PAL Resolution Fix (Black Borders or Cut off Screen)

[RadeonUser]

Ok, I'm getting tired of wading through a few posts with the same problem. It'd be really helpful to have one post that can help more people than a few dozen.

The problem is this: The bottom of the screen is usually cut off in PAL roms (or the (E) region of the game) The fix is quite simple. What you want to do is open the project64.rdb with a word editor. Now, what you want to do is search for the game.

Let's have this as an example, shall we?

This is TWINE (the rom entry)

[3B941695-F90A5EEB-C:50]
Good Name=World is Not Enough, The (E) [!]
Internal Name=TWINE
RDRAM Size=8
Counter Factor=Default //2
Save Type=First Save Type
CPU Type=Recompiler
Self-modifying code Method=Protected Memory
Use TLB=Yes
Linking=Global
Reg Cache=Yes
Use Large Buffer=No
Status=Issues (plugin)
Plugin Note=(/weapon depth /sound)
Core Note=?

Ok, everything seems ok... The game, however, shows the bottom is but off... What we want to do to fix this is enter (or add) the correct resolution height.

We want the end result to look like this:

[3B941695-F90A5EEB-C:50]
Good Name=World is Not Enough, The (E) [!]
Internal Name=TWINE
RDRAM Size=8
Counter Factor=Default //2
Save Type=First Save Type
CPU Type=Recompiler
Self-modifying code Method=Protected Memory
Use TLB=Yes
Linking=Global
Reg Cache=Yes
Use Large Buffer=No
Status=Issues (plugin)
Plugin Note=(/weapon depth /sound)
Core Note=?
Resolution Height=240

This will fix the "cut-off" problem. Note, if the entry is there, and the graphics in game are cut off, you just want to edit the Resolution Height.

There is also another problem, not all PAL games use the resolution 240 for the height... So, I'm asking anyone out there who has found a good height resolution for a game that has the bottom of the screen cut off, please mention the game and the resolution height that works the best.

I hope this helps out some of the people which are having this problem.

[Royal Fool]

The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
Recommended Height: 240

:)

[dave_luther]

does this problem actually occur in all E roms?

[RadeonUser]

Originally posted by dave_luther
does this problem actually occur in all E roms?

No, some of them Smiff was able to fix before he left on vacation. However, the ones that are messed up will need fixing :) It's a good idea to have at least solely 1 post dedicated to this.

[dave_luther]

maybe we shud make a list of these roms?

[RadeonUser]

Exactly my thinking, however, I don't have many PAL roms to play around with, this is one where the people will have to come together and post their resolution problems and how they fixed them to get a good, working, list.

[dave_luther]

lemme see what PAL roms i have:

Centre Court Tennis (E) [!] - needs to be fixed?
Conker's Bad Fur Day (E) [!] - res height not 240 but entered, needs to be fixed??
Earthworm Jim 3D (E) [!] - fixed
FIFA - Road to World Cup 98 (E) [!] - fixed
John Romero's Daikatana (E) [!] - needs to be fixed?
Mario Tennis (E) [!] - res height not 240 but entered, needs to be fixed??

theyre all the pal roms i have, i hope it helps a little to ppl who have these roms, why dont other ppl list their PAL roms?

btw radeonuser if res height is entered and is not set as 240 for a PAL rom, does it need to be fixed?

[RadeonUser]

btw radeonuser if res height is entered and is not set as 240 for a PAL rom, does it need to be fixed?

No, I think these are the ones that Smiff got to, this is what I was saying about some of them being fixed with a difference value. There's only a problem if part of the screen is cut off :) If it is, it's rdb editing time and finding out what the correct height res is :cool:

[dave_luther]

i think they still do because the values for [U] and [E] are same for these roms

[RadeonUser]

Well, it doesn't hurt to change the value, you may just get the "cut-off" problem in the graphics. Just remember what setting you changed :) If it doesn't work, go back and change it.

[dave_luther]

I think ill make a list of the [E] roms which have not had their height altered by smiff, until i get tired :D

[dave_luther]

Rom which have not had height resolution altered and may require altering:

A

A Bug's Life (E) [!]
Aerofighter's Assault (E) [!]
Airboarder 64 (E) [!]
All Star Tennis '99 (E) [!]
All-Star Baseball 2000 (E) [!]- altered but not 240
All-Star Baseball 99 (E) [!]
Armorines - Project S.W.A.R.M. (E) [!]- altered but not 240

[archlyn]

shadowgate 64 - Story of the Five Towers (e) (!)

