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[Holammer]

Looks like son of BFI.
The tech should work fine on an 120hz LCD display, but the effect improves with more frames. Expect it on Retroarch & Retrotink devices in the future.
Finally a use for the new 480hz screens, play Sonic the Hedgehog as it was meant to be viewed.

edit:
Source is released with an article going over details at Blurbusters.

CRT Simulation in a GPU Shader, Looks Better Than BFI - Blur Busters

Who Is this for? CRT Enthusiasts, software & hardware developers, emulator authors, all of who wish to reduce display motion blur of 60 years of legacy 60fps 60Hz content with softer flicker than BFI. UPDATE 2024/12/24: It just got added to Retroarch emulator on github quickly, the same day we...

blurbusters.com

Source code

GitHub - blurbusters/crt-beam-simulator: A shader that simulates a CRT electron beam in real time.

A shader that simulates a CRT electron beam in real time. - blurbusters/crt-beam-simulator

github.com

Real-time demo

Shadertoy

www.shadertoy.com

 

[CamHostage]

Looks like son of BFI.
The tech should work fine on an 120hz LCD display, but the effect improves with more frames. Expect it on Retroarch & Retrotink devices in the future.
Finally a use for the new 480hz screens, play Sonic the Hedgehog as it was meant to be viewed.

Heh, I was wondering how the simple CRT Shader idea could be improved upon... it took two or three clicks on this short GIF (silly thing won't repeat) before I got how this could totally be the one.

 

[diffusionx]

So we have basically three decades of advancement and progress on this display technology just so we can properly show the display technology that it replaced. Totally bizarre.

 

[Holammer]

So we have basically three decades of advancement and progress on this display technology just so we can properly show the display technology that it replaced. Totally bizarre.

Not bizarre, beautiful. Old media and games needs the CRT effect to look authentic.
Not everything is getting 4k remasters either.

 

[Imtjnotu]

 

[KuraiShidosha]

So we have basically three decades of advancement and progress on this display technology just so we can properly show the display technology that it replaced. Totally bizarre.

When you really do a deep dive analysis of what's required of a modern display to properly simulate all the intricacies of a CRT, 30 years is probably still too early. We may never even get there due to physics limitations eg LEDs capable of switching fast enough and with enough brightness may never come to fruition. I'm glad I still have a Toshiba 27" 480i TV and a Dell M993 19" VGA PC monitor to use for that timeless look only a CRT can provide still in 2024.

 

[March Climber]

So we have basically three decades of advancement and progress on this display technology just so we can properly show the display technology that it replaced. Totally bizarre.

It was worth the weight.

 

[Holammer]

Updated OP with additional details. The source is released with an update on the blurbusters site and there is a real-time demo to check out if you have a 240hz display.

Shadertoy

www.shadertoy.com

 

[RagnarokIV]

Yes please.

 

[Mattyp]

I'll stick to my CRT.

 

[Corporal.Hicks]

Some CRT shaders (especially the HDR ones) already offers better picture compared to my SD CRT 480i on the static image, but during motion CRT still has the upper hand. However, this CRT beam simulator (something similar to black frame insertion) can help to solve this problem.

 

[Holammer]

 

[sachos]

JESUS that sounds so smart! Actually simulation the beam scroll with a shader wtf. Genius. The work BlurBusters is doing to evangelize about this stuff is amazing.

 

[hououinkyouma00]

I'll stick to my CRT.

I love my CRT but as somebody that is into minimalism and might have a chance to move to Japan next year or in 2026 I'm slowly coming around to emulation and something like this might be very very useful.

I'll check this out later.

Edit: Man thinking about having to sell my OLED tv and monitor makes me sad same with my consoles. My pc is tiny enough to fit in a carry on so I can probably fit my PC and Pro in a single bag. Who know what kind of godawful display/monitor I'll have to use for awhile if I even get to go.

 

[Fake]

I like CRT filters, but the fact that ever new solution you need more specs is not what was the initial proposition.

 

[Salty Pickle]

So we have basically three decades of advancement and progress on this display technology just so we can properly show the display technology that it replaced. Totally bizarre.

Can we have a VHS simulator also?

 

[nkarafo]

I tested this on my 240hz monitor and it really does remove the LCD motion blur, without messing the colors/brightness too much (just a little bit).

This is a game changer. Although, it's not perfect on my end. I'm getting some horizontal color banding stripes that scroll slowly upwards. Not sure whats up with that.

 

[KuraiShidosha]

I tested this on my 240hz monitor and it really does remove the LCD motion blur, without messing the colors/brightness too much (just a little bit).

This is a game changer. Although, it's not perfect on my end. I'm getting some horizontal color banding stripes that scroll slowly upwards. Not sure whats up with that.

Most likely the color banding is because your monitor relies on FRC to do 8 bit color instead of having a native true 8 bit panel. The flickering breaks FRC. Yet another example of how far behind monitor technology is to the goal of doing CRT simulation.

 

[Alexios]

Nice. But my current monitor isn't nice enough.

 

[cyberheater]

I will check this out

 

[Holammer]

Nice. But my current monitor isn't nice enough.

There is a 120fps version of the demo if your monitor can handle it.
It's pretty impressive, absolutely murders motion blur with the effect. I want it in PCSX2, You'll be able to read roadsigns in racing games again.

