Mame cabinet or leave it as is

[mikev43]

Ok so I have a decent original Contra jamma cabinet and everything works.  The bottom is a little rough and the side art is painted grey.  My question is should I convert this to a MAME cabinet or leave as it and clean it up a bit?

some general questions

Can the whole cabinet be taken apart and put back together? 

If I did go the mame route would I use a j-pac and remove the existing control layout and use an x-arcade or make one myself with the existing stuff?

I really don't want to do a whole lot of drilling etc.. so the x-arcade or similar sounds like a good solution..

Is it hard to modify the control area to fit an x-arcade?

I don't really care about using it for anything but a PC and MAME...

Suggestions please!!

[WhereEaglesDare]

If everything is working then leave it as is or restore it.  You can come across broken cabs to MAME fairly regularly...  Post pics please

[Ginsu Victim]

Arcade Contra is nowhere near as good as the NES version. MAME away!

[Turnarcades]

DO NOT do an X-Arcade conversion. Please god no.

[garnerb350]

If everything is working then leave it as is or restore it.  You can come across broken cabs to MAME fairly regularly...  Post pics please

Exactly...if it works then dont mame....restore it and you might make a good penny off it...who knows?

Arcade Contra is nowhere near as good as the NES version. MAME away!

Ginsu has a point....

DO NOT do an X-Arcade conversion. Please god no.

 agree...do NOT do a an x-arcade conversion....I have an x-arcade ...and i agree with Turn...if you are going to mame it...get the controls and an I-PAC...trust me you will have less problems in the long run...

[CheffoJeffo]

First, check to see if the monitor is easily rotatable (assuming that you want a horizontal orientation). I think it should be, but always best to be sure, particularly without seeing pics (I don't even know if Contra came in a dedicated cab).

If you do choose to MAME it, you are most likely looking at a 2-player cab and, since the cab is already wired JAMMA, I would choose a JPAC over an IPAC every time. It is easier and leaves you much more flexibility going forward (say, if you make another MAME cab and want to change this back or to something else). Using an IPAC means rewiring, which is unnecessary and destructive.

Only hitch is amplifying the audio from your PC. I use a little audio amplifier running from the PC to the JPAC, but you can use regular PC speakers instead of the cabinet speakers.

Since it seems you may be confused from your question -- you can't connect a prefab X-arcade to a JPAC.

Get your MAME box configured and running at 15Khz (using soft15 or ArcadeVGA), hookup some PC speakers and plug in your JPAC (disconnect the existing switching power supply first). Then you can play and get a feel for things without compromising the cabinet. Once you are more comfortable or motivated, you can work on changing the control panel.

It may sound complicated, but it isn't and there are lots of people who can step you through it.

[mikev43]

I will post pics tomorrow and would appreciate some more direction.. I like the idea of almost simulating with the jpac and not having to really do too much except unplug a couple of connections..

One question no one seemed to answer was can this thing be taken apart board by board so it's totaly in pieces?  I would think it to be easier to work on plus I would have a very hard time getting this sucker in the basement though I'm sure there is a way.. If it was at least half taken apart it would be a LOT easier...

[CheffoJeffo]

Hard to tell without seeing the pics, but the majority of cabs aren't likely to come apart AND go back together again.

[shfifty]

DO NOT do an X-Arcade conversion. Please god no.

 agree...do NOT do a an x-arcade conversion....I have an x-arcade ...and i agree with Turn...if you are going to mame it...get the controls and an I-PAC...trust me you will have less problems in the long run...

I agree. Having an x-arcade just makes you want a better controller

[Stobe]

DO NOT do an X-Arcade conversion. Please god no.

Does anyone else see the irony in the fact that 90% of the advertisements I see in the top banner here are from the one company that everyone seems to tell people to avoid using?

Granted, I realize we are, in general, advising against using an X-arcade on a real cab in lieu of using buttons and joysticks purchased elsewhere.  And I'm sure, despite X-arcade's buttons and joysticks not being 100% up to par with Happs products (for example), no one would disagree that their products, as stand-alones, are great products that many around here have purchased at one time or another.  

But I still find it ironic every time I see such a reaction as above (the same type of reaction I make myself, when I see someone do a real nice job with a new cab build, and crown it with a tank-stick)

ok, you can have your thread back.  Sorry for the temporary detour.

[Osirus23]

Remember, BYOAC stands for Build Your Own Arcade Controls, not Buy Your Own Arcade Controls. 

[Turnarcades]

I'm not a fan of X-Arcade stuff but then I never went down that route when I got into this hobby (went straight to a proper cabinet) and don't have a massive amount of experience using them. However I can go off what I have seen myself and comments from customers who tried them before going for a proper cabinet. I recently added a new FAQ section to all our advertising to reflect my opinions:

http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/8643/faq4a.png

I know they use cheaper parts but admit they are decent, reasonably-priced panels. My big objection is that they do not integrate into cabinets well at all, compared to panels like North Coast Customs which would. Unfortunately people don't buy them as a 'gateway' panel as they should; too many buy them out of fear of wiring their own panel or worse still, thinking they're saving money on the panel in advance of assembling a cabinet. It is in fact cheaping out - you should NEVER scrimp on the control panel as it is the most important part of the machine.

