MiSTer FPGA Forum

Hey, I have a problem with my mister, I am unable to launch certain cores (Genesis, GB, GB2p, turbographx16, Mega CD) via the Direct Video adapter on my PVM.

All those core work normally via classic HDMI.

I bought all my hardware from an "official" reseller and bought 2 different direct video adapters from "official" resellers, one in UK and one in Portugal. My cable is a VGA to SCART with the added resistor.

So only Snes, PSX and few Arcade cores work (which is normal because Jotego cores don't still work with Direct video).
I haven't found a solution to this problem for almost a month.
I tried several configs, modification of ini file of resolution, scandoubler, directvideo=0, sync ect... but nothing works. Can anyone help me please?

Try again with a clean config and settings from here: https://github.com/MiSTer-devel/Main_Mi ... -CRT-Guide

If that fails then it might be a case when certain combo of a Direct Video dongle and/or cable and/or Trinitron does not work with some cores. Though the ones you listed aren't the usual suspects so it's rather strange. Is it really only SNES/PSX/Arcade that work, or you haven't tried other cores (eg microcomputers?)

Actually, if it's a PVM, it might need some special sync accomodation. DO you have a manual for it?

Thanks for the quick answer, I've already restarted at least a dozen times from clean settings and followed the guide provided by this link but it didn't solve my problem. I read the user manual for my PVM but nothing about sync accomodation, It is a PVM 2130QM capable of displaying 50 and 60hz with Scart and BNC (PAL, NTSC) all pots are for picture size or thing like that (Colors ect..)
I tested all computers & consoles cores, here are results:

ALICEMC10: rolling screen
ALTAIR8800: rolling screen
Amstrad:KO Black screen
Amstrad PCW: KO Blank screen whith weird rolling
Apogee: KO Black Screen and awefull sound
Apple I: Little Artifact
Archie: BIG Black borders but picture
Atari ST: KO BLack Screen
BBC Micro: KO Black screen awfull sound
Coco3: Ok but wierd colored lines on right and blinking screen
EDSAC: KO Black screen
Galaksija Rolling screen
Lynx48: ok but lines appears and blinking screen
Mac Plus: 3 split screen
Minimig: KO Black Screen and awefull sound
MSX: KO Black Screen and awefull sound
Multicomp: 2 split screen
Orad: 6 split screen
PC88: 2split screen
PDP1: rolling screen
PMD85: Blinking Screen
QL: KO Black Screen and awefull sound
SamCoupe: KO Black Screen and awefull sound
SharpMZ: KO distorded Picture
Specialist: KO Black Screen and awefull sound
Svi328: KO Black Screen
Vector-06C: Rolling Lines
VIC120: KO Black Screen and awefull sound
X68000: Image distorded by vertical lines
ZX Next: Lines on right screen and blinking every 3/4 sec

All other cores works.

Console tests:
Arcadia: KO (kind of lines moving)
Channel F: image but lines on right (kind of lines moving)
Gameboy (and 2P): KO awefull sound
Genesis: KO Black Screen and awefull sound
MEGA CD: KO Black Screen and awefull sound
Odyssey: screen is blinking severy 4 sec with strange lines
VC4000: distorded lines
Vectrex: image but sync problms

All other cores works.

Most of these cores works fine on 15kHz CRTs (I use both consumer & PVM sets) for example Genesis on Trinitorn connected via VGA-SCART cable and on a PVM via VGA-BNC one. So it must be something with your setup. There are few sync-sensitive cores (eg Atari ST) which might not work with some cables/sets but definitely not so many.

PVMs often have separate sync inputs hence my remark. It could be that standard MiSTer cable is not enough for your PVM, or maybe it has some other esoteric gotchas. You can try this resource: https://www.retrogamingcables.co.uk/son ... nformation Yours is listed as not needing special cables, so not sure what's up. You can email that seller, or this one too (very helpful), and ask about solution for your particular setup.

