Hi All,
Great community here, been reading lots of this the past few weeks!
I Recently started dabbling with PVM's and RGB. I love it, but I'm a little overwhelmed with all the technicalities. As a PAL user I decided last week that I'd like to finally find out what sonic was meant to be like. However I am not quite there yet.. I was wondering if any one could help ?
Ingredients:
Modded US Genesis mk II (auto switches to different regions)
MD RGB Cable (https://www.retrogamingcables.co.uk/gam ... le-tv-lead)
Uusal BNC -> Scart (no stripper) (https://www.retrogamingcables.co.uk/son ... verter-bnc)
Sony PVM 20L4 (yep 4 not 5)
Copy of Sonic 1 / 2 / 3 - All NTSC-J
Whilst it works fine the picture is of center and is causing a section of colour on the left and top of the screen (a bit like the PAL bars):
http://i.imgur.com/HFqbHSO.jpg
What do you think ?
Total Newbie Question
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JaFFa
- Posts: 13
- Joined: Tue Sep 15, 2015 7:28 pm
Re: Total Newbie Question
Well that's embarrassing, found the service menu and just shifted it over.
Though I did just find out that old mega drive games are not only region free but one at least has the ntsc version in it.
I opened mega games 2 / streets of rage in ntsc-j and it actually brought up the title screen with 'bare knuckle'. Pretty cool.
Thanks anyway, sorry I'm a div.
Though I did just find out that old mega drive games are not only region free but one at least has the ntsc version in it.
I opened mega games 2 / streets of rage in ntsc-j and it actually brought up the title screen with 'bare knuckle'. Pretty cool.
Thanks anyway, sorry I'm a div.
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Ed Oscuro
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Re: Total Newbie Question
Looks fine, the MD fills in that blank space with one solid color. Note also the out-of-alignment brown rock tiles and grass at the very bottom of the image. Sega didn't count on these things being visible in normal play, but it's no big deal if it is.
You can always play around with the service menu in order to try and calibrate the screen to your liking, after hooking up a DVD player with a calibration disc for example. I would try to reduce the black borders around the image somewhat. A few notes about the service menu: Write down any settings before you change them so you can get back easily, be wary of any changes that cause the on-screen display to flicker, don't select Aging Mode, and be aware that different systems can show different amounts of overscan, so perfectly calibrated settings for one system might leave black borders or crop off part of the image for another system. This is normal. In a pinch, you can always use the over/underscan buttons as a cheap way of making the picture larger or smaller.
Nice monitor, it has minimized magnetic emissions compared to the lower-end models, not to mention a sharper screen. Along with the pvm-20m4u, I guess this is top of the line for 15KHz-only monitors in this size
Do you know what kind of business it was being used at? I've not been able to find evidence of one in use before, let alone seen pictures of it operating.
You can always play around with the service menu in order to try and calibrate the screen to your liking, after hooking up a DVD player with a calibration disc for example. I would try to reduce the black borders around the image somewhat. A few notes about the service menu: Write down any settings before you change them so you can get back easily, be wary of any changes that cause the on-screen display to flicker, don't select Aging Mode, and be aware that different systems can show different amounts of overscan, so perfectly calibrated settings for one system might leave black borders or crop off part of the image for another system. This is normal. In a pinch, you can always use the over/underscan buttons as a cheap way of making the picture larger or smaller.
Nice monitor, it has minimized magnetic emissions compared to the lower-end models, not to mention a sharper screen. Along with the pvm-20m4u, I guess this is top of the line for 15KHz-only monitors in this size
Do you know what kind of business it was being used at? I've not been able to find evidence of one in use before, let alone seen pictures of it operating.-
JaFFa
- Posts: 13
- Joined: Tue Sep 15, 2015 7:28 pm
Re: Total Newbie Question
Thanks Ed for the advice. It is indeed a very nice monitor, I haven't seen many being used even after searching this board. I bought it from a family run business (above an opticians no less) for £60, the guy said he was video editing on it but that it was hardly used. I haven't found the section in the menu that tells me the up time though. It works flawlessly and has accepted everything I've thrown at it.
One of the most striking things was how good the Master System mk1 looked over composite. I have an RGB cable now and it's clearly better but I have to say even just over comp it looked great.