[mikev43]

Ok as promised here are the pictures...

The other side of the cabinet is in the same shape and color.. 















http://s697.photobucket.com/albums/vv339/vdoggie43/Contra%20Cabinet%20Jamma/


btw I also own a working Gate of Doom pcb.. I really like this game also.. but the monitor has to go horizontal... 

[Malenko]

so rotate the monitor and play gate of doom?  That cabinet is very generic

[Mikezilla]

I can never see pics on the forums, unless they are little thumbnails.  Stupid work...

[mikev43]

I can never see pics on the forums, unless they are little thumbnails.  Stupid work...

Did you try the main URL for photbucket?

http://s697.photobucket.com/albums/vv339/vdoggie43/Contra%20Cabinet%20Jamma/

[Namco]

Those cabs are usually glued and stapled together. No way you will be able to get it apart without some serious pounding/damage.

The control panel looks easy to work on. Just fill the holes with bondo and redrill the pattern you want. Clean up and keep the sticks though.  

My vote: mame that ol' generic box

[andrewbean90]

leave it or restore it

[Mikezilla]

Thanks mikev. I appreciate it!

I say mame that foo.

[DashRendar]

Mame the sucker.   

It's not like it's a Tron or Baby Pac-Man...

[WhereEaglesDare]

After seeing it I may retract my previous statement... you could convert it to play vert games only, like 1942 or DK...  Either way it need some body work

[mikev43]

Do you guys think an older but very nice 19" crt would suffice?  It's a really nice flat face monitor.  I also have an AMD 2600+ (barton core) and mobo I could use.. would this be enough juice for the majority of mame and maybe a few other emulators?  Is 512meg of memory with windows xp enough to run all of this?  It's been a while and I'm not too concerned with emulating the really high end stuff..  I think I'm ready to pull the trigger..  should I get the j-pac then?  What controllers do you all recommend?

[Turnarcades]

Your spec is plenty; I've hit up this subject many times in the past. Forget the majority of 3D/polygonal and most of the crappy .chd MAME games and most other stuff is sweet at that spec, so long as you set up your software properly (low res desktop, minimal use of graphics effects and original aspect ratios for all games). For joysticks and the like, anything these days is a good bt so it just depends what 'feel' you want (eg. soft like Sanwas or a bit more rugged like Suzos or Mag-sticks).

[mikev43]

does the j-pac only allow for 1 joystick and 4 buttons total?  can a trackball be added?  damn this is more confusing that it looks... 

[Turnarcades]

All existing connections from the controls should already be wired into the JAMMA harness (2 joysticks with 3 buttons each plus 2 start buttons and a credit input), which then gets routed through the j-pac via the JAMMA edge connector the j-pac is plugged into. You then wire any extra buttons (up to 10 extra) to the spare terminals on the j-pac board. So in theory, you could have 2 players with 6 buttons each, 2 start buttons, credit switch from a button or coin door, and 4 admin buttons with the standard j-pac.  

Both joysticks, start buttons, buttons 1-3 for each player and the coin signal would all remain wired into the JAMMA loom, whilst buttons 4-6 for each player and your admin buttons would be wired straight into the j-pac. When plugged into your PC by USB, the software will then interpret all of these attached inputs as key presses in the MAME default mapping, or you can program your own using the Winipac utility.

[mikev43]

All existing connections from the controls should already be wired into the JAMMA harness (2 joysticks with 3 buttons each plus 2 start buttons and a credit input), which then gets routed through the j-pac via the JAMMA edge connector the j-pac is plugged into. You then wire any extra buttons (up to 10 extra) to the spare terminals on the j-pac board. So in theory, you could have 2 players with 6 buttons each, 2 start buttons, credit switch from a button or coin door, and 4 admin buttons with the standard j-pac.  

Both joysticks, start buttons, buttons 1-3 for each player and the coin signal would all remain wired into the JAMMA loom, whilst buttons 4-6 for each player and your admin buttons would be wired straight into the j-pac. When plugged into your PC by USB, the software will then interpret all of these attached inputs as key presses in the MAME default mapping, or you can program your own using the Winipac utility.

Well it's only got 2 joysticks and 2 buttons each plus a 1 player and 2 player start button.. can I add more without using the the extra 10?? 

What are the clear advantages using the j-pac versus the i-pac?  If it's nothing more than using existing buttons/joystick wouldn't I be better off buying an i-pac?  I'm still debating if I'm going to use my crt or keep the current original monitor in there.. if I want windows to look nice I will probably need to use my monitor, yes?

[DashRendar]

JPACs are easier to set up and can allow you to connect the PC's video to an arcade monitor without a special adapter.

IPACs are much more customizable.

My cab was a JAMMA cab, and while I could have used a JPAC, I'm glad I went with an IPAC.  I was able to configure the controls just the way I wanted them.

 

[Turnarcades]

Well it's only got 2 joysticks and 2 buttons each plus a 1 player and 2 player start button.. can I add more without using the the extra 10??

