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Retro AV Club Thread 2: Classic Gaming Done Right!

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Since I sold my OSSC while waiting for the 1.6 version to get here, I got a generic scart to hdmi scaler off of Amazon and... it's pretty good at 1080p FWIW.

Aside from 240p interpereted as 480i and stretched to 16:9 by default, there's minimal sharpening artifacts and half a frame less input lag than line3x OSSC. Though that turned out to be the Samsung I own doing the extra lag when scaling 720p to 1080p, and obviously not the OSSC's fault

I thought the generic scaler was pretty OK, too, considering the price.
 
Please excuse the double post, but would anybody have any info on the Sony KV-36HS510 TV? Somebody has one listed for 50 bucks on craigslist, roughly 5 minutes away from me and I would be more than ready to snatch it up, but I remember something about HD capable CRTs not being well-suited for gaming.

Any info is much appreciated!
 

Brhoom

Banned
Please excuse the double post, but would anybody have any info on the Sony KV-36HS510 TV? Somebody has one listed for 50 bucks on craigslist, roughly 5 minutes away from me and I would be more than ready to snatch it up, but I remember something about HD capable CRTs not being well-suited for gaming.

Any info is much appreciated!

Stay away from HD CRTs for retro games.
 
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Look, man, I'm working on it.
 
It's more about trying to stay kinda compact for a few years lol. I've been eyeing dreamcasts for months but I'm not sure diving in to a new system is in my best interests at the moment.
 
It's more about trying to stay kinda compact for a few years lol. I've been eyeing dreamcasts for months but I'm not sure diving in to a new system is in my best interests at the moment.


Deciding I wanted to collect gamecube is what sent me down this disgusting path of needing to own everything. I'm ashamed with myself but now I just contacted a guy selling a Neo Geo cabinet.
 

KC-Slater

Member
Deciding I wanted to collect gamecube is what sent me down this disgusting path of needing to own everything. I'm ashamed with myself but now I just contacted a guy selling a Neo Geo cabinet.

I feel you. Ever since picking up a Naomi cab (which I have since sold), and then a bunch of carts and a Net Dimm, it sent me down this spiral of picking up arcade shit. While it's sort of ugly and you can't as easily display it on a shelf, it's higher barrier to entry has kept the prices down. (MVS being the exception.)

I finally stopped kidding myself this weekend and got a CPS2 setup. This is the closest I've ever felt to walking away from the game...
 

TeaJay

Member
Can you easily plug and change an arcade board (or an MVS cart) to a cabinet or do you tend to prefer a supergun?

I would probably like a cabinet but it would probably be with a multicart.
 
Some Dreamcast games are getting pricey though.

I know some of them are pretty insane but for the most part I feel like the majority of great games can be still had for a price that won't break the wallet. For me though the main thing that's kept my spending down in terms of collecting for anything Dreamcast and older is the fact that I have been leaning towards Japan releases instead of NTSC/PAL
 

KC-Slater

Member
Can you easily plug and change an arcade board (or an MVS cart) to a cabinet or do you tend to prefer a supergun?

I would probably like a cabinet but it would probably be with a multicart.

Well I had to sell my Candy Cab (Naomi Universal with Virtua Tennis) because I was living in a tiny condo at the time, but I'd eventually like to grab another one.

The PSU is connected to the supergun, which is connect to my PVM. Basically I just change the board that's connected to the supergun to change games/hardware. With the MVS or Naomi attached, it's as simple as swapping the game "cart" (basically enclosed PCBs) to change games.

The Naomi setup can be a little more involved, requiring an additional PSU, and a few pieces of extra hardware because I have a Net Dimm attached (this allows you to 'download' a game into the arcade board's memory to play) but it's worth it.

My supergun outputs to Saturn controller ports, so I either use regular Saturn pads or my HSS-0130 for a more authentic arcade feel.

It's a lot to initially wrap your head around, but it's been a fun experience to learn.
 

TeaJay

Member
It's a lot to initially wrap your head around, but it's been a fun experience to learn.

What kind of monitors do the candy cabs use? Could you jam a PVM in there or would it be better to use the original?

I'm asking because a friend of mine is looking to sell his candy cab, and I'm trying to find out how easily I could put up a system where I could put a multi-cart in there? Or do I need to use these various arcade boards.

Or would it be better (=cheaper) to set up a supergun to use with my PVM.
 

Fuzzy

I would bang a hot farmer!
Thanks man!