[dave_luther]

B
*- entered but not 240

Banjo-Kazooie (E) [!] - *
Batman Beyond - Return of the Joker (E) [!]- *
BattleTanx - Global Assault (E) [!]
Beetle Adventure Racing! (E) [!]
Blast Corps (E) [!]
Body Harvest (E) [!]
Bomberman 64 (E) [!] - *
Bomberman Hero (E) [!]
Bust-A-Move 2 - Arcade Edition (E) [!]

[RadeonUser]

Hmm... I wonder if these work right... I need to ask someone who has the whole N64 GoodSet to test these out... Problem is, he's at school right now... ???

[dave_luther]

it will take hours to test all these roms tho

[Allnatural]

Mischief Maker (E)[!] is screwed up too (what can I say, I like Treasure games:blush: ). The whole screen is kind of offset to the lower right with much of it cut off. Entering a res height of 240 helps. The image isn't totally centered, but you can see all of it.:) I tried other res values, but couldn't find one that worked perfectly.:plain:

[Royal Fool]

Yikes. The whole GoodN64 set? That's quite a bit.

dave, I think you'd better set up a FAQ for that... :)

[dave_luther]

the problem is i dont have these roms so i am assuming that the ones which have not had their height altered will have this problem so i guess well have to w8 for raduser s m8 to try all the [E]s out.

[RadeonUser]

Thanks to POi[h] for this one (from #PJ64, not the board)

(Add or Modifiy Resolution Height=X)

PGA European Tour = 287

Mario Party = 240

[dreassica]

I had the problem with majra's mask, but thanks to your help i could fix it.
Thanks for the info

[Dark Anomaly]

For Duke Nukem : Zer0 H0ur (E) The best res to fix screen probs is
Resolution Height=230

The intro screen and pause screen is a little too stretched but ingame screen is Juuuuuuust Right ;) I guess it could use a tiny bit of tweaking to fill that 1cm gap width border tho :lookaway:

[Dark Anomaly]

Ahh i found the PERFECT fit for Duke Zero Hour (E)
Its
Resolution Height=227

I have a few E roms so ill test some also :)

[nemulate]

Did you ask fl**`` ?

[Doomulation]

How do I know if it's a PAL-rom?

[Dark Anomaly]

Usual place , load the rom , then when its loaded , go to File ---> ROm Info.... lol It'll say the country code , USA , Europe , Japan etc.. Most Pal and E roms have the border problems and all then again some games like Duke Zero Hour ONLY work in PJ64 using the (E) version even tho the 50 VIs is gay compared to 60:!!!:

??? ??? ??? ???

[Doomulation]

Originally posted by Dark Anomaly
Usual place , load the rom , then when its loaded , go to File ---> ROm Info.... lol It'll say the country code , USA , Europe , Japan etc.. Most Pal and E roms have the border problems and all then again some games like Duke Zero Hour ONLY work in PJ64 using the (E) version even tho the 50 VIs is gay compared to 60:!!!:

??? ??? ??? ???
I see. Thx.
BTW, I think I have a pal-rom? I'll check out on that.

[flow``]

nemulate.. i need those HDDS asap

the one at home i tried to format w/ partitioning magic 7
it formatted the boot sector and stopped and gave me a 504 error ..

hopefully i can successfully format it later but until then im' stuck using the comp here at school which is sh*t

at home, i tried to put in my XP cd and it goes "Verifying DMI Pool...." and just stops :/

sigh

Radeon, i can either send you the set on cds after i pass it to a few friends or you can send me a HD to copy them over to. I might be able to help you find the ones w/ incorrect height or widths but if i was going to go that far, i'd probably just want to re-write the INI w/ more details and things. Hopefully smiff will be back soon to clear this up.

oh, its 13 gigs.. probably ~11 zipped.

[RadeonUser]

flow`` that's about 20 CDs... I can hopefully send you my HDD (I just hope it returns back ??? ) That's still a 9.5 GB drive... I hope to get a 40 giger today, so... Contact me when I return to mIRC.

[flow``]

when i burned the good dumps/pds it came to 13 or 14 cds

the set itself is 28 cds

i can't get on irc @ home b/c i f'd up when i tried to format my hd (gg xp+pm7) so until i get a few hdds in from someone (*cough* :P) i can't do much

i'll pm you my addy for you to go ahead and send it since i'm going to a big mall this weekend i think and if the hdds aren't in by then i'll pick up one anyway i think

[frenccw]

i have mario tennis USA version but i also have border problems....wat is the best res height for this rom?

[madness]

i changed the height to 240, but now the "Bombers' Notebook" does not appear correctly. Any suggestions?

[RadeonUser]

It appears the notebook's height does not change... At least not the PAL version, the NTSC version is unaffected.

[Doomulation]

PAL-version as I've seen is such a pain. NTSC is better, though.

