MAME question about 8800GTX output

Ghostkiller

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Got my rig put together but my resolution is all garbled. Using a jpac with a 27 inch wells gardner running a 8800gtx pci-e GPU. I remember reading about some program needed to allow for the correct res output but cant for the life of me find it. Any help would be greatly appreciated. thanks
 
Your PC puts out a 31khz signal. You need to drop that to 15khz to use an arcade monitor. Soft-15khz will rectify that issue... or you can get an ArcadeVGA card which does it on-board.
 
ok I just checked this thread but updates so far. I used quickres and soft15. I changed it to 15khz and tried 640x480 and restarted now im getting a desktop on my 29 inch wells but its split vertically. Not sure how to fix this but my settings are that and on the jpac i got both 15khz and 31khz jumpers on like stock, usb dongle hooked up and keyboard hooked up to pc. Any certain steps I need to do in any particular order I may not be doing here? Just at a loss for now. thanks for the help so far. Also soft15 gives a warning window at startup something about an EDID dongle? Not sure if I need that or not or if thats what the Jpac is doing converting to vga although the 8800gtx is a pci-e gpu.
 
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ok I just checked this thread but updates so far. I used quickres and soft15. I changed it to 15khz and tried 640x480 and restarted now im getting a desktop on my 29 inch wells but its split vertically. Not sure how to fix this but my settings are that and on the jpac i got both 15khz and 31khz jumpers on like stock, usb dongle hooked up and keyboard hooked up to pc. Any certain steps I need to do in any particular order I may not be doing here? Just at a loss for now. thanks for the help so far. Also soft15 gives a warning window at startup something about an EDID dongle? Not sure if I need that or not or if thats what the Jpac is doing converting to vga although the 8800gtx is a pci-e gpu.
640 x 480 is not 15 kHz, it is ~31 kHz; unless it is interlaced (480i), in which case it is in the range that a 15 kHz monitor can handle. You need something in the neighborhood of 240p (320 x 240). Ideally you should be using the native resolution of whatever game you are playing. For example, if you want to play Street Fighter II, you want 384 x 224 @ 60 Hz; or for Double Dragon, 240 x 224 @ 60 Hz.; etc.

Here's some information about the EDID dongle.

BTW, an Ultimarc ArcadeVGA video card would make things simpler, if you don't mind spending the cash.
 
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Some graphic cards cant be put into 15hz and display correctly even with software, like I said before the graphics card doesnt really help mame games, mame uses raw cpu power, buy arcadevga and your problems are solved. I could play most of all games, even all street fighters, mks, and metal slugs with a 128mb geforce 5200 graphics card with a 2.5ghz athlon xp cpu and 1gb ram
 
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No disrespect to you but that is absolute overkill for a MAME machine. What would be very helpful is the model # of the monitor.
Also your video driver should have an option to use resolutions not supported/detected. If you're running 640x480 chances are you're running between 60-72Hz which obviously needs to be less. If you hook you pc monitor up to the system and you see your desktop clearly then your problem is the Hz rate being incorrect.
 
No disrespect to you but that is absolute overkill for a MAME machine. What would be very helpful is the model # of the monitor.
Also your video driver should have an option to use resolutions not supported/detected. If you're running 640x480 chances are you're running between 60-72Hz which obviously needs to be less. If you hook you pc monitor up to the system and you see your desktop clearly then your problem is the Hz rate being incorrect.

He is just being hard headed , he has a post almost asking the same thing and not listening to any advice anyone is trying to say. Sale the the 8800gtx and buy a arcadevga and you dont haft to worry about running all that crap in the backgrounds of windows, that video card is plug and play to a arcade monitor, no adjustments needed
 
What would be very helpful is the model # of the monitor.

+1.

Any Wells from a D9200 to a D9800 should be able to run 640X480 up to 1024X768 (D9200 wont do this res) without any problems at all. I have a D9400 in my MAME cab and its set for 800X600 for everything. Works fine right off of the output of a nVidia 9500GT.

Matt
 
He is just being hard headed , he has a post almost asking the same thing and not listening to any advice anyone is trying to say. Sale the the 8800gtx and buy a arcadevga and you dont haft to worry about running all that crap in the backgrounds of windows, that video card is plug and play to a arcade monitor, no adjustments needed


Being hard headed and being reasonable are two different things. Overkill or not, I had this system readily available and Ive read in other parts (not on here) of 8800GTX's being able to work in this same situation. If I have to break down and buy a arcadevga then so be it. Hell I spent 600 on this damn card before it was even released, just figured it could be used for this. I know its overkill but if it works it works and it wouldnt cost me another 100 bucks to just use what I got. You guys act like I planned this system out for mame and ordered this shit for that sole purpose. This was one of my old PC gaming rigs and its just sitting around. Why not use it for mame and other games to play on a arcade cab is what I was thinking. I have no problem running something in the background since this system can handle it and more as long as it will work. Thats what I was asking for help on. Everyone knows you can just get a arcadevga card and plug and play, sorry if I was trying to overcome a challenge and came here asking for help. geez.
 
+1.

Any Wells from a D9200 to a D9800 should be able to run 640X480 up to 1024X768 (D9200 wont do this res) without any problems at all. I have a D9400 in my MAME cab and its set for 800X600 for everything. Works fine right off of the output of a nVidia 9500GT.

