Napalm2016 Posted March 1, 2017 Share Posted March 1, 2017 Hi Guys Just wanted abit of advice what is everyone using to display their superb emulation front end? I currently have a very cheap 19" monitor which I purchased quickly as the other one died on me, it looks like I might be getting a cab to fit upto a 32" monitor/TV is it better to get a monitor or TV? what type of connection VGA or DVI to HDMI? how does it look on the larger display? Thanks in advance great community and frontend Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SentaiBrad Posted March 2, 2017 Share Posted March 2, 2017 I use HDMI, and VGA / DVI have a resolution limitation. So if you wanted to go to a resolution as large as you can, then you would have to stick with HDMI. Since you're gonna be on a 32", is it 4:3 or 16:9? You can technically reach 720p and 1080p in a 4:3 setting, but "1080p" is harder than 720p, and that will still require an HDMI. You could easily convert the signal, but a digital to analog convertor are generally not cheap, at least if you're going old school (which I assumed you were). I think it would be better to go with an HDMI capable monitor. If you're wanting to game on it, get the nicest monitor you can, there's no reason not to. If your focus is solely on old video games, and re-creating that old CRT look, then sure, you can go with a CRT and Analog signals, but it will look much worse. With RetroArch and MESS, you can apply CRT shaders and filters to simulate that style if that's what you're after. HDMI is technically and objectively a better design, cable, connection and image quality. Going back to Analog has it's purposes if that's the intention. Even then, people are starting to mod old console to output HDMI. I personally have a 27" 1080p and a 23" 1080p screen. First one is a monitor, second one is a real tv (for physical consoles). I never stretch my games, unless they were made in 16:9, and i usually run them in a window. I almost never run it in a fullscreen for personal preference. So like I said, I would want to know what you want to achieve to give you a full answer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lordmonkus Posted March 2, 2017 Share Posted March 2, 2017 It's not a cheap option but in my opinion it is the best option and that is a high end G-Sync or Freesync monitor if you got a video card that supports it. I use an Asus ROG 27" 1440p G-Sync monitor and it is absolutely awesome for both normal PC gaming and emulation. For starters, because it is a high end gaming monitor the input lag on it is extremely low which is really good for old school games. Then because it is a G-Sync (and Freesync) you can turn off V-Sync which is an added source of input lag and you won't get any screen tearing which can be very distracting. Mame benefits greatly from G-Sync because many games run at odd ball refresh rates. If you use V-Sync with Mame many times you will be running games faster than they were intended to but G-Sync matches the monitor to the games speed making for a much more accurate experience. Going for a higher resolution and 27" is beneficial for a couple of reasons. The first is that 240p is an even fit to 1440 so you can use integer scaling without any black bars at the top and bottom and CRT shaders will space the scanlines properly. The second benefit is the higher pixel density makes CRT shaders look much better than 1080. G-Sync comes at a pretty steep price though but in my opinion it is worth it if you are willing to spend the money on it but is an Nvidia only technology. Freesync is a good alternative option and not quite as expensive if you have an AMD video card. My monitor was 1000$ Canadian after taxes and that was on sale, definitely not a cheap investment but I have no plans on replacing this monitor for a very long time, nor do I regret the money spent on it. If you don't want to commit to such a costly investment or lock yourself into a specific brand of video card then the BenQ series of gaming monitors are very good. They have very low latency which is really good for retro gaming. The previous statements about resolution and size still apply to these monitors as well but you will still have to use V-Sync to avoid screen tearing. The input latency is most definitely noticeable when compared to a TV. But in the end though it will come down to your budget and what you are willing to spend Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Napalm2016 Posted March 2, 2017 Author Share Posted March 2, 2017 Thanks for your replies both @SentaiBrad it will be 16:9 it will be primarily for emulation and I also have some old consoles I might want to connect upto it no modern console will be running on it I will have those on a separate setup, I have an Intel core i7 3770 cpu @ 3.80ghz with 16gb ram a AMD Radeon 7800 Series Graphics card which has 2gb ram which seems to run pretty much anything at full settings without issue although several years old now. I will intend playing some modern pc games but not many probably just the latest street fighter more than anything else, I guess graphics card would influence my decision? @lordmonkus yeah those asus monitors look real nice but like you say they seem quite pricey problem is with me is me I like the best stuff so usually end up caving I find a way to get what I