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Scanline screenshot thread. Because 240p is all the p's I need.

TheMoon

Member
This thread has made me look at my NES Ambassador games on 3DS. Am I crazy or does the 3DS NES emu use scanlines (or does the 3DS naturally have them?!)? I never paid much attention to this stuff so forgive my ignorance.^^
 

BONKERS

Member
The good thing about software filters is that everyone can easily configure their dozens of parameters as they see fit. That said, I disagree with one thing you said: CRT technology is inherently blurry, at the very least to the extent of (a) bright pixels blooming across surrounding dark pixels and (b) the phosphor masking tech used, whatever it is, not perfectly matching pixel alignment/shapes.

Of course, the degree of blur ranges widely with the input signal and type and quality of the CRT, but there is nothing fundamentally artificial about it.

I couldn't agree more.

The CRT purists who claim all this is wrong and awful and not realistic need to take a step back here.

It's absolutely realistic to a degree based on a TON of different factors.


I've used several dozen different CRTs over the last 20 years and based on the CRT and the input signal and other things. It's absolutely accurate.


But this isn't just a retro filter or CRT thread. It's specifically a scanline thread. Images of games should really have some sort of scanlines if they're being posted here.

It really doesn't matter if certain CRTs were incapable of displaying them. And I say this without any sort of disrespect intended, but I'd like for us to stay on topic and only post images of games with scanlines.

Appreciating ONLY Scanlines is a faux pass to begin with when it comes to CRTs. And tricking your mind in to believing that scanlines and adding ugly ass fake scanlines via a scaler is the end all and truest of the true of how retro games and CRTs look is just as asinine and silly.
 
Did anyone show Snatcher some love yet? I can fire some up on a CRT.

Ov5yMYA.jpg

EvuRqbW.jpg

5OfJnSM.jpg

4A3LHTV.jpg

9hVYey1.jpg

WshQ352.jpg

OnzNvPj.jpg
I had a save file that was before the end from years and years back...maybe back when this game was first released, but the saves didn't survive all of this time, so they're from the first act.
 
Appreciating ONLY Scanlines is a faux pass to begin with when it comes to CRTs. And tricking your mind in to believing that scanlines and adding ugly ass fake scanlines via a scaler is the end all and truest of the true of how retro games and CRTs look is just as asinine and silly.
Well, for many of us who grew up with CRTs and computer and video game pixel art, this is how retro games should ideally look. It's a strong preference I have for it and this thread is all about scanlines, fake or not. I know that I'm not alone, but I can understand if many see them as some kind of limitation or mild detriment to attaining the best possible image quality, though I cannot find myself agreeing.
 

Peltz

Member
Sin and Punishment, RGB-modded N64 via RGB to 14" Panasonic Studio RGB Monitor. Look carefully in the top right corners and again you can seem my lamp in some of the pics... sorry! And I think my reflection is in one of them too :)

Soul Blade PS1 via PS2-RGB out to the same CRT.


Sonic 3, Genesis, RGB same CRT. Sorry about the amount of Sonic pics... they just look so good with scanlines....
I'm not really sorry :p
 

Alo81

Low Poly Gynecologist
I wish that we could just play the games the way that scanlines trick our brains into thinking they look but without the blur.

There's a lot more perceived detail when the pixels get blended together, but it would be great if we could get that end result, just actually sharp and crisp and without those downsides of the blurring.

Like if the games looked like how we perceive


probably looks under the blur.
 

Peltz

Member
This thread has made me look at my NES Ambassador games on 3DS. Am I crazy or does the 3DS NES emu use scanlines (or does the 3DS naturally have them?!)? I never paid much attention to this stuff so forgive my ignorance.^^

You're not crazy. In fact, just the opposite... you're deliriously sane:

10685500_10100877588253010_1023806258480561761_n.jpg


1920518_10100877588258000_493312139693280334_n.jpg


The Mysterious Murasame Castle (Nazo No Murasamejou), NES VC, 3DS XL. That's the beauty of the 3DS screen... it's natively 240p so there's no scaling on Virtual Console NES games. Those scanlines aren't "fake" via a filter. All 3DS games have them if you play in 2D mode. They're just very fine/difficult to see.
 

Gvaz

Banned
shots taken from my 28" Sony Trinitron RGB CRT:


it's on the left. on the right is a 20" Toshiba CRT.

What's interesting is this looks better when it has scanlines, but not at high res. If you have the scanlines then downsample the image, it looks nice.
 

ToD_

Member
An extreme close up of the BVM-20F1U to show the fine aperture grille:

ChJpxEK.jpg


The same image downscaled, showing the pronounced scanlines and sharp image:

2ZGbAWQ.jpg
 
I recently pulled out Megaman X and played it on a real SNES through a 480i CRT TV. I was amazed at how much better the picture looked, even compared to using something like retroarch with a CRT/scanline filter.

It really does make a difference.
 