Matt


Ill look again when I get back to work monday on the model number. I was just told it was a wells but honestly havent even looked at the model number so who knows. figured any 27 inch monitor could handle 640x480 though, ive even tried lower resolutions and still get the same split screen. Get a damn good picture just its split screen. Figured it was a simple setting or something I overlooked.
 
sorry if I was trying to overcome a challenge and came here asking for help. geez.

Being an ass doesn't improve your chances of getting help here. I was merely trying to explain it was overkill simply because MAME won;t use the cards full potential. Not everyone knows this. Secondly if you want help then give full details - IE monitor model number.
For all we know you have a tri res and you have no clue what SVGA is.
For us to assume you know anything would be a failure on our part. I deal with brilliant engineers all day and they barely know how to turn on a PC.

And believe me if you think this site treats people badly please feel free to go to BYOAC ;)
 
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640 x 480 is not 15 kHz, it is ~31 kHz; unless it is interlaced (480i), in which case it is in the range that a 15 kHz monitor can handle. You need something in the neighborhood of 240p (320 x 240). Ideally you should be using the native resolution of whatever game you are playing. For example, if you want to play Street Fighter II, you want 384 x 224 @ 60 Hz; or for Double Dragon, 240 x 224 @ 60 Hz.; etc.

Here's some information about the EDID dongle.

BTW, an Ultimarc ArcadeVGA video card would make things simpler, if you don't mind spending the cash.


All I did was work with the info I had found out and that was to get soft 15 and install 15khz, which I did, then it says to set to 640x480 before you restart which I did as well. Supposedly, after you restart it should be in 15khz should it not? Also if your booting into a certain resolution how is it gonna switch in mame to other games that use different resolutions? Im just working with what Ive googled thus far which is why ive asked here. If noone knows then fuck it, ill just get an arcadevga, just figured I could use this old 8800gtx and put it to some use since I had it already which is the main reason I asked on here. Just thought someone wouldve ran into this which Ive yet to hear the post of HEY! I had a 8800gtx and couldnt get it to work or got it to work is sort of what I would like to hear ya know, not just buy a arcadevga card. lol help me out here.
 
Soudns to me like its NOT one of the digital series of monitors. In other words, its probably a CGA/EGA monitor. My vote is for CGA from the split screen thing your talking about.

How does the video connect to the monitor? Is it a DB15 (VGA cable) or a 10 pin molex with 5-6 wires on it?

The computer you have should work fine. I'm kinda in the same boat your in. On of my old gaming rigs was retired years ago and it to had a GTX8800 in it. I think I ended up using it in my PinMAME cab. While it may in fact be overkill I can play 3 Angels with all the bells and whistles and it looks incredible.

Matt
 
While it may in fact be overkill I can play 3 Angels with all the bells and whistles and it looks incredible.

Matt

Matt - you're using software that does take advantage of the cards features. Not wasted horsepower at all. VP especially loves those cards. And I agree - prolly a CGA monitor being used.
 
Matt - you're using software that does take advantage of the cards features. Not wasted horsepower at all. VP especially loves those cards. And I agree - prolly a CGA monitor being used.

Yeah, I know it does. An 8800GTX is probably still a tad overkill for this application. Sure looks good though!

Matt
 
All I did was work with the info I had found out and that was to get soft 15 and install 15khz, which I did, then it says to set to 640x480 before you restart which I did as well. Supposedly, after you restart it should be in 15khz should it not?

The EDID dongle may be the issue (I'm guessing that you don't have one). On the Soft-15KHz author's page, he specifically says:

Note: The NVidia GeForce 8-, 9- and GTX series require an EDID-Dongle for resolutions below 512x384.

Also if your booting into a certain resolution how is it gonna switch in mame to other games that use different resolutions?
You can set each game in MAME to automatically switch to a certain resolution when the games are started, in the INI file for each game (you can edit the INI file manually or through certain MAME frontends). You want to set each game to its native resolution and turn off all processing effects, such as hardware stretch and whatnot.
 
For giggles, set the resolution even lower - 320x240 and see how that does.

The author of Soft15 has an entire thread @ BYOAC. If anyone can answer questions about it, she can.
 
For giggles, set the resolution even lower - 320x240 and see how that does.

The author of Soft15 has an entire thread @ BYOAC. If anyone can answer questions about it, she can.


Yeah I was thinking that last night, I wont be able to tinker with it till monday though. Ive been over there as well and havent quite found the solution either after a ton of reading before I came here with this. Its a molex connector going to the monitor not a vga cable for those that asked. I do not have the EDID dongle and ive been trying to see where the hell to buy one but havent been able to even find that either. Thanks for those that are actually trying to help me resolve THIS issue and not push an arcadevga on me. I may sound like a dick at times, if I do im sorry. Just frustrated with this project and trying to figure it all out thats all.
 
Soudns to me like its NOT one of the digital series of monitors. In other words, its probably a CGA/EGA monitor. My vote is for CGA from the split screen thing your talking about.

How does the video connect to the monitor? Is it a DB15 (VGA cable) or a 10 pin molex with 5-6 wires on it?

The computer you have should work fine. I'm kinda in the same boat your in. On of my old gaming rigs was retired years ago and it to had a GTX8800 in it. I think I ended up using it in my PinMAME cab. While it may in fact be overkill I can play 3 Angels with all the bells and whistles and it looks incredible.

Matt

It is a CGA and while a 8800gtx is overkill, its stupid not to use it if you already have one laying around and it can work is my point in using it. I didnt plan on getting it and go out and buy it strictly for MAME use. Like I said before this rig will have other stuff on it besides MAME and the extra juice wiill be taken advantage of, just not in MAME.
 
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