Unable to get VGA monitor working through HDMI

Discussion about displays and related hardware including MiSTer filters and video settings.
metalfacemark
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Unable to get VGA monitor working through HDMI

Unread post by metalfacemark »

Im at a bit of a loss, I cannot get my HDMI out to my VGA monitor at all.

HDMI works fine using regular TV.

This is my mister config.

Im totally stumped, ive tried a variety of HDMI to VGA convertors, I have had it working in the past but for the life of me i feel ive tried everything but im sure im missing something stupid.

Ive tried direct video 0,1, hdmi limited 0,1,2, vga scaler on/off, scan doubler on/off.


[MiSTer]
key_menu_as_rgui=0 ; set to 1 to make the MENU key map to RGUI in Minimig (e.g. for Right Amiga)
forced_scandoubler=1 ; set to 1 to run scandoubler on VGA output always (depends on core).
ypbpr=0 ; set to 1 for YPbPr on VGA output.
composite_sync=0 ; set to 1 for composite sync on HSync signal of VGA output.
vga_scaler=0 ; set to 1 to connect VGA to scaler output.
hdmi_audio_96k=0 ; set to 1 for 96khz/16bit HDMI audio (48khz/16bit otherwise)
keyrah_mode=0x18d80002 ; VIDPID of keyrah for special code translation (0x23418037 for Arduino Micro)
volumectl=0 ; enable audio volume control by multimedia keys
vscale_mode=0 ; 0 - scale to fit the screen height.
; 1 - use integer scale only.
; 2 - use 0.5 steps of scale.
; 3 - use 0.25 steps of scale.
vscale_border=0 ; set vertical border for TVs cutting the upper/bottom parts of screen (1-399)
;bootscreen=0 ; uncomment to disable boot screen of some cores like Minimig.
;mouse_throttle=10 ; 1-100 mouse speed divider. Useful for very sensitive mice
rbf_hide_datecode=0 ; 1 - hides datecodes from rbf file names. Press F2 for quick temporary toggle
menu_pal=0 ; 1 - PAL mode for menu core
hdmi_limited=2 ; 1 - use limited (16..235) color range over HDMI
; 2 - use limited (16..255) color range over HDMI, for VGA converters.
direct_video=1 ; 1 - enable core video timing over HDMI, use only with VGA converters.
fb_size=0 ; 0 - automatic, 1 - full size, 2 - 1/2 of resolution, 4 - 1/4 of resolution.
fb_terminal=0 ; 1 - enabled (default), 0 - disabled
osd_timeout=30 ; 5-3600 timeout (in seconds) for OSD to disappear in Menu core. 30 seconds if not set.
; Background picture will get darker after double timeout

; 1 - enables the recent file loaded/mounted.
; WARNING: This option will enable write to SD card on every load/mount which may wear the SD card after many writes to the same place
; There is also higher chance to corrupt the File System if MiSTer will be reset or powered off while writing.
recents=0

; lastcore - Autoboot the last loaded core (corename autosaved in CONFIG/lastcore.dat) first found on the SD/USB
; lastexactcore - Autoboot the last loaded exact core (corename_yyyymmdd.rbf autosaved in CONFIG/lastcore.dat) first found on the SD/USB
; corename - Autoboot first corename_*.rbf found on the SD/USB
; corename_yyyymmdd.rbf - Autoboot first corename_yyyymmdd.rbf found on the SD/USB
;bootcore=lastcore ; uncomment to autoboot a core, as the last loaded core.
bootcore_timeout=10 ; 10-30 timeout before autoboot, comment for autoboot without timeout.