Peltz

Member
An extreme close up of the BVM-20F1U to show the fine aperture grille:


The same image downscaled, showing the pronounced scanlines and sharp image:

It's so perfect. Makes my aperture grille closeups look like dogshit in comparison:

10686864_10100872876695010_1669513320818556976_n.jpg
 

TheMoon

Member
You're not crazy. In fact, just the opposite... you're deliriously sane:

[IM]https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xap1/v/t1.0-9/10685500_10100877588253010_1023806258480561761_n.jpg?oh=a3f8baa451fd73dc793634a84d44a769&oe=54E870DD&__gda__=1425476488_053cf9d372810f4ccfdcf8f36ea40048[/IMG

[IM]https://scontent-a-ord.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/1920518_10100877588258000_493312139693280334_n.jpg?oh=e5520d9a7c30ea47c7959fa856d433ea&oe=54F61037[/IMG

The Mysterious Murasame Castle (Nazo No Murasamejou), NES VC, 3DS XL. That's the beauty of the 3DS screen... it's natively 240p so there's no scaling on Virtual Console NES games. Those scanlines aren't "fake" via a filter. All 3DS games have them if you play in 2D mode. They're just very fine/difficult to see.

Praise the sun! *cancels psych ward reservation*

Homebrew or is this on the eShop? :O

Japan.
 

gelf

Member
I wish that we could just play the games the way that scanlines trick our brains into thinking they look but without the blur.

There's a lot more perceived detail when the pixels get blended together, but it would be great if we could get that end result, just actually sharp and crisp and without those downsides of the blurring.

Like if the games looked like how we perceive



probably looks under the blur.

Yeah with emulation filters that's usually what I try to do especially since on PC I'm sat much closer to the screen then I ever was with a CRT. I try to tweak the best compromise between accuracy and how the blur blended in my head. I'm never fully satisfied mind you.
 

Peltz

Member
Another great one is Dynamite Headdy. I'd like to see that on a real CRT with nice lines.

I don't own the cart :*(
 

Ramune

Member
New favorite thread? New favorite thread! ^_^

I'm away from my CRTs atm as I'm on vacation, but here's some shots I took over the years:

Olympus OEV203 20" rebranded Sony PVM
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Sonic 1 - Genesis Model 1 - Non-HD; Good sound rev. RGB

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Castlevania Chronicles - PS2 slim - Component

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(Tate'd) DoDonPachi - Rev. 2 US Sega Saturn - RGB

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DSC_0061.PNG

Rockman 8 - Rev. 2 US Sega Saturn - RGB

DSC_0066.PNG

DSC_0067.PNG

Keio Flying Squadron 2 - Rev. 2 US Sega Saturn - RGB

DSC_0090.PNG

F-Zero - Rev 2. OG Super NES (embossed Eject text; no idea what chip) - RGB

DSC_0093.PNG

DSC_0097.PNG

Super Metroid - Rev 2. OG Super NES (embossed Eject text; no idea what chip) - RGB
 

Peltz

Member
New favorite thread? New favorite thread! ^_^

I'm away from my CRTs atm as I'm on vacation, but here's some shots I took over the years:

Olympus OEV203 20" rebranded Sony PVM

Nice job picking up the phosphorescent glow. I love your selection: all games I love.
 

Peltz

Member
I like the scanline pics, but I wish they weren't zoomed in or blown up...

The problem is that it's hard to pick up scanlines with a camera unless you have a rather large CRT... and then you can run into geometry issues.

Many of us have 14" studio monitors because it's really hard to find 20" ones in decent shape that don't cost an arm and leg.
 

ToD_

Member
I'll take some fullscreen pictures later. One issue I run in is that the aperture grille creates a moire effect when because camera can't capture all the detail. So I can take slightly out of focus shots to remove that effect, but it results in a less sharp screen. Or I can just deal with the moire effect - just know that's not how it actually looks in person :)

I haven't played around with it enough, however, so maybe I'll find a solution or a good compromise.

The pictures will be large in order to show the scanlines.
 

Bancho

Member
The problem is that it's hard to pick up scanlines with a camera unless you have a rather large CRT... and then you can run into geometry issues.

Many of us have 14" studio monitors because it's really hard to find 20" ones in decent shape that don't cost an arm and leg.

Yeah you do loose the effect the further back you take the picture, and were are not screen capping but shooting directly off the screen.

I got my Screens for really good prices to be fair.

This is my Sony 21" Consumer Set, Cost me £9

IMG_4757-1.jpg


This is my 14" PVM 14M2E, Cost me £10

IMG_5175.jpg


This is my 20" JVC Broadcast monitor. Cost me £1 LOL! Geometry is Ridiculously good on this.

IMG_4891.jpg
 

Peltz

Member
Yeah you do loose the effect the further back you take the picture, and were are not screen capping but shooting directly off the screen.

This is my 20" JVC Broadcast monitor. Cost me £1 LOL! Geometry is Ridiculously good on this.

IMG_4891.jpg

Wow... you are so lucky. Cherish that last one.
 

