dual monitor idea

evildragon · Post by **evildragon** » Fri Mar 30, 2007 4:36 pm

Ok, I had an idea for my application to be come a 32X app, and it would be dual monitored.. Tell me if there is anything wrong with this theory..

1. Cut the R, G, B lines going to the 32X from the Genesis (leaving composite sync so the 32X video still works)..

2. Take the Composite video of the Genesis to TV One.

3. Takes the Composite video of the 32X to TV Two.

4. Have the Genesis Show a graphic that says "This is TV One".

5. Set the frame buffer on the 32X to fill the whole screen, and have it say "This is TV Two".

Would this actually work? I have a feeling it would, it's just that TV One would be limited in graphics capabilities obviously...

EDIT: Nevermind, it IS working, and good too.. I wrote a simple program to do just this, and it worked flawlessly.. I'll have pictures when i get home tomorrow.. (or sunday)

ob1 · Post by **ob1** » Sat Mar 31, 2007 9:32 am

That means the 32X doesn't need that much the Gensis ... It's not that far to make it a standalone console !!!
I can't wait to see the photos.

evildragon · Post by **evildragon** » Sun Apr 01, 2007 5:17 am

Here's the trick...

Program the VDPs as if they are both to paint the whole screen.. On a normal setup, this would be a problem as one VDP would be covered by the other. But when the 32X and Genny's video have been seperated, it's easy...

If you have a Genesis 1, it's a tad easier, you can just grab the Genesis 1's RF for Genny video..

I actually stumbled upon this by accident. I was playing DOOM, after I hooked up my Genny at a friends house, and noticed the game was in color, but the status bar had a yellow tint to it.. Turned out the BLUE line from the Genny going to the 32X was loose.. Then that dawned on me, you can seperate them without even effecting the 32X, just as long as it still has Composite SYNC, to actually give you an image..

evildragon · Post by **evildragon** » Tue May 01, 2007 3:59 pm

oh oops! I forgot to post a picture of this! later today i'll hopefully get a picture for you guys..

sorry about that!

zinger · Post by **zinger** » Tue May 01, 2007 7:43 pm

Wow, sounds really cool. They should've ported Darius II 2 screen version to Super 32X.

Looking forward to see those pictures!

evildragon · Post by **evildragon** » Tue May 01, 2007 8:12 pm

well, i don't think SEGA took advantage of two screen stuff due to the fact that not many people had two TVs to hook up..

And here's the problem with this, it requires some modification to the patch cable (cutting the RGB wires), and the fact that the Genesis TV would then be limited to RF (model 1 only), unless you grabbed the composite video from the patch cable and put that at the Genny TV..

TmEE co.(TM) · Post by **TmEE co.(TM)** » Wed May 02, 2007 5:32 am

I would use RGB on both MD and 32X... I just love that SCART connector on European TVs

evildragon · Post by **evildragon** » Wed May 02, 2007 5:49 am

TmEE co.(TM) wrote:I would use RGB on both MD and 32X... I just love that SCART connector on European TVs

i think you could pull that off.. you'd need to share the CSync line across 2 monitors though.. you might be able to do that with a simple splitter (i don't know if the monitors will take too much juice from it though)

TmEE co.(TM) · Post by **TmEE co.(TM)** » Wed May 02, 2007 6:38 am

Simple 1 transistor amp will help, but I don't have 32x so I'll leave that up to you

evildragon · Post by **evildragon** » Wed May 02, 2007 3:51 pm

yea, i'll try that..

This isn't my program or anything, but Space Harrier, and it alone proves this can be done, it's just a simple fact on how the 32X works..

For the options screen, with the Genesis KMod, you can achieve this easily...

Genesis VDP

32X Graphics

now, instead of just using those two layers to blend into each other, simply utilize that to draw different "important" things on each screen.. that's not hard at all..

This is the wiring for something like this.. I didn't include the ground because that's kinda an obvious thing... (and the cartridge connector has ground anyway)...

PS: When programming it, I reccomend making the 32X be the top layer.. seems to work best.. (yes, in the example it's the bottom, but just keep that note when trying this)

EDIT: I might have made a mistake.. Since the Genesis video is completely gone, it seems you don't need the 32X to draw the whole screen, as there's nothing to cover up..

Now, if you wanted to do this without modifying the cable (and you have a model 1), THEN you want the 32X on top taking the whole screen.. you'll just need to connect the model 1 Genesis RF to a TV to get Genny VDP only... I haven't tried this route yet though, but it should work...

ElBarto · Post by **ElBarto** » Wed May 02, 2007 4:57 pm

If the Sonic2Nes was your last hoax please post your pictures cause it's been more than one month that you've told us that you achieve that work.
Thanks.

evildragon · Post by **evildragon** » Wed May 02, 2007 5:04 pm

sure, give me a second, i'll get it...

evildragon · Post by **evildragon** » Wed May 02, 2007 5:23 pm

argh! getting pictures of two CRTs of different size sucks, without getting too high of brightness or catching the refresh.. if anyone has suggestions on how to do that, PLEASE let me know...

but anyway, here's the pictures I could get, with Knuckles Chaotix.. (where the 32X takes TOP layer)

http://blackevilweredragon.spymac.com/32x1.jpg

http://blackevilweredragon.spymac.com/32x2.jpg

TmEE co.(TM) · Post by **TmEE co.(TM)** » Thu May 03, 2007 5:33 am

To get correct brightness, put 30...75 ohm resistors in series with RGB lines (IF you used them). Also, pull down (or up) the cut RGB lines on 32X side that went from MD to 32X.

evildragon · Post by **evildragon** » Thu May 03, 2007 8:07 am

would i have to pull them down? the cable going to the 32X (when in normal operation), doesn't have any pulldown resistors (or any resistors for that matter)..

i remember some device based off a 32X that had a tablet, and was for graphics... it also had a camera on it.. this idea was based off of it, because it was the same, no RGB into 32X, only C-Sync... but it did use the 32X video out..