want at the end of the day it would be staying around for a long time, what does the G-Sync actually mean/do? so I could benefit coming down in size with higher resolution that makes sense the cabinet will fit upto a 32" but doesnt mean I need to go that big Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lordmonkus Posted March 2, 2017 Share Posted March 2, 2017 The short version is G-Sync (and Freesync for AMD users) is it syncs your monitor to your games frame rate so you get all the benefits of V-Sync (no screen tearing) without any of the negative of V-Sync (input lag). If your game is running at 90 frames per second the monitor syncs to it and if the frame rate fluctuates the monitor adapts to it. Its gives a much smoother gameplay experience especially in modern games where your frame rate can vary if you aren't locked in at 60 fps 100% of the time. Where this really shines in Mame though is if you notice when you load a game and you see at the beginning info screen it will tell you what Hz the game is running at that is the speed the game is meant to be at and the monitor adapts to it. If you force V-Sync in Mame that means that often your games will be sped up to match the 60 Hz. The effect this has will depend on the game and the Hz it was originally designed to run at, Mortal Kombat is a prime example because that game runs around 50Hz. Keep in mind though that G-Sync is Nvidia tech so you have to have an Nvidia GPU that supports it to use it. Freesync is AMDs version of it and is cheaper but I cannot comment on how good it is in comparison but I believe it is just as good, you should do your own research on that to make sure if you decide to go down that route. I did say in my previous post though that the BenQ gaming monitors are very good choices if you decide not to go with G-Sync or Freesync. They are known for their extremely low input latency which is noticeable especially in a game like Street Fighter. On my TV playing Street Fighter I find it a bit more difficult to pull off combos but on my G-Sync monitor and emulators setup properly combos are easily performed because of the reduced input lag. There are no TVs that will match a good gaming Monitor for lag, even the best modern TVs will have far more. Here is the line of BenQ monitors on Newegg: https://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100160979 600030985 600030956 4814 50001583&IsNodeId=1&cm_sp=Tab_Gaming-Monitors_1-_-TopNav-_-Benq_6 I will just say this much, when I bought my monitor I was worried that it wasn't going to live up to my hopes for it considering the price but I have been extremely happy with my purchase and I have zero regrets with it. If you have the money and buying one won't put you out financially I can fully give my 2 thumbs up in approval for the Asus G-Sync. But it certainly is a lot of money and I did have some help buying it as a birthday present for myself split 3 ways. If I were to be buying a new monitor today and G-Sync / Freesync was not an option I would most certainly go for the BenQ because of their low input latency. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Napalm2016 Posted March 2, 2017 Author Share Posted March 2, 2017 Thanks for all the info good to know, I think Id probably be looking at the free sync in that case as I don't see any need to upgrading my graphics card as plays anything that I want it to and an added expense to replace, however the BenQ ones look nice also, I probably wont be getting one for a few months yet to save up and my man cave isn't ready yet so plenty of time for research, you have now given me a foothold to this research thanks for that guys much appreciated Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poisongoomba Posted March 2, 2017 Share Posted March 2, 2017 7 hours ago, Napalm2016 said: Thanks for your replies both @SentaiBrad it will be 16:9 it will be primarily for emulation and I also have some old consoles I might want to connect upto it no modern console will be running on it I will have those on a separate setup, I have an Intel core i7 3770 cpu @ 3.80ghz with 16gb ram a AMD Radeon 7800 Series Graphics card which has 2gb ram which seems to run pretty much anything at full settings without issue although several years old now. I will intend playing some modern pc games but not many probably just the latest street fighter more than anything else, I guess graphics card would influence my decision? @lordmonkus yeah those asus monitors look real nice but like you say they seem quite pricey problem is with me is me I like the best stuff so usually end up caving I find a way to get what I want at the end of the day it would be staying around for a long time, what does the G-Sync actually mean/do? so I could benefit coming down in size with higher resolution that makes sense the cabinet will fit upto a 32" but doesnt mean I need to go that big Man... If you are building a cabinet primarily to play old games, I would seriously stray away from 16:9 monitor. You should be able to score Craigslist for a 4:3 monitor very cheap. I was lucky and found a Dell 20" 4:3 monitor, which are relatively scarce at that size. (I believe the largest 4:3 ever produced was 21" and I am always on the lookout for one.) A 16:9 monitor is honestly an utter waste. The black bars on either side will always be there