You couldn't wire analog controls to it, but then if you're going to Ultimarc anyway, both the U-trak and spinner from them can be had with a mini-encoder to connect straight to your PC by USB. So your cool as long as you have the ports available. If you want more joysticks and stuff you would need an additional encoder (i-pac).

DashRendar is correct in what he says (an i-pac/mini-pac has many more available connections), but remember if you plan to use the existing hardware in your cabinet (arcade monitor and speakers), only the J-Pac has connections to help simplify connecting/powering them. An I-Pac/mini-pac is only an encoder for controls, so you would likely need to do some hard-wiring and software trickery to successfully use the monitor with the PC. This could be tricky if you're a noob, and the result could damage your arcade monitor.

[mikev43]

JPACs are easier to set up and can allow you to connect the PC's video to an arcade monitor without a special adapter.

IPACs are much more customizable.

My cab was a JAMMA cab, and while I could have used a JPAC, I'm glad I went with an IPAC.  I was able to configure the controls just the way I wanted them.

 

ok what do you need extra if I was to get an i-pac instead of a j-pac?

[DashRendar]

If you are running MAME and want to use the arcade monitor (recommended, as long as it's in good shape), you'll need either:

Soft15Khz (free app)
http://wiki.arcadecontrols.com/wiki/Custom_display_modes_%28Windows%29_-_Soft-15khz

or an ArcadeVGA video card (from Ultimarc)
http://wiki.arcadecontrols.com/wiki/ArcadeVGA

You'll use a keyboard encoder, such as an IPAC2 or Keywiz (for 2 player) or IPAC4 (for 4 player).  There are some other options, such as value encoders like the IPAC VE, that might also work for you.
http://wiki.arcadecontrols.com/wiki/Keyboard_Encoders

Most people replace the arcade speakers with PC speakers, since it's usually easier.

Other than that, you just have whatever controls you wish to use.  Buttons, joysticks, spinners, trackballs, etc. 

Note that analog controls need a different type of encoder than a keyboard encoder.  Analog controls are usually trackballs and spinners.

Take a look at the BYOAC wiki for more information.
http://wiki.arcadecontrols.com/wiki/Main_Page

[Turnarcades]

Take a look at the BYOAC wiki for more information.
http://wiki.arcadecontrols.com/wiki/Main_Page

Cheffo will be proud!

[CheffoJeffo]

IPACs are much more customizable.

In what way ?

[CheffoJeffo]

Take a look at the BYOAC wiki for more information.
http://wiki.arcadecontrols.com/wiki/Main_Page

Cheffo will be proud!

I am!

[DashRendar]

IPACs are much more customizable.

In what way ?

You can wire your buttons, joysticks, etc to whatever keys you like.  You can also use the WinIPAC software to completely reassign keys.

[CheffoJeffo]

And how is that different from the JPAC ?

[DashRendar]

Apparently I stand corrected...?

I thought that was all preset from the JAMMA edge connector.  Guess I'm wrong.

[mikev43]

ok what if I wanted to use the current control layout and add some buttons and one trackball and maybe a spinner type for arkanoid and tempest..  also I'm leaning towards using an old 19" crt 4:3 monitor instead of the arcade one..

One problem I do notice is the down action on the second player NEVER registers.. can this be fixed or do I need a new stick?

I do want it to be VERY easy if possible... but if I'm going to be wiring up some new buttons and what have you I kind of like the idea of gutting all the jamma crap out of it..

[RayB]

One problem I do notice is the down action on the second player NEVER registers.. can this be fixed or do I need a new stick?

Open up the control panel and look at it. Examine the joystick. Move it and watch what happens. It's all so simple you're going to kick yourself.

[Rick]

One problem I do notice is the down action on the second player NEVER registers.. can this be fixed or do I need a new stick?

Open up the control panel and look at it. Examine the joystick. Move it and watch what happens. It's all so simple you're going to kick yourself.

What RayB means to say is, when you press the stick 'down' the underside of the joystick will usually click a small microswitch, which will be attached to wires, which in turn, will go somewhere.  First, check to make sure the microswitch is there, connected, and making contact when you press the 'down action'.  Then, if it looks like it's making contact, check to see if the wire is attached securely.  If it is, follow it along to make sure it is still in once piece, is connected, and has no visible damage.

It's all a process.  There's basic troubleshooting involved, but check those first things first, and you'll do ok.

[mikev43]

One problem I do notice is the down action on the second player NEVER registers.. can this be fixed or do I need a new stick?

Open up the control panel and look at it. Examine the joystick. Move it and watch what happens. It's all so simple you're going to kick yourself.

What RayB means to say is, when you press the stick 'down' the underside of the joystick will usually click a small microswitch, which will be attached to wires, which in turn, will go somewhere.  First, check to make sure the microswitch is there, connected, and making contact when you press the 'down action'.  Then, if it looks like it's making contact, check to see if the wire is attached securely.  If it is, follow it along to make sure it is still in once piece, is connected, and has no visible damage.

It's all a process.  There's basic troubleshooting involved, but check those first things first, and you'll do ok.

cool thanks!!