Neo Geo Monitor Test Tool (homebrewed)

NeoHomeBrew

Overtop Pathfinder
Joined
Aug 9, 2012
Posts
105
Hi,

I have programmed a monitor test tool with 11 test patterns for adjusting your CRT to get the optimal picture out of your Neo Geo system. The tool is inspired by the "240p test suite" (JunkerHQ.net) and offers the most important patterns of it. All patterns have been adapted to the color and geometry specifics of the Neo Geo hardware.

I made this tool as a little side-project for myself because my Sony PVM didn't have any test patterns. Also, I wanted to find out which RGB255 colors the system is able to display (because it has only 63 RGB levels). I think it could be useful for CRT owners and for CMVS builders who want to test their setup. I am open for suggestions if there are any useful test patterns missing.

The tool is available for Neo Geo CD, MVS and AES. You can download it from my website:

http://www.neohomebrew.com/neo-geo-monitor-test.php

The easiest way is to burn it on a 700MB CD-R and load it on your Neo Geo CD.

For the MVS/AES cart systems it is a bit more complicated because there is still no flash cart available for the public. You will need 3 x M27C800 EPROMs, a programmer for it and a SAC cart. I am using a SamSho 1 cart with PROGGSC and CHA42G-3B boards. Desolder the P1, C1 and C2 chips and replace them with the programmed M27C800 EPROMs.

Here is a short video of the tool on Youtube:

 

xsq

Thou Shalt Not, Question Rot.,
Joined
Jan 17, 2013
Posts
7,414
nice work. Sure this will come in handy for some of the folks around here!
 

jcoelho

n00b
Joined
Sep 16, 2017
Posts
31
Hi all,

Hope you are doing well. This might be a silly question but would you guide me through how to burn the "Neo Geo monitor test tool"? I've tried just dropping the files on IMGburn, creating iso/img files and then burning them, also tried mode1/2048, mode1/2352 and mode2/2353 and nothing worked.

I've wasted around 5 CD-Rs so far...

Thanks in advance.
 

orc.one

n00b
Joined
Apr 12, 2020
Posts
30
What filesystem does your software select when it burns the disc?

It might be that the filesystem expected by the device isn't what you're producing, but I was unable to turn up what filesystem is required by NeoGeo CD/Z devices in a search. (It might also be cheap discs, but if they pass verification this is probably unlikely.)

For example, the original Sony Playstation looks for CD-ROM XA formatted CDs (provided you've modded it to read burned discs), but this is an uncommon format for many commercial burners.

—Scott
 

jcoelho

n00b
Joined
Sep 16, 2017
Posts
31
Hi orc.one,

Thanks a lot for your reply. I'm using Imgburn and the default file system is ISO9660. I think the problem might be The data type, the only options I have are: Mode1/2048 and Mode2/Form1/2352, I tried both with no success.

The file system options I can see are: ISO9660, ISO9660 + Joliet, ISO9660 + Joliet + UDF, ISO9660 + UDF and UDF.

Regarding the disks, I'm using Verbatim and I've burned a few games on the same discs and they all work fine, so I'm pretty sure the discs are not the problem, I should be missing something else.

Thanks.
 
Last edited:
Joined
May 19, 2018
Posts
35
Hi,

I have programmed a monitor test tool with 11 test patterns for adjusting your CRT to get the optimal picture out of your Neo Geo system. The tool is inspired by the "240p test suite" (JunkerHQ.net) and offers the most important patterns of it. All patterns have been adapted to the color and geometry specifics of the Neo Geo hardware.

I made this tool as a little side-project for myself because my Sony PVM didn't have any test patterns. Also, I wanted to find out which RGB255 colors the system is able to display (because it has only 63 RGB levels). I think it could be useful for CRT owners and for CMVS builders who want to test their setup. I am open for suggestions if there are any useful test patterns missing.

The tool is available for Neo Geo CD, MVS and AES. You can download it from my website:

http://www.neohomebrew.com/neo-geo-monitor-test.php

The easiest way is to burn it on a 700MB CD-R and load it on your Neo Geo CD.

For the MVS/AES cart systems it is a bit more complicated because there is still no flash cart available for the public. You will need 3 x M27C800 EPROMs, a programmer for it and a SAC cart. I am using a SamSho 1 cart with PROGGSC and CHA42G-3B boards. Desolder the P1, C1 and C2 chips and replace them with the programmed M27C800 EPROMs.

