Title: monitor safe region
Post by: arnoldemu on 11:23, 10 December 12
Post by: arnoldemu on 11:23, 10 December 12
I am writing a game in overscan, and I want to know what the safe region is, the area that is visible on all Amstrad monitors.
So, to help me, and to help others who want to make overscan games, please run this program and take a photo of your monitor.
http://www.cpctech.org.uk/safezone.dsk (http://www.cpctech.org.uk/safezone.dsk)
I would like photos from all cpc monitors (ctm644, cm14, gt64, and I also welcome results from televisions and the similar).
The aim is to know what is the minimum rectangle on the screen that can be seen on all, and also what is the maximum potentially. Graphics can then be placed so they are visible on all.
Thank you for your help.
So, to help me, and to help others who want to make overscan games, please run this program and take a photo of your monitor.
http://www.cpctech.org.uk/safezone.dsk (http://www.cpctech.org.uk/safezone.dsk)
I would like photos from all cpc monitors (ctm644, cm14, gt64, and I also welcome results from televisions and the similar).
The aim is to know what is the minimum rectangle on the screen that can be seen on all, and also what is the maximum potentially. Graphics can then be placed so they are visible on all.
Thank you for your help.
Title: Re: monitor safe region
Post by: TotO on 11:50, 10 December 12
Post by: TotO on 11:50, 10 December 12
Some monitors get H and V alignement problem that can be fixed by recentering the picture after opening the monitor.
So, I'm sure that doing the test will not show more than a 46x32 chars area for all peoples. :)
R-Type overscan screen was a "46x33" 24K screen and I got the bottom eat a bit.
(I can't test it on my CPC for now, sorry)
So, I'm sure that doing the test will not show more than a 46x32 chars area for all peoples. :)
R-Type overscan screen was a "46x33" 24K screen and I got the bottom eat a bit.
(I can't test it on my CPC for now, sorry)
Title: Re: monitor safe region
Post by: Devilmarkus on 12:00, 10 December 12
Post by: Devilmarkus on 12:00, 10 December 12
Title: Re: monitor safe region
Post by: Bryce on 12:09, 10 December 12
Post by: Bryce on 12:09, 10 December 12
Unlocking topic. I assume this was locked by mistake?
Bryce.
Bryce.
Title: Re: monitor safe region
Post by: Devilmarkus on 12:11, 10 December 12
Post by: Devilmarkus on 12:11, 10 December 12
Yeah strange things happen...
During my reply, it sent me to "move topic"
Well, informed Gryzor about this...
Now back to topic ;)
During my reply, it sent me to "move topic"
Well, informed Gryzor about this...
Now back to topic ;)
Title: Re: monitor safe region
Post by: Bryce on 12:49, 10 December 12
Post by: Bryce on 12:49, 10 December 12
Quote from: Devilmarkus on 12:11, 10 December 12
Yeah strange things happen...
During my reply, it sent me to "move topic"
Strange, that happened to me recently too, but I thought I'd accidentally hit the wrong button, so I ignored it.
Bryce.
Title: Re: monitor safe region
Post by: arnoldemu on 15:10, 10 December 12
Post by: arnoldemu on 15:10, 10 December 12
is this javacpc? Yes, it has come this far that I can't tell if this is javacpc monitor emulation or a real image...
Title: Re: monitor safe region
Post by: Devilmarkus on 15:12, 10 December 12
Post by: Devilmarkus on 15:12, 10 December 12
Quote from: arnoldemu on 15:10, 10 December 12
is this javacpc? Yes, it has come this far that I can't tell if this is javacpc monitor emulation or a real image...
Sure its JavaCPC (But it indeed shows almost the same area like my CTM 644)
I guess, you didn't read my "Spoiler" :D
Title: Re: monitor safe region
Post by: SyX on 21:43, 10 December 12
Post by: SyX on 21:43, 10 December 12
Take a look to this thread (http://www.amstrad.es/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1677) in the spanish forum, i asked for the same a few years ago and we had very interesting results :)
Title: Re: monitor safe region
Post by: MaV on 15:49, 23 January 13
Post by: MaV on 15:49, 23 January 13
Thread necromancy ... (rise, RISE, evil creature of the night! Muahaha!)
@arnoldemu: Would you still like pictures? I could try this evening on a GT-65-2, CTM640, and CM14.
@arnoldemu: Would you still like pictures? I could try this evening on a GT-65-2, CTM640, and CM14.
Title: Re: monitor safe region
Post by: ralferoo on 22:56, 23 January 13
Post by: ralferoo on 22:56, 23 January 13
My 464 with CTM640 (and also apparently bad convergence in the top right): http://ranulf.net/fpga/IMG_9946.JPG (http://ranulf.net/fpga/IMG_9946.JPG)
My FPGA emulator on an LCD monitor (widescreen, but displaying in 4:3 mode): http://ranulf.net/fpga/IMG_9948.JPG (http://ranulf.net/fpga/IMG_9948.JPG) (ignore the bogus data on the screen... looks like the boot code I used to bootstrap it with!)
