…or try Hyllians new crt-super-xbr! Looks like a happy medium.
4 Likes
I love the smoothness of it on a big plasma 1080p. A big smile in the face is guaranteed, 
I like how perfectly rounded are circles and disks in the graphics. On pure crt shaders I can’t get it. Though it isn’t for everybody’s tastes, I agree.
1 Like
It would be interesting to see a survey divided by age group with shaders. When I see the smooth xBR type of look I internally scream. I wonder if that’s because I have nostalgia blinders on and younger enthusiasts don’t suffer the same issue?
2 Likes
I think I’m an outlier here as I’m old and like both visuals.
4 Likes
Yeah I’m a bit the same, for stuff which was originally 240p I like the original 240p scanline-ish look as well as something like Hyllian’s latest where you have the smoothing but you also have mask and scanlines added.
I find the added scanlines and mask adds a "texture’ where your eye makes up for stuff underneath which might be too simple and smooth otherwise (for my taste). It feels a bit like it tricks your eye into feeling like there is more detail as well.
6 Likes
I like the look of “scalefx9-aa-blur-hazy-ntsc-sh1nra358.slangp” on games that have ‘cartoonish’ graphics like Super Mario Bros 2.
I’m 21 going on 22 and I prefer the older, sharper look of CRTs, don’t like the look of xBR, HQX, 2xSai, etc. I used to constantly upscale PS1 games, use advanced texture filtering methods and etc but I find that texture filter introduces major artifacts and does more harm than good imo. With CRT shaders my goal is to make each game look as good as possible while leaving all the rendering settings at default (with the expection of having dithering disabled for PS1 games). Even running a CRT through composite, the image still has quite a bit of clarity, even if the colors are off.
I’m trying to go after a good shadow mask look; one of the TVs I used to play PlayStation games on was a 27" Hitachi CRT and it looked very nice.
1 Like
I think this is the sharpest you can make the scanlines in GDV without sacrificing too much brightness.
shaders = "8"
shader0 = "shaders_slang/misc/grade.slang"
filter_linear0 = "false"
wrap_mode0 = "clamp_to_border"
mipmap_input0 = "false"
alias0 = "StockPass"
float_framebuffer0 = "false"
srgb_framebuffer0 = "false"
scale_type_x0 = "source"
scale_x0 = "1.000000"
scale_type_y0 = "source"
scale_y0 = "1.000000"
shader1 = "shaders_slang/crt/shaders/guest/crt-gdv-new/afterglow0.slang"
filter_linear1 = "false"
wrap_mode1 = "clamp_to_border"
mipmap_input1 = "false"
alias1 = "AfterglowPass"
float_framebuffer1 = "false"
srgb_framebuffer1 = "false"
scale_type_x1 = "source"
scale_x1 = "1.000000"
scale_type_y1 = "source"
scale_y1 = "1.000000"
shader2 = "shaders_slang/crt/shaders/guest/crt-gdv-new/pre-shaders-afterglow.slang"
filter_linear2 = "false"
wrap_mode2 = "clamp_to_border"
mipmap_input2 = "false"
alias2 = "PrePass"
float_framebuffer2 = "false"
