VOGONS

Search

Common searches

Rayman Gold + ATI composite tv output = unstable picture

Topic actions

First post, by JP32

Posted on 
User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie

So here is my system:

IBM PC 300 PL
Windows 98 se
Pentium 2 400mhz
192Mb ram
ATI rage 128GL (109-51900)
ISA PNP ESS ES1868F
+the usual floppy/cd/hdd drives

Anyway, everything works as I like it, I've had surprisingly little problems thus far, but since I have had no luck finding PC crt I decided to use my CRT TV via my graphics cards composite tv output, and its picture quality is surprisingly good, even win98 desktop is useable.

I have tested many games, like doom, duke 3d, jill of the jungle.. Everything works on my flat monitor (HP vs17), and on my CRT tv too(its generic Euro TV, it says schneider scenaro 145 on back, and I know vestel 11ak37's service manual works for it, dunno whats the original model).

Anyway, so far the only game where I have issue with the ATI's tv output is Rayman Gold, both the original and designer.

Heres video showing the issue: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dd4GagfGxWo

I noticed that rayman runs at 59,3hz when I set frequency in-game to 60, and 49,6hz when its 50, I see that on my flat monitors information screen, and it seems like my CRT TV doesn't like neither of them, on 60 the screen jumps around like crazy, and on 50 its little more stable but it still bounces constantly, on my flat monitor the picture is fine.

I have tried setting the TV output to USA/NTSC, and Euro/PAL in ATI's settings but there is no difference. I tried to run the game via dosbox, and there it seems like it runs at "proper" 60hz or 50hz, but my PC isn't fast enough to run it via dosbox(it runs in slowmotion with 99% cpu usage 🤣), but the picture is stable on the tv output. I also have tired disabling the vga output and only have composite output, but it made no difference. I tried running the game directly from DOS, but it made no difference..

Is there any way to fix this? Force the game to run at 60hz or something?

Reply 2 of 4, by JP32

Posted on 
User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie
dr_st wrote on 2021-06-22, 13:36:

Are there any Vsync settings in the OS/GPU driver that apply to Composite output?

Only for openGL and direct 3D, I tried enabling and disabling both, but they made no diffrence.

Reply 3 of 4, by darry

Posted on 
User metadata
Rank l33t++
Rank
l33t++

One, admitedly ugly, potential workaround is using a card's DVI output. Under DOS, it will always be 60Hz (or almost), so you may encounter screen tearing if a game runs at adifferent refresh rate . Then you would also need a DVI/HDMI to composite converter.

No guarantees about latency or picture quality (will depend on converter used).

Reply 4 of 4, by JP32

Posted on 
User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie

My card just has vga/composite/7pin s-vhs, besides my case has this wacky AGP connector which limits my graphics card choices:
25fU925.png
Im not proud of this but it works.

Speaking of convertors, I do have chinese vga -> scart adapter, but its just ass, it outputs s-video, not even proper rgb scart even though it has scart connector(which is incredibly loose). The output is bad, with jailbars, lots of noise and the overall picture is damp/dark and the picture is just not that sharp on win98 desktop, when playing games it looks surprisingly good though (and rayman has no sync issues with it), and there is no noticeable input delay and there is no tearing, but the ATI's own native composite output is much cleaner, sharper and more vibrant and there night and day difference when comparing those two. But I guess with Rayman there is no other way than to deal with that annoying piece of shit, or buy something like Extron VSC 100.

But I was hoping for some solution that doesn't involve expensive or shitty convertors in-between, but I guess Im out of luck with Rayman.

Go to top of page Go to top of page
Back to Software
Close window
Close window