[Solved] CRT Monitor - Almost perfect, need some help

RetroArch General
#1

Alright! I finally got my hands on a CRT Monitor, instead of a TV - If you’ve all seen my posts before about this you’ll know that previously I was using a CRT-TV; which was using HDMI to RF @ 720x480i. pumping everything out at non-integer 480i isn’t a bad way to play if you are just getting into CRT’s (IMO).

Now that I have an actual monitor though, I’m going for that crisp and amazing look. I’ve been reading all I can via search for the past day or so, trying to get the perfect setup. Here’s what I have so far.

Screen:

  • 17" KDS CRT Monitor
  • HDMI to VGA
  • 1920x480 @ 60hz

(Notes: I’m using Custom Resolution Utility. I can’t get 3840 on the width, hence 1920, but I was able to get 1920x240p and OMFG is it ever gorgeous - However, there are countless instances on the forums of Hunterk stating that 480i content won’t be displayed properly such as Sonic 2’s 2-player mode)

Shader:

  • #1 - tvout-tweaks.glsl
  • Filter = Don’t Care
  • Scale = Don’t Care
  • #2 - interlacing.glsl
  • Filter = Don’t Care
  • Scale = 2x

(Notes: Tvout I added for pseudo-transparency - however I have no idea what an example of that would be to test this on. interlacing is obviously to make 480p look like 240p)

RetroArch Settings:

  • Menu Driver = RGUI
  • Vertical Refresh Rate = 59.940
  • Aspect Ratio = Custom
  • Height and Width = Screen Resolution
  • Integer Scale = Off
  • Vsync = On
  • Swap Interval = 1
  • Hard GPU Sync = Off

(Notes: RGUI is being used as XMB is impossible to use at 480 & 240. Refresh rate was previously set to perfect NTSC rate - more on integer below - and I don’t know if gpu sync is gonna help here or not.)

Now here’s where I run into problems - and why I posted so much info.

1.) Interlaced Content I pulled up Sonic 2 and the 2-player mode is fine but there’s a wave of what I can only call ‘juddering’ that moves down the screen.

2.) Screen tear Playing any content, I occasionally get a single line screen tear that smoothly scrolls down the screen it only shows up when moving left & right.

3.) Resolution setting. You probably noticed I have Integer scaling OFF - This is because if I have it set to on, and load Sonic 2 for example it acts like it’s off. I go into the settings, turn it off and back on, and suddenly height is at 3x instead of 2x because it was set to 480, and the vertical Sega Genesis size is 448 so RA is rounding UP to the nearest integer.

#1 and #2 both happen with or without the shaders present - so it must be the video settings I am using. for #3 I am just looking to find a proper solution so I don’t have to open the menu and tinker every time i load a game. I just want the integer scale at the closest resolution, UNDER my screen size.

Hopefully I can get this sorted and get that perfect visual glory.

#2

Do you have the same issues without the interlacing shader loaded?

Integer scaling should definitely work. Dunno what’s going on with it snapping to a higher scale…

#3

Ok, so I fixed to the integer scale thing - I just set the Aspect Ratio to 4:1 with Integer scale = On and now everything hits the right scaling! So that part is all taken care of.

The screen tearing I get with or without shaders on in all games. Same with whatever that juddery effect on the Sonic 2, 2-player mode. I’m not sure of what other content is directly 480i that I could test it on as well

#4

Also, just now noticing - The PSX Boot screen is flickering all over the place like crazy with the interlaced shader on.

#5

Try setting your refresh rate to exactly 60 and see if that fixes the tearing.

#6

I set it to “60.000 Hz”, but no change.

I’m looking at the Estimated Screen Framerate though - and it’s all over the place.

Booting up the game and going back it’s bouncing around at about "300.xxx Hz"and Alt-Tabbed over to this screen to type, it drops down to “89.xxx Hz”. If I go back to the game it shoots back up.

EDIT: I fixed the PSX Boot flickering issue by disabling “480i mode” in the parameters for the interlaced shader - However this had no effect on the juddery image for Sonic 2’s 2-player, or the persistent screen tearing.

#7

I think the juddering/flickering you’re describing is … interlacing. If you don’t like that, you can always run at 240p and just lose the additional resolution provided by the interlaced modes.

#8

I FIXED IT!!!

I read this topic here:

Turns out Radeon Settings had turned Vsync ALWAYS OFF… because anyone would ever want something so abusrd >.>…

Soon as I did that, scrolling is perfect, no more juddery Sonic 2, 2-player, and with 480i set to Off and my refresh rate at 60… everything looks PHENOMENAL!!!

WHOOOOOOO! lol

1 Like
#9

Just to be on the same page, the flickering was def not just standard interlacing.

The flicker would be in a misshaped clump the bottom 2/3, then jump to the top of the screen, and then to the bottom, then to the top 1/3, then to the middle. Not the typical interlaced flicker you’d see with the scan lines alternating or anything.

EDIT: Ok, I know I’m like spouting off like crazy in this topic but it’s all coming together.

480i mode was freaking out BECAUSE of the vsync issue.

I turned it back on, and now I get perfect interlace. So, again, WHOOOO!!!

1 Like
#10

Oh, gotcha. Glad you got it all worked out! Enjoy :smiley:

1 Like
#11

Haha, yeah thanks for letting me talk it through XD