my even more tate setup: 16/9 tate

[chtimi-CLA]

i don't have a cab except a table one, that i just use as a table. i play consoles and arcade shmups on a rather large 4/3 sony trinitron, in tate.
one problem with that is that often, i miss a few pixel columns on the left and right edges (the image is bigger than the screen).
so i tried to use the 16/9 mode of the TV, and no missing edges. but also, the games look much better, as good as small screenshots. it really makes a big difference. of course as the pic is smaller, that's to be expected, but it's more than that, it looks like you use a real arcade resolution or something.
plus, it also makes using peripheral vision easier what with the reduced angle.
anyone else use this setup? i've been playing like this for about a year.

[D]

Most modern tv's have a hidden mode in which you can adjust the tv the same way you can adjust a comuter monitor. Screen width etc.
I am not talking about 16:9 widescren modes.

No, i'm talking about a special hidden menu.
These menus can be accessed by typing a special code somewhere.

Search the internet to see if there is a code for your tv.

Plz post findings here. I'm curious how many of you can actually find these codes.
This should have it's own thread I think IMHO

[Ghegs]

Ah yes, the ever-elusive "service menu". I had to fiddle with mine, my TV would cut out the lower edge of all 60hz stuff until I adjusted it. The code is usually entered via the remote control. Just search Google with your TV manufacturer's name and "service menu" or "service code", that should yield some results.

[welcometoyourdoom]

For Sony TVs: With your TV off, press these buttons on the remote in the following order: "display", "5", "volume up", "power" (on). Take your time, speed is not an issue here. This is the standard Sony service code and has been for at least the last ten years or so. You'll see a lot of green text at the top of the screen (if you don't see it you may have to press "display" again or retry the code, with the TV off, remember) with descriptions like "vsiz" (vertical size) in the top right corner. Use the "1" and "4" buttons on the remote to select the parameter you want to change, and the "3" and "6" buttons to alter the value. If you wish to save these settings, press "muting" on the remote and you will see the word "write" appear on screen. At this point press "enter" on the remote and the word "write" will turn red. Your settings are now saved. Finally, to get rid of the service menu, turn off your TV and turn it back on. If you aren't sure about your settings, I believe that you can forego the "write" command and the TV will still remember them as long as it stays plugged in. Once you use the "write" command, however, your settings will be saved even if you unplug your TV. If you are not sure about the nature of the parameter you are changing, it is best to leave it alone, or if you are adventurous you can change the values and look for a corresponding change in the picture. Just remember what the original value was, so that you can change it back if necessary. I also recommend putting some kind of grid test pattern on screen (many games display these in the screen adjustment part of the option menu) if you plan on tweaking the screen geometry...I use PSOne Super Street Fighter II for this purpose... many arcade games also have a similar screen. I've found that while this service menu is not exactly user friendly, it is very powerful and offers just about any adjustment you would find on a computer monitor, as has been mentioned. I hope this helps.

[chtimi-CLA]

thanks, but i don't have "display" or "power" buttons on my remote (or they're not labeled this way). and the tv has to be turned off? you mean in standby?
i had tried googling for service mode (model KV-21FX20B), but nothing for my model, there were tens of pages SELLING those codes though.. fuck that.

also, it was not just a technical question, i also meant tate shmups looked better this way.

[Capt. Takehiko]

My tate set is an extremely wide German TV... Schneider I think. That secret menu is just part of my normal menu. Anyway, TVs of this size have a special Decoder setting for the format - that's what I use.

[welcometoyourdoom]

I just noticed that you are in France...I'm in the US...maybe the code is different for Europe? The Display button is the one you use to toggle the channel number (or Video 1 or whatever) off and on in the right corner of the screen. Your remote has no button to power on/off the TV?

[SAM]

Check the output resolution of your VGA box. If it is 1024x768 sometimes, you would missing a small part of your screen.

I used the HORI Upscan converter 2, it's output is 640x480. Normally it would left two black bend on the top and bottom of the screen.

The RGB TV got more lines than a regular NTSC TV. Some game like the PSOne DoPachi, while it would display a full screen (while in Tate mode) on RGB TV, it would miss a few pixel columns on the left and right edges when playing on a NTSC TV.

