RP4 on 15kHz arcade cabinet : how to properly set TATE games resolution?

Nevohteeb

Hello everyone,

I am using retropie 4.6 on a RP4 inside my arcade cabinet through the JAMMA connector.
The RGB signal comes from the GPIO of course through a home-made GERT VGA 666 (just a video DAC after all...) adapter.

My monitor is an Hantarex MTC9110 (15kHz monitor) and I am using a classic 240p mode for emulstation as follows:

dtoverlay=vga666
disable_audio_dither=1
enable_dpi_lcd=1
display_default_lcd=1
hdmi_ignore_edid=1
dpi_group=2
dpi_mode=87
hdmi_timings=320 1 20 20 44 240 1 6 7 10 0 0 0 60 0 6400000 1
gpu_mem_256=128
gpu_mem_512=256
gpu_mem_1024=256

I try to set the best (ie original) resolutions per game by using the opt/retropie/configs/all/retroarch/config/MAME\ 2003-Plus/<game_name>.cfg files.
So far, I managed to set the 384x240 mode for CPS2 using the following lines:

aspect_ratio_index = "23"
custom_viewport_width = "384"
custom_viewport_height = "224"
video_threaded = "false"

The result is absolutely great, even if I have to resize the image using the H-amp, H-shift, V-amp and V-shift potentiometer that are on the monitor. This is ok, it reminds me when I had real arcade PCBs :).

Nevertheless, problems come when it turns to play TATE games which are not in 320x240 resolution. As examples, Ketsui, Dodonpachi daioujou, ESP Galuda... are in 448x224.
I tried the following file:

video_allow_rotate = "true"
video_rotation = 2
video_scale_integer = "false"
aspect_ratio_index = "23"
custom_viewport_width = "448"
custom_viewport_height = "224"
video_threaded = "false"

In this case, I can see that the definition is the good one. The image is clear, and the scrolling is smooth. But the image is too big for my screen. Ok, then I try adjust it thanks to the potentiometer and here is the surprise :

if I use the H-amp potentiometer, I find that the image is cropped!
if I sue the H-shift potentiometer, I can make the missing part of the image appear, but of course, I then hide another part of the image on the other side of the screen.

I put two pictures as an illustration of my problem.

So, did someone manage to play that kind of game in the original (224x448) resolution using an RP4/GertVGA666/arcade monitor? (like me...) and how?

Rion

@Nevohteeb I haven't tested with a rpi4.
I'm using scripts from RetroPie CRT Edition for the Pi3b+ for my MX7000 and MX4000. The MX4000 is exclusively used for Tate Mode .

Nevohteeb

Hi Rion,

I'll give that a try, thx.

Nevohteeb

Hello everyone,

there must be something I do not do well or I do not understand.

Actually, I manage to change the resolution by using the vcgencmd. It actually works under emulstation (I can see the difference between old/new resolution).
Nevertheless, as soon as I launch any game, the screen remains black. I don't even see the launch message (the white strip with the name of the emulator, I guess you know the one.).

I also tried to use the run command-onstart/onend.sh scripts. Same problem.

mitu

Can you post your onstart script ?

Nevohteeb

@mitu said in RP4 on 15kHz arcade cabinet : how to properly set TATE games resolution?:

Can you post your onstart script ?

Here it is :

vcgencmd hdmi_timings 384 1 75 32 115 224 1 14 10 18 0 0 0 60 0 9600000 1                                                                                                                                      
tvservice -e "DMT 87"                                                                                                                                                                                          
fbset -depth 8 && fbset -depth 16 -xres 384 -yres 224

The hdmi_timings here are just an example.

mitu

tvservice doesn't function correctly on a Pi4 - since it use a new set of drivers and tvservice doesn't know about the DRM/KMS layer.

Nevohteeb

Well, I indeed read that somewhere, but what I do not understand is that if I just write the aforementioned script under another name, let's say "set_video.sh", I actually see the image changing, which makes me think the resolution changed.

Then, is there another way to modify the resolution on the fly ?

mitu

@Nevohteeb said in RP4 on 15kHz arcade cabinet : how to properly set TATE games resolution?:

Then, is there another way to modify the resolution on the fly ?

AFAIK, only if you're running under X and using xrandr to create new resolutions and change them on the fly. Not sure you'll get 100% the same functionality as tvservice offered on previous Pi models.

Nevohteeb

@mitu said in RP4 on 15kHz arcade cabinet : how to properly set TATE games resolution?:

tvservice doesn't function correctly on a Pi4 - since it use a new set of drivers and tvservice doesn't know about the DRM/KMS layer.

Just one question about that: if tvsercice does not work on RPI 4, why is it mentioned in the documentation here : https://www.raspberrypi.org/documentation/configuration/hdmi-config.md

Even for RPI 4.

mitu

@Nevohteeb tvservice still works when you're not using the v3d KMS/DRM driver, but then you'll loose all the 3D/GL functionality - not a very usable system for RetroPie and the emulators included.
Maybe the documentation needs updated to specify the Pi4 limitations for tvservice.

Nevohteeb

Ok, well, thx. :)
I guess I should downgrade to RPI 3 then.

Nevohteeb

@mitu said in RP4 on 15kHz arcade cabinet : how to properly set TATE games resolution?:

tvservice doesn't function correctly on a Pi4 - since it use a new set of drivers and tvservice doesn't know about the DRM/KMS layer.

I installed retropie on a RPI3 and I still have the same message.

[E] Failed to power on HDMI with explicit settings (DMT mode 87)

mitu

@Nevohteeb You'll have to provide the complete command that gives this error - maybe the video mode you're trying to set is not correct ?

Nevohteeb

@mitu

Hi mitu,

it happens when i do:

vcgencmd hdmi_timings 320 1 16 30 34 240 1 2 3 22 0 0 0 60 0 6400000 1                                                                                                                                    
tvservice -e "DMT 87"

Actually, the hdmi_timings are good. The problematic part is the tvservice one.

mitu

From the looks of it, tvservice may be trying to power on the actual HDMI port. Do you have configured the PI to output to GPIO by default ?

enable_dpi_lcd=1
display_default_lcd=1

Nevohteeb

This is the results of vcgencmd get_config int.
enable_dpi_lcd and display_default_lcd are set to 1.

arm_freq=1500
audio_pwm_mode=514
config_hdmi_boost=5
core_freq=500
core_freq_min=200
disable_audio_dither=1
disable_commandline_tags=2
disable_l2cache=1
display_default_lcd=1
display_hdmi_rotate=-1
display_lcd_rotate=-1
dpi_group=2
dpi_mode=87
enable_dpi_lcd=1
enable_gic=1
force_eeprom_read=1
force_pwm_open=1
framebuffer_ignore_alpha=1
framebuffer_swap=1
gpu_freq=500
gpu_freq_min=250
init_uart_clock=0x2dc6c00
mask_gpu_interrupt0=1024
mask_gpu_interrupt1=0x10000
max_framebuffers=2
over_voltage_avs=-23750
overscan_scale=1
pause_burst_frames=1
program_serial_random=1
total_mem=4096
hdmi_force_cec_address:0=65535
hdmi_force_cec_address:1=65535
hdmi_ignore_edid_audio:0=1
hdmi_pixel_freq_limit:0=0x11e1a300
hdmi_pixel_freq_limit:1=0x11e1a300