CRT TV Help

[sgel]

I've been playing people on Anther's ladder for a while and had thoughts on purchasing a CRT TV. Before I made this purchase, however, I wanted to ask some questions regarding this:

1.) Is it possible to play Melee on an emulator with a CRT TV? If so, what is the best way to approach this cost efficiently and as lag-less as possible? (I.e what CRT TV/adaptors etc.) I would want to use it to play people on Anther's, obviously.

2.) Would there be more latency with this method rather than just playing on the monitor I currently own? I use a BenQ XL420Z. It has a 1ms response time if that means anything.

3.) What types of ports would I need on my GPU? (I believe I currently have 1 VGA and three mini-DP ports.)

Thanks.

 

[EPsilon933]

1) You can buy a CRT monitor at a thrift store. It's the same idea

2) There would be basically 0 latency with the CRT monitor. BenQ XL420Z has 10 ms lag http://www.displaylag.com/benq-rl2755hm-gaming-monitor-review/ . Response time has nothing to do with lag

3) VGA

Also, do you have a wired internet connection? That would noticeably reduce lag

 

[sgel]

1) You can buy a CRT monitor at a thrift store. It's the same idea

2) There would be basically 0 latency with the CRT monitor. BenQ XL420Z has 10 ms lag http://www.displaylag.com/benq-rl2755hm-gaming-monitor-review/ . Response time has nothing to do with lag

3) VGA

Also, do you have a wired internet connection? That would noticeably reduce lag

Yes, I do have a wired connection. (90 down, 25 up). I think "lag" was incorrectly used on my part. I meant latency.

Is there any certain PC CRT TV that would work best? Or does it not really matter? Thanks.

 

[EPsilon933]

Is there any certain PC CRT TV that would work best? Or does it not really matter? Thanks.

It doesn't matter. All CRTs are basically the same

 

[sgel]

It doesn't matter. All CRTs are basically the same

Awesome. Thanks.

 

[Kadano]

I've been playing people on Anther's ladder for a while and had thoughts on purchasing a CRT TV. Before I made this purchase, however, I wanted to ask some questions regarding this:

1.) Is it possible to play Melee on an emulator with a CRT TV? If so, what is the best way to approach this cost efficiently and as lag-less as possible? (I.e what CRT TV/adaptors etc.) I would want to use it to play people on Anther's, obviously.

2.) Would there be more latency with this method rather than just playing on the monitor I currently own? I use a BenQ XL420Z. It has a 1ms response time if that means anything.

3.) What types of ports would I need on my GPU? (I believe I currently have 1 VGA and three mini-DP ports.)

Thanks.

1. To do that you’d need to make use of your GPU’s RAMDAC which isn’t synced to the frame buffer and has a random delay of 0-1 frames that is reset whenever you re-initialize that output. For many GPUs, the desync amount doesn’t even stay constant, but shifts a little every couple ms.
I don’t know and wouldn’t understand Gamecube and Wii video RAMDAC specifics, but they seem to manage to avoid these sync problems somehow.
The thing to take away here is that new gaming LCD monitors (BenQ, Asus) don’t have that delay because they use digital inputs, so they are better suited to Dolphin emulation. For playing on console, CRT PC monitors are the best though.

2. As should be clear from the paragraph above, yeah, with a PC your average amount of total lag in your signal chain will be higher with a PC CRT monitor than with XL2420Z. Even though the CRT has like 670 nanoseconds lag and the LCD like 3-5 milliseconds, RAMDAC desync and thus lag is 8.333 milliseconds on average.

3. 1 VGA and 3 mini-DP? That’s an unusual combo, which card is that?

Edit: Source for RAMDAC desync with explanation: http://www.prad.de/en/monitore/specials/inputlag/inputlag-part17.html
(see “Comparison of analogue and digital signals” and the pages after that)

 

[mythbust4000]

Don't buy a CRT they ate free on cregslist your state melees Facebook group must have a link to a page of free CRTs on the pined post

 

[sgel]

1. To do that you’d need to make use of your GPU’s RAMDAC which isn’t synced to the frame buffer and has a random delay of 0-1 frames that is reset whenever you re-initialize that output. For many GPUs, the desync amount doesn’t even stay constant, but shifts a little every couple ms.
I don’t know and wouldn’t understand Gamecube and Wii video RAMDAC specifics, but they seem to manage to avoid these sync problems somehow.
The thing to take away here is that new gaming LCD monitors (BenQ, Asus) don’t have that delay because they use digital inputs, so they are better suited to Dolphin emulation. For playing on console, CRT PC monitors are the best though.

2. As should be clear from the paragraph above, yeah, with a PC your average amount of total lag in your signal chain will be higher with a PC CRT monitor than with XL2420Z. Even though the CRT has like 670 nanoseconds lag and the LCD like 3-5 milliseconds, RAMDAC desync and thus lag is 8.333 milliseconds on average.

3. 1 VGA and 3 mini-DP? That’s an unusual combo, which card is that?

Edit: Source for RAMDAC desync with explanation: http://www.prad.de/en/monitore/specials/inputlag/inputlag-part17.html
(see “Comparison of analogue and digital signals” and the pages after that)

I own a GTX 970 PNY. I wasn't at home when I wrote that. It actually has a DVI port, not VGA. So I probably shouldn't even obtain a CRT?

 

[Kadano]

I own a GTX 970 PNY. I wasn't at home when I wrote that. It actually has a DVI port, not VGA. So I probably shouldn't even obtain a CRT?

From my current knowledge and assuming that you’d use the CRT with Dolphin and not with console, yes, I wouldn’t advise buying a CRT.

 

[sgel]

From my current knowledge and assuming that you’d use the CRT with Dolphin and not with console, yes, I wouldn’t advise buying a CRT.

Thanks for the reply. Guess I'm just gonna get a CRT for my gamecube.

 

[PalmTrees]

If you are playing using dolphin I wouldn't get a CRT unless you can convert the VGA or DVI to the A/V inputs. But, CRTs are dollar at most goodwills if that helps you