New sonkun crt guest advanced hd presets thread

[thingsiplay]

I’ve just thrown your newest Shader package with the scalefx presets to my current screenshot machinery. I am pleased with the results for the most part, but there is one thing that did not resolve as I hoped. First the part that excites me and then the part that does not.

The transparency is resolved very well here, but that comes with the svide/composite type in combination with ntsc filters. I like the overall look combined with it. Kinda upscaled, but still retro look. Works well here.

This is the spicy part here. The lines are not very smooth and scalefx seems not doing its job here. Look at the reference standard scalefx, it should look like this.

[sonkun]

First off I wanna say I love when you do those comparison kind of pics, makes things so much easier to compare when they’re all grouped together like that.

@thingsiplay

This is the spicy part here. The lines are not very smooth and scalefx seems not doing its job here. Look at the reference standard scalefx, it should look like this.

That part is most likely from the switch up I made in the scalefx settings, I lowered the “Scalefx Threshold” setting from the default “50.00” down to the lowest number. I did that in an attempt to “unsmooth” things a bit to try and bring the pixels back to their original look.

Reason for that switch is I noticed on Zelda Link to the Past Link’s eye looked distorted with that threshold setting left on default. When I lowered it to about 13 or so his eye looked normal again. I then decided to just lower that number all the way down afterwards, if that was one game that had “distorted” graphics I can imagine countless other games it might be doing that to as well so I lowered that setting and made that lower number the new default setting to play things safe.

Try bringing that setting back up to 50 and see how the letters look, should look smooth again like the standard scalefx pic. It’s the very first setting at the top if you use the rgb preset.

[thingsiplay]

I tried changing some settings. I hope this is a complete list of what has been changed, I’ve messed things up here so sorry for not being clear:

scalefx presets/1440p/01-crt-guest-advanced-slotmask-neutral-rf-ntsc-2-phase.slangp

• for shader0: filter_linear0 = "false"
• for shader1: filter_linear1 = "false"
• removed line: < SFX_CLR = "0.010000" (I think resets to default 0.50)

The left bottom crop named “variation” is the same as the right bottom with the changed applied. At least it looks little bit smoother, if you look at the A and M. And Link looks fine in this image.

[sonkun]

Yeah it looks smoother in the “variation” pic since you took out that “sfx_clr” setting which is the “scalefx threshold” setting I was talking about above. That top right pic with Link is what made me make the change. I know his eye right is suppose to look a little droopy by design as we can see in the “nearest” pic but something about the way it looks with scalefx default settings turned me off. That one image right there made me make the change.

I personally don’t use the scalefx presets I just put them there cause it was requested. It would take less than 5 minutes to put out a update pack with that scalefx setting back to default if that’s what you want though.

[thingsiplay]

Notice the other little changes too, as without them the threshold effect doesn’t have big effect. This is because the images is heavily modified before it gets to scalefx. And compare the bottom two images on Link, the variation looks a bit more rainbow-ish and the numbers (zero in example) are more round.

But who knows what side effects this has. I am not experienced enough to make suggestions with confidence. Just wanted bring up this to discussion. Just happen to play with the settings for this shader. I am not the target audience for this preset anyway, because I like your “regular” set of shaders a lot and the standalone scalefx. So there is no need for rush from my perspective.

[sonkun]

Yeah I see the little differences when looking a bit closer, nice touches.

@thingsiplay

I am not the target audience for this preset anyway, because I like your “regular” set of shaders a lot and the standalone scalefx. So there is no need for rush from my perspective.

Ah ok no problem, I’ll just leave it the way it is then and if a few people come in saying they want the default scalefx look I’ll revert it back.

[ynnad4]

As far as I know, any of those consoles: NES, SNES, Genesis always came up with RF switch by default. Yet, I barely have found any preset that may have this representation through shaders. Noise alone approaches great to this bad video signal looking with interference but it’s still not explored well enough with the types of interference you can get on a TV. Even flat screens look old (and so then more accurate to that era looking) when it’s wired to RF Switch… I still do have a 30+ years old functional NES and the noise definetely brings up some old looking to flat screens if this cable is damaged to an extent.

[sonkun]

@ynnad4

I still do have a 30+ years old functional NES and the noise definetely brings up some old looking to flat screens if this cable is damaged to an extent.

Maybe if you can you can take a few photos of it in action? Could be nice to use as a reference if nothing else.

[sonkun]

New Version Release (03/04/2023)

Changes Made

• Uses guests latest version ( 2023-02-25-r1) shader update.

• Welcoming to the pack are brand new Aperture Grille and Shadow Mask presets to go along with Slot Mask, now you can choose from the 3 common crt mask types to have fun with and do your retro gaming with!