srgb_framebuffer2 = "false"
scale_type_x2 = "source"
scale_x2 = "1.000000"
scale_type_y2 = "source"
scale_y2 = "1.000000"
shader3 = "shaders_slang/crt/shaders/guest/crt-gdv-new/avg-lum.slang"
filter_linear3 = "true"
wrap_mode3 = "clamp_to_border"
mipmap_input3 = "true"
alias3 = "AvgLumPass"
float_framebuffer3 = "false"
srgb_framebuffer3 = "false"
scale_type_x3 = "source"
scale_x3 = "1.000000"
scale_type_y3 = "source"
scale_y3 = "1.000000"
shader4 = "shaders_slang/crt/shaders/guest/crt-gdv-new/linearize.slang"
filter_linear4 = "true"
wrap_mode4 = "clamp_to_border"
mipmap_input4 = "false"
alias4 = "LinearizePass"
float_framebuffer4 = "true"
srgb_framebuffer4 = "false"
scale_type_x4 = "source"
scale_x4 = "1.000000"
scale_type_y4 = "source"
scale_y4 = "1.000000"
shader5 = "shaders_slang/crt/shaders/guest/crt-gdv-new/blur_horiz2.slang"
filter_linear5 = "true"
wrap_mode5 = "clamp_to_border"
mipmap_input5 = "false"
alias5 = ""
float_framebuffer5 = "false"
srgb_framebuffer5 = "false"
scale_type_x5 = "absolute"
scale_x5 = "800"
scale_type_y5 = "source"
scale_y5 = "1.000000"
shader6 = "shaders_slang/crt/shaders/guest/crt-gdv-new/blur_vert2.slang"
filter_linear6 = "true"
wrap_mode6 = "clamp_to_border"
mipmap_input6 = "false"
alias6 = "GlowPass"
float_framebuffer6 = "false"
srgb_framebuffer6 = "false"
scale_type_x6 = "absolute"
scale_x6 = "800"
scale_type_y6 = "absolute"
scale_y6 = "600"
shader7 = "shaders_slang/crt/shaders/guest/crt-gdv-new/crt-guest-dr-venom2.slang"
filter_linear7 = "true"
wrap_mode7 = "clamp_to_border"
mipmap_input7 = "false"
alias7 = ""
float_framebuffer7 = "false"
srgb_framebuffer7 = "false"
scale_type_x7 = "viewport"
scale_x7 = "1.000000"
scale_type_y7 = "viewport"
scale_y7 = "1.000000"
parameters = "g_gamma_in;g_signal_type;g_gamma_type;g_crtgamut;g_space_out;g_hue_degrees;g_I_SHIFT;g_Q_SHIFT;g_I_MUL;g_Q_MUL;g_lum_fix;g_vignette;g_vstr;g_vpower;g_lum;g_cntrst;g_mid;wp_temperature;g_sat;g_vibr;g_satr;g_satg;g_satb;g_lift;blr;blg;blb;wlr;wlg;wlb;rg;rb;gr;gb;br;bg;LUT_Size1;LUT1_toggle;LUT_Size2;LUT2_toggle;bogus_afterglow;PR;PG;PB;AS;sat;bogus_color;TNTC;CP;CS;WP;wp_saturation;lsmooth;GAMMA_INPUT;bogus_glow;SIZEH;GLOW_FALLOFF_H;SIZEV;GLOW_FALLOFF_V;bogus_brightness;glow;bloom;gamma_c;brightboost;brightboost1;bogus_scanline;gsl;scanline1;scanline2;beam_min;beam_max;beam_size;vertmask;scans;spike;bogus_filtering;h_sharp;s_sharp;smart_ei;ei_limit;sth;bogus_screen;TATE;IOS;OS;BLOOM;csize;bsize;warpX;warpY;bogus_masks;shadowMask;maskstr;masksize;maskDark;maskLight;mcut;mask_gamma;slotmask;slotwidth;double_slot;slotms;mclip;bogus_interlacing;inter;interm;gamma_out"
g_gamma_in = "2.400000"
g_signal_type = "1.000000"
g_gamma_type = "1.000000"
g_crtgamut = "2.000000"
g_space_out = "0.000000"
g_hue_degrees = "0.000000"
g_I_SHIFT = "0.000000"
g_Q_SHIFT = "0.000000"
g_I_MUL = "1.000000"
g_Q_MUL = "1.000000"
g_lum_fix = "0.000000"
g_vignette = "0.000000"
g_vstr = "40.000000"
g_vpower = "0.200000"
g_lum = "0.000000"
