Pi software 3 years ago.