Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Arcade monitor adjustment questions

Options
  • 29-06-2020 8:52pm
    #1
    Colonel Panic
    Registered Users Posts: 2,015 ✭✭✭


    I'm at the point where I'm getting my new cabinet dialled in. My main usage is going to be a MiSTer connected via JPAC and the bits have started arriving.

    So, some assorted monitor questions:

    Can I twist the pots under the front of the monitor without worrying about electrocuting myself? One of the pots is bent up a little so I can't get at it with a screwdriver directly!

    I've also noticed the H-Pos adjustment isn't like the rest of the adjustment knobs.

    I also find that the screen is a bit blurry, and it feels like the bottom few inches is worse, but when I put up a Neo Geo test grid, it seems alright all round.

    Would adjusting the focus on the flyback help here?

    I've attached some images of Mario on the top and bottom of the screen to show what I mean about the blur


Comments

  • Options
    #2
    o1s1n
    Registered Users Posts: 34,429 ✭✭✭✭o1s1n
    Master of the Universe


    Have you got a little remote board at the front of the cabinet to dial in the pots yeah?

    That's actually super handy. It's there to easily change the monitor about when plugging in different boards as they can all vary. One of my cabinets doesn't have one, so to do adjustments like that you've to use a mirror in front of the monitor and have to climb into the back of it.

    As long as you don't touch the anode cap on the back of the tube or the red HV cable coming out of it you'll be fine. (and you'll only really be going in near that if you're working in the back of the machine)

    CPS2 games have a fantastic set of colour bars and geometry things you can throw up to adjust everything.

    If you have it hooked up to a PC and can play consoles, then give 240p test suit a go.


  • Options
    #3
    o1s1n
    Registered Users Posts: 34,429 ✭✭✭✭o1s1n
    Master of the Universe


    Regarding the blur, what's your source?

    Have you tried a regular jamma board (and is it happening with that too?)


  • Options
    #4
    Colonel Panic
    Registered Users Posts: 2,015 ✭✭✭Colonel Panic


    Yeah, there's one of those things on the front, so yay, I'll adjust away!

    My source is a MiSTer FPGA connected via VGA to a JPAC.

    When using an MVS with Puzzle Bobble (my only real game right now), it's not as pronounced, although when I fire up the grid in it's test mode, you can see it *slightly* in the bars at the bottom.

    I can load 240p test suite in the SNES core for MiSTer and use that for adjustments.


  • Options
    #5
    geotrig
    Registered Users Posts: 1,719 ✭✭✭geotrig


    Yeah you can twits the pots, better of turning all down and working up on a good test pattern, neo geo one is alright not the best,but as oisin says cps2 has a better one.
    The h size coil is best adjusted sparingly, and if only needed don't force it and only makes minor adjustments especially on the aero, it need a special tool that should be in it or you can use an allen key but only if the cab is off,the ferrite core makes the Allen key hot, for some reason aero s h size coil and some other older cabs too , I hate them.
    I'd personally only adjust the focus pot if once all other pots adjusted and still showing blurry.


  • Options
    #6
    geotrig
    Registered Users Posts: 1,719 ✭✭✭geotrig


    The blurriness could be due to some pots being turn up too much

    https://wiki.arcadeotaku.com/w/How_to_Correctly_Set_Up_Monitor_Colours_and_Brightness
    Decentish guide here on the concept of setting it up, but just accordingly to what's needed.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #7
    Colonel Panic
    Registered Users Posts: 2,015 ✭✭✭Colonel Panic


    Yeah, I was wondering about the H-Size adjustment! I'll leave alone unless required. Likewise the focus adjustment!

    It's all a learning experience!


  • Options
    #8
    geotrig
    Registered Users Posts: 1,719 ✭✭✭geotrig


    Although I've no knowledge of mister , I vaguely remember something about somebody before running a nes maybe snes and having a similar issue re picture quality on arcade cab and generally being low brightness output and with all pots turned up causing a blurry image as well , I could be mixing up a rake of different issues o\ though lol


  • Options
    #9
    geotrig
    Registered Users Posts: 1,719 ✭✭✭geotrig


    Colonel Panic wrote: »
    Yeah, I was wondering about the H-Size adjustment! I'll leave alone unless required. Likewise the focus adjustment!

    It's all a learning experience!
    the h size coil, it's just bloody useless on aeros in general anyway. If you google it you'll get multiple matches on it.