; Option to load the custom font. Format is plain bitmap 8x8.
; Supported sizes of font:
; 768 bytes - chars 32-127 (only alpha + numeric)
; 1024 bytes - chars 0-127
; 1136 bytes - chars 0-141
; up to 2048 - only chars 0-141 will be used.
; if first 32 chars are empty (for sizes 1024 bytes and more) then they are skipped.
font=font/myfont.pf

; USER button emulation by keybaord. Usually it's reset button.
; 0 - lctrl+lalt+ralt (lctrl+lgui+rgui on keyrah)
; 1 - lctrl+lgui+rgui
; 2 - lctrl+lalt+del
; 3 - same as 0 (lctrl+lalt+ralt on keyrah)
reset_combo=0

dvi_mode=1 ; set to 1 for DVI mode. Audio won't be transmitted through HDMI in DVI mode.

; 0 - 1280x720@60
; 1 - 1024x768@60
; 2 - 720x480@60
; 3 - 720x576@50
; 4 - 1280x1024@60
; 5 - 800x600@60
; 6 - 640x480@60
; 7 - 1280x720@50
; 8 - 1920x1080@60
; 9 - 1920x1080@50
;10 - 1366x768@60
;11 - 1024x600@60
;12 - 1920x1440@60
;

video_mode=5

; set to 1-10 (seconds) to display video info on startup/change
video_info=3

; Set to 1 for automatic HDMI VSync rate adjust to match original VSync.
; Set to 2 for low latency mode (single buffer).
; This option makes video butter smooth like on original emulated system.
; Adjusting is done by changing pixel clock. Not every display supports variable pixel clock.
; For proper adjusting and to reduce possible out of range pixel clock, use 60Hz HDMI video
; modes as a base even for 50Hz systems.
vsync_adjust=1

; These parameters have the same format as video_mode.
; You need to supply both PAL and NTSC modes if you want vsync_adjust to switch between
; predefined modes as a base. This will reduce the range of pixel clock.
;video_mode_ntsc=5
;video_mode_pal=5
C-R-T
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Re: Unable to get VGA monitor working through HDMI

Unread post by C-R-T »

I broke it too once after fiddling around too much. I ended up throwing the ini away and starting anew. It worked right away, then. Direct video 1 and vga scaler 1 is the only thing I changed from default, I believe.
roel27
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Re: Unable to get VGA monitor working through HDMI

Unread post by roel27 »

The reason could also be your HDMI to VGA convertor. I have 4 of these and only one works.
What is your exact setup? This is my setup:

HDMI to VGA converter > VGA to Scart cable > Scart Adapter Breakout cable to BNC > Sony BVM
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mdd45
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Re: Unable to get VGA monitor working through HDMI

Unread post by mdd45 »

video_mode=5 why?

try:
video_mode=6
vscale_mode=1
fb_terminal=1

also it should work with vsync_adjust=2


i reported on github some sync issues with hdmi to vga with the 3 latest main releases too but i was able to fix my sync issues with composite_sync=0
metalfacemark
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Re: Unable to get VGA monitor working through HDMI

Unread post by metalfacemark »

mdd45 wrote: Thu Apr 15, 2021 4:49 pm video_mode=5 why?

try:
video_mode=6
vscale_mode=1
fb_terminal=1

also it should work with vsync_adjust=2


i reported on github some sync issues with hdmi to vga with the 3 latest main releases too but i was able to fix my sync issues with composite_sync=0
That was just the last mode i tried, ive tried them all :D

Ive ended up using a VGA adaptor, but i lose a bit of colour on my TV And monitor using this, would love recommend a good VGA splitter recommendation, ive gone through 3 so far and the only one that actually displays anything at all is the cheapo one i got from amazon.
metalfacemark
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Re: Unable to get VGA monitor working through HDMI

Unread post by metalfacemark »

roel27 wrote: Thu Apr 15, 2021 4:47 pm The reason could also be your HDMI to VGA convertor. I have 4 of these and only one works.
What is your exact setup? This is my setup:

HDMI to VGA converter > VGA to Scart cable > Scart Adapter Breakout cable to BNC > Sony BVM
HDMI to VGA cable straight to monitor.