My FPGA emulator on an LCD monitor (widescreen, but displaying in 4:3 mode): http://ranulf.net/fpga/IMG_9948.JPG (http://ranulf.net/fpga/IMG_9948.JPG) (ignore the bogus data on the screen... looks like the boot code I used to bootstrap it with!)
Title: Re: monitor safe region
Post by: ralferoo on 23:14, 23 January 13
Post by: ralferoo on 23:14, 23 January 13
IIRC, my monitor shows more on the left than WinCPC and WinAPE and less vertically. I was quite surprised at the time.
The image on the LCD from my FPGA might move a bit though as I'm not entirely sure it's just right yet. It was basically set so that with my sugarlumps demo I didn't get phantom dots appearing on the left - you can't see them on a real CPC monitor or emulator, but they were just poking through until I delayed my HSYNC by 1us. These were artifacts of having R1>R0 to repeat lines and seeing some of the next line shown on the left before the CRTC resets that character count to 0 and was visible on a real monitor if the HSYNC was an extra character early too. But as a result, the standard CPC boot screen with a border is ever so slightly a couple of pixels to the left of dead centre of the 4:3 zone of my LCD.
That said, the LCD image shows about 26 characters on the left of the crosshairs, 23 to the right. The real monitor is about 24.5 and 22 in the middle.
The image on the LCD from my FPGA might move a bit though as I'm not entirely sure it's just right yet. It was basically set so that with my sugarlumps demo I didn't get phantom dots appearing on the left - you can't see them on a real CPC monitor or emulator, but they were just poking through until I delayed my HSYNC by 1us. These were artifacts of having R1>R0 to repeat lines and seeing some of the next line shown on the left before the CRTC resets that character count to 0 and was visible on a real monitor if the HSYNC was an extra character early too. But as a result, the standard CPC boot screen with a border is ever so slightly a couple of pixels to the left of dead centre of the 4:3 zone of my LCD.
That said, the LCD image shows about 26 characters on the left of the crosshairs, 23 to the right. The real monitor is about 24.5 and 22 in the middle.
Title: Re: monitor safe region
Post by: MaV on 18:43, 24 January 13
Post by: MaV on 18:43, 24 January 13
Here's my three monitor pictures. One thing I've noticed with CTM-monitors is that they begin to show a convergence (if that is the right word) particularly in the upper border area in overscan mode. This is more easily noticeable while scrolling, like Exin's picture of the woman lying in bed in the Wake Up! demo.
So far I've seen that effect on three different CTM-monitors.
The CM14 also shows signs of ageing - if that is what I suspect.
So far I've seen that effect on three different CTM-monitors.
The CM14 also shows signs of ageing - if that is what I suspect.
Title: Re: monitor safe region
Post by: arnoldemu on 10:26, 25 January 13
Post by: arnoldemu on 10:26, 25 January 13
Quote from: MaV on 15:49, 23 January 13yes of course.
Thread necromancy ... (rise, RISE, evil creature of the night! Muahaha!)
@arnoldemu: Would you still like pictures? I could try this evening on a GT-65-2, CTM640, and CM14.
the more the better.
Title: Re: monitor safe region
Post by: beaker on 12:53, 25 January 13
Post by: beaker on 12:53, 25 January 13
This is on my plasma via scart.
Title: Re: monitor safe region
Post by: ralferoo on 15:05, 25 January 13
Post by: ralferoo on 15:05, 25 January 13
Quote from: beaker on 12:53, 25 January 13At a guess from this picture, I'd suspect you also have "overscan" mode enabled on the TV, which confusingly enough removes then overscan area (about 10%)... Annoyingly, I lot of TVs default to this mode whenever they're turned on... >:(
This is on my plasma via scart.
Title: Re: monitor safe region
Post by: beaker on 16:07, 25 January 13
Post by: beaker on 16:07, 25 January 13
Urgh, tell me about it... I've got the same problem with my PC via HDMI. I've can't find any settings in the menu of the Pioneer plasma and using the nvidia driver on windows 7 to do the compensation only seems to work on windows and not the games >:( Otherwise it's a bloody nice TV for watching films and playing xbox 360 games on.
I need to look through the manual and see if there's hidden menu options anywhere...
Edit: Ah balls - just been reading a FAQ on the TV and there's no overscan compensation as it's a "limitation" of the hardware. Also the manufacturer suggests the TV will last 60,000+ hours or 14 years @ 12 hours per day. I work from home and have it on every day and only notched up 8,700 hours over 6+ years. It's just about run in I guess.... and I thought modern technology only had a 5 year life these days :laugh:
So the solution, anyone know if the later model Sony Trinitron CRT models (the silver flat screen ones) have this issue or if I'd be better buying a monitor for the CPC?
I need to look through the manual and see if there's hidden menu options anywhere...
Edit: Ah balls - just been reading a FAQ on the TV and there's no overscan compensation as it's a "limitation" of the hardware. Also the manufacturer suggests the TV will last 60,000+ hours or 14 years @ 12 hours per day. I work from home and have it on every day and only notched up 8,700 hours over 6+ years. It's just about run in I guess.... and I thought modern technology only had a 5 year life these days :laugh:
So the solution, anyone know if the later model Sony Trinitron CRT models (the silver flat screen ones) have this issue or if I'd be better buying a monitor for the CPC?