  • Options
    #10
    Colonel Panic
    Registered Users Posts: 2,015 ✭✭✭Colonel Panic


    It would definitely be easier if I had more real boards. I will over time!


  • Options
    #11
    eddhorse
    Registered Users Posts: 5,780 ✭✭✭eddhorse


    I recommend a 60 in 1 cheap jamma board that has a test pattern.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #12
    o1s1n
    Registered Users Posts: 34,429 ✭✭✭✭o1s1n
    Master of the Universe


    geotrig wrote: »
    Although I've no knowledge of mister , I vaguely remember something about somebody before running a nes maybe snes and having a similar issue re picture quality on arcade cab and generally being low brightness output and with all pots turned up causing a blurry image as well , I could be mixing up a rake of different issues o\ though lol

    That's more or less what I was thinking alright, could very much be the source

    I'd a streaky blurring on my CRTs from my PC Engine which looked like the monitors were borked but it was a grounding issue with the console itself.

    Having the brightness up too high can feck it up too alright and cause blurring and streaks.

    Some people put too much focus on getting a brighter image with contrast/brightness knobs and forget about actual colour mixing with the colour pots.

    As you said, start with them all off and dial it in that way
    . Theres a fantastic step by step guide on one of the arcade wikis - I think it was arcade otaku?

    Edit: I see it's already been posted :)


  • Options
    #13
    Gradius
    Registered Users Posts: 1,224 ✭✭✭Gradius


    Go for a run and work up a real dripping sweat (the salt in the sweat protects against electricity).

    Strip down to the nip, flick on the power, stand on a metal tray and reach in behind the monitor. Make sure you're at a strange angle so you have to stretch awkwardly.

    Run your fingers along the chassis traces checking for bumps. if you want to speed things up, steady the yoke on the monitor between your sweaty ear and shoulder, like holding a phone hands-free.

    Let us know if you find anything strange and we'll go from there :)


  • Options
    #14
    Colonel Panic
    Registered Users Posts: 2,015 ✭✭✭Colonel Panic


    Looking at how the SNES output signal vs Neo Geo, I don’t think I’d ever be able to switch between them easily. They’re slightly different even via an OSSC and VGA.

    Gonna park the tweaks until the weekend, feels like I’ll need a good run at it!!


  • Options
    #15
    o1s1n
    Registered Users Posts: 34,429 ✭✭✭✭o1s1n
    Master of the Universe


    Snes on a cab? you mentalist :D

    I find Neo Geo, CPS1 and CPS2 all have a similar output/screen placement so generally try to align to that setup with my monitors as the default.

    It can be tricky to get right though, I've six arcade PCBs in my vertical cabinet and trying to find a happy medium for all the games really was something else!


  • Options
    #16
    Colonel Panic
    Registered Users Posts: 2,015 ✭✭✭Colonel Panic


    You're not the first person to say that! It was just to test out the MiSTer SNES core, honest...

    Good to hear Neo and CPS2 are similar, that's where my interests lie, well, for horizontal games.


  • Options
    #17
    The Last Bandit
    Registered Users Posts: 3,717 ✭✭✭The Last Bandit


    o1s1n wrote: »
    Snes on a cab? you mentalist :D

    SNES is very popular in cabs judging by the amount of adapters I've sold !! Definitely more than Megadrive anyway and PC-Engine oddly enough.


  • Options
    #18
    eddhorse
    Registered Users Posts: 5,780 ✭✭✭eddhorse


    The Last Bandit wrote: »
    SNES is very popular in cabs judging by the amount of adapters I've sold !! Definitely more than Megadrive anyway and PC-Engine oddly enough.

    The Last Bandits JammaCon FTW.
    I was looking at a twitch stream the other night, a guy in Murica with a Blast City.
    He was installing the new Splitfire. And beside it was the JammaCon from Last Bandit.
    He had high praise for it too as do I.


  • Options
    #19
    o1s1n
    Registered Users Posts: 34,429 ✭✭✭✭o1s1n
    Master of the Universe


    That's gas!

    Yeah they're a brill bit of kit, first time I've seen the concept actually done properly. Have used a few alternatives over the years and they were always rubbish.


  • Options
    #20
    Colonel Panic
    Registered Users Posts: 2,015 ✭✭✭Colonel Panic


    Wait, The Last Bandit makes those JammaCon kits? Awesome.


Advertisement