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"Fib" about screen resolution to applications?

rsolberg

Well-known member
I'm running 7.5.5 on my Mystic CC without any analogue board mods, so I'm limited to 512x384 or 560x384. I have a handful of apps that throw an error saying 640x480 is required. I'm curious if there's a way to fudge the screen resolution in the same manner one can "lie" about the processor so an '040 required app will run on an '030, for example. I realise windows designed with 640x480 in mind won't fit on screen, but I thought it might be fun to play with. Any ideas?

 

Elfen

Well-known member
No, even if there was a program to do that, the problem in the screen resolution and what an app or game expects. In the older non-OSX, programs are compiled with a separate resource, where this resource has the information on how big the windows should be.

Here, the resource has the program window as 640X480. Unless you go into the program with Resource Editor and change all the windows sizes to 512X384, AND delete the resolution detection, is it not happening.

Your choices are:

1) run the program on another Mac with 640X480 resolution

or

2) mod the CC to run 640X480.

 

rsolberg

Well-known member
I bit the bullet and performed the VGA mod on my CC analogue board yesterday. It worked beautifully. I did the more conservative 'VGA' mod with the ~68v horizontal deflecting voltage to yield 640x480@60Hz. Before modifying anything, I went over the board with a loupe and magnifier lamp, looking for failing components. I plan on ordering a set of replacement caps even though everything looks pristine right now. After my Dremel and solder project, I had no brightness issues - the board still has room to increase brightness if needed. The only geometry issue was that the image shifted left about two inches. This was easily adjusted without maxing out the horizontal shift. I even tried 800x600@56Hz just to see, and it would be usable with more brightness and a pincushion adjustment. It's a little too high for the screen's pitch though; small fonts tend to look ugly. 640x480 is just gorgeous on this display. The LC575 logic board doesn't seem to have any trouble driving it at "thousands", and 256 colours is working great for games. Sim City 2000 ran fine at 560x384, but is much better with extra real estate. I can finally run 'Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego' and wow does it ever look good. 3.0 plays smoothly, including all of the videos. I first played this version on a 300MHz PC, so it's amazing to see it working identically on a 33MHz compact Mac, albeit with 4MB more RAM than that Pentium II had. All in all, I'm very pleased, although there were some tense moments with the Dremel. My cutting disc is 1½" and I'd prefer smaller for this job. I've never used this Dremel before, either. It was a 100 series fixed speed. 35k rpm was nerve wracking. I'd hunt for my variable speed next time.

 

Elfen

Well-known member
Congrats.

Perhaps you can post up instructions and pictures as to what you did and an admin move this to the Compact mac section.

 

Paralel

Well-known member
I think those tubes were actually meant for 640x480 and Apple just dropped the resolution on them to fit the then mac standard.

 

Byrd

Well-known member
The CC is such a good all round machine that if you plan to keep it in your collection for many years, doing the 640 x 480 67hz mod is a no-brainer.  I've had mine done for 10 years and never noted any problems.  The mod makes what is already a decent, albeit hobbled Mac into something you'll probably use most of the time for most of your retro Mac usage.

 
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