Another two threads to check:
viewtopic.php?f=33&t=3553
viewtopic.php?t=2617

Ok, i'll dug on this way, the first owner of my pvm used an analog I/O board and was 100% working with BNC cables. By the way, i buy a mister for replace all my consoles who works perfectly on my pvm and want to use direct video output to use my 2nd SDRAM... Your first link (that seller) not working, i'll ask them. I read before both threads you linked and already ask my reseller who said the cable i owned was ok... Thanks for all informations.

Have you tried to adjust horizontal sync in service menu? I had similar symptons than you after i used that setting wrongly to shift picture horizontally. Though i have vga>scart>bnc cables and Olympus OEV 203 pvm.

It's an old PVM (1984), no service menu at all ^^, only some pots to turn directly on boards after release the back of the CRT. I'll check this tomorow and i'll make a feedback :p

I searched this way @raleigh but nothing, found my pot (no need to open the CRT) on the back of the PVM for horizontal sync but nothing happens just a white line that went straight instead of wavy.

@akeley I found some info about some cores that forced the VGA scaler, maybe the problem could be here?
Or maybe change my resolution, I saw that we can also configure each core with this kind of lines:

[Core Name]
vga_scaler=0
fb_terminal=0
vsync_adjust=1
video_mode=512,38,66,64,224,12,20,6,10689

for the last line, I don't understand exactly what numbers mean.
If, yes where exactly on the ini files put these info?

To use video_modes you mostly will need specific modelines for each core, you can't just use any of them. So you'd need some specifically for the cores which give you trouble, but I doubt it'd help anyway.
There are some examples in that guide I linked (see Custom Video Modes). You put them at the end of the mister.ini. You can try and see if any match the cores that don't work for you now. Otherwise you'd have to make a new one, eg for Genesis.

Btw, some of these cores you listed don't work for 15kHz at all (only 31khZ or HDMI) so no point trying them. Eg, Vectrex or Mac Plus. Check this list to see which cores should work on 15kHz sets.

In fact nothing changes, try different video mode... maybe i try to change my cables but i doubdt it will work. Or ill forgive the idea of 2 SDRAM modules an buy analog I/O board. Im so disapointed cuz when you read some posts on forums, Digital video adapter is "graal" for crts but was for me the begening of problems.

Which hdmi to vga adapter are you using?

The no branded one from ultimatemister.com the EU "official" reseller

Wabbajack wrote: ↑Thu Mar 31, 2022 12:26 pm I'm so disapointed cuz when you read some posts on forums, Digital video adapter is "graal" for crts but was for me the begening of problems.

That's because it works fine for majority people. You have just been unlucky and encountered an exception (whatever it is). They are possible in the CRT world since we're connecting new hardware to old tech via various hacky means.

If you really need that 2 SDRAM setup, you can try one of the VGA2SCART adapters, they're not that expensive.

I totally understand,
I'll try this, i need to buy vga to scart, 1 vga cable & a scart to scart?
But i need to keep my direct video adapter?

The connection I'm using is MiSTer >> Direct Video adapter >> VGA-VGA cable >> VGA2SCART >> SCART-SCART cable >> Trinitron TV.
For VGA2SCART I use UMSA (~40E) but there are other options listed in the guide.

This helps with my problematic cores. But it might not work for you, since the cores you named as KO actually work on my setup using even a standard VGA-SCART cable, so maybe your problem is different. Perhaps better option would be just to get the analog I/O board, because 2xSDRAM setup is really not needed at the moment. If it ever is, you can sell the analogue I/O and get the digital one.

Yeah, so back to square one^^
If i'm not wrong, lot of psx game need 2 sdram for audio stuffs, and future jaguar core too..

