How to Make Scandoubler FX MiSTer Config Dependent

[naylord]

Hello,

I use my MiSTer on 3 displays. A 31 Khz PC crt is my preferred way where I use VGA and forced scandoubler. I like to use scandoubler effects to get a great scanline effect. I also use a consumer 15Khz CRT via component as well. I also have my OLED via hdmi.

When moving from my PC CRT to my OLED, the scandoubler effects look really gross with a terrible unconvincing CRT line which I simply disable, but on my consumer CRT it's much worse, because even though I have seperate mister ini files I can switch between to turn forced on/off and I can swap between them blind using the back + arrow key, the scandoubler FX settings are not connected to this change. So when I switch to my consumer CRT, I'll hit back + down to get to a config that gives a stable correct picture, but then when I enter the core the scandoubler FX being on causes the image to be incorherent. So now I need to disable scandoubler FX completely blind since the picture on screen is incoherent.

[FoxbatStargazer]

This isn't easy to do but there's probably some video config files for each core that could be swapped with a script.

The other approach is to make something usuable on the PC monitor with the scaler using vga_scaler=1. You can get better scanline effects this way while leaving scandoubler off. If you're using alternate inis already you can have the resolutions be different for the VGA monitor vs OLED.

If you prefer the perfect sharpness of scandoubler, I've found you can get that same sharpness using the scaler if you get the resolutions to perfect integer multiples in both directions and turn off scaling filters (use the apeture grille shadow mask instead.) But that is quite the deep rabbit hole to set up for every core.

[naylord]

If you prefer the perfect sharpness of scandoubler, I've found you can get that same sharpness using the scaler if you get the resolutions to perfect integer multiples in both directions and turn off scaling filters (use the apeture grille shadow mask instead.) But that is quite the deep rabbit hole to set up for every core.

This sounds like you're speaking from experience, do you happent to just have your perfectly made config file?

[FoxbatStargazer]

I didn't bother to go through every core.

Something like this for genesis, which is a compromise resolution for 256x224 and 320x224:

Code: Select all

[Genesis]
video_mode=1280,1344,60,cvt

[MegaCD]
video_mode=1280,1344,60,cvt

Use vscale_mode=0 and vga_scaler=1, in the core menu set aspect ratio = full and turn off any filters for max sharpness. You can try some shadow masks, I recommend apeture grille for some nice scanlines.

Atrac's integer modelines might also be a starting resource for more cores. Its perfect integer scales designed primarily for scaling with 4K TVs, but should work for VGA monitors with some modification. (try the simpler format above, without needing all the timing info.)