g_cntrst = "0.000000"
g_mid = "0.500000"
wp_temperature = "7505.000000"
g_sat = "0.000000"
g_vibr = "0.000000"
g_satr = "0.000000"
g_satg = "0.000000"
g_satb = "0.000000"
g_lift = "0.000000"
blr = "0.000000"
blg = "0.000000"
blb = "0.000000"
wlr = "1.000000"
wlg = "1.000000"
wlb = "1.000000"
rg = "0.000000"
rb = "0.000000"
gr = "0.000000"
gb = "0.000000"
br = "0.000000"
bg = "0.000000"
LUT_Size1 = "16.000000"
LUT1_toggle = "0.000000"
LUT_Size2 = "64.000000"
LUT2_toggle = "0.000000"
bogus_afterglow = "0.000000"
PR = "0.140000"
PG = "0.140000"
PB = "0.140000"
AS = "0.070000"
sat = "0.100000"
bogus_color = "0.000000"
TNTC = "0.000000"
CP = "0.000000"
CS = "0.000000"
WP = "0.000000"
wp_saturation = "1.000000"
lsmooth = "0.750000"
GAMMA_INPUT = "2.400000"
bogus_glow = "0.000000"
SIZEH = "4.000000"
GLOW_FALLOFF_H = "0.300000"
SIZEV = "4.000000"
GLOW_FALLOFF_V = "0.300000"
bogus_brightness = "0.000000"
glow = "0.000000"
bloom = "0.100000"
gamma_c = "1.000000"
brightboost = "1.500000"
brightboost1 = "1.500000"
bogus_scanline = "0.000000"
gsl = "2.000000"
scanline1 = "0.000000"
scanline2 = "40.000000"
beam_min = "1.500000"
beam_max = "1.000000"
beam_size = "1.000000"
vertmask = "0.000000"
scans = "1.000000"
spike = "0.000000"
bogus_filtering = "0.000000"
h_sharp = "2.799999"
s_sharp = "1.000000"
smart_ei = "0.000000"
ei_limit = "2.000000"
sth = "0.500000"
bogus_screen = "0.000000"
TATE = "0.000000"
IOS = "0.000000"
OS = "1.000000"
BLOOM = "0.000000"
csize = "0.000000"
bsize = "600.000000"
warpX = "0.000000"
warpY = "0.000000"
bogus_masks = "0.000000"
shadowMask = "-1.000000"
maskstr = "0.250000"
masksize = "1.000000"
maskDark = "0.500000"
maskLight = "1.500000"
mcut = "1.150000"
mask_gamma = "2.400000"
slotmask = "0.000000"
slotwidth = "2.000000"
double_slot = "1.000000"
slotms = "1.000000"
mclip = "1.000000"
bogus_interlacing = "0.000000"
inter = "325.000000"
interm = "2.000000"
gamma_out = "2.400000"
textures = "SamplerLUT1;SamplerLUT2;SamplerLUT3"
SamplerLUT1 = "shaders_slang/crt/shaders/guest/lut/sony_trinitron1.png"
SamplerLUT1_linear = "true"
SamplerLUT1_wrap_mode = "clamp_to_border"
SamplerLUT1_mipmap = "false"
SamplerLUT2 = "shaders_slang/crt/shaders/guest/lut/sony_trinitron2.png"
SamplerLUT2_linear = "true"
SamplerLUT2_wrap_mode = "clamp_to_border"
SamplerLUT2_mipmap = "false"
SamplerLUT3 = "shaders_slang/crt/shaders/guest/lut/other1.png"
SamplerLUT3_linear = "true"
SamplerLUT3_wrap_mode = "clamp_to_border"
SamplerLUT3_mipmap = "false"
3 Likes
That new Hyllian with curvature looks really good on my 4:3 1280*1024 LCD screen. I also like the look of this new Guest.r shader with nesguy presets, haven’t tried myself though.
2 Likes
Do you know why in some 4k LCD TVs the masks 1.0, 4.0 and some others there are bizarre Green, blue and magenta bleed inside White fonts outlined by Black pixels? I tested today Super Metroid and the fonts in options menu are all bleed with magenta and Green or blue.
