MiSTerFPGA Direct Video Guide - Connect to a CRT through the HDMI Port

This is a video showing you how to setup Direct-Video on the MiSTer FPGA. Direct Video gives you the ability to use a CRT television through the DE10 Nano’s HDMI port.

Links

*Items I used (Affiliate links):*

MiSTer Case in this video:

*Document by Kuro testing other HDMI to VGA DACS:*

*Other compatible DACs (sourced from MiSTerFPGA Github documentation):*

*VGA to SCART/BNC cables for MiSTer from RetroAcces (These are recommended by the MiSTerFPGA GitHub documentation): *

Chapters: ​​
0:00:00 1 - Intro
0:00:18 2 - Why use direct video
0:01:11 3 - What’s needed
0:03:34 4 - DAC Hardware setup - Component Mod
0:06:17 5 - MiSTer INI Settings
0:10:15 6 - Final Thoughts

[LusRetroSource]

Are you using or planning on using direct video? Let me know!

[Spokavriel]

you didn't state one important thing with diodes, they have polarity you want the line marked on the diode to the same end as the line with the arrow in the circuit diagram. If your sync circuit mod fails it was likely the diode is in backwards.

[philipdavis_ie]

With 'normal' HDMI output, MiSTer can rotation the cores video image. How is rotation handled with Direct Video?

[RetroRockGamer]

this video is exactly what I was looking for.

[HyperSF]

How does this compare to analogue I/O on the Ironclad ITX? Is the quality the same? Some side by side comparisons would be great.

[optimusuk]

Switched from analog board to HDMI to VGA DAC for direct video and I noticed the difference in the PS1 core, for fmv\cgi cut scenes in particular

[BladeBlur]

I wish the RT4K was more compatible with Direct Video because once it is, scaling it would be a dream!

[misterretrowolf]

Thanks for the in depth info in this video Lu. Very useful indeed!

[mattsebastian]

Great video Lu and thanks! What about composite and s-video? do any of the YC active adapters work via direct video?

[arfazia]

Very helpful specially with the upcoming saturn core. BTW Lu what case is that for the mister you are using looks neat.

[theblowupdollsmusic]

Great guide. Thank you. Have you tried using the Mega Drive 2 RGB port on your ITX mister board for component? It looks like that port is designed for this purpose as well.

[brianstuntman]

I just tried a DAC that looks the same (externally) as yours but without the Rankie branding. There was even a review on Amazon UK that claimed it worked on MiSTer, but all I get is a black screen with some light shimmering. The PCB looks slightly different to yours.

[musicfighter]

I got the rankie DAC and the Laser Bear adapter, and am getting a rolling repeating still image. I got a fresh ini file and modified it to your specs. Not sure what to do now :(

[tdmax]

Hello, how did you make your cable work in direct video mode? I bought a VGA to Scart RGB cable, especially for MiSTer, and also an HDMI to VGA converter, and it doesn't output colors, only a black screen and silhouettes.

[WhatNowMaxTVchannel]

I noticed a difference between the old analog 6.1 i/o board and the moread (2024) DAC on my LCD-that-accepts-vga monitor, but the same difference is not present in my CRT. The DAC has MUCH better reds (white looks white, not reddish like on the analog board), however my CRT using my analog IO board does NOT have reddish whites AT ALL (I tried to see it lol). I didn't go through the DAC mod to get this working with my component TV however, if I can't see the issue with the analog IO board it seems wrong to go through this effort. The moread (2024) DAC is MUCH harder to solder than the one in this video and I dare not short something and ruin my TV/mister for a difference I won't be able to see, almost certainly. The bias of knowing that the whites are reddish was not enough to get me to see them.

Based on my (very unscientific) results, I'd say that the only reason to switch from old analog IO to a DAC is if you have a vga monitor that needs vga (like an old crt monitor). I can imagine it making a difference.

FWIW, I tested a real n64 (svideo) against my analog IO board (component) to on my CRT to see if the new analog i/o board would be worth the money to me and I was not able to see any of the extra bits of color space I was supposed to be able to see. My CRT is not a pvm but it's rather nice I'd say, a 14in toshiba with component inputs.

Maybe my findings can help someone avoid a solder job for absolutely no gain (if they already have an analog io board).

[andyruiz]

Hello, I have a Sony PVM 14L5 with a BKM-129x card, which have a VGA port. Do you know if it is safe to connect my Mister with Direct video, HDMI to VGA adapter + a common VGA cable, to the card VGA port, and if it would support all formats and resolutions?


Thanks

[Spokavriel]

I want to go direct to my old DELL 19" SVGA multisync where should I look for the analog board settings?

[cortbelmont]

I've got a dark tone crushing problem when I use YPbPr from the analog IO board. Do you know if there's some config that changes black level for the VGA output? I considered direct video to avoid this problem but losing dual output is not an option.

BTW I saw the tests results for direct video devices and the IO board's low video levels defect by design, but funny thing, I used the same VGA to component cable, the same board and send RGB to the PVM (with internal sync) and guess what... no dark tones crushing on the 240p test suite PLUGE pattern and overall the image looks brighter as it's supposed to look

[andersgunnarsson]

Does anybody know the name of the shmup at 1.12?

[PabloAvilaEstevez]

Are there any solutions yet for crts that have a magenta tint to the screen when using component video with that adapter? I bought one of the laserbear component video kits and while it worked with some of my crts, i got the magenta screen on my main crt that i was hoping to use. I switched to using a different device (hd fury iii) and ended up having even more problems with that unfortunately