Stretch

RetroArch General
#1

My particular setup for RetroArch is integrated into Hyperspin. However, rather than an arcade-style build, my system is built like a console (see signature for more info).

Among other things, part of the requirements for my console-focused build is that I be able to take it anywhere, just plug it in, and go.

No Fuss.

Well, I’m finally about 90% done setting up the systems I want to run, and the media and all that fun stuff, and am finally moving onto more interesting aspects. So today, I finally hooked it up to another TV. Now, the TV I have been using is a 50"1080p screen. However, I just plugged it into my 15" monitor that has a max resolution of 1280x1024, and I ran into a big problem.

To clarify, I have been running RetroArch with the aspect ratio set to 16:9. This worked flawless on my 16:9 TV. Now, plugged into my 4:3 monitor, I am seeing letterboxes. I know it’s not ‘difficult’ to pull up the menu, and go to the video settings, and go to aspect ratio and flip through from 16:9 to 4:3… But it absolutely removes from the experience I am trying to create.

I want to know if there is, and please god tell me there is, a method to just set the video to stretch to whatever my desktop resolution is. I know ‘most’ TV’s are 16:9, but I want this to be universal. My next step is going to be getting an HDMI to Composite converter so I can plug it into old CRT TV’s. ( I have a 13" JVC VCR Combo I can’t wait to try this out on)

I really appreciate any help/advice you guys can give me.

#2

If you’re wanting to fill the screen, set: [ul] [li]aspect_ratio_index = “10”[/li][li]video_scale_integer = “false”[/li][li]video_shader = “:\shaders\shaders_cg\retro\pixellate.cgp”[/ul][/li]in your config files.

If you want 4:3, set aspect_ratio_index = “0” I don’t think there is a way to always fill the screen no matter what resolution it is. The easiest thing to do might be to keep multiple copies of RetroArch, each configured for a different aspect ratio.

#3

Well the screen fills fine on 16:9 and 4:3 monitors, so long as their respective ratios are selected. I’m not sure what the pixellate shader is for?

This is really disappointing though. Dolphin and PCSX2 both just stretched to each screen depending on which one was plugged in. No tinkering required.

:frowning:

#4

[QUOTE=SkyHighGam3r;37094]Well the screen fills fine on 16:9 and 4:3 monitors, so long as their respective ratios are selected. I’m not sure what the pixellate shader is for?[/quote]It greatly reduces flickering/distortion from non-integer scaling.

#5

Interesting.

I’ve always used non integer scaling (Not even sure what it is, but ‘on’ means no screen fill lol) but I’ve never noticed any flickering or distortion.

#6

The uneveness between the “blips” in the health bars in Mega Man games are the easiest thing for me to notice without pixellate or crt-easymode-halation: http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/168023

#7

[QUOTE=SkyHighGam3r;37099]Interesting.

I’ve always used non integer scaling (Not even sure what it is, but ‘on’ means no screen fill lol) but I’ve never noticed any flickering or distortion.[/QUOTE]

An integer is a non-fractional number such as 1 or 5. Integer scaling is strict usage of only an integer as the scale multiplier. Therefore, a non-integer scale value such as 4.33 would not be used, and would be rounded down to make the image fit within the screen. This is useful because physical pixels on your screen are in a fixed arrangement, so non-integer scale values would result in inconsistent upscaled pixel sizes.

#8

[QUOTE=Lex;37111 This is useful because physical pixels on your screen are in a fixed arrangement, so non-integer scale values would result in inconsistent upscaled pixel sizes.[/QUOTE]

I figured that was what it meant by integer, but that’s good to know about the pixels. I’d never have figured that out.

#9

Thanks for the comparison. Never in a million years would I have ever noticed this.

I had to zoom in and flip through a bunch of times to see it lol.