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Home made Arcade Machine???

  • 03-07-2012 5:47pm
    #1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 560 ✭✭✭


    lads gonna make the plunge and make one of these... i will have no problem making the cabinet at all.. i just need a bit of help when it comes to the man bit... the computer... i have an old pc here its about 5 years old it hp i think can that be used??? basically is there any tuts around for all the electronic as in buttons and sticks and getting the games running from my pc and would an lcd monitor do...
    basically i wanna be able to play mortal kombat, street fighter, virtua striker, virtua tennis,donkey kong etc etc...if u could point me in the right direction or if anyone has already done it i would be very greatful...

    looking forward to hearing... FINISH HIM!!! and GOOOOOOAAAAALLLL!!! again:D:D:D:D:D


«1345678

Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 36,065 ✭✭✭✭o1s1n
    Master of the Universe


    Biggest decision you'll have to make is the monitor.

    Best thing to use is a real arcade monitor, as they have their own specific low resolution look to them which really can't be emulated. Can be a bit pricey though so it depends how much you're willing to spend.

    Closest thing you'll get to that is a nice CRT television, Sony Trinitron would be the way to go.

    LCD screens have the advantage of being light and fitting in easier, but as far as authenticity goes, it's the worst of the bunch.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 560 ✭✭✭andrew241983


    o1s1n wrote: »
    Biggest decision you'll have to make is the monitor.

    Best thing to use is a real arcade monitor, as they have their own specific low resolution look to them which really can't be emulated. Can be a bit pricey though so it depends how much you're willing to spend.

    Closest thing you'll get to that is a nice CRT television, Sony Trinitron would be the way to go.

    LCD screens have the advantage of being light and fitting in easier, but as far as authenticity goes, it's the worst of the bunch.

    Trying to keep cost as low as possible for my first one anyway...if i went for an lcd would the picture quality be ok??


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 36,065 ✭✭✭✭o1s1n
    Master of the Universe


    It depends what you're happy with yourself really.

    If I were building one myself and I was trying to keep costs really low, I'd probably go CRT television or CRT computer monitor.

    Recently one of the lads here came across an old Dell CRT monitor and the picture quality on it was stunning with old games. Probably pick one up for about 20 euro or so.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 560 ✭✭✭andrew241983


    o1s1n wrote: »
    It depends what you're happy with yourself really.

    If I were building one myself and I was trying to keep costs really low, I'd probably go CRT television or CRT computer monitor.

    Recently one of the lads here came across an old Dell CRT monitor and the picture quality on it was stunning with old games. Probably pick one up for about 20 euro or so.

    Cheers mate ill keep on the lookout!!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 36,065 ✭✭✭✭o1s1n
    Master of the Universe


    It was a specific old Dell monitor. I'll see if I can find the name of it for ya now.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 560 ✭✭✭andrew241983


    o1s1n wrote: »
    It was a specific old Dell monitor. I'll see if I can find the name of it for ya now.
    Cheers


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 36,065 ✭✭✭✭o1s1n
    Master of the Universe




  • Closed Accounts Posts: 560 ✭✭✭andrew241983




  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 894 ✭✭✭Dale Parish


    Fly out to skips in your local university and you can have a CRT party


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 560 ✭✭✭andrew241983


    Fly out to skips in your local university and you can have a CRT party

    Will do mate rifling through skips is not below me:-)


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 560 ✭✭✭andrew241983


    does it matter how big i go or will i lose picture quality the bigger i go???


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,151 ✭✭✭CathalDublin


    Bigger the better obviously ratio 4:3
    For the best look either get an Arcade monitor or old TV(RGB to VGA) and use soft15htz or an arcadeVGA card.
    I've used an old 23" TV with my cabinet for a few years before I got a new arcade monitor and the picture quality was amazing on MAME and original boards, I'll post some pics when I find them.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 560 ✭✭✭andrew241983


    Bigger the better obviously ratio 4:3
    For the best look either get an Arcade monitor or old TV(RGB to VGA) and use soft15htz or an arcadeVGA card.
    I've used an old 23" TV with my cabinet for a few years before I got a new arcade monitor and the picture quality was amazing on MAME and original boards, I'll post some pics when I find them.

    Ye mate post up some pics as motivation!!
    Can get my hands on a 26" sony triniton telly about 10 years old would that be a good option


  • Moderators, Computer Games Moderators Posts: 5,395 Mod ✭✭✭✭Optimus Prime


    Trintrons are one of the best for a job like this i think, I have one at home myself.

