Ok, thanks--I knew you guys could figure it out. So what resolutions can I run the monitor at? I was planning on getting an ArcadeVGA card. How would I set it up?
that is one possibility. another is using the software program called soft15k... it will force your card to display lower resolutions so you can patch directly to the monitor. the arcade VGA is a card that has been modified to pretty much do the same thing... so 6 to one half dozen to another.
So I don't need the transformer, correct? Do I just cut the plug off the end of the green/white/black wire (out of the monitor) and connect to the bottom box where the AC interface is?
i personally would place a power bar/ surge suppressor in the bottom of the cabinet... you can never be too careful with surges. monitors are particularly temperamental when it comes to power. but yes, if you like you can wire it directly.
Also, assuming it works well enough...is it cost effective to upgrade the chassis to allow for higher resolutions or is the tube itself somehow limited?
yes, and no. the problem is that that even though the 2700 chassis and the 500dx chassis use the identical tube, the yokes are different. the yoke is the coils of wire up on the tube that deflect the beam of electrons across the screen. the yoke is designed to run at 25khz. if you try to run it at VGA (which is 31khz) the yoke can't handle it. it will burn up. there is ways around it, such as replacing the yoke, but for what all the stuff would cost, you might as well buy another monitor.
How do I check the picture (and interface with that tiny RGB plug)...or are you still suggesting that there is another connector somewhere else?
there is a connector on the neck board that will accept a plug... the picture you took earlier with the yellow wires... the other end of that is probably attached to the plug... the photo with the yellow wires does not look like the plug that is supposed to be on the neck card, so it should still be attached. IE: you should have 3 sets of wire bundles going to the neck card, as well as a thicker red and a thicker white wire, and 2 smaller black wires for ground. one of those bundles is going to be your video wires.
there is a page over at ultimarc that kind of explains how to hook up an arcade monitor to the VGA port on the computer. including the pinouts for the red blue green and syncs.
http://www.ultimarc.com/monfaq.htmlthe biggest part on your side is you have to get your computer to output the proper 25khz frequency first. that's where soft15k comes into play.
http://community.arcadeinfo.de/showthread.php?t=8170