So I've got this crazy idea I picked up from this thread over at BYOAC. Basically, I want to be able to run native arcade/console resolutions out of emulators on my PC into some nice cheap SD CRT TV I can grab off Craigslist.
It seems as simple as thus:
Proper card/drivers > VGA out > VGA to Component transcoder > TV; then tweak away
Here's the thing: I'm running a 64-bit Windows 7 machine with a HD7870. Would any of you know if what I want to do is possible?
The two driver tools mentioned for this kind of thing (Soft15Khz & CRT_Emudriver) seem to be XP only. In addition, a lot of what I've read regarding this idea involves either old-ass PCI/AGP video cards (which are likely to cause driver headaches/hardware incompatibility with Win7 and my rig) or other PCI-E cards than mine--and I don't have a spare slot.
Any thoughts, fellow retronauts?
Getting 240P from a modern PC/GPU?
Re: Getting 240P from a modern PC/GPU?
AFAIK, soft15khz actually just does some .INF & Registry tweaking to add different video modes to the already set-up drivers for certain video cards. If that's the case, it may be possible to manually tweak the files for the same effect. A quick google search mentions some success via installing as Administrator @ Arcadeinfo.de
I've had great success with Ultimarc's ArcadeVGA. This method has the added bonus of using dial-monitors so you can operate programs in regular SVGA modes while keeping the video output running on your SD display (this was essential in setting up and tweaking the emulators while testing the low-res display - the dialogs simply didn't fit in any of the low resolutions). I had to make a custom VGA-SCART cable to run Windows 7 Ultimate X64 on my 1084 Amiga monitor, but after I did that I've been able to play all the emulatable systems I tried in their native resolutions (including all MAME games working perfectly) in 15Khz RGB. I expect that I could simply plug the SCART cable into my Cypress CSY2100 transcoder to make everything run fine on an SD CRT television through Component video, or my XRGB-Mini to have everything come out all nice and scanliney on my Plasma TV through HDMI. I'd be willing to give either or both of those ideas a shot and report on the results if you're interested.
Fudoh recently (?) added a section to his Scanlines & Scalers site about downscaling video to 240P using external video processors (EG. 480P games from modern consoles into old arcade monitors Via RGB)
http://scanlines.hazard-city.de/
I've had great success with Ultimarc's ArcadeVGA. This method has the added bonus of using dial-monitors so you can operate programs in regular SVGA modes while keeping the video output running on your SD display (this was essential in setting up and tweaking the emulators while testing the low-res display - the dialogs simply didn't fit in any of the low resolutions). I had to make a custom VGA-SCART cable to run Windows 7 Ultimate X64 on my 1084 Amiga monitor, but after I did that I've been able to play all the emulatable systems I tried in their native resolutions (including all MAME games working perfectly) in 15Khz RGB. I expect that I could simply plug the SCART cable into my Cypress CSY2100 transcoder to make everything run fine on an SD CRT television through Component video, or my XRGB-Mini to have everything come out all nice and scanliney on my Plasma TV through HDMI. I'd be willing to give either or both of those ideas a shot and report on the results if you're interested.
Fudoh recently (?) added a section to his Scanlines & Scalers site about downscaling video to 240P using external video processors (EG. 480P games from modern consoles into old arcade monitors Via RGB)
http://scanlines.hazard-city.de/
Re: Getting 240P from a modern PC/GPU?
Thanx Anapan!
I've looked at the ArcadeVGA before, and it definitely seems like a nice plug-n-play sort of deal. But then again, no spare PCI-E slot, so that kinda rules that out.
I've read Fudoh's stuff way too many times to count, it's SUPER informative
. I could probably pull off what I want with a combo of an Extron Emotia + RGB interface for shifting, but that involves more money and eBay scouring than I'd probably want to do. And there's no way in hell I'm plunking down $400+ for a Genius II.
That thread you linked seems like interesting info to know. Perhaps I'll just give Soft15Khz a shot on my 7870 and see what it does (hopefully not breaking anything in the process.) It would be sweet to run the dual monitors as you said for tweaking purposes.
Any other advice would be helpful folks!
I've looked at the ArcadeVGA before, and it definitely seems like a nice plug-n-play sort of deal. But then again, no spare PCI-E slot, so that kinda rules that out.
I've read Fudoh's stuff way too many times to count, it's SUPER informative
. I could probably pull off what I want with a combo of an Extron Emotia + RGB interface for shifting, but that involves more money and eBay scouring than I'd probably want to do. And there's no way in hell I'm plunking down $400+ for a Genius II.That thread you linked seems like interesting info to know. Perhaps I'll just give Soft15Khz a shot on my 7870 and see what it does (hopefully not breaking anything in the process.) It would be sweet to run the dual monitors as you said for tweaking purposes.
Any other advice would be helpful folks!
Re: Getting 240P from a modern PC/GPU?
Bumpity bump for a new question:
Is there any place I could find a VGA to SCART cable like the one Anapan mentioned so I could use something like this instead of hunting down a more expensive VGA-Component transcoder?
The only ones I've been able to find are for use in like projector situations, where a YPbPr signal is transmitted over the D-sub connector. I know these things can be built, but I'm not really that handy with a soldering iron.
Is there any place I could find a VGA to SCART cable like the one Anapan mentioned so I could use something like this instead of hunting down a more expensive VGA-Component transcoder?
The only ones I've been able to find are for use in like projector situations, where a YPbPr signal is transmitted over the D-sub connector. I know these things can be built, but I'm not really that handy with a soldering iron.
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Hobie-wan
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Re: Getting 240P from a modern PC/GPU?
Check monoprice.com maybe
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Re: Getting 240P from a modern PC/GPU?
Thanks for the suggestion Hobie; that was one of the first places I checked. Monoprice doesn't seem to have anything SCART related for sale. 
Re: Getting 240P from a modern PC/GPU?
I never had any luck finding one for sale (I'll pay a lot before I take a soldering iron and scissors to one of my extra cables). I built one for my friend and I bet he's never used it (He has my old XRGB-3 now). I'll tell him to sell it to you for a good price. I'll PM you his email address.