anyone know stuff about MAME arcade cabinet builds

[alexh]

I wonder if this is what you need??

http://jvspac.kirurg.org/

I think your cabinet has a "JVS" or Jamma 2 wiring loom. That is a good site, lots of information about JVS cabs & Mame & 24Hz etc.

[desiv]

I'm almost positive that's not a JAMMA cab, so I wouldn't worry about the JPac.
They make a non-Jamma version called the i-pac...
But I agree with Alex, just replace the spade connectors and you're done.
I wouldn't buy anything unless what you have won't work.

Based on what you have and you're level of hackery-desire (I just made that up! :-), I think Windows is a good choice.
(That's not an insult. I didn't say you need a Mac! :-)

Try it with your onboard video first. Soft 15 has some support for some onboard video, so you might get lucky.

I'd try the soft 15 program set at 25Khz first and try that on your monitor.
If there works, then I'd move ahead with the rest of the wiring and software stuff.
The control panel wiring will be the most tedious, but the Video is the most hit/miss in this project.

I used to go to a site called arcadeathome (years ago when I was first working on my cab), but I don't know if it's still there or any good anymore..

desiv

[alexh]

I'm now 100% sure it is a JVS (Jamma 2) cab and that the JVS-Pac I pointed out would be the way to go to connect the controls to the PC.

[desiv]

That looks perfect for the joysticks/buttons..
It looks like that interface doesn't touch video.. Their solution if you want to use an Arcade monitor???

Use the excel sheet in the download section to generate the modes you need, save them to a file called usermodes.txt, then use soft-15kHz to install them. You need to reboot your computer after installing to make them active.

So, it looks like alexh is right and you want to use soft-15khz to drive the monitor.

You just need to make sure that you get your PC up and running and it kicks into the 25Khz mode, and then you turn on the cabinet/monitor.

desiv

[alexh]

Originally Posted by desiv

Their solution if you want to use an Arcade monitor???

1) Most of these cabs actually support 15KHz, 24KHz & 31KHz but they are not necessarily auto-sync, they can have a jumper to change the setting. It is possible that is all that is required if 31KHz doesn't work.

http://www.coinopexpress.com/product...inet_8109.html

All we need is the actual monitor version plus the chassis type.

2) If it turns out to be 24KHz only the JVS-Pac people recommend using Soft 15KHz which we've talked about.

[desiv]

Originally Posted by alexh

2) If they don't the JVS-Pac people recommend using Soft 15KHz which we've talked about.

DeJaVu

Originally Posted by desiv

So, it looks like alexh is right and you want to use soft-15khz to drive the monitor.

:-)

If you can jumper it to 31Khz, that would make it MUCH easier tho.. No soft-15khz needed, as alexh said.

Also, be careful when playing around in/near the monitor.. There's some big power in those things..

desiv

[techn1um]

ok thanks everyone heres abit of an update to what ive done so far.

Ive got a windows pc with a Radeon graphics card, cant remember the number but will get it if its important.

I connected cab to it and same wavey lines, so setup a switch to have cab on one monitor and vga monitor on other so I can switch between the two.

I installed soft 15khz and it gave me all the options of 15, 25 and 31khz modes so told it to install 25 and then I switched over to cab and I finally got a visable screen BUT and its a big but, the screen was sort of doubled and pasted on top of itself so I could see all the icons in windows but it was doubled. so I then tried the other modes and had exact same problem.

Then I had a light bulb moment and thought perhaps its because I have the resolution set at 1024 x 768 so the only other resolution I have is 800 x 600 but when I tried that the wavey lines came back again.

So im slowly getting somewhere but still not there yet.

I agree with everyone here, I will get the screen perfect first then worry about the rest but I sincerely thank you for you help so far, I have tried another forum who arent as friendly

Will take some photos while waiting for another suggestion.

Also ive had a look at the monitor on the cab to see what monitor version is like someone asked but theres no stickers apart from saying "warning this weighs 117kg" and other than the Sega, Virtua Striker 2 or Noami labels theres not much on the cabinet sorry

[desiv]

Originally Posted by techn1um

ok thanks everyone heres abit of an update to what ive done so far.

Oh good, progress updates! Sweet! :-)

Originally Posted by techn1um

I installed soft 15khz and it gave me all the options of 15, 25 and 31khz modes so told it to install 25
... because I have the resolution set at 1024 x 768 so the only other resolution I have is 800 x 600 but when I tried that the wavey lines came back again.