I see a lot of people using the 20L5, do you know the difference ? It seems that model was far more popular, they are identical to look at though.
One of the most striking things was how good the Master System mk1 looked over composite. I have an RGB cable now and it's clearly better but I have to say even just over comp it looked great.
I see a lot of people using the 20L5, do you know the difference ? It seems that model was far more popular, they are identical to look at though.
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Ed Oscuro
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Re: Total Newbie Question
The 20L5 will display some progressive scan and HD resolutions - 480p, 1080i, and 720p. I have one, but I've been using a 20L2 instead.
There's not an hours counter - that's reserved for the BVMs (and maybe some of the rare HDM series).
I can't be sure, but your picture looks good enough to indicate that the scanlines aren't much sharper than I would have expected for the 800 TVL spec, a slight jump over my PVM 20L2's 650 TVL spec. Maybe the input signal has more to do with this than I thought. I ought to look into that a bit. I agree that composite looks great over these monitors; the three-line comb filter has a lot to do with that.
There's not an hours counter - that's reserved for the BVMs (and maybe some of the rare HDM series).
I can't be sure, but your picture looks good enough to indicate that the scanlines aren't much sharper than I would have expected for the 800 TVL spec, a slight jump over my PVM 20L2's 650 TVL spec. Maybe the input signal has more to do with this than I thought. I ought to look into that a bit. I agree that composite looks great over these monitors; the three-line comb filter has a lot to do with that.
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JaFFa
- Posts: 13
- Joined: Tue Sep 15, 2015 7:28 pm
Re: Total Newbie Question
they're def a lot blacker in real life, I'll try a few more snaps when i get some time.
in the service menu there is some mention of 480p and 720p, not sure what the options do ?
in the service menu there is some mention of 480p and 720p, not sure what the options do ?
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Ed Oscuro
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Re: Total Newbie Question
Incidentally, in the service menu I found some options that pulled the black level down even lower than what it was set to when I got my 20L2. Gotta play with that a bit more.JaFFa wrote:they're def a lot blacker in real life, I'll try a few more snaps when i get some time.
Be careful in there!
You're sure it's not a PVM-20L5? I haven't used this monitor so I can't say, but that sounds like maybe it's got some firmware components in common with the 20L5, if indeed it has some left-over references to 480p.in the service menu there is some mention of 480p and 720p, not sure what the options do ?
Obviously, don't mess with those settings. You could always try a quick test to see if it supports 480p - I wouldn't try running a 480p signal through it for extended periods, just a very brief test of component video (e.g. from a PS2 or original Xbox) will demonstrate whether it's supported or not. But none of the L4 literature mentions progressive scan at all.
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JaFFa
- Posts: 13
- Joined: Tue Sep 15, 2015 7:28 pm
Re: Total Newbie Question
Yeah it is definitely a 4, I'll check what the reference was in the menu and I'll try a 480p input. Though the list of pal 480p games is pretty limited, I'm sure i'll find one.
Another noob question, how do I get the geometry test card up ? Is that something you guys are pumping in ?
Another noob question, how do I get the geometry test card up ? Is that something you guys are pumping in ?
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Ed Oscuro
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- Joined: Thu Dec 08, 2005 4:13 pm
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Re: Total Newbie Question
I'd note that it probably won't work, and I've heard that trying to display a 480p signal on a 480i only display can damage it - not sure of the time periods involved; it shouldn't go "bang." I'm basically sure it won't work though, so you probably need not bother. Just enjoy the 480i / 576i goodness 
As for tests go, get a DVD player, hook it up with component inputs, and load up a calibration disc. There's lots of free ISO images on the 'net of plenty to choose from - I think the Spears & Munsil disc is free (legally), and there's some community brands. Other test dics include Avia / Digital Essentials, which I've used. Definitely good for displaying many simple test patterns.
As for tests go, get a DVD player, hook it up with component inputs, and load up a calibration disc. There's lots of free ISO images on the 'net of plenty to choose from - I think the Spears & Munsil disc is free (legally), and there's some community brands. Other test dics include Avia / Digital Essentials, which I've used. Definitely good for displaying many simple test patterns.