    You will need to get an arcadeVGA card for the pc and a vga to scart cable if memory serves.

    I tried this route myself when setting mine up but gave up on it. the tv was cutting off the top and bottom of games, plus bear in mind you need a tv that comes on when it recieves power, because it will be in the cab with the button hidden.

    In the end i went with an lcd, you can simulate scan lines in mame to make it look a bit more authentic on an lcd, but to be honest, nothing beats the real thing.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 560 ✭✭✭andrew241983


    keithgeo wrote: »
    Trintrons are one of the best for a job like this i think, I have one at home myself.

    You will need to get an arcadeVGA card for the pc and a vga to scart cable if memory serves.

    I tried this route myself when setting mine up but gave up on it. the tv was cutting off the top and bottom of games, plus bear in mind you need a tv that comes on when it recieves power, because it will be in the cab with the button hidden.

    In the end i went with an lcd, you can simulate scan lines in mame to make it look a bit more authentic on an lcd, but to be honest, nothing beats the real thing.

    Cheers ..do i need an arcade vga if im using soft15hz and my oc already has a vga output?? Ye ill have get tge vga-scart off ebay...can i ask what frontend ur using


  • Moderators, Computer Games Moderators Posts: 5,395 Mod ✭✭✭✭Optimus Prime


    Hmm one of the other lads might be able to answer that i cant remember to behonest, i think soft 15hz works in conjuction with the arcadevga card.. not sure.

    Im using Hyperspin in mine, it takes a more beefy pc to run the graphics etc, but it looks brilliant when setup correctly with all the themes etc.

    Plus i run a jukebox software on mine too and Hyperspin launchs that exe smoothly. I even setup a theme for the Jukebox in hyperspin. takes a lot of work to get going but its worth it.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 560 ✭✭✭andrew241983


    keithgeo wrote: »
    Hmm one of the other lads might be able to answer that i cant remember to behonest, i think soft 15hz works in conjuction with the arcadevga card.. not sure.

    Im using Hyperspin in mine, it takes a more beefy pc to run the graphics etc, but it looks brilliant when setup correctly with all the themes etc.

    Plus i run a jukebox software on mine too and Hyperspin launchs that exe smoothly. I even setup a theme for the Jukebox in hyperspin. takes a lot of work to get going but its worth it.

    Ye running hyper spin myself has a nice look off it...ill do a bit more research on soft15hz and arcadevga might be getting cinfused...thanks for all the info ill keerp u informed on my build...and i know who to annoy for info....
    One more thing whst spec pc are u using if u dont mind cheers keith


  • Moderators, Computer Games Moderators Posts: 5,395 Mod ✭✭✭✭Optimus Prime


    Off the top of my head its a in around 2.7ghz dual core dell, i had 4gb memory in it, but i upgraded that to 8gb and went with windows 7 64bit. I was getting some lag on the Hyperspin menus when it had 4gb in it.

    You dont need anything near that to run mame, as its all software emulated, but hyperspin menus can be a hog on resources.

    I know some of the lads on here dont have that much memory in theres and it runs fine, but for some reason it was choppy for me so i upgraded the memory. I dont think you need that much, but for me it solved the problem.

    I also have 2 500gb hard drives in it, one drive has the os, roms, hyperspin vids and themes etc and the other is just music for the jukebox.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 33,733 ✭✭✭✭Myrddin


    A tv won't accept a 15Khz signal if memory serves


  • Moderators, Computer Games Moderators Posts: 5,395 Mod ✭✭✭✭Optimus Prime


    EnterNow wrote: »
    A tv won't accept a 15Khz signal if memory serves

    Yeh, maybe you only need soft15hz if running a pc on an arcade monitor?


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 560 ✭✭✭andrew241983


    Cheers for all the info lads will update this thread with pics when i get a bit more done


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 33,733 ✭✭✭✭Myrddin


    keithgeo wrote: »
    Yeh, maybe you only need soft15hz if running a pc on an arcade monitor?

    Thats my understanding of it, any normal lcd/tv won't accept a 15Khz signal. They expect 31Khz which is what a pc natively outputs


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 560 ✭✭✭andrew241983


    EnterNow wrote: »
    keithgeo wrote: »
    Yeh, maybe you only need soft15hz if running a pc on an arcade monitor?