Hmmm From the soft-15 khz wiki, I see this as far as resolutions they support:

• 25KHz
  • 448 x 384 @ 60Hz
  • 512 x 384 @ 60Hz

So, can you set your machine to do one of those resolutions?
I thought soft-15 would have given you that option when you installed, but I haven't used soft-15..


Getting there tho!!


desiv

[techn1um]

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[techn1um]

Hmmm From the soft-15 khz wiki, I see this as far as resolutions they support:

• 25KHz
  • 448 x 384 @ 60Hz
  • 512 x 384 @ 60Hz

So, can you set your machine to do one of those resolutions?
I thought soft-15 would have given you that option when you installed, but I haven't used soft-15..


Getting there tho!!


desiv[/quote]


No theres no installation, you just run the app and it has a list of adapters on the left hand side and I only have one which is the Radeon card. you then click on what resolution but it "appears" to do nothing although I guess it does BUT and heres another but....

I just tried the computer again without running soft 15khz and I get exactly the same as mentioned above so it appears as though soft 15khz makes no difference at all unless im doing something wrong!

[alexh]

Gonna need to see in the back where the reverse of the monitor is to work out if it is a 31KHz monitor chassis.

I'm pretty sure that desiv is correct. Change your resolution to one of the two mentioned and it should work. I'm not 100% familiar with Soft15KHz so I would have thought it would have done it for you but it's worth a look.

If you read the soft 15KHz guide

3. TIP: Change your desktop to 640x480 60Hz before restarting.


http://community.arcadeinfo.de/showt...9291#post59291

[techn1um]

Just realised it actually says after clicking install you need to reboot so going to try that. back in abit.....

[techn1um]

WUHU....finally getting somewhere

REbooting did nothing but then I thought, hey lets switch over to cab soon as the computer starts rebooting and now its working but still a few maybe smaller issues.

The screen is still 800 x 600 and thats the lowest I can choose so how can I get it to fit all on the screen?

2nd the display is clear but it seems like its jumping every couple of seconds just slightly but still noticeable.

so at least I can report were making some headway!

[techn1um]

ok trying something called quickres now......

And it works, gives me loads of other resolution options and 640x480 is there and thats it, full screen on the cab well chuffed.

ok what to do next, I will take some pics of the control panel.

[desiv]

Originally Posted by techn1um

REbooting did nothing but then I thought, hey lets switch over to cab soon as the computer starts rebooting and now its working but still a few maybe smaller issues.

Progress! Yeay!!

Hmm.. I wonder if Windows is "autodetecting" your monitors resolutions on bootup (on Linux with X, I would disable DDC).

desiv

[techn1um]

yeah maybe its a windows thing, still at least its working full screen.

Heres a pic of the joystick control. the cable I has only has spade connectors the same as all the buttons but the joysticks all have a different connection see



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So any idea how to connect these up or shall I replace them?

[desiv]

Originally Posted by techn1um

Heres a pic of the joystick control. the cable I has only has spade connectors the same as all the buttons but the joysticks all have a different connection see

So any idea how to connect these up or shall I replace them?

I wouldn't try to replace them yet..

As for the wiring, it looks like (could be wrong) that the lowest pin (on the bottom) is the common ground, and the other pins are the directions..

I'd see if the spades can be crimped in a way to make them fit to test.
If it works, then you can see if you can buy new connectors that match that style. If you can get a 5 pin connector that fits, just use that and add spade connectors to the other end. You can use shrinkwrap to cover the connectors.

desiv

[techn1um]

thanks mate. theres only 4 direction pins if what your saying is true but its an 8 direction joystick (I think) so would that still be right?.

too be honest I dont mind replacing the controls, as I said earlier I need extra buttons as I want 6 buttons per player as thats the norm isnt it?

[desiv]

Originally Posted by techn1um

thanks mate. theres only 4 direction pins if what your saying is true but its an 8 direction joystick (I think) so would that still be right?.

Yeah, the other directions are just combinations of 2. So Up AND Left would be a direction.

Originally Posted by techn1um

too be honest I dont mind replacing the controls, as I said earlier I need extra buttons as I want 6 buttons per player as thats the norm isnt it?

You don't have to replace them, just add buttons. (Although for the same feel, you might want to..)

And 6 per player is probably standard, especially for fighting games..

My cab has 3, and I only have 1 game that uses the 3rd button. But I run only OLD games. :-)

desiv

[techn1um]

Thanks mate, I think I will go for the 6 button option, my dad can cut me a new control panel plate thingy.

Whats the best option for joysticks and buttons, is there a certain make that would fit the spade connectors or the peoples choice?