First Mame Project (newbie)

[bullrees]

Long story..... as are most arcade stories.
Originally I had planed to build my own cab. I have all of the tools needed except a router and bits but not much room to work. I also considered getting a gutted cab for cheap and starting there. I didn't have much success finding gutted cabs in my area but I did find a working MERCS game that was right down the road from me for 125us. I kinda hated to gut any game that is working for mame but before you flame me for it I did ask if it was considered acceptable here (more original pics also) http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=104446.msg1105060#msg1105060



After looking at the hardware costs for a home made arcade cab like wood, coin doors, coin mechs, buttons, joysticks, etc, 125us was a great price. A three slot coin door and mechanics costs about the same. Keeping the game intact for later use seems a bit naive in retrospect but that was my original idea.


I didn't like the idea of going the arcade-vga card route. Spending 100us on a old crap video card is a bit silly to me when I had a few good cards. I know many people prefer it and that's cool. Spending 40us for a 27 inch TV with component input from craigslist seemed like a better option to me. I had the normal problems with resolutions and such but the TV fit the cab perfect. (even though there was a bit of pinch in the picture). After changing drivers a million times the 8800gts video card I borrowed from my HTPC was working great but was a bit overkill for mame IMO. Even the original bezel fit perfectly after lifting the 80lb tv in and out a million times to get the base at just the right height and angle.



TV with original arcade bezel turned 90 degrees. On a side note when ever I open my garage door to work on the arcade I seem to get a steady stream of children and grown men coming by...lol





I had my eye on my sons video card (7600gs) during all this because he was getting a new computer for xmas. It had a svid out also but didn't require additional power from the PSU. If mame video is more CPU based I thought it would be the best way to go. I was also getting some arcade goodies for xmas to replace the parts I had commandeered from computers around the house. I'll come back to this in a bit.

Like alot of us noobs I bought a x-arcade and it was great for a while to use as a controller on my PC. Most trackball games don't interest me so the duel stick was my choice. When I decided I wanted a real stand up arcade I didn't just want to throw it out. 130us was alot in my extremely wandering budget.( I got an IPAC4 later but not used yet) So I decided to take the guts from the x-arcade and put it in my own CP. So I labled all the x-arcade stuff.



And put them in my own CP (this is a test one).



For whatever reason when I got the 7600gs into the cab it didn't play well with the TV. I screwed with it for days, (bought a new svid to component adapter) but no matter what it still looked like crap when I could get it to display anything. I got tired of it and went and bought a "cheap" 26 inch LCD with vga input and bang...it just works. I should have done this in the first place. No lifting 80LB in and out a million times to adjust it for a quarter inch or a hair too much the other way.


system specs
cpu: core2duo 6400 2.13
mobo: asus p5n-e sli
gfx: gigabyte 7600gs pcie
PSU: generic 500 watt
display 26 inch dynex 1366 x 768
RAM: 4GB ddr2 667

I'm at this stage now.




Any suggestions are most welcome.

[emphatic]

I can just say "too bad you didn't keep the original monitor and bought a J-Pac". That 7600 gs card works with Soft15kHz and would have given you arcade perfect resolutions on the original montitor and no rewiring of the controls as the J-Pac will work in a JAMMA harness (and MERCS is JAMMA).

Ah, we live and we learn.

[eds1275]

Looks like this has been keeping you busy! I too am going to go with a widescreen LCD.

[quadrider1]

i use widescreens LCD in my cocktails and the picture just does not work if your walking up to it. The color is all off from the sides and i cant figure it out. maybe just cocktails though

[newmanfamilyvlogs]

i use widescreens LCD in my cocktails and the picture just does not work if your walking up to it. The color is all off from the sides and i cant figure it out. maybe just cocktails though

a lot of lcds have poor vertical viewing angles. those that use IPS tend to do better. this is of greater concern for cocktails because you usually approach them from all sides.

[bullrees]

I looked at the jpac to start with but I didn't have the 7600 available to me then. The wife seems to want a cocktail now so I'll be back in the same spot in the future with the same jamma harness and arcade monitor.

While the wide screen lcd was the easiest I like some vert fliers and pinball. It seems a tight fit but I'm gonna see if I take it out of the case and rotate it. I doubt it but we'll see.

Computer setup. (looks like a mess I know)

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Mounting the PSU was the worst. I had to take it apart, drill holes in the back plate, screw the back plate in and then put it back together blind because I couldn't see what I was doing. I'm sure there is a better way but trial and error here.

Sound
I thought this would be easy also but curved plastic does not like to be forced strait. I won though.

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[jipp]

looking good.  i too plan on using a 26" flat screen.  i would rather have it mounted like yours but as its a after thought not being able to find a crt.  i will have to install it vertical.. at least i have enough room for that.

and its great to see the kids standing at the cab..  memories they will have for a life time.

chris.