What I have discovered is if you when you a VGA Box which output is 640x480, the missing pixel columns on the left and right edges would appear on the two black bends mensioned above!!!

[Saladin]

jo

i also searched for this code...but didn't find anything!

Maybe you guys have more luck with this (or more skills)

Tv model: Philips 28 PT 7109

Greetings

Lars

[captain ahar]

For Sony TVs: ...

this is perhaps the coolest hardware advice i have ever read. i have been wondering about a full Display Setup on my tv, and am sick of having my shmups cut off in tate.

your faithful servant
capt

[welcometoyourdoom]

this is perhaps the coolest hardware advice i have ever read. i have been wondering about a full Display Setup on my tv, and am sick of having my shmups cut off in tate.

your faithful servant
capt

My pleasure.

[chtimi-CLA]

I just noticed that you are in France...I'm in the US...maybe the code is different for Europe? The Display button is the one you use to toggle the channel number (or Video 1 or whatever) off and on in the right corner of the screen. Your remote has no button to power on/off the TV?

thanks, i see what button you mean.
didn't work though, since as soon as i press 5 the tv is no longer in standby (it has to be in standby right? i don't see how anything could happen if it's off).

[welcometoyourdoom]

thanks, i see what button you mean.
didn't work though, since as soon as i press 5 the tv is no longer in standby (it has to be in standby right? i don't see how anything could happen if it's off).

Did I say anything about standby? For the code to work, the TV must be OFF. I really don't know how else to say it...I understand your skepticism but have you even tried it yet, with the power OFF? Following your logic, no TV could be turned on with it's remote control, because how could anything happen with the TV off? Obviously a TV that's off but plugged in can still respond to a signal from the remote. As I said before, if the code still doesn't work maybe Sonys in Europe have a different code...

[chtimi-CLA]

ok, if that's what you meant, i don't have a power button. just a stand-by/wake-up button. i tried replacing the last input with this, then with the tv's face power button. maybe that's impossible on euro models..

[thegreathopper]

ok, if that's what you meant, i don't have a power button. just a stand-by/wake-up button. i tried replacing the last input with this, then with the tv's face power button. maybe that's impossible on euro models..

I have used the same code on sony tv's in the UK..I have tried it on 4 models. trinitrons from 10 years old up to 2 years old.
Yes it does come out of standby, if it did not you would get nothing on the screen..

[captain ahar]

for those skeptics in the us, i tried it last night, and it does indeed work. my only problem is i don't understand any of the parameters beyond the "Def" category.

also, i set it up for ESPgaluda, but DOJs display was off when i booted that up. basically, no that i know how, i need to fool with it until all my systems are displaying correctly.

[welcometoyourdoom]

ok, if that's what you meant, i don't have a power button. just a stand-by/wake-up button. i tried replacing the last input with this, then with the tv's face power button. maybe that's impossible on euro models..

That's a bummer. It's a good bet, however, that there is an appropriate code for your TV. If you look hard enough, you should be able to find it on the net.

[cfalcon]

"For Sony TVs: With your TV off, press these buttons on the remote in the following order:...."

Jesus God! Go to a forum for shooting games and the players even have cheat codes for their TVs!

[chtimi-CLA]

That's a bummer. It's a good bet, however, that there is an appropriate code for your TV. If you look hard enough, you should be able to find it on the net.

yeah probably, i didn't look that hard. i just remember being annoyed by the number of pay sites. maybe i'll try again later, for now i like my display.

by the way, are arcade monitors a standard 4/3 or is there a slight difference with tv's?

[neorichieb1971]

European Sony's if like my old one require that you hold a button down under the front panel whilst switching it on.

There is more to it than that but its along those lines.

[neorichieb1971]

That's a bummer. It's a good bet, however, that there is an appropriate code for your TV. If you look hard enough, you should be able to find it on the net.

yeah probably, i didn't look that hard. i just remember being annoyed by the number of pay sites. maybe i'll try again later, for now i like my display.

by the way, are arcade monitors a standard 4/3 or is there a slight difference with tv's?

Standard 4:3. But arcade monitors have adjustments pot calipers which adjust height, width, shrink and stretch. Which basically allows you to custom fit any game into the screen. I do not know why TV's do not have this function as its easier to use with buttons than it is with a service menu.