    Thats my understanding of it, any normal lcd/tv won't accept a 15Khz signal. They expect 31Khz which is what a pc natively outputs

    Guess im off to get an arcadevga


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 33,733 ✭✭✭✭Myrddin


    Guess im off to get an arcadevga

    No that'll output a 15Khz signal, as far as I know you need a graphics card with an s-video out?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 560 ✭✭✭andrew241983


    EnterNow wrote: »
    Guess im off to get an arcadevga

    No that'll output a 15Khz signal, as far as I know you need a graphics card with an s-video out?
    Is that not another way of doing it.. Ithought if u had a arcade vga and and where using a vga-scart it wud be ok..just cant remember id u needed soft15hz with it...i guess its back to google


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 33,733 ✭✭✭✭Myrddin


    Is that not another way of doing it.. Ithought if u had a arcade vga and and where using a vga-scart it wud be ok..just cant remember id u needed soft15hz with it...i guess its back to google

    If your using a TV - normal graphics card & a method of connecting it to tv [svideo/scart adaptor]
    If your using a computer monitor - normal graphics card
    If your using an Arcade screen - either an arcade vga card, or a normal graphics card thats compatible with soft15khz & use a JPAC for both.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 560 ✭✭✭andrew241983


    EnterNow wrote: »
    Is that not another way of doing it.. Ithought if u had a arcade vga and and where using a vga-scart it wud be ok..just cant remember id u needed soft15hz with it...i guess its back to google

    If your using a TV - normal graphics card & a method of connecting it to tv [svideo/scart adaptor]
    If your using a computer monitor - normal graphics card
    If your using an Arcade screen - either an arcade vga card, or a normal graphics card thats compatible with soft15khz & use a JPAC for both.
    im uising sony triniton tv so im ok with my normal graphics card and scart adapter?? Sounds good


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 33,733 ✭✭✭✭Myrddin


    im uising sony triniton tv so im ok with my normal graphics card and scart adapter?? Sounds good

    Yep as far as I understand that'll work


  • Moderators, Computer Games Moderators Posts: 5,395 Mod ✭✭✭✭Optimus Prime


    I think there are only certain graphics card as EnterNow mentioned that are compatiable with soft15hz.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 33,733 ✭✭✭✭Myrddin


    keithgeo wrote: »
    I think there are only certain graphics card as EnterNow mentioned that are compatiable with soft15hz.

    Yeah the author has a compatibility list on her site


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 560 ✭✭✭andrew241983


    EnterNow wrote: »
    keithgeo wrote: »
    I think there are only certain graphics card as EnterNow mentioned that are compatiable with soft15hz.

    Yeah the author has a compatibility list on her site

    Pm link??


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 560 ✭✭✭andrew241983


    EnterNow wrote: »

    Thanks gonna stop annoying ye now(for a while) and do some work
    Thanks lads


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 560 ✭✭✭andrew241983


    alright lads back again just a quick question... i can launch my dreamcast emu(nulldc) by its self and play without problems but when i set all thr paths and try to run through hyperspin i just get a black screen and nothing happens..
    any help much appreciated


  • Moderators, Computer Games Moderators Posts: 5,395 Mod ✭✭✭✭Optimus Prime


    have you got sound drivers installed on the pc? I only ask because i had a similiar issue and believe it or not the sound drivers where causing the problem.

    Or it could be the way hyperspin is launching the file. you should check out the hyperspin forum for info on how to set that up.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 560 ✭✭✭andrew241983


    keithgeo wrote: »
    have you got sound drivers installed on the pc? I only ask because i had a similiar issue and believe it or not the sound drivers where causing the problem.

    Or it could be the way hyperspin is launching the file. you should check out the hyperspin forum for info on how to set that up.
    Ye its all installed its not even giving an error...was on the hyperspin forum all day and couldn get ut sorted...pulling me hair out


  • Moderators, Computer Games Moderators Posts: 5,395 Mod ✭✭✭✭Optimus Prime


    I wont be much help to you here anyways, i just setup mame on mine, didnt bother with consoles emulators.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 560 ✭✭✭andrew241983


    keithgeo wrote: »
    I wont be much help to you here anyways, i just setup mame on mine, didnt bother with consoles emulators.
    No bother cheers


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,911 ✭✭✭aN.Droid


    alright lads back again just a quick question... i can launch my dreamcast emu(nulldc) by its self and play without problems but when i set all thr paths and try to run through hyperspin i just get a black screen and nothing happens..
    any help much appreciated

    Are you using the latest hyperlaunch and the script to go with it?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 560 ✭✭✭andrew241983


    Limericks wrote: »
    alright lads back again just a quick question... i can launch my dreamcast emu(nulldc) by its self and play without problems but when i set all thr paths and try to run through hyperspin i just get a black screen and nothing happens..
    any help much appreciated

    Are you using the latest hyperlaunch and the script to go with it?