I'm still kind of new to this, but which cables do I actually need for this thing? It mentions EUR scart on that framemeister, but I'm looking at this cable to hook up to my SNES: Pro RGB cable but it mentions its only compatible with JP21 inputs. So I'm a little confused and dont want to end up frying a 300+ dollar unit for the wrong cable :p Any help is appreciated.
No, if you're going to get the FM with a euro scart connector then all your cables have to be euro scart. Don't get ANY JP21 cables. Go to https://www.retrogamingcables.co.uk/ and get the euro scart cable that matches your console's region.

If you're planning to spend hundreds of dollars getting retro consoles running on modern displays then you should do a lot of research first.

Step 1: Read all of the OP. All of it.
Step 2: Watch all the MLiG videos for level 100 and then the level 200 and 300 that pertain to you. https://www.youtube.com/user/mylifeingaming/playlists
Step 3: Say goodbye to all your money.
 

Danny Dudekisser

I paid good money for this Dynex!
No, if you're going to get the FM with a euro scart connector then all your cables have to be euro scart. Don't get ANY JP21 cables. Go to https://www.retrogamingcables.co.uk/ and get the euro scart cable that matches your console's region.

If you're planning to spend hundreds of dollars getting retro consoles running on modern displays then you should do a lot of research first.

Step 1: Read all of the OP. All of it.
Step 2: Watch all the MLiG videos for level 100 and then the level 200 and 300 that pertain to you. https://www.youtube.com/user/mylifeingaming/playlists
Step 3: Say goodbye to all your money.

This is all good advice. Particularly the bit about not bothering with JP21 cables. I made the mistake of buying some a year ago, and yeah... everything these days is designed around euro scart. Oh well, lesson learned.
 

Fuzzy

I would bang a hot farmer!
I know your question has been answered but RetroRGB put up a video today on how to test and fix scart cables. Just thought some others might be interested also.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQohz5kaAEQ
He deleted this video and replaced it with an updated one. He just made it clear that you don't need to replace the 6.3V capacitor with a 16V one like his previous video made it seen. I also don't remember the PCB in the scart head being a part of the old video. It's about identifying when it's a sync stripper and when it's a sync booster.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3sE3uk5kPU
 
Why's that? Native RGB on a PVM can look better, but an HD CRT like a Wega still offers a great picture.

It's in the OP, but it's not very in-depth. Basically they do a whole bunch of processing garbage that you can't always turn off. They're not terrible, but not really that good, either. Kind of a worst-of-all-worlds thing. SD CRTs are readily available and there's really nothing special about these HD sets that make them worth it. Also, they're typically even heavier and harder to move. Some Google-fu will probably turn up more in-depth info.
 

Yes Boss!

Member
This is all good advice. Particularly the bit about not bothering with JP21 cables. I made the mistake of buying some a year ago, and yeah... everything these days is designed around euro scart. Oh well, lesson learned.

I dig them both. Majority of my systems are JP21. Even the rarer things like my Sigma. I dunno, I just prefer a Japanese pipeline instead of daisy-chaining SCART. Plus I dig using some of the official cables for fun. 🤣

That said...have a ton of SCART and wanna get one of the new lite switches to try.
 
Real Retro Bros bench CRTs.

Bro, rack me another 20M2MDU for my 1 rep max.

Speaking of which, here's a quick shot from my Toshiba CRT. It was in rough shape, but finally got in the service menu and straightened it out (literally). I got the SNES and Genesis Retrovision cables specifically for this TV and am quite impressed. Posted more in the 240p Scanline thread.


However, I noticed something on a few vertical scrolling shooters. The bottom of the screen sort of seemed squished creating a sort of "rolling pin" effect. I adjusted the V Linearity a few notches and that seemed to sort it out, but was wondering if anybody had a similar issue and had a different methodology.
 

alr1ght

bish gets all the credit :)
Please excuse the double post, but would anybody have any info on the Sony KV-36HS510 TV? Somebody has one listed for 50 bucks on craigslist, roughly 5 minutes away from me and I would be more than ready to snatch it up, but I remember something about HD capable CRTs not being well-suited for gaming.

Any info is much appreciated!

Here's a nice list of available 480i FD Trinitrons/WEGA models for future reference
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FD_Trinitron/WEGA
 
I feel you. Ever since picking up a Naomi cab (which I have since sold), and then a bunch of carts and a Net Dimm, it sent me down this spiral of picking up arcade shit. While it's sort of ugly and you can't as easily display it on a shelf, it's higher barrier to entry has kept the prices down. (MVS being the exception.)

