Time Crisis 3 contrast / sync [solved]

[ekorz]

I have TC3 running on a PVM, and, well, it looks like ass. For a long while I just assumed my namco IO just had some old caps and that its video was impaired. A few days ago, I replaced the io, and sadly had no change in image quality whatsoever. Then I learned that 2x6 games have a brightness/contrast/rgb-gain adjustment inside the menu (like Namco 11/12 hardware) and thought that could solve my issue. Well, it does, but not on TC3.

Here's that menu loaded up on Soul Calibur III (when in the calibration screen you can either hit a button, or plug in a PS2 controller and hit a button, to get it to load). By default it shows the settings you see on the 1st photo -- contrast 100, brightness 78. When I jack it up to 255 contrast and turn down the brightness to, say, 50, it looks excellent. See 2nd photo. It's hard to see but the default settings look more grey than black, and also more grey than white. It's very poor.

So, problem solved right? The bummer is, it doesn't seem to save this state when I swap TC3 back in. I changed the battery just to be sure. Also TC3 does not have this menu sub-option, that I can find. Here's what it looks like, below. Note the CRT wave was obscuring the bottom bars on the 1st image. The 2nd image is actually the "white only" screen. I pulled up my own OSD to show you what white actually looks like according to the TV.

So, does anyone know how I can either a) adjust contrast in TC3's menu somehow, or b) save this setting from one game to the next? Maybe c) there's an eeprom somewhere that I can program and install to modify the defaults? Is it part of a bios chip I can write and replace?

Anyway, if anyone has any ideas please let me know. Even if you can load up your TC3 and let me know if it also looks like ass... that's helpful. Maybe the 246B defaults to different settings than my 246C? I've also tried all things dip-switch related to no avail. FWIW I can confirm this game plays in 15k no matter what, and doesn't work on a 256 at all.

 

[twistedsymphony]

you mentioned a Namco IO? I'm assuming you're also passing this through some kind of supergun as well? it's probably expecting JAMMA voltages levels from your JAMMA edge and then dropping them down to the VGA/SCART range.

One of the dip switches on the System 2x6 switches between VGA and JAMMA level Vpp video output (it's separate from the resolution dip) so either ensure that's flipped the right way for JAMMA output, or hook the VGA output directly to your PVM since it's likely expecting VGA range Vpp and not JAMMA.

 

[ekorz]

Yep superfunning this one.

I did try the dips... It’s dip 2 assuming it’s the same as 256. But the game ignores dip 3 (15/31khz) so maybe it ignores dip 2 also. I’ll grab a meter tomorrow.

Maybe ill run the vga though something else, you’ve got me thinking maybe I need to handle Vpp either way (dip or otherwise).

 

[nem]

The calibration screen is game specific. Some games have it, some don't. Two issues here, 1) most likely the system expunges all data when you load a new game, and 2) even if it didn't, the game would never know what to do with the data.

I would look into why VGA looks washed out. Something in the settings on the PVM or how it's setup.

 

[ekorz]

I'm gonna try running the video directly from the 246 to the pvm. Looks like (hopefully) dip4 will output composite sync, so I could just run it at .7v (dip 2 off) 15khz (dip 3 off) and csync (dip4 on) and go straight into my pvm. I'm thinking the game ignores dip2 so with my IO and my supergun in the way, it's getting muffled in that chain.

Am I crazy? vga->bnc cable has been ordered, I just hope csync is coming off the hsync line.

 

[ekorz]

VGA direct to my PVM looks excellent, so that fixes that issue. The bummer now is that the gun won't work... thinking it's sync somehow. Maybe the dip is (again) lying and my PVM can just understand Hsync. It seems to boot and display no matter which dip 4 setting I use. Sigh...

Or, like, it's too bright in here and I need to turn the lights off, but it's my office. 1st world problems.

 

[ekorz]

Actually looks like it’s csync from the start. Guess I'll come back when I can make this room darker...

 

[ekorz]

Fail... it's not the brightness level, it's the sync.

VGA through the Namco IO through the HAS looks like ass, but ends up with what I assume is Csync -- but it is certainly what the gun can see.

VGA directly through the PVM results in the gun being 'out of screen', which I assume means my PVM is dealing with Hsync since it's the only cable plugged in. It won't work with just Vsync plugged in. I guess the gun needs the Vsync signal.

Next step, combine my vga H and V sync into C sync, then run that into the pvm. Is that a thing? Anything off the shelf or am I buying these parts now?

 

[rewrite]

Next step, combine my vga H and V sync into C sync, then run that into the pvm. Is that a thing?

Sure is.

And there's an Extron box for that. But I couldn't tell you which one :/. But they're CHEEEEEAAAAAAP.

Edit I think it's 109?

 

[twistedsymphony]

so why are you playing this on a PVM instead of a blast?

 

[ekorz]

so why are you playing this on a PVM instead of a blast?

It’s at my office
Built into my cubicle.
Blasts are in the basement at home.

But if I don’t actually require a supergun, which it doesn’t seem like it, I might bring the pvm home and stick it next to the bvm, and run 2 player.

The blasts are otherwise occupied and I don’t have a good gun cp set up yet. Not all of us have amazeballs gun rigs you know...

 

[ekorz]

thanks @rewrite that box (109xi) worked (as long as I bypass the sync processing it does... it looks like shit that way!)

All Solved! Game looks great on my PVM, and the gun works now!

Just to summarize:

Now I have good brightness/contrast levels because I'm going direct from the 246C to my monitor. I haven't measured anything but my guess is the 246 is outputting .7v despite the dip switches indicating that it could do 3v. That would mean this game just doesn't obey the dips, and having a Namco IO and HAS in the path was reducing the voltage yet another step.

Now the lightgun tracks because I have an Extron between the Namco 246C, and it's combining H-sync and V-Sync and outputting Csync. So the Namco 246C is also outputting RGBHV despite the manual's schematic, and any dip switch settings that are usually generally available. Previously the Namco IO was handling the conversion to Csync.

(...now to set up a 2nd one...)

 

[rewrite]

thanks @rewrite

Nooooo problem!

I'm glad it's up and running!

 

[twistedsymphony]

That would mean this game just doesn't obey the dips, and having a Namco IO and HAS in the path was reducing the voltage yet another step.

I've been able to confirm that the games can indeed decide to ignore the dips, including the voltage level output.

The patch for RRV that disables the hardware check also seems to disable the dips and it forces it into the lower voltage mode no matter what.