DamienD's WinUAE Collection - [720x576] Old vs New Scanlines

[Leandro Jardim]

I prefer the new scanlines, but I prefer using a FullHD resolution instead of 720*576 too.

[enigma776]

Is there no way of making it a simple switch to toggle between them or does each game configuration file need to be amended? No generic option in Winuae?

[DamienD]

Unfortunately not

...it's either leave as currently is, or I amend all 720x576 configs to use the "mask" detailed here (which is the best I could come up with).

Both have pluses / minuses to be honest...

Suggestions / new masks welcome though

[DamienD]

Ok, changes made... see this post

[subone]

Originally Posted by speshady

Sorry, i prefer the old. New appears to look blockier than the old.
Maybe its just my eyesight though...

Same ... prefer the old way)

[DamienD]

Hmmm, been playing around again as I'm not totally happy with the "new scanlines"...

It's hard to tell from the below screenshots as they haven't been slightly "scaled" when going from 720x568 (Windowed) --> 720x576 (Fullscreen); i.e. even the old method of scanlines look fine in "Windowed".

Anyway, here's a comparison:

"720x576_Scanlines.png":



"720x576_Scanlines_MessingAround.png":



If you want to evaluate then download / extract the attached archive into "C:\WinUAE\Plugins\masks" and then alternate between "720x576_Scanlines.png" and "720x576_Scanlines_MessingAround.png" to compare the difference.

[Foebane]

Even though I voted "don't use scanlines" in the poll here, I've just carefully looked at the images in Post #3, and something looks off with the new scanlines, because whilst they're more subtle, they don't seem to line up with the vertical pixels like the old scanlines do, even though the old scanlines have a stronger contrast. I'd say, reduce the contrast and line up the pixels and it would look better.

Put it this way, the old scanlines remind me of a CRT display (minus the phosphor dots ) and the new scanlines, well, don't.

[ransom1122]

Looking at your screenshots... Old Look better

[WallyGR]

I tested the first modified scanline set in 1080p (I do not want to resize my desktop)

They indeed have far less artifacts than the old set (which works wonders in games with resolution of 640*480).

Tonight I will check the new batch.

I do not know how can this be made better.

It is a pitty that WinUAE does not contain HLSL shaders

[DamienD]

Originally Posted by ransom1122

Looking at your screenshots... Old Look better

Are you talking about screenshots from post #26 ransom1122?

Also, remember that any screenshots in this thread look different to what you actually see when in 720x576 "Fullscreen".

[DamienD]

Originally Posted by WallyGR

(I do not want to resize my desktop)

...but you don't ever have to resize your desktop. On my laptop my desktop resolution is always set as 1366 x 768.

Adding the custom resolution of 720 x 576 only gets used in WinUAE when a configuration file is set as this.

[wiz12]

To my eyes the old scanlines look better.

[DamienD]

Originally Posted by wiz12

To my eyes the old scanlines look better.

If looking at the screenshots in post #3 then yes.

...but this is not how they look when in 720x576 "Fullscreen"; they are uneven.

It's really hard to explain as you cannot take screenshots that show this. Try running say "Pinball Fantasies", there's a screen which is mainly white where it says "Extra Memory...", pause emulation here and look closely at the scanlines to see the issue.

[ransom1122]

Originally Posted by DamienD

Are you talking about screenshots from post #26 ransom1122?

Also, remember that any screenshots in this thread look different to what you actually see when in 720x576 "Fullscreen".

[wiz12]

Originally Posted by DamienD

If looking at the screenshots in post #3 then yes.

...but this is not how they look when in 720x576 "Fullscreen"; they are uneven.

It's really hard to explain as you cannot take screenshots that show this. Try running say "Pinball Fantasies", there's a screen which is mainly white where it says "Extra Memory...", pause emulation here and look closely at the scanlines to see the issue.

It's a tough one, that Pinball Fantasies screen does look brighter overall using the new scanlines however if you look closely at the floppy disk it appears more blocky and distorted especially around its edges, well at least to my eyes anyways or maybe I'll just blame my monitor.

[DamienD]

I know, it's definitely a tough one... I'm still not sure whether to keep the original method or the "new scanlines"

[DamienD]

Originally Posted by wiz12

It's a tough one, that Pinball Fantasies screen does look brighter overall using the new scanlines however if you look closely at the floppy disk it appears more blocky and distorted especially around its edges, well at least to my eyes anyways or maybe I'll just blame my monitor.

The floppy disk is blocky even without scanlines:

Without Scanlines:



Old Scanlines:



New Scanlines:



The reason why I said to load this game is that in 720x576 "Fullscreen" you can easily see how the "old scanlines" are uneven (which won't show in the above images; as they are effectively "Windowed" when you select "Save screenshot")...

[DamienD]

After days of playing 720x576 games with the "new scanlines" and comparing with the old method; I think I'm going to stick with the old

Ok, it's not perfect and the scanlines are uneven but I think it looks better in comparison; plus you only really notice this issue on a full screen of the same colour.

Sorry guys, was worth investigating but...

For people that liked the "new scanlines", going forward you'll just need to adjust any new 720x576 games that I add to the collection by doing the following (or manually):

Using UltraEdit:

find:
gfx_api=direct3d

replace with:
gfx_api=direct3d
gfx_filter_mask=720x576_Scanlines.png


Using Notepad++:

find:
"gfx_filter_scanlines=50" and "gfx_filter_scanlines=25"

replace with:
"gfx_filter_scanlines=0"

[wiz12]

Originally Posted by DamienD

The floppy disk is blocky even without scanlines:

Without Scanlines:



Old Scanlines:



New Scanlines:



The reason why I said to load this game is that in 720x576 "Fullscreen" you can easily see how the "old scanlines" are uneven (which won't show in the above images; as they are effectively "Windowed" when you select "Save screenshot")...

After looking at those screenshots Damien you're absolutely right, for some reason though the new scanlines don't look as good on my end, again it's probably has something to do with my monitor.

[DamienD]

See my post above yours wiz12; I'm going to stick with the old method now