I finally stopped kidding myself this weekend and got a CPS2 setup. This is the closest I've ever felt to walking away from the game...

My next purchase is a detached home in Mississauga so all of a sudden the arcade gear feels like pennies to me :( lol




Real Retro Bros bench CRTs.

Today is bench day for me. If I ever get 2 identical busted crts I will core through them and bench them for retrogaf!
 

bodine1231

Member
Deciding I wanted to collect gamecube is what sent me down this disgusting path of needing to own everything. I'm ashamed with myself but now I just contacted a guy selling a Neo Geo cabinet.

I know what you mean. When I start collecting something I go fucking overboard. I while ago I got a bug up my ass to get a japanese candy cab. Spent months looking for one down south but they are next to impossible to find. I got super lucky (like the PVM haul) and found a couple of guys on Reddit near me who tried starting their own barcade in New Orleans but failed. I PM'd the guy (this was like two years after they posted),and low and behold they still had them and were willing to sell for pretty cheap. Now I got three of these Blast Cities in my living room and kitchen in various states of repair (one is fully restored) and a whole spare room filled with arcade hardware. I couldn't just buy one,no,I need one tate and one yoko,and I figured I bought two of theirs,might as well get them all.

You think Geometry on a PVM is annoying to fix? Having to stick magnetized pieces of tape near the anode cap on a running arcade CRT will give you nightmares.

I have no idea why I bought the third one,I barely have room for two (b-a-r-e-l-y). I thought, "these are impossible to find in the south I might as well snatch them while I can". I got the empty one on Craigslist,hoping to trade for a game collection or something,lol.

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What kind of monitors do the candy cabs use? Could you jam a PVM in there or would it be better to use the original?

I'm asking because a friend of mine is looking to sell his candy cab, and I'm trying to find out how easily I could put up a system where I could put a multi-cart in there? Or do I need to use these various arcade boards.

Or would it be better (=cheaper) to set up a supergun to use with my PVM.

Depends on the candy cab. The Sega ones tend to use Nanao chassis and can switch multiple res (depending on model). The best is the MS-2931 because it automatically switches resolutions,the older models you have to manually do it.

No you can't just jam a PVM in there,they have a special frame that fits around the monitor so it can be rotated. Most tend to be 27" for the Japanese style,but it depends. Also,many will have various levels of burn in from running attract mode 12 hours per day,so always ask about that. If one goes out on you good luck finding someone to repair it,and finding things like spare flybacks and full replacement chassis are next to impossible and very expensive. Not trying to scare you,just letting you know what you might be in for.

My advice would be to look into a Groovymame setup. Its essentially a lagless version of mame that runs at native 240p,I believe it was designed by someone on the shmups forum. Pair it with a nice front end like Launchbox and its all you'll need. Its what I have on mine and your best bang for buck. Arcade PCB's are CRAZY EXPENSIVE (Batsugun is like $800) I can make a video of mine for you if you'd like.

49hpOnTl.jpg
 
I got my Core Grafx and have been experiencing issues with it.

Whenever I turn on the system, no matter if I have a game in or not, when using composite or RGB, it gives me a solid color screen (white, brown, pink, etc.) and freezes there. I don't know what's going on, I'm using the official AC adapter by the way.
 

ACESmkII

Member
I got my Core Grafx and have been experiencing issues with it.

Whenever I turn on the system, no matter if I have a game in or not, when using composite or RGB, it gives me a solid color screen (white, brown, pink, etc.) and freezes there. I don't know what's going on, I'm using the official AC adapter by the way.

Is it modded with RGB and or a region switch? I've seen a pink screen before when forgetting to switch regions when playing between different Hu Cards.
 

Rirse

Neo Member
Is there a better solution to getting a Turbographx 16 controller? I bought one used without out any cords or controller, and while I have the stuff for the video and power, I am having no luck finding a controller one ebay that isn't 50 dollars.
 

bodine1231

Member
I have a db Grafx Booster and no region switch, completely unmodded Core Grafx.

Is your scart cable using the correct sync? I had to use a scart cable + blue component cable plugged into into my PVM to correct a similar issue but mine looks different from yours. Also make sure its in all the way,mine is really tight and I had to push it in really hard.



dxFooApl.jpg
 
I got my Core Grafx and have been experiencing issues with it.

Whenever I turn on the system, no matter if I have a game in or not, when using composite or RGB, it gives me a solid color screen (white, brown, pink, etc.) and freezes there. I don't know what's going on, I'm using the official AC adapter by the way.

