Mame cab monitor

segasega

This will be a long time in the making but just trying to get a few ideas together for a little mame cab. Going to try do something like this:



I currently use a crt monitor to play mame on, I get a bit of flicker when a lot happens on screen, just wondering if a LCD monitor would have the same problems?

Cheers.

o1s1n

Are you sure the flicker isn't being caused by your computer and not the monitor?

You could use an LCD and it would be handier as it would weigh a lot less, but the games just don't look right on one

Myrddin

Id have to agree with the o1smeister on this one. LCD displays are very handy for space/weight etc...but they lack that "authentic" look for arcade games.

Arcade monitors in themselves are CRT based, so as o1s1n says maybe its not being caused by the screen itself and instead by something else...refresh rate/resolutions etc. Perhaps the game just doesnt like being ran at the freq your monitor is running at? Your best bet would be to keep your CRT, get a jpac/ipac whatever suits your needs, and use soft15khz to drive the screen at arcade resolutions (if your crt supports it)...it gives a stunning result for so little.

segasega

Messed around with the res a bit and that helps, will look into soft15khz defo. Just making this to play around on after a few drinks etc. Not trying to make it super authentic or anything, thanks for the help guys.

LoGiE

Mitchmagic has some arcade monitors for sale. Send him a PM and grab one!

segasega

Thanks for the heads up Logie, but I'll just be sticking with a pc crt for now, as may budget is pretty close to zero for this. So on that note, looking for cheap pre-built arcade sticks. X-Arcades are out of the question, but would any PS3 arcade stick work?

Like this one?
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B001W6Q7BC/ref=s9_simh_gw_p63_i1?pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_s=center-1&pf_rd_r=0W2ASJ0DDKHM4Q237YRT&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=467198433&pf_rd_i=468294

Might even go for this as its cheaper again:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Subsonic-PS3-Arcade-Stick/dp/B0011EOPN2/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1271957783&sr=8-8

o1s1n

Real arcade control parts aren't very expensive at all. You'd get a decent joystick for 15 euro or so, and push buttons are only a few euro each. It's all very easy to wire up too.

segasega

Any links would be nice.....or should I just ebay it? Is it easy to wire up for use with usb?

o1s1n

Oh yeah, you're connecting it to a pc.

Well as far as I know, all you need to get is one of these -

http://www.ultimarc.com/ipac1.html

It connects to your PC via USB.

And then you just wire the buttons to that. I've never used it before, but it doesn't look too difficult at all. I've wired up buttons in a JAMMA cab and it looks pretty much identical. Don't be overwhelmed by the amount of inputs, there are enough connections on that ipac to support up to 4 players. So you'd only need to use half of them.

All you'd have to do is get a wire, connect one end to the correct connection on the ipac, then the other end to the button. And that's it!

Buttons like these -

http://cgi.ebay.ie/ORIGINAL-BRAND-NEW-SANWA-BUTTON-OBSF-30-ARCADE-STICK-G_W0QQitemZ330423668113QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_VideoGames_VideoGameAccessories_VideoGameAccessories_JN?hash=item4ceec90d91

If you're on a tight budget, jammaboards.com do these sticks. I've tried them out and they're not bad at all -

http://www.jammaboards.com/store/classic-arcade-joystick-8-way-to-4-way-switchable-/prod_282.html

segasega

http://cgi.ebay.ie/2-JOYSTICK-16-BUTTON-arcade-set-for-mame-jamma-NEW_W0QQitemZ140392634705QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Video_Games_Coin_Operated_MJ?hash=item20b00d9951

Does that seem like a good set, just like the way the buttons can be screwed down into place.


Those I-Pac's are not cheap.

o1s1n

That's a really nice price! I would imagine that set would be perfect for the type of project you have planned.

CathalDublin

Are you sure that's not screen tearing your getting?
on games like GNG, etc?
if so turn triple buffer on in your settings.ini file

example of screen tearing between yellow lines when side scrolling, very noticeable in Ghost n Goblins, Ghouls N ghosts,etc

segasega

o1s1n wrote: »

Oh yeah, you're connecting it to a pc.

Well as far as I know, all you need to get is one of these -

http://www.ultimarc.com/ipac1.html

It connects to your PC via USB.

I-Pac really aint that cheap, is there any other companies putting something like this out, at a lower price?

Thinking of going with this:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2-JOYSTICK-16-BUTTON-arcade-set-mame-jamma-NEW-/140392634705?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_Video_Games_Coin_Operated_MJ&hash=item20b00d9951

But need to sort a PS2/USB interface first.

