Has Anyone Used This DELL Monitor with MiSTer?

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JudgeDrokk
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Has Anyone Used This DELL Monitor with MiSTer?

Unread post by JudgeDrokk »

Has anyone used this monitor with MiSTerFPGA?

"Dell P1917S 19" 1280x1024 IPS "

Technically its 5:4,as most supposed 4:3 monitors these days seem to be, would this give a slight top/bottom border?

I'd be using this via HDMI for MiSTer as a replacement for a wide ACER which displays sideborders with MiSTer to replicate a 4:3 image but no top/bottom borders.

Any opinion or experience of this screen or other available 4:3 / 5:4 LCDs is welcome or suggestion of "best setting" if you have this monitor.

Thanks!

DevilHunterWolf
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Re: Has Anyone Used This DELL Monitor with MiSTer?

Unread post by DevilHunterWolf »

https://www.dell.com/en-al/work/shop/ct ... 7s-monitor

Response Time:
6 ms (gray to gray - fast mode)
8 ms (gray to gray -normal mode)

Well from Dell's own page about this monitor, might not respond as well as some monitors for retro but not horrible at its best of 6ms. Not sure if this "fast mode" is selectable in the monitor's own menu or what the monitor is giving up to go into that mode. If it's anything like a typical TV's game mode, some clarity will be given up for the better response. But given that MiSTer is good at cutting down latency (especially if you can run in low lag modes), it might not feel bad to play on. But that's going to depend on your own preferences. Won't know until you test it and decide for yourself. If you already have it, then no harm in making an alt config and just going for it.

The 5:4 is another thing that's going to depend on your preferences. I personally like a good pixel perfect scaling so there would definitely be empty space above and below if it were me. In fact, that's what I use on my Arcade1Up converted cab and that's got a 5:4 screen. That just goes with the territory of scaling it accurate / more accurate. But some people prefer an image to fill the screen, even if it means a bit of image stretching. Heck some go as far to want 4:3 stretched to 16:9 despite how much that affects the graphics. But the great thing about MiSTer is that you have options for whatever you want. Stretch it if you want or scale it if you want. Two people will have their own opinions on if it looks fine or bad stretched.

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JudgeDrokk
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Re: Has Anyone Used This DELL Monitor with MiSTer?

Unread post by JudgeDrokk »

DevilHunterWolf wrote: Wed Dec 21, 2022 5:57 am

https://www.dell.com/en-al/work/shop/ct ... 7s-monitor

Response Time:
6 ms (gray to gray - fast mode)
8 ms (gray to gray -normal mode)

Well from Dell's own page about this monitor, might not respond as well as some monitors for retro but not horrible at its best of 6ms. Not sure if this "fast mode" is selectable in the monitor's own menu or what the monitor is giving up to go into that mode. If it's anything like a typical TV's game mode, some clarity will be given up for the better response. But given that MiSTer is good at cutting down latency (especially if you can run in low lag modes), it might not feel bad to play on. But that's going to depend on your own preferences. Won't know until you test it and decide for yourself. If you already have it, then no harm in making an alt config and just going for it.

The 5:4 is another thing that's going to depend on your preferences. I personally like a good pixel perfect scaling so there would definitely be empty space above and below if it were me. In fact, that's what I use on my Arcade1Up converted cab and that's got a 5:4 screen. That just goes with the territory of scaling it accurate / more accurate. But some people prefer an image to fill the screen, even if it means a bit of image stretching. Heck some go as far to want 4:3 stretched to 16:9 despite how much that affects the graphics. But the great thing about MiSTer is that you have options for whatever you want. Stretch it if you want or scale it if you want. Two people will have their own opinions on if it looks fine or bad stretched.

Thanks for your words. I have the monitor now and am very pleased with it.

The response 6/8ms is selectable in the regular menu.

I have two wide monitors including a ACER 'gaming monitor' that have ben used with MiSTer extensivley and this feels no less reponsive to my senses.
I wanted a 'square' monitor to replace those as it never felt right to have a 4:3 picture inside a 16:9 screen... and this became available via a seller, unused, for half its current Amazon price.
It also has a 'tate feature which one of my wide monitors has which I enjoyed on MiSter although on a wide monitor the screen became rather tall indeed!

MiSter as you said has wonderful scaling options and everything scales up or down perfectly, black bars where they should be to give the correct aspect ratio.

I have a MEGA65 too, the C64 core on that has a 5:4@50 or 4:3 (or 16:9!) picture option where black bars keep the aspect ratio in order.
The monitor does not have a 4:3 option in it's setiings (unlike my wide monitors) so the native 4:3 picture when used in MEGA65 mode fills the screen, but it looks 'right', I've run through lots of software in this mode and I don't sense or feel any stretching when compared to a wide monitor scaling to a 4:3 picture with bars, and i'm sensitive to that - I shudder when see a Commodore64 screen stretched to 16:9.

I've played with various 'video processing' options and found presets that really suite this screen, giving a really natural, pleasing look, without over saturation.

I remembered to replace my desktop wallpapers on MiSTer with a 5:4 JPEGs too ٩(̾●̮̮̃̾•̃̾)۶ .

Thanks again - have a good Christmas!

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Re: Has Anyone Used This DELL Monitor with MiSTer?

Unread post by grizzly »

JudgeDrokk wrote: Fri Dec 23, 2022 12:20 pm

I shudder when see a Commodore64 screen stretched to 16:9.

Doesn't anyone with at least half an eye do that ;)

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