At first I thought it was some defect unit TV. Then I put nomask (layout 0) and it didn’t bleed at all.
1 Like
Do you have RGB subpixels? My plasma is GRB, for example. Not sure if that’s related to the issue but it’s something to check.
Is this noticeable in screenshots only or do you see it IRL?
I’ll check it out when I’m back home.
1 Like
On my Plasma I don’t see anything like that.
I used the same shaders on another tv, a 4k LG LCD configured for Game Mode. At first I thought it was a TV defect. But, after turning off the masks, the problem disappeared. Só, it was created by the masks.
1 Like
I’m having trouble finding the download link for CRT-Hyllian, can you please re-post it?
How can i make this to work, need to download some shader or it exists on retroarch already? Also settings if you have the time. I mean the Metal slug screenshot, post 2848
3 Likes
Knowing Nesguy he’s already lost/overwrote those settings tbh lmfao.
3 Likes
Try the link in this post:
Last crt-hyllian vanilla updated.
BTW, see this picture I took from the TV. Can you identify the subpixel structure?
2 Likes
That just looks like regular RGB to me, though it’s hard to tell the exact order without an image starting with the leftmost side of the screen. Could be GBR, for example.
A defocused shot of RGB subpixels will look like red - yellow - green - cyan - blue -magenta - red - etc. Exactly what you have in the image, but GBR would look the same. Only way to tell what’s what is to see the leftmost edge of the screen.
Honestly I’m not sure what to say about the masks. Masks can cause a lot of strange artifacts, especially subpixel masks.
I don’t remember, lol. I remember that there was too much clipping with those settings, though. This should be very similar but with less clipping. Also tweaked sharpness a bit. Remember that a scaled screenshot will look darker than the same thing in-game.
To make this work you need the latest versions of grade and guest-dr-venom, both of which have to be downloaded separately and installed in the right folders; it’s a bit of a PITA. I’ll see if I can get something submitted via @hunterk’s repo.
shaders = "8"
shader0 = "shaders_slang/misc/grade.slang"
filter_linear0 = "false"
wrap_mode0 = "clamp_to_border"
mipmap_input0 = "false"
alias0 = "StockPass"
float_framebuffer0 = "false"
srgb_framebuffer0 = "false"
scale_type_x0 = "source"
scale_x0 = "1.000000"
scale_type_y0 = "source"
scale_y0 = "1.000000"
shader1 = "shaders_slang/crt/shaders/guest/crt-gdv-new/afterglow0.slang"
filter_linear1 = "false"
wrap_mode1 = "clamp_to_border"
mipmap_input1 = "false"
alias1 = "AfterglowPass"
float_framebuffer1 = "false"
srgb_framebuffer1 = "false"
scale_type_x1 = "source"
scale_x1 = "1.000000"
scale_type_y1 = "source"
scale_y1 = "1.000000"
shader2 = "shaders_slang/crt/shaders/guest/crt-gdv-new/pre-shaders-afterglow.slang"
filter_linear2 = "false"
wrap_mode2 = "clamp_to_border"
mipmap_input2 = "false"