Cheers

CathalDublin

The ipac2 is only 39usd and you can get in ps2 or usb
theres another one called a keywiz

segasega

So going to go ahead and order some bits in the next few weeks. Just wondering if there is anything else I would need to complete a control panel after ordering these two items:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2-JOYSTICK-16-BUTTON-arcade-set-mame-jamma-NEW-/140392634705?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_Video_Games_Coin_Operated_MJ&hash=item20b00d9951

http://www.gremlinsolutions.co.uk/products/minipackit.htm


Cheers

Myrddin

You would be better off buying a genuine I-Pac, the support for them is really good if your having difficulties at all. Buy straight from Ultimarc, and Andy who runs Ultimarc is a user of byoac forums too.

That button & joystick set will do the job, but the wont be the highest of quality. If it were me, Id save up for another few weeks and buy branded sticks/buttons...you will literally will feel the difference.

Just some friendly advice from a man who has been down that dark arcadey road your heading down, many times!

segasega

What about one of these?
http://www.ultimarc.com/ipacve.html

Myrddin

segasega wrote: »

What about one of these?
http://www.ultimarc.com/ipacve.html

The I-Pac is the only man for the job if your using an lcd. The VE edition you linked to there is indeed good value, and if your using the standard mame layout it will suit you perfectly. But if you want to programme a custom control set (start button plus player 1 button 3 = pause etc etc), then the standard I-Pac is only a few dollars dearer, and that saves your config settings to its own eeprom rather than ram - meaning you wont have to keep programming your settings every time your power on.

Try find out what the default mame control set is, & see does that take care of everything you will need to do via your joysticks/buttons, then you can make your mind up.

I have the j-pac for use with an arcade screen, and I must say being able to programme your own controls is a god send. Bear in mind you will need two coin buttons also, as some teo player games only credit player 2 from coin slot 2 - therefore I was able to map player 1 button 2 (shifted with the start button) to coin slot 2...a minor example of the convenience.

segasega

Unfortunatly a i-pac shipped straight from them comes to €62.04!!!! Pricey! I know you'll say its worth it in the end though!

Myrddin

Its only worth it if you need to customize your control panel man. If your happy with the default layout it gives you, then roll with that. If not, spend the extra 20 odd quid and save yourself the headache.

segasega

Well basically all I want is 2 joysticks, 6 buttons each, two start buttons, 2 coin buttons and a exit but. Maybe a pause button, I dont mind have all these buttons on the control panel or under it, so not too pushed if I dont have a "shift" function. Ill be using Maximus Arcade. So I should be fine with the Mini-PAC?

Myrddin

segasega wrote: »

Well basically all I want is 2 joysticks, 6 buttons each, two start buttons, 2 coin buttons and a exit but. Maybe a pause button, I dont mind have all these buttons on the control panel or under it, so not too pushed if I dont have a "shift" function. Ill be using Maximus Arcade. So I should be fine with the Mini-PAC?

Well the I-Pac has the shift function (even the ve edition), so you wont physically need all those buttons on your control panel. The default mame setup is:

Exit Button = 1p Start + 2p Start at the same time.
Coin 1 = 1p Start plus 1p Button 1
Pause = 1p Start + 1p Stick down

etc etc

But if your 1p button 1 is mapped to left alt (as mine was by default), every time you press it in Mame, it will produce the "Restore, Move, Size..." window. So I remapped button 1 to a keyboard function with no other functions - prob sorted. If you go the VE route, this will have to be done every time you power on, if you go standard I-Pac, it is saved to eeprom. It really depends on how often you want to be using a keyboard with your cab to configure things. I wanted the cab configured, then the keyboard & mouse hidden away and never needed so I went for the eeprom model.

segasega

Well im thinking of going with the mini-pac, on the gremlinsolutions site it says "Fully programmable key code set. Stored even after power off unlike some other interfaces which lose all data when powered off."

Myrddin

segasega wrote: »

Well im thinking of going with the mini-pac, on the gremlinsolutions site it says "Fully programmable key code set. Stored even after power off unlike some other interfaces which lose all data when powered off."

I cant fault the mini-pac - it looks like it takes care of everything. But I noticed they also sell the I-Pac, and its 6 quid cheaper than the mini-pac.

Maybe the price reflects that the mini-pac comes with its own wiring harness, whereas the I-Pac doesnt come with wires Im not sure. Either product looks like it will work for you, but the mini-pac looks like a more "all in one" solution so that might be the best option for you.

segasega

Thanks for all the tips EnterNow, the mini-pac does seem like an all-in-one solution, its hany that it comes with wires etc too.

sham69

I have the mini pac and can't fault it
The only thing about it is the wiring harness can be a bit restrictive if you have a lot of buttons and they are spread far apart, for example I have 2 pinball buttons on the side of my cab and the harness is stretched to its limits
I think I could have gotten a neater look if I went with the normal pac and wired it myself.
In saying that I was a complete noob at the time so it was perfect.
Hope this helps.

segasega

This is for a bartop cab so most of the buttons wont be that far apart, and there wont be any on the side etc. Cheers.