Update: i buy a vga to bnc cable, it can maybe fix my troubles. Yeah impossible to give up :p
For psx, make my own searches and second sdram is needed for reduce audio latency, bandwidth of de-nano 10 is not enough to get perfect latency thats why 2nd gpio sdram module is needed to send more information at same time whatever sdram 1 size. Anyway 1 sdram module is enough to run psx core with normally inaudible latency for human being.
For Saturn and jaguar 2nd sdRAM will be necessary.

Wabbajack wrote: ↑Sat Apr 02, 2022 5:20 am For Saturn and jaguar 2nd sdRAM will be necessary.

Have you got a source for this?

Check scandoubler is disabled in each cores menu

I misunderstood, by bad, English is not my native language. For now Atari Jaguar and saturn use 2 sdram.
For saturn, the core dev made a major step forward and work for a single module usage. For jaguar, lot of people have work on it but each on their side, and kitrinx is working on the project. i only found speaking about 2 ram module...
I already checked for scandoubler...

Wabbajack wrote: ↑Sat Apr 02, 2022 11:24 am I misunderstood, by bad, English is not my native language. For now Atari Jaguar and saturn use 2 sdram.

Yeah, that's a better wording Basically, we don't know if the 2xSDRAM will ever be necessary, but people are rushing and buying it already...

Well, I have huge good news (for me), I bought a new direct video adapter, and guess what? All my problems are gone!!! This one gives me a brighter, colorful and sharper image. All non-working cores work like a charm (genesis, TurboGrafx..)! Even CPS-1, 1.5 and CPS-2 cores work with direct video! I am so impressed! If you own a sony pvm (2130qm or whatever) or a conventional crt and you are in the eu, don't buy some shitty cheap adapter from ultimatemister.com which is supposed to give you the best hardware for your mister. I bought one of much better quality for 4€ cheaper. I will finally be able to enjoy my mister in the best possible conditions.
Problem solved !

I suppose that adapter from ultimatemister works well for most people, otherwise he wouldn't sell it - it's your monitor that is an exception.

But if the one you bought is even more compatible then that's great. Can you post a link to it?

Wabbajack wrote: ↑Tue Apr 05, 2022 1:20 pm Well, I have huge good news (for me), I bought a new direct video adapter, and guess what? All my problems are gone!!! This one gives me a brighter, colorful and sharper image. All non-working cores work like a charm (genesis, TurboGrafx..)! Even CPS-1, 1.5 and CPS-2 cores work with direct video! I am so impressed! If you own a sony pvm (2130qm or whatever) or a conventional crt and you are in the eu, don't buy some shitty cheap adapter from ultimatemister.com which is supposed to give you the best hardware for your mister. I bought one of much better quality for 4€ cheaper. I will finally be able to enjoy my mister in the best possible conditions.
Problem solved !

Dongles are not a pretty solution. We started new custom cables, a single cable with chip AG6200 for direct video, no dongles. Will have 3 types of cables one for SCART, 1084s and other for BNC with full range of colors. We will ship some for beta testing, I would be happy to send you one for test on your TV or PVM.

Hi rickdangerous,
I acquired a new CRT 3 days ago, a Bang & Olufsen MX7000, and I was also able to perform tests on a friend's JVC crt with my 2 dongles. The ultimatemister one didn't work on the JVC or the b&o displaying only a black screen and worked on the Sony pvm with all the problems I mentioned in the previous messages.
The new one I owned is from Ugreen and is available on amazon at around 15€ including shipping costs (to answer akelay) with very good finishes. It worked on the 3 crt from the first boot without any issues.
The previous message was not to discredit ultimatemister where I bought many parts for my mister which I am very happy with (except for the direct video adapter), but it is an observation that allows possibly propose a solution for people who have the same problem as me. I will be happy to test your new cable and give my feedback. This can be an even more appropriate solution to avoid less aesthetic adapters than a simple cable.

I know, I personally hate the dongle solution, and since last year I've been thinking in a all-in-one solution but not easy to source AG6200.

1 single cable with full range 24bit color, no need external audio plug, aesthetic better and correct resistor inside for scart monitors.