Ive also tried a regular HDMI cable with a VGA to hdmi convertor (ive tried two seperate ones )

Literally tried everything i can think off, so it must be cable related.
Ikefix
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Re: Unable to get VGA monitor working through HDMI

Unread post by Ikefix »

roel27 wrote: Thu Apr 15, 2021 4:47 pm The reason could also be your HDMI to VGA convertor. I have 4 of these and only one works.
What is your exact setup? This is my setup:

HDMI to VGA converter > VGA to Scart cable > Scart Adapter Breakout cable to BNC > Sony BVM
Could you please share some details of the stuff?
And your init file?

I've searched for hours this solution!!! Front-page it!
roel27
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Re: Unable to get VGA monitor working through HDMI

Unread post by roel27 »

Ikefix wrote: Thu Jul 01, 2021 4:52 pm
roel27 wrote: Thu Apr 15, 2021 4:47 pm The reason could also be your HDMI to VGA convertor. I have 4 of these and only one works.
What is your exact setup? This is my setup:

HDMI to VGA converter > VGA to Scart cable > Scart Adapter Breakout cable to BNC > Sony BVM
Could you please share some details of the stuff?
And your init file?

I've searched for hours this solution!!! Front-page it!
Sorry late post, this is basically my ini file:

[MiSTer]
key_menu_as_rgui=0 ; set to 1 to make the MENU key map to RGUI in Minimig (e.g. for Right Amiga)
forced_scandoubler=0 ; set to 1 to run scandoubler on VGA output always (depends on core).
ypbpr=0 ; set to 1 for YPbPr on VGA output.
composite_sync=1 ; set to 1 for composite sync on HSync signal of VGA output.

vga_scaler=1 ; set to 1 to connect VGA to scaler output.
fb_terminal=1 ; 1 - enabled (default), 0 - disabled

hdmi_audio_96k=0 ; set to 1 for 96khz/16bit HDMI audio (48khz/16bit otherwise)
keyrah_mode=0x18d80002 ; VIDPID of keyrah for special code translation (0x23418037 for Arduino Micro)
vscale_mode=0 ; 0 - scale to fit the screen height.
; 1 - use integer scale only.
; 2 - use 0.5 steps of scale.
; 3 - use 0.25 steps of scale.
vscale_border=0 ; set vertical border for TVs cutting the upper/bottom parts of screen (1-399)
;bootscreen=0 ; uncomment to disable boot screen of some cores like Minimig.
;mouse_throttle=10 ; 1-100 mouse speed divider. Useful for very sensitive mice
rbf_hide_datecode=0 ; 1 - hides datecodes from rbf file names. Press F2 for quick temporary toggle
menu_pal=0 ; 1 - PAL mode for menu core
hdmi_limited=0 ; 1 - use limited (16..235) color range over HDMI
; 2 - use limited (16..255) color range over HDMI, for VGA converters.
direct_video=1 ; 1 - enable core video timing over HDMI, use only with VGA converters.
fb_size=0 ; 0 - automatic, 1 - full size, 2 - 1/2 of resolution, 4 - 1/4 of resolution.
osd_timeout=30 ; 5-3600 timeout (in seconds) for OSD to disappear in Menu core. 30 seconds if not set.
; Background picture will get darker after double timeout
Ikefix
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Re: Unable to get VGA monitor working through HDMI

Unread post by Ikefix »

Thanks×∞ Roel27
This is my final setup:

mha7ewsih7e71.jpg
mha7ewsih7e71.jpg (78.93 KiB) Viewed 1573 times

Tips:
A. You need to power the hdmi to vga converter
A.1 You may need some extra Amps for that (not may case), so the Jetson Nano PSU could be nice, or anything with a Jack ED 5.5mm ID 2.1mm, 5v, 3,4,5 amps should work
B. You do NOT need full sync (CSYNC), just HSYNC is enough, after that set extenal sync on your PVM, MVM or BVM. Let the other cable hanging on, it will be fine, 3BNC+CSYNC are hard to find, go for classic 5BNC conectors cable at least on France, EEUU may be different
C. As you said, at mister.ini file in root folder (commented by default or just inexistant in my case):
composite_sync=1
direct_video=1
made a difference

Cheers
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