Here is a short video of the tool on Youtube:


Are the jumper settings on the sam sho cart the same as the default ones? I tried to convert a sam sho cart to test my mvs, but I'm getting this.

20200619_224933.jpg
 

redfield0009

Sieger's Squire
Joined
Jun 24, 2009
Posts
808
Hi orc.one,

Thanks a lot for your reply. I'm using Imgburn and the default file system is ISO9660. I think the problem might be The data type, the only options I have are: Mode1/2048 and Mode2/Form1/2352, I tried both with no success.

The file system options I can see are: ISO9660, ISO9660 + Joliet, ISO9660 + Joliet + UDF, ISO9660 + UDF and UDF.

Regarding the disks, I'm using Verbatim and I've burned a few games on the same discs and they all work fine, so I'm pretty sure the discs are not the problem, I should be missing something else.

Thanks.

I suggest burning an ISO of another game and note the settings. Also be sure to burn at 1× if possible.
 
Joined
May 19, 2018
Posts
35
Does anyone know if these are the correct jumper settings? I am unsure of how to get this thing to boot properly. Do I need to do a byte swap on any of the roms?

20200622_000449.jpg
 

tbone3969!

Kuroko's Training Dummy
Joined
Feb 11, 2022
Posts
72
Thank for this tool. Downloading now and will try it out on the SD Loader for NEOO GEO CD.
 

Neo Alec

Ned's Ninja Academy Dropout
20 Year Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2000
Posts
11,923
Does not seem to be working with the NeoSD. I made a .neo file, and I get a similar screen to the one someitalian123 posted.

 

city41

Gal Ageise's Demon
10 Year Member
Joined
Dec 27, 2010
Posts
2,065
Does not seem to be working with the NeoSD. I made a .neo file, and I get a similar screen to the one someitalian123 posted.

I made a version that works here.


Also the readme in that repo has instructions on how to create the .neo
 

NGLad

n00b
Joined
Jul 23, 2021
Posts
39
I'm having issues burning this onto a CD-R. I've created an ISO file from the files located in the RAR folder, and I just get the screen below when I try it on my NGCD. Are the correct files included on the neohomebrew.com page? Anyone have success using this on their NGCD?
rgb-conversion-table.png
 

NeoHomeBrew

Overtop Pathfinder
Joined
Aug 9, 2012
Posts
105
Hi to all, I have updated the Monitor Test Patterns tool with a better "Color Bars" screen and uploaded the new files to my website.
Link: https://www.neohomebrew.com/projects/neo-geo-monitor-test-tool.php

The Neo Geo MVS/AES version is now available as .NEO file for MVS/AES NeoSD flash cartridges and as common ROM set for emulators (or cartridge mods).

The Neo Geo CD version can be downloaded as .NRG image file for burning it with Nero Burning Rom. If you use a different burning program all needed files are packed inside a ROM set. This ROM set can also be emulated with NeoRaine (by loading the IPL.TXT file).

All files are tested on my MVS, AES and CD systems as well as on the emulators MAME and NeoRaine and should hopefully work properly on your side. Please post in this tread if you may have an issue. Thank you for your interest in the Monitor Test Patterns, I am happy the tool is useful for you!
 

Misos

New Challenger
Joined
Aug 17, 2018
Posts
57
Hi to all, I have updated the Monitor Test Patterns tool with a better "Color Bars" screen and uploaded the new files to my website.
Link: https://www.neohomebrew.com/projects/neo-geo-monitor-test-tool.php

The Neo Geo MVS/AES version is now available as .NEO file for MVS/AES NeoSD flash cartridges and as common ROM set for emulators (or cartridge mods).

The Neo Geo CD version can be downloaded as .NRG image file for burning it with Nero Burning Rom. If you use a different burning program all needed files are packed inside a ROM set. This ROM set can also be emulated with NeoRaine (by loading the IPL.TXT file).

All files are tested on my MVS, AES and CD systems as well as on the emulators MAME and NeoRaine and should hopefully work properly on your side. Please post in this tread if you may have an issue. Thank you for your interest in the Monitor Test Patterns, I am happy the tool is useful for you!
Hi. Does it use 75% or 100% color bars?
 
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