Color difference between Emulator and hardware

[tsom]

As far as as I can tell they look ok, but I haven't compared it to other emulated programs. The 130xe did seem to be a little "washed out" vs. other systems I have. Especially the 800's

[www.atarimania.com]

58 minutes ago, zzip said:

On Atarimania, it seems like the screenshots are taken from emulators with the best possible palette settings. The games never looked so vivid to me on real hardware!

 

Actually, a number of screenshots were taken a very long time ago using Atari800Win PLus and a palette best matching what I saw on my PAL system (there are still a few duds that are terrible and look neither PAL nor NTSC, these are replaced regularly). Altirra wasn't available back then and it was difficult trying to find the best settings... and it still can be. A number of times, I tried to check what the screenshots looked like on some boxes - like Bruce Lee - and modified the colors on the emulator accordingly. The new stuff being added on our site also aims to make a difference between NTSC / PAL aspect ratios depending on the origin of the program and adds artifacting where applicable so there may be more than the colors looking dissimilar.     

[zzip]

30 minutes ago, www.atarimania.com said:

 

Actually, a number of screenshots were taken a very long time ago using Atari800Win PLus and a palette best matching what I saw on my PAL system (there are still a few duds that are terrible and look neither PAL nor NTSC, these are replaced regularly). Altirra wasn't available back then and it was difficult trying to find the best settings... and it still can be. A number of times, I tried to check what the screenshots looked like on some boxes - like Bruce Lee - and modified the colors on the emulator accordingly. The new stuff being added on our site also aims to make a difference between NTSC / PAL aspect ratios depending on the origin of the program and adds artifacting where applicable so there may be more than the colors looking dissimilar.     

Whatever you're doing, the screenshots look great, nice and vivid!    I used to think that the Atari 8-bit line had poor color because some things would look so muddy--  and based on this thread maybe some models do.   But It's nice to see it doesn't have to be this way.

[pseudografx]

This is what my PAL Atari 800XE looks like on my monitor via HDMI (with upscaler).

[+Nezgar]

On 9/29/2020 at 11:31 AM, tsom said:

So I opened the 130xe and tweaked the color pot a little bit.

There's a hole under the computer that allows convenient access to the colour pot with a small screwdriver, without having to open it. ?

[tsom]

3 hours ago, Nezgar said:

There's a hole under the computer that allows convenient access to the colour pot with a small screwdriver, without having to open it. ?

Well, that little tidbit would have been nice to know! ?

 

(I was wondering what that hole was for...)

[Mclaneinc]

When adjusting the pot underneath its best to use a plastic pot tweaker, if not then make sure you are isolated from any all metal screwdriver, its not because of shock worries, its just you add to the impedance of the pot which may make what you see look different when you remove the tool from tweaking it.

 

Its not the end of the world but saves a little hassle..