serving no purpose. I don't get these flashy Hyperspin setups with huge 16:9 monitors, only to load up a game and there be black bars on either side. I do agree with lordmonkus however on the freesync monitor argument. I also have an Asus 144hz and it is just spectacular... but I use it for modern games. Yes, the old monitors have a bit more noticeable input lag - but for me it works great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SentaiBrad Posted March 2, 2017 Share Posted March 2, 2017 You could always fill the sides with overlays, but yea, that's part of why I was asking the intention. It really depends on the setup, and what the goal is. 16:9 wont look bad, and if HDMI is needed, then a 4:3 with HDMI is harder to find than you'd think. You're certainly not getting an affordable CRT with HDMI. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gowayn Posted March 2, 2017 Share Posted March 2, 2017 If you want a 4:3 and 0 input lag buy a CRT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poisongoomba Posted March 2, 2017 Share Posted March 2, 2017 (edited) 13 minutes ago, SentaiBrad said: You could always fill the sides with overlays, but yea, that's part of why I was asking the intention. It really depends on the setup, and what the goal is. 16:9 wont look bad, and if HDMI is needed, then a 4:3 with HDMI is harder to find than you'd think. You're certainly not getting an affordable CRT with HDMI. The sell HDMI to DVI cables though. If you want a 4:3 and 0 input lag buy a CRT Then you run into issues with resolutions... Edited March 2, 2017 by poisongoomba Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SentaiBrad Posted March 2, 2017 Share Posted March 2, 2017 HDMI to DVI will introduce issues if you want the best quality. Color space and quality will change. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Napalm2016 Posted March 2, 2017 Author Share Posted March 2, 2017 I think for me personally I would want to go more modern screen than a CRT its the only desktop PC I currently have (setup at least) and may decide to play modern games on it to give me the choice, I guess I'm just looking for something that works well with old and new at the same time so somewhere in between I guess or am I asking too much? lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poisongoomba Posted March 2, 2017 Share Posted March 2, 2017 22 minutes ago, Napalm2016 said: I think for me personally I would want to go more modern screen than a CRT its the only desktop PC I currently have (setup at least) and may decide to play modern games on it to give me the choice, I guess I'm just looking for something that works well with old and new at the same time so somewhere in between I guess or am I asking too much? lol If you are using this as a desktop build than Yeah I would most definitely suggest a more modern display. 144hz monitors are expensive but AMAZING. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Napalm2016 Posted March 2, 2017 Author Share Posted March 2, 2017 9 minutes ago, poisongoomba said: If you are using this as a desktop build than Yeah I would most definitely suggest a more modern display. 144hz monitors are expensive but AMAZING. Yeah Ive had a look at a few they look nice but expensive like you say but definitely a consideration at the end of the day its a long term investment, which 144hz screen do you have @poisongoomba Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poisongoomba Posted March 2, 2017 Share Posted March 2, 2017 1 minute ago, Napalm2016 said: Yeah Ive had a look at a few they look nice but expensive like you say but definitely a consideration at the end of the day its a long term investment, which 144hz screen do you have @poisongoomba I have an Acer XB27OH. I actually purchased a gaming PC on Craigslist, sold all the parts on ebay and kept the monitor. Cost me nothing in t;he end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Napalm2016 Posted March 2, 2017 Author Share Posted March 2, 2017 Yeah that looks cool its got Gsync though I have an AMD Radeon card as Lordmonkus said Id probably need a freesync monitor just been looking and its only compatible with some cards by the looks of it and not sure mine is, Sigh! these things are sent to try us Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poisongoomba Posted March 2, 2017 Share Posted March 2, 2017 11 minutes ago, Napalm2016 said: Yeah that looks cool its got Gsync though I have an AMD Radeon card as Lordmonkus said Id probably need a freesync monitor just been looking and its only compatible with some cards by the looks of it and not sure mine is, Sigh! these things are sent to try us AMD!?.... That's unfortunate Well good luck on your hunt! Also may I suggest, Dell's Ultrasharp line are very impressive as well. None of the high frame rate bells and whistles, but their overall image quality are superior imo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Napalm2016 Posted March 2, 2017 Author Share Posted March 2, 2017 Haha yes got an AMD I'm a NVidia man usually somehow I ended up with this card but seems fairly decent so if I don't have to swap it I wont, more expense, thanks everyone for your advice have given things to ponder over 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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