[dave_luther]

true, but pj is only made to handle ntsc

[Pikkon]

Hey man i have been trying to find a good height resolution for majoras mask and i tried alot but that one made it perfect TY SOOO MUCH :D

BTW:pj64: :D



:D Pikkon:D

[Doomulation]

Originally posted by dave_luther
true, but pj is only made to handle ntsc
True. That's why PAL isn't good. NTSC is to prefer before.
But really, what is the diffrence between PAL and NTSC?

[Remote]

True. That's why PAL isn't good. NTSC is to prefer before.
But really, what is the diffrence between PAL and NTSC?

In a perfect world there would only be one standard but since retailers, manufactures and customers doesn´t always agree on or know what they want, multiple standats has become a standard on it´s own. Afaik there are three major standards PAL, NTSC and SECAM which are accompanied by some minor ones, S-VHS, PAL60.

And if I´m not mistaken most countries have their own variation of these three major standards. They differ in the number of scanlines and the frequency by which the scanlines are updated. The NTSC video format has 525 scanlines and updates the screen 60 milion times per second(60hz), PAL and SECAM on the other hand has 625 scanlines and is only updated 50 milion times per second(50hz), they also differ in voltage but that has no visual impact, 110v for NTSC and 230v for PAL and SECAM systems.

Since the PAL and the SECAM video formats offer 100 more scanlines visual quality is better, despite the fact that they are updated 10 milion times slower(10hz) then the NTSC video format. When looking at the list below it´s hard to understand why the european game market, PAL and SECAM, are given less priority then american and asian counterparts, NTSC. Titles are rushed and to make their deadlines developers add 100 lines to thier european ports. Instead of enhancing the game they add 50 black lines on the top and 50 black lines on the bottom, for a total of 100, instead of letting the game take advantage of them.

Given thought that 100hz televisions exist, which draws to the screen 100 milion times per second a PAL or SECAM game should look as good as if not better because of the extra scanlines. A NTSC screen has 15,750 lines where a PAL or SECAM screen has 18,750 lines avalible for display.

The PAL video format is used in the following countries:
Australia, Austria, Belgium, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Holland, Hong Kong, Italy, Kuwait, Malaysia, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, Portugal, Nigeria, India, Botswana, Ethiopia, Egypt, Uganda, Brazil, Zimbabwe, Israel, South Africa, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and Morocco.

The SECAM video format is used in the following countries:
(PAL w/ In Country Modification or Multi system VCR USE) Bulgaria, France, Guyana, Hungary, Iran, Iraq, Monaco, Poland, Russia, and Ukraine.

The NTSC video format is used in the following countries:
Bahama Islands, Bolivia, Canada, Central America, Chile, Columbia, Ecuador, Jamaica, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Peru, Surinam, Taiwan, the Philippines, the U.S.A., Venezuela, Cuba, Dominican Republic and Vietnam.

[Cobra95]

One advantage of PAL is that it runs at 50 fields/sec. That's where the 50 vertical-interrupts/sec comes from. NTSC is 60 (on both counts). I left my calculator in my other pants, but I think that's around 17% more work that a console has to do under NTSC than under PAL. Emulators too, obviously. If you're just shy of getting full framerate in your system with an NTSC game, you just might get it in the PAL version. I used to seek out euro ROMs of SNES games back when I was using a Pentium 1 PC. Same idea: ZSNES worked better with the lighter load.

[sya64]

Pokemon Stadium 2 windows resolution height:480

But when start to battle or go to a mini games it starts to getting small.


Can someone fix it?

[gogogo]

Can anyone tell me What's the Resolution Height of this Perfect Dark Rom? A black line cut off the bottom line of my PC.

This is the detail of the Perfect Dark rom:

Rom Name: Perfect Dark
File Name: C:\....\Perfect Dark.rom
Rom Size: 256.0 MBit
Cartridge: PD
Manufacturer: Nintendo
Country: USA
CRC1: 0xDDF460CC
CRC2: 0x3CA634C0
CIC chip: CIC-NUS-6105

Please...

[johnny_w]

An easier way to play them would probably be a pal emulator, if anyone knows of one?

[FireBone]

Thanks for the Pal Fix(it's good)

[rtb]

Originally posted by sya64
Pokemon Stadium 2 windows resolution height:480

But when start to battle or go to a mini games it starts to getting small.


Can someone fix it?
Pkmn stadium 2 (e) is weird: res height=480 for menus and stuff,
res height=240 for fighting and mini games

just get the NTSC version.

[maximusXP]

Hi!, this not is a resolution fix, but help in another game PAL.
In Wetrix (e) the frame are slow and the browser say graphics slow;use NTSC ROM(8MB). I try and now have double frames change the CF=1 to CF=3 . Still have issues but now is more playable;)