Shadertoy

www.shadertoy.com

 

[Type_Raver]

Next up, high pitch noise emulation...
Ok ok i kid.

So you will need 4hz per frame to complete one crt beam cycle. Ill reserve judgement until ive seen it, though i dont imaging the flicker effect being that desirable.
I like what Tink4K does with scanline emulation + HDR, that looks amazing.

 

[Tarin02543]

Now in retroach where I can't get it to work

The shadertoy demo looks fantastic on my 360 ha oled

 

[SF Kosmo]

Not bizarre, beautiful. Old media and games needs the CRT effect to look authentic.
Not everything is getting 4k remasters either.

I mean some aspects of CRT and analog signals; the softness, the scan lines, the color separation.

I'm not sure simulating the flicker like this demo is really adding much though.

 

[ShirAhava]

I have a collection of CRT monitors but my LCD monitors/tv are from the 60hz stone age

This looks epic but I think I am going to have to upgrade before I try it

I have one ASUS monitor that can do 75hz but I doubt that is enough.

Never had a reason to care about 120hz+ on LCD until now

 

[TheThreadsThatBindUs]

CRT shader?

Critical Race Theory shader? Does it make every character a non-binary black lesbian?

 

[keefged4]

Now in retroach where I can't get it to work

The shadertoy demo looks fantastic on my 360 ha oled

You need to enable shader subframes in Settings > Video > Synchronization. The option will only show up if you have vsync enabled in Retroarch itself.

Set it to your monitors hz and then enable the shader once in game.

Works wonderfully.

 

[Pejo]

I'm really excited for this, for emulation. A lot of people don't understand how 8/16 bit pixel stuff is SUPPOSED to look.

 

[Hugare]

I'm really excited for this, for emulation. A lot of people don't understand how 8/16 bit pixel stuff is SUPPOSED to look.

This is why I'll never, ever play ports of old games on modern consoles

Emulating through Retroarch with a good CRT shader is the way to go

 

[Soodanim]

I'm really excited for this, for emulation. A lot of people don't understand how 8/16 bit pixel stuff is SUPPOSED to look.

I've seen some silly clickbait over the years claiming The CRT look isn't what was intended, but there are countless examples when it so clearly is leveraged to devs' advantage. The added depth, dithering, intentional colour bleed etc just aren't things you get from raw pixel display.

 

[SF Kosmo]

I've seen some silly clickbait over the years claiming The CRT look isn't what was intended, but there are countless examples when it so clearly is leveraged to devs' advantage. The added depth, dithering, intentional colour bleed etc just aren't things you get from raw pixel display.

I think it depends on the game, like there are some games that are very clearly designed for CRT and look much better that way (Earthworm Jim on Genesis is a prime example), and there are other games where they weren't necessarily thinking about those things when they made the art (Donkey Kong Country for example), where CRT might generally have some effect on it that some people like, but they wouldn't have made the game any differently if displays were pixel perfect back then.

 

[squidilix]

Real-time demo

Shadertoy

www.shadertoy.com

Even at 165Hz is looks bad and too flickering. Wtf we need shitty TF panel at 240Hz or very expensive OLED.

 

[Alexios]

 

[Holammer]

Done some testing myself on my 240hz screen, combined the beam simulator with a CRT shader and it looks good.
There's a very minor problem where I get three faint wandering beams slowly moving up. It's basically invisible and looks more like an imperfection found on a real CRT.

Dynamite Headdy's intro is a good way to show off the tech, there are fast moving signs with text in the backgrounds which turn into a blurred mess on a modern display, very readable now.

(This scene)

 

[Corporal.Hicks]

Slightly worse motion quality than BFI, but much less brightness reduction and flickering.

 

[Corporal.Hicks]

I'm really excited for this, for emulation. A lot of people don't understand how 8/16 bit pixel stuff is SUPPOSED to look.

I never liked that pixelated look. The thing is, when viewed on a native display (without upscaling), sub-pixels of light form a round shape, but when you upscale the image, pixels will look like squares and that create pixelated and aliased image. Fortunately, the CRT phosphor mask can transform these square pixels and make them look more natural.

 

[Xdrive05]

Running on my 240hz IPS panel and it looks simply incredible. It must be even better on an OLED and/or higher FPS.

 

[hyperbertha]

Will this affect the life of the screen? Or is it purely a gpu thing?

 

[Holammer]

Will this affect the life of the screen? Or is it purely a gpu thing?

It doesn't do anything weird on the screen, it's just a filter/shader over the existing video feed.
If anything it might help reduce OLED burn-in, but don't quote me on that.

 

[near]

I'm in the process of moving and I pulled out a small 14" Hitachi CRT from my loft the other day and tested it to see if it still functions with my PS2. Holy fuck does it look good compared to my upscaler. I'll be using this bad boy again in the coming month for the long term.

 

[Alexios]

 

[squidilix]

Wait ? Ridge Racer 5 finally propely emulated?
About a fking damn time...
Great work developpers

 

[hinch7]

Slightly worse motion quality than BFI, but much less brightness reduction and flickering.

Would be awesome if Nvidia and AMD has this integrated into their drivers.

I've tested it on my 240hz monitor and it works so well.