Soft15Khz Woes....

Myrddin · 19-01-2010 1:23pm #1

Ok guys, Ive found some time to finally complete this Mame Cab. Everything is in place, software loaded, hardware configured, j-pac procured.

Ok, Ive installed soft15khz and clicked the 15khz button. This allows me to choose 640x480 @ 60hz as a desktop resolution. Accepting this, power down the hardware, and boot it back up in the cab.

J-Pac self tests, sync in lights up, but the sync ok light stays off. Ive left the jumpers on 15khz and 31khz to enable split screen through booting. Nothing on the screen whatsoever, no bios image, no boot text, nothing at all.

Just on the off chance, I plugged the video cable into the lower socket on the video card (X1650 Pr), and I DO get the split bios image, heavily distorted boot text, split windows loading screen, and heavy distortion from therein. Its not the kind of distortion you could fix with monitor adjustments, its just garbled.

What am I doing wrong here guys? Im using Win7 Ultimate x64 (I know Soft15khz's is classed as experimental after XP, but the program runs & reports perfectly), X1650 Pro with DVI/VGA adapter & a 19" WG of some type.

sengoku · 20-01-2010 4:54am

I found this on the arcadecontrols.com forum.

Geez...
As for Windows7; the compatiblity mode won't help.
For some reason I think the last time I tried it only worked with NVidia cards as the ATI cards won't show up any lowres modes for some unknown reason.
However I can't look into it at the moment.

Check for yourself @ http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=66402.1680

I am using a JPAC with WinXP. MAME runs with no problems.

Myrddin · 20-01-2010 11:15am

sengoku wrote: »

I found this on the arcadecontrols.com forum.

Check for yourself @ http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=66402.1680

I am using a JPAC with WinXP. MAME runs with no problems.

Hi Sengoku, I came across that artivle last night myslef - it doesnt bode well for win7 and soft15 so. I tried using powerstrip, I might give it another go today.

Worst case Ill reformat the OS partition and install XP. Cheers

purplec · 22-01-2010 9:44pm

if you have a wireless card or a laptop install a program on your desktop/ laptop and then install a program called UVNC viewer and the silent server on your mame pc , this will allow you to see whats happening with the mame pc when its fully booted up. you can also use a program called winvgatv and quickres which will force your screen to the necessary sync. Both of these programs are used on the 1000 in 1 mame boards and I have installed UVNC on a couple of boards which allows me to edit while the pc is powered up.

Just to note that the signal sent to the screen when the bios is displayed can damage your screen and its supposed to be distorted.

could this be an issue with what ever front end you are using

Myrddin · 23-01-2010 1:16pm

purplec wrote: »

if you have a wireless card or a laptop install a program on your desktop/ laptop and then install a program called UVNC viewer and the silent server on your mame pc , this will allow you to see whats happening with the mame pc when its fully booted up. you can also use a program called winvgatv and quickres which will force your screen to the necessary sync. Both of these programs are used on the 1000 in 1 mame boards and I have installed UVNC on a couple of boards which allows me to edit while the pc is powered up.

Just to note that the signal sent to the screen when the bios is displayed can damage your screen and its supposed to be distorted.

could this be an issue with what ever front end you are using

Got it sorted. Valuable time saving tip of the day you ask?? Well here it is...soft15khz doesnt function with win7 yet...use it wisely

Ive installed XP x64 (didnt want my 4 gigs of ram wasting away), and bang - 15khz output. I have to say, Im ASTOUNDED as to how it looks on an arcade crt. My previous idea was to install an LCD and rip out the CRT, well to the two or three boardsies who convinced me not to....thank you!!!!! I have some Streetfighter pcb's, and looking at them on mame via 15khz - they are INDISTINGUISHABLE to the real thing...thats how good it works.

Regarding the Bios screen, this is output @ 31khz and therefore not compatible with a 15khz monitor...unless you have a jpac (which I do

). With the preset jumper configuration, it takes a 31khz image and doubles it...giving an overall 15khz image allowing the bios screens to be displayed. Iy splits the screen in half vertically, and each half has a mirror image of the screen in it. Its not ideal, but allows for bios configuration on an arcade screen...short of buying a multi-sync monitor.

horgan_p · 23-01-2010 7:39pm

this thread happened at just the right time , i'm assembling a mame pc to go into my cab this week ( time permitting), can i ask what graphics card did you use / spec of pc ???

LoGiE · 23-01-2010 9:51pm

Glad to hear you got it sorted.... Now I want pic's of the cab in all it's Glory!!

Myrddin · 23-01-2010 10:46pm

horgan_p wrote: »

this thread happened at just the right time , i'm assembling a mame pc to go into my cab this week ( time permitting), can i ask what graphics card did you use / spec of pc ???

No probs....

Hardware:
Asus P5KPL-SE
Core2Duo E7400 2.8Ghz
Kingston 1066 ram (4Gb)
Ati Radeon X1650 Pro

Software:
Win XP x64 SP2
MameUI64 0.135 (I only update every 2nd/3rd full version, not U releases)
MameUI64 0.135 Full Set (Including CHD's & LD's)
Soft 15khz
QuickRes (to force 640x480 @60hz)
Hyperspin FE

LoGiE wrote: »

Glad to hear you got it sorted.... Now I want pic's of the cab in all it's Glory!!

You will have to wait LoGiE...because it looks so good Ive decided Im not going to waste it on the generic cab with the 19" WG....Im ripping it out and fitting it to my Tekken 3 cab with the 28" Polo....then its pic time :pac:

horgan_p · 24-01-2010 12:08am

whats the performance like on the later games / laser disk games ???

Tempted to try them , but dont want to waste bandwidth if they are slow / jerky

Myrddin · 24-01-2010 11:59am

horgan_p wrote: »

whats the performance like on the later games / laser disk games ???

Tempted to try them , but dont want to waste bandwidth if they are slow / jerky

Ive only played one so far, some kind of jet game on rails which I cant remember the name of...but it played flawlessly. Afaik a lot of them donr run yet (Mad Dog etc). CHD wise, again Ive only used one or two....Carnevil runs perfectly...but like the LD's, a lot of them wont run/run VERY slowly.

The specs are serious overkill for a mamecab...but there are a few other emu's I want to run through it when I have time to set them up. If your looking for Mame only, then you could assemble a pc very cheaply to do it.

With regards to the CHD's/LD's....some of them are ridiculously large...Us Vs Them for example is 15 gigs worth!! There are alternatives to downloading them which I wont ellaborate on...but again, I'd recommend you dont waste your time with them unless you have a serious collecting defect....and chances are if your posting in this forum then you have :pac:

Soft15Khz Woes....

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