New CRT shader from Guest + CRT Guest Advanced updates

RetroArch Additions Shaders
#4169

Yes, that would be amazing if the height of 240p (plus other modes as you see fit) can be applied through a parameter toggle.

I played with the Internal Resolution setting of 1 however I find the 224p output for PSX games doesn’t scale well, 240p will work better.

As an example, if you load up Tekken 3 the PSX bios screen is a high resolution, then the Tekken 3 FMV intro plays which is a lower resolution, the title screen switches to a high resolution. When this happens you can’t achieve consistent scanlines.

2 Likes
#4170

Thank you @guest.r, I followed your advise and I managed to get rid of artifacts, I love how it looks. :smiley:

Ordinary Glow and borders inferior and superior activated on emulator Genesis GX, no integer scaling.

Magic glow and borders inferior and superior activated on emulator Genesis GX, no integer scaling.

No borders activated, Magic Glow on and integer scaling set to 1

Magic Glow on and Integer scaling off

6 Likes
#4171

New Release Version (2024-02-06-r1):

Notable changes:

  • Mask size of mask 3 fixed with mask zoom feature.
  • Rainbowing options added to the ntsc shaders per @Hyllian’s advice
  • Corner function improvement with wide aspect ratios (thanks to @DevilSingh for noticing).
  • Update: Smart Scanline mode added, auto selecting 200p, 224p or 240p… downsampling (@shenglong) - check under Interlacing -> Internal Resolution -> set to 1.0
  • Update: some parameter info lines changes

Download link:

https://mega.nz/file/I1gUybIK#U0Q2e_bpN-GulvJkSYsopYD-fg3UUXYzBdDNlhj6Mcw

18 Likes
#4172

@guest.r

Initial testing with this release and I think you’ve nailed it! Setting Internal Resolution to 1 forces the scaling of the scanlines to appear the same when the resolution switches between different heights, tested on Tekken 3 and the PSX bios screen and in-game scanlines appear consistently.

Don’t know what other dark magic you’ve done but the same preset works great on 2D games in MAME, SNES, Megadrive etc…

Getting closer to that “One Preset To Rule Them All”!

Will further test, but really appreciate your efforts and thank you again.

3 Likes
#4173

Was gonna ask what this was about but it seems shenglong just did. Putting the finishing touches on my next preset pack and it looks like you added in another juicy new feature, very curious to see this in action when I get home later.

2 Likes
#4174

You mean this?

This is the same preset with an alias and some different aspect ratio settings.

3 Likes
#4175

There’re quite a couple of recorded playthroughs on Original Genesis Console, but most specially with Rainbow Banding + composite video, in case any of these are useful for current presets or make new ones. All credits to their original authors.

Links in file: (all youtube) https://1drv.ms/t/s!AtKS8lBxejvUg2Z_fxWsiGEYu60P?e=Jjqqog

3 Likes
#4176

2-phase implementation in ntsc-adaptive is designed in a special way which brings vertical “rainbow bars” to alternate/checkboard patterns and natively not to bar patterns (Sonic waterfall).

Current tweak brings vertical “rainbow bars” to bar patterns, but messes with checkboards.

My best guess is that in the case of a composite connection, the coloring of Genesis games also depends on TV demodulation and region.

3 Likes
#4177

This Last update I’m really enjoying the automatic scanlines and I’m really impressed, looks stunning on 1080p.

6 Likes
#4178

Looks really nice. Will you update your 1080p preset in your thread or mind sharing it here

1 Like
#4179

Thank you! Right now I’m not at home, the 1080p settings are from my mobile phone, when I’m at home I can share it, also update it :smiley:

2 Likes
#4180

Does the rainbow effect also occur in the RF signal?

1 Like
#4181

It’s even intensified regarding ntsc-adaptive shaders. I assume, since RF has more intensive color artifacts, that the same happens in the case of real HW.