    Ye downloaded it and done exactly what it said... Think ill forget about running other platforms and just run mame


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 560 ✭✭✭andrew241983


    Couldnt for the life of me get hyperspin to work using maximus arcade and working perfect...and collect a sony triniton tv aswell.. So time to get stuck into my cabinet


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,911 ✭✭✭aN.Droid


    Couldnt for the life of me get hyperspin to work using maximus arcade and working perfect...and collect a sony triniton tv aswell.. So time to get stuck into my cabinet

    Hyperspin is a bit of a pain to get working alright I myself have put about 30-40 hours into it and I have about 30 consoles set up with all artwork and videos. It's worth all the hard work though when you have that lovely interface to play on :)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 560 ✭✭✭andrew241983


    Limericks wrote: »
    Couldnt for the life of me get hyperspin to work using maximus arcade and working perfect...and collect a sony triniton tv aswell.. So time to get stuck into my cabinet

    Hyperspin is a bit of a pain to get working alright I myself have put about 30-40 hours into it and I have about 30 consoles set up with all artwork and videos. It's worth all the hard work though when you have that lovely interface to play on :)

    Yeah hs looks like a nicer interface but couldnt be doing with all the heartache


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,151 ✭✭✭CathalDublin


    EnterNow wrote: »
    A tv won't accept a 15Khz signal if memory serves
    A standard European CRT TV will run at 15KHZ using scart(RGB), it is essentially the same thing as an arcade monitor, I ran a few different TVs in my jamma cab for years when my 1st arcade monitor died
    see here for more info
    http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=77370.0
    many users on arcadecontrols.com have replaced hard to find or expensive arcade monitors with t.v's over the years.

    And you will either need to run soft15Khz or use and arcadeVGA
    An arcadevga will output 15Khz all the time, soft15khz is a piece of software to set windows to output 15Khz it only works with certain video cards so you will have to check for support before buying a video card


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 560 ✭✭✭andrew241983


    A standard CRT TV will accept 15KHZ no problem, it is exactly the same as an arcade monitor, I ran a TV in my jamma cab for years
    Grand so running soft15hz on my sony trinitron will work no problem through a vga-scart lead??


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,151 ✭✭✭CathalDublin


    Grand so running soft15hz on my sony trinitron will work no problem through a vga-scart lead??
    absolutely, as long as its a VGA-RGB scart


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 560 ✭✭✭andrew241983


    Grand so running soft15hz on my sony trinitron will work no problem through a vga-scart lead??
    absolutely, as long as its a VGA-RGB scart
    Thats great mate.. One more thing..is it mad dangerous to remove the casing and just mount the tube?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,151 ✭✭✭CathalDublin


    Best to ask the experts in the monitor section of arcadecontrols.com or somewhere similar about that, afaik some TVs have a live chassis and they are not as easily de-cased as others and you would need to have some sort of isolation transformer if you decase it
    I think I've read a thread about de-casing trinitrons at some stage and booked marked it, give me a min
    *can't find it but you'll find alot of info on decasing TVs through google

    I had one with the rear case removed and the front bezel still in place

    This is a TV using an ArcadeVGA, as you can see it has alot of screen burn from a bookies and was shorty replaced with a smaller Mitsubishi black diamond 21" which are ten a penny, I'll try find some closeups
    csuqg.jpg
    2wgf4zo.jpg


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 560 ✭✭✭andrew241983


    Best to ask the experts in the monitor section of arcadecontrols.com or somewhere similar about that, afaik some TVs have a live chassis and they are not as easily de-cased as others and you would need to have some sort of isolation transformer if you decase it
    I think I've read a thread about de-casing trinitrons at some stage and booked marked it, give me a min
    *can't find it but you'll find alot of info on decasing TVs through google

    I had one with the rear case removed and the front bezel still in place

    This is a TV using an ArcadeVGA, as you can see it has alot of screen burn from a bookies and was shorty replaced with a smaller Mitsubishi black diamond 21" which are ten a penny, I'll try find some closeups
    csuqg.jpg
    2wgf4zo.jpg

    Thanks mate looks good


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 560 ✭✭✭andrew241983


    Lads another quick question i decided to connect my pc to my sony trinitron using a s video cable seemed the easiest option..im using maximys arcade but is there anyway to get the picture to fullscreen on a 16:9 widescreen without the black border or is that something i have to live with...as i know most arcade games where 4:3


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