@notsonic You need EMUdriver/switchres aware emulators to get the benefit of no software stretching filling out the full screen. I doubt FBneo and Fightcade support it. Unsupported emulators will simply scale to fit the selected resolution unfortunately i.e. 224 vertical games stretched out to 240.
- Thread starter RealMFnG
- Start date
The information has always been out there. I wasn't holding onto some trade secret. As you can see, others that have chimed into this thread have gotten up and running just fine.
I played with GroovyArcade long ago, but have always liked the HyperSpin-like front ends. So I dumped GroovyArcade. I don't know much about it at all. Novel idea, it is just too bad it is effectively abandoned. A lightweight Linux OS install with a proper front-end for MAME would be fantastic. Something like what they've done for Kodi with LibreELEC. Had development continued on it, no one would drop a dime into MiSTer today.
As for the boot up BIOS for a PC not being in 15khz, Calamity (the man is a genius) addressed that too. It is called Atom15.
MoppelTheWhale
Grand Master
I didn't want to imply that - as you said that info is out there and i just wanted to be on the safe side - thanls for clarifying
now, where's my usb stick with windows 7
I used to participate in the HyperSpin-FE forums quite heavily before I became an arcade snob. HyperSpin is awesome. But has high system requirements and a steep learning curve.
My builds always use low-end hardware. HyperSpin would just fail at times with my builds
. So I dumped it a while back and switched to Attract Mode. Will be using Attract Mode as the FE in this discussion. I have yet to try the Attract Mode's HyperSpin theme. Perhaps we can explore it in this discussion. Attract Mode is so much more stable, easy to setup, and faster than HyperSpin.All good brutha!I didn't want to imply that - as you said that info is out there and i just wanted to be on the safe side - thanls for clarifying
now, where's my usb stick with windows 7
mR_CaESaR
Champion
Props to the thread.
I personally have a number of setups like this and find it way more convenient than changing over boards.
I've installed chunksins groovymame image on my Vertical NNC setup, set it for 480p and it auto switches to 15khz and 31khz. This gives me access to TTX, Naomi and 15khz shmups. A copy of the disk has also been done for a horiztonal setup.
Optiplexs are my choice of PC's, the form factor on them is great and they're cheap as chips - I find it slightly smaller than the ThinkCentres, paired with an OK GPU to play TTX / Naomi @ 60fps and a JPAC to connect it all up, you have a pretty solid setup.
I personally have a number of setups like this and find it way more convenient than changing over boards.
I've installed chunksins groovymame image on my Vertical NNC setup, set it for 480p and it auto switches to 15khz and 31khz. This gives me access to TTX, Naomi and 15khz shmups. A copy of the disk has also been done for a horiztonal setup.
Optiplexs are my choice of PC's, the form factor on them is great and they're cheap as chips - I find it slightly smaller than the ThinkCentres, paired with an OK GPU to play TTX / Naomi @ 60fps and a JPAC to connect it all up, you have a pretty solid setup.
@RealMFnG I don't know what super prices you have over there, but here such an old computer is still way more expensive lol. And I heard one needs quite a new cpu if one wants to keep input lag etc to a minimal. I have no idea though, so I really appriciate the thread. One thing that I wonder though, is if the crt drives work with built in graphics on cpu chipsets? And in terms of gpus if it's limited to amd gpus which is what I see on every page giving guides.
Kagaden
Grand Master
You got me right that I'm a PC snob, and a high end one at that, but I think the rest you got me wrong here....Seems like such a terrible economic waste to take that investment and repurpose it for a singular low-level application such as this and not have easy access to it for other modern general computing applications: social media, playing games, streaming media, surfing the Net, paying bills, etc. Plus, you are clearly a PC snob (I mean this in a good way), so it is a pretty big mental hurdle for you. Over the years on this forum, I have said many times over that allocating a modern PC with all the bells and whistles just for MAME is way way overkill (here, here, here). But it is possible in 2022 to be very economical and have a superior experience over other emulation platforms. I demonstrated this here previously. That is probably the lowest spec'ed PC I have ever gotten MAME to run on
- First, I have zero desire to use a PC Arcade build for social media, streamin gmedia, surfing the net, paying bills (lol?wut), etc.
- Secondly, you missed my reasoning. I agree that throwing a decent PC build at MAME is complete overkill. If I'm investing the time for a PC build - I don't want to be looking at the latest release going "Well shit - can't play that on my cab, that's a bummer". No shame there, just regret at being limited.
My Hyperspin/RLauncher and Bigbox builds (I do both) bring it all together at the end of the day along with personally built cinematic themes - hand tailored fully scripted QoL details for a seemless arcade experience. Not a hint of windows anywhere in it, I don't want to see it and certainly don't want to stream media or pay my bills on it. lol
Anyways, this is a great resource for folks to get started on the cheap and I think it's great you're doing it as a cheap multi alternative. It's definitely the red pill down the rabbit hole though
I love PC arcade builds, but I do a different thing and believe they play nicer and have more potential on LCDs over CRTs. Maybe hanging out in this thread will convince me otherwise from my Mistercade and multi setups for CRT.