If I remember right that's just how the core grafx and such boot up if there's no game in place. I would start with cleaning your hucard slot and the connectors on any games you have.
 
If I remember right that's just how the core grafx and such boot up if there's no game in place.

That's a relief

I would start with cleaning your hucard slot and the connectors on any games you have.

Cleaned both the slot, and the Everdrive I've got (its region is set to PCE), but still solid colored screen. I'm getting an imported game later this week to be sure which one's acting up
 
hmm what version everdrive, (newest one?) I think the hucard slot itself can be a bitch to clean, not really sure what to recommend to help with cleaning it. Are you going at it with some strong (like 90+ %) isopropyl? You could also try something like deoxit, that has made some stuff work for me when just regular cleaning wouldn't.
 
hmm what version everdrive, (newest one?) I think the hucard slot itself can be a bitch to clean, not really sure what to recommend to help with cleaning it. Are you going at it with some strong (like 90+ %) isopropyl? You could also try something like deoxit, that has made some stuff work for me when just regular cleaning wouldn't.

Newest Turbo Everdrive (2.5) and used 50% isopropyl to clean. Since qtips didn't fit, I got some cotton gauze, wrapped it on an end of a card and inserted it into the Coregrafx


If the Japanese copy of Doraemon works when I get it, then the Everdrive's probably a defect and I'll have to get a replacement from StoneAgeGamer. Either that or if Doraemon gives me the white screen too, then I'll need to find someone for repairs
 

IrishNinja

Member
Change the sync level iirc, I had this issue with desyncs during bright scenes with my SNES. If it's not sync level it's something related to sync.

it shouldnt change the scaling settings or really any sort of visual aspect at all. i'm pretty sure all that setting does is basically set how strict the mini is about the incoming sync signal.

so, i was able to change it from "auto" but the sync section doesn't let me adjust the level...maybe it's tied to another setting? im using the GC profile over D, not doing anything else special here but can't seem to eliminate the flickering on white backgrounds. i recall the saturn doing this too in games like clockwork knight.
 
so, i was able to change it from "auto" but the sync section doesn't let me adjust the level...maybe it's tied to another setting? im using the GC profile over D, not doing anything else special here but can't seem to eliminate the flickering on white backgrounds. i recall the saturn doing this too in games like clockwork knight.

my framemeister is boxed up and in storage or I'd check for you. Gimme a moment I'll check the wiki for the setting.

Wait, you can't change sync level? That's definitely the setting.
 

TeaJay

Member
I
My advice would be to look into a Groovymame setup. Its essentially a lagless version of mame that runs at native 240p,I believe it was designed by someone on the shmups forum. Pair it with a nice front end like Launchbox and its all you'll need. Its what I have on mine and your best bang for buck. Arcade PCB's are CRAZY EXPENSIVE (Batsugun is like $800) I can make a video of mine for you if you'd like.

This part about Groovymame is interesting. So basically you just stick a PC inside the cabinet and run it from there? I have, like, absolutely no knowledge on how these things work, so I don't know if I should pull the trigger on this.
 

bodine1231

Member
This part about Groovymame is interesting. So basically you just stick a PC inside the cabinet and run it from there? I have, like, absolutely no knowledge on how these things work, so I don't know if I should pull the trigger on this.

Yes but the best part is that almost any dual core pc will work and you just need to buy the proper video card (I use a Radeon 4350) and a Jpac. It takes some work getting setup but there are guides to follow and what to buy but everything is cheap since it's using old hardware.

You could also go with one of those pandora multi pcbs to get you started. The emulation is not great but it's still the cheapest way to get you playing.
 
so, i was able to change it from "auto" but the sync section doesn't let me adjust the level...maybe it's tied to another setting? im using the GC profile over D, not doing anything else special here but can't seem to eliminate the flickering on white backgrounds. i recall the saturn doing this too in games like clockwork knight.

I think maybe SYNC_LEVEL can only be adjusted on RGB input.

Tbh i'm afraid of going anywhere near that setting... soon after i got my Framemeister i was fiddling a bit too much... i think i set it to something too far off, the OSD timed out and i had to navigate back through the menus blind to get it back up. For some reason the safety button on the remote didn't want to help either (you have to hold it down but i don't think it cleared out the offending setting).

Have you just tried without the GC profile?
 

bodine1231

Member
Possible PVM haul #2 incoming...

Just heard back from another studio. The guys reply to my copy/paste email... "yes,we have many,how many do you want".

More news as it develops
 
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