Home SpecificationsRequirementsDownloadsVectorVGA ProFAQBuyContact

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between vector and raster monitors?
Can I use a lower resolution monitor like VGA 640 x 480?
Can I use VectorVGA Tempest with any other games, like Star Wars or Asteroids?
Can VectorVGA Tempest be used with MAME?
Where can I find a complete list of Vector Arcade Games?
How does VectorVGA work? Give me all the details!

Answers

What is the difference between vector and raster monitors?
The two types of displays are explained in the Wikipedia article on Cathode Ray Tubes. In short, a raster monitor scans the electron beam across the entire face of the monitor to produce images, while a vector monitor controls the electron beam directly to draw straight lines, like a pencil on paper, which produces sharp, anti-aliased lines. VectorVGA Tempest converts the vector signal from the game board to a raster signal for a standard SVGA monitor. [back to top]

Can I use a lower resolution monitor like VGA 640 x 480?
No. Vector games are known for their sharp, clear lines. If these lines were rendered at anything less than SVGA 800 x 600 resolution, they look blurry. It just doesn’t look good. The VectorVGA Tempest board outputs an SVGA signal and the monitor must be capable of displaying this signal. [back to top]

Can I use VectorVGA Tempest with any other games, like Star Wars or Asteroids?
At the present time, VectorVGA Tempest can only be used with Atari Tempest, Space Duel, Gravitar, Black Widow, and Quantum, which all have similar monitor requirements. VectorVGA Tempest compatible games all have 7-color graphics (red, green, blue, yellow, cyan, purple, and white). VectorVGA Tempest doesn't support monochrome vector games, because some games like Asteroids have a laser-intensity shot that cannot be duplicated by any raster monitor in existence, and some workaround must be devised. Late Vector-era games like Star Wars have faster scan speeds and special effects that are not yet supported by the converter. The vector monitors of other systems, like the Sega G08, use different X-Y voltages and supply voltage. [back to top]

Can VectorVGA Tempest be used with MAME?
No, the video formats are incompatible. MAME is software that runs on a PC and plays arcade games using the original roms. There is no need for VectorVGA in a MAME because the PC video card already produces the correct signal for the computer monitor. VectorVGA is used when the hardware producing a video signal is incompatible with the monitor you are trying to use. VectorVGA is a specialized piece of hardware to be inserted into an original vector arcade game. It receives vector video signals and converts them to raster video signals. VectorVGA is a translator, instead of translating German to French, it translates vector to raster. This is necessary because vector games need to talk to vector monitors, but vector monitors are becoming extinct. If you want to preserve your vector game, you can convert the vector video signal to a raster video signal so it can be used with a readily available raster monitor. Now for all you nit-picky people, yes, you could use the VectorVGA converter with a Zektor ZVG and VectorMAME, with a standard raster monitor. If you wish to do that (we have no idea why), by all means place your order now! [back to top]

Where can I find a complete list of Vector Arcade Games?
The Wikipedia entry for Vector Game contains most vector arcade games. The Killer List of Video Games can also search game descriptions for the keyword vector. [back to top]

How does VectorVGA work? Give me all the details!
I am glad you asked! The VectorVGA converter first scales the X-Y analog signal to low-voltage differential signals for the high-speed dual 12-bit ADC. The RGB channels are thresholded to a 3-bit color using comparators. The digitized X-Y and color signals are fed into the FPGA where the hard work is done. The FPGA first applies digital pincushion correction, then renders the streaming coordinates at 40 million samples per second. The rendered frames are frame-buffered in DDR memory and output to the 24-bit video DAC at 800 x 600 resolution. [back to top]