1280x240 CRT resolution and retroarch

RetroArch General
#1

I am looking for a theme in retroarch that can display text properly in very low (console) resolution.
I run retroarch on a CRT with 1280x240 resolution with a VGA->Scart cable for pixel accurate picture of the consoles, but when I want to change roms I can’t see much with such low resolution.

Is there some kind of pixel theme for very low desktop resolutions?
Something maybe without icons and comments.

Thanks!

EDIT: Okay got it after some googling.
There is a theme called RGUI in the Drivers section.
It is exactly what I needed and it scales perfectly in 1280x240.

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#2

Please help me find the right scaling setting in Retroarch for running cores at native 224/240 at 1280x240 desktop res.

Currently I use the following:

Aspect Ratio: Custom
Custom Aspect Ratio Width: 1280 (4x or 5x)
Custom Aspect Ratio Height: 240 (1x)
Integer Scale: On

The problem with that is when I change from core with cropping (224) like Genesis to a core without cropping (240) like mednafen psx or parallel n64, the “Custom Aspect Ratio Height” setting is stuck at the previous configuration and does not refresh between cores.
I have to manually go to the video menu and disable and enable back the “Integer Scale” to refresh the vertical integer between cores.

For this to work properly the “Custom Aspect Ratio Height” would have to be hard nailed to 1x and refresh between 224/240 core changes.
I would really like to see this fixed for CRT lovers who like to play the consoles at native resolution.

Another solution would be to crop 240 cores to 224 BEFORE retroarch video driver so that retroarch receives 224 as 1x.

Any suggestion is kindly appreciated.

#3

I play on CRTs often, but I use the full frame and disable any cropping, letting the TV/monitor’s overscan crop off unwanted borders.

However, you can also modify the sgb border shader to use the input resolution that you want and it will cover the rest with a border image, which you could just use a fully black png in the place of. So, in that case, you would enable cropping and set the input res height to 224. This method is very useful for playing portables on a CRT, as well, since they don’t scale well, typically. It’s what I use with my arcade cabinet.

#4

Thanks hunterk.

The problem is retroarch always receives the 1x resolution from the core thus distorting the vertical scale when switching between 224/240 cores with custom scaling.
Sgb border filter will not help in this situation either because ra still receives the 1x res from the core.

The problem is not all emulators output 240 with borders. snes9x outputs 239 and not even centered vertically.
Thus I can’t make all emulators output 240p.

My display res is 240p, I simply want 224 and 240 core outputs to be displayed in pixel perfect manner without streching vertically when switching between them.

Will the Sgb shader do the job automatically without me having to adjust anything between core changes?

#5

Yeah, you’ll just have to set it up once per core with the chosen resolution hardcoded into the shader preset.

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#6

SGB Border shader worked perfectly! Very useful tool indeed.
Now all 224 cores are filled with black borders to 240, and retroarch stays at custom 1280x240 w/Integer Scaling.
Moreover, RGUI theme is pixel perfect in 240p so that is a big plus too.

Thank you very much hunterk.

#7

awesome, glad it got you fixed up!

#8

I also had to add the stock.cg shader for 240 cores so they properly switch from the sgb shader.
For future reference.

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