alias2 = "PrePass"
float_framebuffer2 = "false"
srgb_framebuffer2 = "false"
scale_type_x2 = "source"
scale_x2 = "1.000000"
scale_type_y2 = "source"
scale_y2 = "1.000000"
shader3 = "shaders_slang/crt/shaders/guest/crt-gdv-new/avg-lum.slang"
filter_linear3 = "true"
wrap_mode3 = "clamp_to_border"
mipmap_input3 = "true"
alias3 = "AvgLumPass"
float_framebuffer3 = "false"
srgb_framebuffer3 = "false"
scale_type_x3 = "source"
scale_x3 = "1.000000"
scale_type_y3 = "source"
scale_y3 = "1.000000"
shader4 = "shaders_slang/crt/shaders/guest/crt-gdv-new/linearize.slang"
filter_linear4 = "true"
wrap_mode4 = "clamp_to_border"
mipmap_input4 = "false"
alias4 = "LinearizePass"
float_framebuffer4 = "true"
srgb_framebuffer4 = "false"
scale_type_x4 = "source"
scale_x4 = "1.000000"
scale_type_y4 = "source"
scale_y4 = "1.000000"
shader5 = "shaders_slang/crt/shaders/guest/crt-gdv-new/blur_horiz2.slang"
filter_linear5 = "true"
wrap_mode5 = "clamp_to_border"
mipmap_input5 = "false"
alias5 = ""
float_framebuffer5 = "false"
srgb_framebuffer5 = "false"
scale_type_x5 = "absolute"
scale_x5 = "800"
scale_type_y5 = "source"
scale_y5 = "1.000000"
shader6 = "shaders_slang/crt/shaders/guest/crt-gdv-new/blur_vert2.slang"
filter_linear6 = "true"
wrap_mode6 = "clamp_to_border"
mipmap_input6 = "false"
alias6 = "GlowPass"
float_framebuffer6 = "false"
srgb_framebuffer6 = "false"
scale_type_x6 = "absolute"
scale_x6 = "800"
scale_type_y6 = "absolute"
scale_y6 = "600"
shader7 = "shaders_slang/crt/shaders/guest/crt-gdv-new/crt-guest-dr-venom2.slang"
filter_linear7 = "true"
wrap_mode7 = "clamp_to_border"
mipmap_input7 = "false"
alias7 = ""
float_framebuffer7 = "false"
srgb_framebuffer7 = "false"
scale_type_x7 = "viewport"
scale_x7 = "1.000000"
scale_type_y7 = "viewport"
scale_y7 = "1.000000"
parameters = "g_gamma_in;g_signal_type;g_gamma_type;g_crtgamut;g_space_out;g_hue_degrees;g_I_SHIFT;g_Q_SHIFT;g_I_MUL;g_Q_MUL;g_lum_fix;g_vignette;g_vstr;g_vpower;g_lum;g_cntrst;g_mid;wp_temperature;g_sat;g_vibr;g_satr;g_satg;g_satb;g_lift;blr;blg;blb;wlr;wlg;wlb;rg;rb;gr;gb;br;bg;LUT_Size1;LUT1_toggle;LUT_Size2;LUT2_toggle;bogus_afterglow;PR;PG;PB;AS;sat;bogus_color;TNTC;CP;CS;WP;wp_saturation;lsmooth;GAMMA_INPUT;bogus_glow;SIZEH;GLOW_FALLOFF_H;SIZEV;GLOW_FALLOFF_V;bogus_brightness;glow;bloom;gamma_c;brightboost;brightboost1;bogus_scanline;gsl;scanline1;scanline2;beam_min;beam_max;beam_size;vertmask;scans;spike;bogus_filtering;h_sharp;s_sharp;smart_ei;ei_limit;sth;bogus_screen;TATE;IOS;OS;BLOOM;csize;bsize;warpX;warpY;bogus_masks;shadowMask;maskstr;masksize;maskDark;maskLight;mcut;mask_gamma;slotmask;slotwidth;double_slot;slotms;mclip;bogus_interlacing;inter;interm;gamma_out"
g_gamma_in = "2.400000"
g_signal_type = "1.000000"
g_gamma_type = "1.000000"
g_crtgamut = "2.000000"
g_space_out = "0.000000"
g_hue_degrees = "0.000000"
g_I_SHIFT = "0.000000"
g_Q_SHIFT = "0.000000"
g_I_MUL = "1.000000"
g_Q_MUL = "1.000000"
g_lum_fix = "0.000000"
g_vignette = "0.000000"