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Kagaden
Grand Master
This is good advice. I was looking at AttractMode and Launchbox and went with Launchbox which I can also recommend. Both come with really nice quality of life features over HS/RL and have great communities to get someone started.I used to participate in the HyperSpin-FE forums quite heavily before I became an arcade snob. HyperSpin is awesome. But has high system requirements and a steep learning curve.
My builds always use low-end hardware. HyperSpin would just fail at times with my builds
I don't recommend folks trying to work through Hyperspin at this point unless you know what you're doing. You'll need to learn RocketLauncher as well, which can basically require a PHD in FE & emulation setup. They require a lot of detail and understanding to operate properly, they're complex and will likely eat your low end system alive. Hyperspin and RocketLauncher are essentially dead software at this point with no development progress. Stay far away unless you've already invested hundreds of hours into it (prob a thousand for me) and know what you're getting into.
I'll check out @chunksin's image in this thread too. See if it simplifies things. We'll do it the "long" way first.
Optiplexes are a little more expensive and they require the added expense of the discrete AMD graphics card.
Optiplexes are my sacrificial PC's of choice however. I have legit Dell restore images, so I don't have to worry about registering windows with a crack.
Sorry buddy. But Swedish women are hot and we just have cheap old PC's. You win!
Not true at all. You just need a "just" fast enough computer.
100% true. I've done it several times on with AMD A-series board sets with integrated graphics.
Just installed CRT Emu on the PC used in this discussion. Works just fine. I'll post a screengrab later.
CRT Emu only works with AMD graphics cards. This is true. Not a bad trade off as Nvidea cards are much steeper in price.
Is it the same if I opt for something modern like a ryzen? Thinking about those mini form factor computers like NUCs but with AMD
As long as Calamity wrote a CRT Emu driver for your NUC, in theory it should work. It is impossible for him to stay up on all the hardware changes, but he has written CRT Emu for Ryzen-based graphics.
Keep in mind, the NUC would need a VGA connection. It won't work without analog video. The NUC would also need an analog audio jack and enough storage capacity. You should head over to his site and do some reading. A NUC build to drive a CRT monitor would be cool. But honestly, there is nothing gained other than physical dimensions.
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skate323k137
Enlightened
Always nice to see this documented especially encouraging non destruction of cabs.
I personally use GroovyArcade. You still have to mess with getting roms on there but otherwise it's a live boot install that lets you choose your monitor modes including low resolution, tri sync, and more modern displays. It works well enough for me that I haven't the motivation to do the Windows route. Props to those who do.
Edit: here are some crt shots on my viewsonic VGA CRT. It's all but equivalent to a lot of PVMs I've had. https://imgur.com/gallery/7rZ8Uiu
I personally use GroovyArcade. You still have to mess with getting roms on there but otherwise it's a live boot install that lets you choose your monitor modes including low resolution, tri sync, and more modern displays. It works well enough for me that I haven't the motivation to do the Windows route. Props to those who do.
Edit: here are some crt shots on my viewsonic VGA CRT. It's all but equivalent to a lot of PVMs I've had. https://imgur.com/gallery/7rZ8Uiu
Regarding input lag with GroovyMAME. Check out this video at 6:25 in:
View: https://youtu.be/SDLu2OIpm2I?t=385
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That video is actually missing options to further improve input lag. Calamity posts about it in the comments of the video.
Here are the measurements taken by oomek with his lag tester device:
All the way down to 3ms of input lag if your cpu has the power. I leave mine at "framedelay 2" as that has practically no lag.
Here are the measurements taken by oomek with his lag tester device:
All the way down to 3ms of input lag if your cpu has the power. I leave mine at "framedelay 2" as that has practically no lag.
I am reading through @chunksin's instructions for his GroovyTime install. Sounds like it definitely makes some of the setup a lot easier. Especially, shelling Windows. Will for sure add to this discussion later on.
Also, I've always been a big fan of HyperSpin's UI and the community that has built up around it. But development on it died a long time ago. The community still publishes art for HyperSpin, which is damn cool. And it looks like the latest attempt at a HyperSpin theme for AttractMode replicates HyperSpin's UI perfectly. All the bells and whistles of HyperSpin, but with the stability and low complexity of AttractMode. Can't beat it! Check the video:
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76ccZsCl7n8
Also, I've always been a big fan of HyperSpin's UI and the community that has built up around it. But development on it died a long time ago. The community still publishes art for HyperSpin, which is damn cool. And it looks like the latest attempt at a HyperSpin theme for AttractMode replicates HyperSpin's UI perfectly. All the bells and whistles of HyperSpin, but with the stability and low complexity of AttractMode. Can't beat it! Check the video:
Is there even any lag on your setup with a CRT monitor?That video is actually missing options to further improve input lag. Calamity posts about it in the comments of the video.
Here are the measurements taken by oomek with his lag tester device:
All the way down to 3ms of input lag if your cpu has the power. I leave mine at "framedelay 2" as that has practically no lag.
mR_CaESaR
Champion
Yeah - I was ready to play games in 15khz within about 20 mins with no signs of "windows"
Heh, maybe I'll scrap this now and rewrite this whole thing using GroovyTime then. Let me burn it to USB now.
So I just messed around with the HyperSpin theme for AttractMode on the Lenovo test build. It works beautifully. Can't even tell the difference, except for the fact that AttractMode launches all the games fast AF. There is no point in using HyperSpin anymore.
