Arcade Monitor calibration guides

[ShootTheCore]

I’m glad you found my write up useful. I’ve actually learned a lot more about calibration since I wrote that up, so I’ll post an update soon that might help you flatten out your gamma curve.

The Neo Geo 240P Test Suite doesn’t have the gamma problem that the SNES does.

Good job on your white balance results - they look great!

 

[ShootTheCore]

I've updated my step-by-step procedure for using a colorimeter to color calibrate a CRT cab or consumer CRT, and posted it on JAMMArcade.net .

https://jammarcade.net/crt-color-calibration/

 

[Hackcell]

I've updated my step-by-step procedure for using a colorimeter to color calibrate a CRT cab or consumer CRT, and posted it on JAMMArcade.net .

https://jammarcade.net/crt-color-calibration/

love it!!!

 

[Mukuro_W]

I would just like to point out that the ABL trimmer, present on MS9 and more recent chassis, should always be positioned at maximum, anti-clockwise, otherwise it will limit the electronic beam current and on the brightest scenarios it will cut the general brightness, it will limit the flashes when the white is full screen. If the tube is in good health, blooming will still not be perceptible or moderate.
For calibration I never use the mister with mistercade, it is simply not reliable, I prefer a mvs base with bios 4.0, there are color bars and grids patterns or a cps2.

 

[daskrabs]

I would just like to point out that the ABL trimmer, present on MS9 and more recent chassis, should always be positioned at maximum, anti-clockwise, otherwise it will limit the electronic beam current and on the brightest scenarios it will cut the general brightness, it will limit the flashes when the white is full screen. If the tube is in good health, blooming will still not be perceptible or moderate.
For calibration I never use the mister with mistercade, it is simply not reliable, I prefer a mvs base with bios 4.0, there are color bars and grids patterns or a cps2.

Do you know if the Hitachi GMK-29FS2 (Neo Candy 29, etc) has this pot?

 

[Mukuro_W]

Gmk29 , ms8 29 not have this pot

 

[daskrabs]

Gmk29 , ms8 29 not have this pot

Thanks for the reply. My Neo Candy 29 with the GMK chassis definitely has some sort of ABL happening, but I could never figure out why. If anyone has insight, I'd be grateful.

 

[ShootTheCore]

For calibration I never use the mister with mistercade, it is simply not reliable, I prefer a mvs base with bios 4.0, there are color bars and grids patterns or a cps2.

I’m not sure what you mean by a MiSTer not being reliable, but neither MVS or CPS2 have the correct Rec 601 IRE test patterns for an accurate white level calibration with a colorimeter.

For generalized “eyeballing” it calibration without a colorimeter though then yes, those test patterns are fine.

 

[Hackcell]

I’m not sure what you mean by a MiSTer not being reliable, but neither MVS or CPS2 have the correct Rec 601 IRE test patterns for an accurate white level calibration with a colorimeter.

For generalized “eyeballing” it calibration without a colorimeter though then yes, those test patterns are fine.

And how about using a computer, with one arcadevga card or a hd5450 running crt emudrivers?

 

[ShootTheCore]

And how about using a computer, with one arcadevga card or a hd5450 running crt emudrivers?

Sure, as long as you can run an IRE pattern generator like the 240P Test Suite through emulation, and the emulator isn’t doing anything to post-process the pixels.

 

[Molehill]

Really appreciate the updated guide, i've had a look all over but can't find the MiSTer HCFR core

 

[ShootTheCore]

I thought I had a link to the MiSTer HCRF core in my write up, but apparently not - I’ll get that addressed. In the meantime, here is a download link:
https://tinyurl.com/4hnjmeaf

 

[Crunch]

I’m not sure what you mean by a MiSTer not being reliable, but neither MVS or CPS2 have the correct Rec 601 IRE test patterns for an accurate white level calibration with a colorimeter.

For generalized “eyeballing” it calibration without a colorimeter though then yes, those test patterns are fine.

Which PCBs give a more accurate white level than those mentioned? I do not have access to any of the resources in your guide, unfortunately.

 

[ShootTheCore]

Which PCBs give a more accurate white level than those mentioned? I do not have access to any of the resources in your guide, unfortunately.

You can't do an accurate calibration with a colorimeter with any arcade PCB I know of because you need to be able to adjust the white level saturation being output by the board in 10% increments. But if you want to "eyeball" it and adjust without a colorimeter then the CPS2 system menu has a color saturation gauge.

EDIT: @XtraSmiley reminded me that the 240P Test Suite is available on Neo Geo now, so that would definitely be a good choice for an arcade PCB you can use for colorimeter calibration.

 

[XtraSmiley]

Did you mean "without?"

Is the best way to do an arcade CRT to use the 240TS? I was thinking of using a NEOGEO flashcard with that loaded, but won't that just set it for that PCB and each other PCB will look slightly different?

 

[ShootTheCore]

Did you mean "without?"

Is the best way to do an arcade CRT to use the 240TS? I was thinking of using a NEOGEO flashcard with that loaded, but won't that just set it for that PCB and each other PCB will look slightly different?

I’d forgotten that the 240P Test Suite is available on Neo Geo now. That’s definitely a good choice for an arcade PCB you can use for a calibration pattern generator. I’ll update my earlier post to @Crunch to mention it.

As far as each PCB looking different from the Neo Geo, well that would happen anyway even if you calibrated with a professional pattern generator - arcade boards weren’t consistent with each other even back when they were brand new. That’s why it’s a given that you’ll have to readjust the CRT H-Size, V-Size, Brightness, etc when you swap boards.

This can be an in-depth topic, but as I see it, there are two approaches to calibration for a CRT candy enthusiast:
- Calibrate so the CRT looks good, displays a full range of color, and looks as identical as possible to my other CRT candy cabs.
- Calibrate the CRT to the most accurate industry reference possible.

You can achieve the former by using the same 240P Test Suite across all your displays, ie pick one Neo Geo board or MiSTercade and always use that one for calibration. Your results won’t be industry professional spec, but the colors will look good and your cabs will look similar to each other.

For the latter, you need to use a pattern generator that has been specifically tuned and tested to meet the industry specification for accuracy. At the enthusiast level, the pattern generators I know where I know that’s been done are:
- PGenerator for Raspberry Pi
- MiSTer running HCFR
- Sony BDP-S350 Blu-Ray player with FreeCalRec601 discs