g_vstr = "40.000000"
g_vpower = "0.200000"
g_lum = "0.000000"
g_cntrst = "0.000000"
g_mid = "0.500000"
wp_temperature = "7505.000000"
g_sat = "0.000000"
g_vibr = "0.000000"
g_satr = "0.000000"
g_satg = "0.000000"
g_satb = "0.000000"
g_lift = "0.000000"
blr = "0.000000"
blg = "0.000000"
blb = "0.000000"
wlr = "1.000000"
wlg = "1.000000"
wlb = "1.000000"
rg = "0.000000"
rb = "0.000000"
gr = "0.000000"
gb = "0.000000"
br = "0.000000"
bg = "0.000000"
LUT_Size1 = "16.000000"
LUT1_toggle = "0.000000"
LUT_Size2 = "64.000000"
LUT2_toggle = "0.000000"
bogus_afterglow = "0.000000"
PR = "0.140000"
PG = "0.140000"
PB = "0.140000"
AS = "0.070000"
sat = "0.100000"
bogus_color = "0.000000"
TNTC = "0.000000"
CP = "0.000000"
CS = "0.000000"
WP = "0.000000"
wp_saturation = "1.000000"
lsmooth = "0.750000"
GAMMA_INPUT = "2.400000"
bogus_glow = "0.000000"
SIZEH = "4.000000"
GLOW_FALLOFF_H = "0.300000"
SIZEV = "4.000000"
GLOW_FALLOFF_V = "0.300000"
bogus_brightness = "0.000000"
glow = "0.003000"
bloom = "0.000000"
gamma_c = "1.000000"
brightboost = "1.500000"
brightboost1 = "1.500000"
bogus_scanline = "0.000000"
gsl = "2.000000"
scanline1 = "0.000000"
scanline2 = "40.000000"
beam_min = "1.500000"
beam_max = "1.000000"
beam_size = "1.000000"
vertmask = "0.000000"
scans = "1.000000"
spike = "0.000000"
bogus_filtering = "0.000000"
h_sharp = "4.199999"
s_sharp = "0.000000"
smart_ei = "0.000000"
ei_limit = "2.000000"
sth = "0.000000"
bogus_screen = "0.000000"
TATE = "0.000000"
IOS = "0.000000"
OS = "1.000000"
BLOOM = "0.000000"
csize = "0.000000"
bsize = "600.000000"
warpX = "0.000000"
warpY = "0.000000"
bogus_masks = "0.000000"
shadowMask = "-1.000000"
maskstr = "0.000000"
masksize = "1.000000"
maskDark = "0.700000"
maskLight = "1.000000"
mcut = "1.150000"
mask_gamma = "2.400000"
slotmask = "0.000000"
slotwidth = "2.000000"
double_slot = "1.000000"
slotms = "1.000000"
mclip = "1.000000"
bogus_interlacing = "0.000000"
inter = "325.000000"
interm = "2.000000"
gamma_out = "2.400000"
textures = "SamplerLUT1;SamplerLUT2;SamplerLUT3"
SamplerLUT1 = "shaders_slang/crt/shaders/guest/lut/sony_trinitron1.png"
SamplerLUT1_linear = "true"
SamplerLUT1_wrap_mode = "clamp_to_border"
SamplerLUT1_mipmap = "false"
SamplerLUT2 = "shaders_slang/crt/shaders/guest/lut/sony_trinitron2.png"
SamplerLUT2_linear = "true"
SamplerLUT2_wrap_mode = "clamp_to_border"
SamplerLUT2_mipmap = "false"
SamplerLUT3 = "shaders_slang/crt/shaders/guest/lut/other1.png"
SamplerLUT3_linear = "true"
SamplerLUT3_wrap_mode = "clamp_to_border"
SamplerLUT3_mipmap = "false"
1 Like
after saying they’re dead to me, I have access to the main repos again and started updating them lol
so, if you want to PR them, I can merge them now.
4 Likes
Maybe we can rename this thread to “Shader Blueballing! Post your CRT Shaders but not the settings!” 
Too many good shaders in 2900 posts, and very few with settings, why have you done this to me
To everyone posting settings: You’re the real MVP
3 Likes