Shadow Mask:

Aperture Grille:

• Added in a new (old) preset back into the mix, I call it “composite-ntsc-2-phase-megadrive-rainbows”. As some of you know the Genesis produced a certain rainbow effect, this preset is made to give off that accurate rainbow dithering look. So now you have two ways to get your dithering through composite either with the standard composite 2-phase ntsc preset:

Or the megadrive composite 2-phase ntsc preset:

Bringing the total count from 48 to now 56 presets to choose from. Title of the thread will no longer have the word “slot mask” in it since now 2 other crt masks have joined the pack.

• I’ve created two different types of presets, one for curved screen presets and one for flat screens. I’ve gotten asked a few times on how to turn the curvature off so to make things easier for everyone you can now choose right off the bat if you want the curved screen:

or flat screen look:

Curved and flat screen presets both have their own folders, the more options the better right?

Grab this newest update in the first post.

[Cyber]

I’m seeing “runt” scanlines in your Shadow Mask screenshots. So far I’ve managed to eliminate those by increasing the integer scale percentage/offset.

You can take a look here if you would like to learn more.

CyberLab Mega Bezel Death To Pixels Shader Preset Pack

If you tap to zoom in (no larger than fullscreen) on the following images you might notice strange artifacts if you observe the scanlines carefully enough. In the first and third screenshots there are some scanlines which look different from the others. I’ll call them “runt scanlines” for now. They look narrower and not fully formed compared to the others. It’s easier to spot if the screen isn’t zoomed in to extreme, macro like levels. My solution/workaround was to increase Integer Scale Offse…

[ynnad4]

I tried with this little camera but may not look so good/convincing to be honest. It looks like video signal is permanently trembling. I dont know how to explain it. The signal is not static like at least composite video could ever provide. But the rainbow artifacts are present as well.

Is there some way to replicate RF-switch interference on NES games?

Hey fellows, I have a NES 001 model from 1985 that I have used since decades and always had this type of “noise” or “interference” within the pixels that I have managed to see (if ever exists) within RetroArch. Three videos with my little camera to show a little bit how the game is permanently getting this “noise” effect within the game pixels that not sure you can get for other consoles. I used to have a SegaGenesis connected through the sega RF-switch but can’t remember if looked similar to t…

[sonkun]

Anything involving integer scaling I’ll pass on, I don’t use any form of that in my presets. If there’s a bit of “runt” scanlines so be it, everything can’t be perfect. Thanks anyway. You game on a 1440p display I believe so I’m not even sure what you’re seeing on your screen since I think I got the mask shift number wrong for 1440p displays. I know that number needs to be on 7.50 for 4k since I tested that myself.

[sonkun]

Cool I’ll check those out when I get a chance, thanks for the links.

[Cyber]

@sonkun

Anything involving integer scaling I’ll pass on, I don’t use any form of that in my presets.

The use of Integer Scaling may not be the only solution. I just mentioned that because it’s what I did and I probably had it on already in those presets probably because of the artifacts I have noticed in SNES games using smaller viewport sizes. So you might be able to eliminate or reduce them using Non-Integer scale as well.

@sonkun

You game on a 1440p display I believe so I’m not even sure what you’re seeing on your screen since

I use a 4K screen and I’m judging based on the screenshots you posted in your release using my phone.

[Nesguy]

What’s the reason for not using integer scaling? It’s quite possible to maintain a 4:3 ratio or whatever while using integer scaling, if that’s what’s holding you back.

[sonkun]

I like to get the full 4:3 aspect ratio. I know that within the guest shader there’s that integer scaling setting but I simply don’t like cropped images or images where some of the image is cut off. I dealt with enough of that in the 90’s on real crts. The moire and “runt” scanlines as cyber calls it isn’t a deal breaker to me, haven’t seen anyone that’s downloaded my presets come in complaining about it so it’s not a big deal. It’s part of the non integer scaling territory and I accept it.

[sonkun]

Ah ok. In any case I swapped out a quick update using the right settings for shadow mask on 4k at least, I’m sure when guest replies he’ll give me the right number to use for 1440p displays like he did for 1080p.

[Cyber]

@sonkun

It’s part of the non integer scaling territory and I accept it.

Those “different” looking scanlines appear even when using Integer Scaling. It seems as though this particular artifact is unique to Shadow Masks but I can understand that you’re not too bothered by them.

@sonkun

using the right settings for shadow mask on 4k

There is no 1 “right” setting. It all depends on what you’re trying to achieve as well as your particular scaling settings as well as resolution.

[sonkun]

@Cyber

There is no 1 “right” setting. It all depends on what you’re trying to achieve as well as your particular scaling settings as well as resolution.

I meant right as in making sure the rgb phosphors follow the same pattern as in this pic:

[Graphwize]

Hey I just setup a old crt computer monitor the other day. Am I able to edit the shaders so that they are in at 1024 x 768? Amazing work btw.