Here are some real HW comparisons (Sega Genesis):

Composite:

RF:

6 Likes
#4182

New Release Version (2024-02-10-r1):

Notable changes:

  • Mask size of mask 3 fixed with mask zoom feature.
  • Rainbowing options added to the ntsc shaders per @Hyllian’s advice
  • Corner function improvement with wide aspect ratios (thanks to @DevilSingh for noticing).
  • Update: Smart Scanline mode added, auto selecting 200p, 224p or 240p… downsampling (@shenglong) - check under Interlacing -> Internal Resolution -> set to 1.0
  • Update: some parameter info lines changes
  • Update2: NTSC rainbowing options added / improvements

Download link:

https://mega.nz/file/Rth3hCaA#xHvJ_W_NG6GgK740BU9hxrJt6OXaNihye7EwkimCAek

14 Likes
#4183

Nice. I see you gave the rainbow settings it’s own little sub section. Time to hit the lab and play around with this.

Edit: @guest.r What exactly is this “checkboard” setting? At first I interpreted it as “checkerboard dithering” but the ntsc guest shader already takes care of that so I’m kind of confused on this rainbow checkboard setting.

2 Likes
#4184

Rainbow effects are connected to alternate horizontal patterns, which can come in the appearance of bars (Sonic waterfall…) or checkboards (Streets of rage 2 lights…).

Initial implementation added the rainbow touch alone to bared scenarios, breaking checkboards, not only no-effect or something. Now they are handled separately.

Both settings bring more rainbows to the general scene, but I guess it’s fine, and it would also get very “expensive” to nitpicky.

2 Likes
#4185

I see. It seems like a added bonus to me to get both types of “rainbows” both at the same time. Is there a way to completely turn that setting off? I liked how it looked originally from your previous update. Having both the bar and checkboard rainbow settings seem to have added unwanted artifacts to the overall picture.

Here’s how it looked in the previous update with rainbow settings activated:

Sonic the Hedgehog (Japan)-240210-103853
Sonic the Hedgehog (Japan)-240210-1038531411×1080 1.75 MB

Here’s how it looks with the new checkboard setting added in:

Sonic the Hedgehog (Japan)-240210-104058
Sonic the Hedgehog (Japan)-240210-1040581411×1080 1.82 MB

There’s these new weird artifacts in the clouds now. It’s in other places as well.

2 Likes
#4186

Old implementation is like only using the bar mode. It fails on checkboards, so i guess there is little sense to bring this specific implementation back.

Example of old mode:

KingsQuest4_v2.0_0822-240210-164609
KingsQuest4_v2.0_0822-240210-1646091800×1440 987 KB

Here’s how it looks with the new checkboard setting added in:

Then only bar mode is to be used. It’s “a better old implementation”.

2 Likes
#4187

Yes I remember seeing that look when using the “mame ntsc” shader for my previous “md rainbow” presets, I figured that was the way it was suppose to look, I guess that shader didn’t have the rainbow checkboard implementation in it as well.

I should have said that pic was taken with the checkboard setting set to 0. I guess I’m just gonna conclude that that’s the way things is really suppose to look and get back into the lab and tweak things up. My preset update pack will be a nice follow up to your release.

2 Likes
#4188

New Release Version (2024-02-10-r2):

Notable changes:

  • Mask size of mask 3 fixed with mask zoom feature.
  • Rainbowing options added to the ntsc shaders per @Hyllian’s advice
  • Corner function improvement with wide aspect ratios (thanks to @DevilSingh for noticing).
  • Update: Smart Scanline mode added, auto selecting 200p, 224p or 240p… downsampling (@shenglong) - check under Interlacing -> Internal Resolution -> set to 1.0
  • Update: some parameter info lines changes
  • Update2: NTSC rainbowing options added / improvements
  • Update3: NTSC rainbowing artifacts mitigation.
  • Update4: small bugfix

Download link:

https://mega.nz/file/J8ZkAKIQ#qWAU7ILTRjPPCLYhwfcUVOuAkr_atpuaDQjpyATDXwY

13 Likes