Looks rad. My first broadcast CRT monitor was from 1990. It had component and RGB. It put out a fantastic picture - better than any PVM I’ve seen. I regret tossing it.
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So, I think we need a thread that discusses how to output from PC in 240p. Personally, I don’t know how to do it, and I’m sure there are many options. I’d love to learn how to do it and have it on the site.
Do we have any takers?
It would great to get Benj Edwards on this board. He’s always really interesting on Retronauts. Knows a ton about old hardware and computers.
Hey I’ve been lurking this board a couple months now but I actually have some experience in getting my computer to output 240p and have shared what I know on a couple different boards so I’ll be happy to post a thread here if the information will be helpful!
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I mentioned in the discord but I thought it was worth echoing here.
Resident Evil 2 on N64 is notorious for switching between 240p and 480i all over the place, seemingly whenever it feels like. Of course, when using a Framemeister or OSSC, this makes the game completely unplayable. We all thought the only option was to use a CRT.
However! I recently heard that the game uses the Expansion Pak to deliver higher res graphics. So I thought well then if I switch to using the Jumper Pak, sans expanded RAM, maybe the game will just stick to 240p. Sure enough it does – I’ve only played about 15 mins but I didn’t get a single change up to 480i the entire time.
So just switch out to the Jumper Pak and you can play Resident Evil 2 N64 in 240p on an HDTV.
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That’s nice to know. Thanks!
Has anyone tried runnining their OSSC via hdmi to one of those cheap upscalers to normalize the signal?
I wounder when/if a real solution to that issue on scalers can be found. I know it only effects a few games but it is something that I just don’t like.
36 in Trinitron listed on local CL about two weeks ago. I hadn’t checked my saved search in a while. See that it looks about right … ask for model number … it’s a 36FV310!
And someone else is picking it up tonight. Bleh.
Hoping they back out and I still have a shot.
This is the biggest struggle right now for PC Emulation on CRT currently, not all emulators support switching resolutions mid game particularly between interlaced and non interlaced. There is a fork of MAME and a fork of Mednafen and using superwide horizontal resolutions you can reduce the amount of situations you need to switch for. Nothing out there is currently able to properly switch resolutions for N64 tho
Would love to read about your experience with this!
How do you guys feel about making separate threads for OSSC, Framemeister, CRT-specific and the like? I have a hell-of-a-hard-time finding specific device discussion when it’s all lumped in one thread.
Thoughts?
I think it’s good to have this catch all thread, particularly for those who are new to this rabbit hole, but I don’t see why we couldn’t have separate OTs too, especially for more detailed information and guides.
Agreed. One of the benefits of having a retro-dedicated site is to be able to break out separate threads and have them not be buried by news, rather than need a catch-all “AV” thread. So I’m all for separate threads for different devices if people want to make them.
I’ve been recommending this for ages! I should mention it’s not whenever it feels like it. The res switch happens on specific screens of the game, like the first half of a particular alleyway will always be 480i and the second half will always be 240p. Why? No idea… my guess is these specific screens slowed the game down considerably so decision was made to occasionally switch back to 240p. Makes sense when you realize most Expansion Pak N64 games with a Hi Res mode (480i) run at higher FPS in Lo Res mode. The menu itself I believe is 240p at all times and that’s where you hit a lot of res switching snags since much of the rest of the game is 480i.
The scripted scene with the gunshop owner is 240p and it ends in 240p, until you move over to another area of the shop and then move back to where he’s standing. Then it switches to 480i.
That’s nice info to have, thanks!
Shouldn’t this forum have separate threads for upscalers and crts for an example.
Arg… And when I thought the OSSC could’ve finally set me free, I get to talk to this guy who’s selling a brand new JVC TM-H150CG. He’s from a pretty far away town - plus the price isn’t super aggressive (400 euros and of course I’d have to travel back and forth) - and the monitor doesn’t come with the RGB/component card, so it’s only composite and S-Video out of the box, but still… This stuff still attracts me way more than I thought it would.
It could. By all means if people want to make them, they should. It’s crazy to think but we still are only in our third month here. So if people want to change things and start their own traditions/threads, they should feel welcome to do so.
Just joined here after lurking on GAF for years (and not being able to join). Love the retro AV discussion and this thread has been a big part of my retro journey. Keep it up!
On the JVC, I have that same set with no RGB card and it’s really nice. It blows my 1953Q and 13M2MDU out of the water with the in sharpness and especially color even though it’s S-video. That said it’s still pretty much the same size as a 14" Sony, so I’d say 400 Euros is awfully steep, depending on your location.
On the topic of RGB cards for these JVC/Panasonic/Ikegami sets, I saw this and now I’m seriously considering trying it myself, it doesn’t look terrible even with basic soldering knowledge. How does it look to you guys who know more about modding in general?