XRA

Neo Member
Raiden 2 & Viper Phase 1 pcb's
IMO artwork in Seibu games is always super-detailed and looks great on CRT's..

raiden2.jpg

raiden22.jpg

raiden23.jpg

viperphase1.jpg

viperphase14.jpg

viperphase12.jpg
 

robot

Member
Awesome PCB collection, XRA. My brother has Viper Phase 1, love that game. You need
to check out Dragon Blaze!
 

Peagles

Member
Anyone got any tips for photographing CRTs? I've tried a few different shutter speeds and I'm still getting bars through the images, even though they aren't there when I actually take the shot.
 

Pizza

Member
Wow! Looking through this thread made me really really want to try and put scanlines in all my games. I've been playing around with retro games lately and couldn't figure out what was missing, but this is it! Pure bliss.


That said, any advice for trying to make my Wii U have scanlines on my sharp 1080p tv? They don't have to be perfect, by any means, but playing Mario Kart 8 or 3D world (or anything, really) like this would be absolutely nuts, even if it's fake and not quite exact. Is the $400 framemeiser worth it? It definitely seems like it, but idk if it would work like I'm imagining it.
 

RedSwirl

Junior Member
Has anyone tried hooking a PS3 up to a CRT just for when playing PSOne classics?

I mean, the PS3 actually does a pretty decent job upscaling PSOne games. At least it looks a lot better than on a PS1 directly hooked up to an LCD. But has anyone compared this to playing the games on a CRT on a PS3?
 
Has anyone tried hooking a PS3 up to a CRT just for when playing PSOne classics?

I mean, the PS3 actually does a pretty decent job upscaling PSOne games. At least it looks a lot better than on a PS1 directly hooked up to an LCD. But has anyone compared this to playing the games on a CRT on a PS3?

They look fine with component cables, but don't have any real scanlines since the PlayStation 3 can't output any lower than 480i. They still look better on a PlayStation 1 or 2.
 

RedSwirl

Junior Member
They look fine with component cables, but don't have any real scanlines since the PlayStation 3 can't output any lower than 480i. They still look better on a PlayStation 1 or 2.

Unfortunate if you only own the PSN version of a PSOne game, which is my case with the PSOne Final Fantasy games. It's either pay $10 for FFVII on PSN, or $50+ for a disc. The disparity is even higher with rare games like Strider 2.
 

Peltz

Member
Wow! Looking through this thread made me really really want to try and put scanlines in all my games. I've been playing around with retro games lately and couldn't figure out what was missing, but this is it! Pure bliss.


That said, any advice for trying to make my Wii U have scanlines on my sharp 1080p tv? They don't have to be perfect, by any means, but playing Mario Kart 8 or 3D world (or anything, really) like this would be absolutely nuts, even if it's fake and not quite exact. Is the $400 framemeiser worth it? It definitely seems like it, but idk if it would work like I'm imagining it.

Framemeister works best on 240p sources (e.g. anything pre-Dreamcast) if you use RGB cables. I don't like the way it handles 480i or 480p (for now at least), and it's certainly not designed for HD sources either. Composite also isn't recommended with it. Even though I find it helps with a composite signal, it's not a $400 improvement if you're just going to use composite.

So, if you want to play 240p games from a real console on an HD display, then yes, it's well worth the investment. Otherwise, don't bother. Your HDTV's scaler for other resolutions is probably just as good, if not better than the Mini's for non-240p sources, and it's not worth a $400 gamble to find out, when you could probably just get a gaming quality HD set for almost the same price these days.

Also, I'm not sure if it's capable of drawing scanlines on HD sources. It's adding few frames of input lag for not much visual benefit and it would just look wrong in my opinion.
 

TheMoon

Member
Anyone got any tips for photographing CRTs? I've tried a few different shutter speeds and I'm still getting bars through the images, even though they aren't there when I actually take the shot.

I asked that earlier, too. Got no response^^
 

boon

Member
Viewpoint and Neo Turf Masters on a Wells Gardner 25K7000 CRT.
PpTpBli.jpg

MdRPCi5.jpg

Will get some better pics with a proper camera soon.
 

Galdelico

Member
This is my Sony 21" Consumer Set, Cost me £9

This is my 14" PVM 14M2E, Cost me £10

This is my 20" JVC Broadcast monitor. Cost me £1 LOL! Geometry is Ridiculously good on this.

Damn man, where did you find such ridiculous bargains? That never EVER happens in my world. >_<
 

Peltz

Member
This thread made me realize that latest CRT shaders are actually quite close to the real thing...



First one is crt-interlaced-halation and second one is crt-royale.

"Close to the real thing" is subjective. I think they look phenomenal even though I have no plans to abandon my CRT.
 

daty2k1

Neo Member
"Close to the real thing" is subjective. I think they look phenomenal even though I have no plans to abandon my CRT.

Well of course but I don't think everyone can get a nice monitor for £1 :D From what I've seen, they are rather expensive online...
 
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