Help.. I am so confused.. OS/Front end questions

[BilldaCat]

I totally don't know whether to use DOS or Windows anymore, or even what front end for that matter.  I have been using ArcadeOS under DOS for a long time now, but a lot of the games don't go full screen, and I want to use hardware stretching.. and after reading around here, it seems there's no reason -not- to use Windows..

Here are my machine specs:

Arcade Cabinet / Arcade Monitor
ATI 3D Rage Pro Video Card
PIII 500mhz
128 MB RAM
Soundblaster 16


What I'm worried about is hooking this up and blowing out my arcade monitor when I load Windows due to not having the proper video settings or whatever I need to get it to work.. I'm pretty in the dark about that.. can someone point me to some help?  I am pretty much terrified of blowing out my arcade monitor, so I've been very hesistant to mess with anything.

Also, if someone can recommend a Windows front end that supports MAME, Nesticle, KGen98, etc, and can get the games to run full screen.. it would be much appreciated.

Thanks for any help,
Chad

[SirPoonga]

Sounds like my computer.

Just install windows.  As long as you have a decent monitor you should have no probs.

[Carsten Carlos]

If it is a real Arcade monitor, I'd be carefully with loading Windows, although I haven't experimented with real arcade-monitors so far, it sure can blow up when you don't have a special driver for it.
I'd recommend to get the Jpac from http://www.ultimarc.com , so your monitor is protected when the horizontal frequency is set to high. Arcade-monitors usally drive with 15khz, with loading windows in standard mode it would be more then doubled.

[BilldaCat]

From what I've read it seems the cheapest thing to do is pick up a Trident Blade 3D card, since they can run Windows on arcade monitors.. just want to verify.. is this correct?  And is there a certain Trident Blade card I need to look for (are there different models, etc etc).

Thanks,
Chad

[Lilwolf]

If it's only going to be used for dos emuls, consider going pure dos.  You will get more games to run.

what you will loose?  Hareware stretching, Windows emuls (zinc, ect), the ability to run my frontend (and a few others , configuration is easier.

What to gain.  More video cards will run, Faster (10fps or so I hear), might be able to copy someone elses configs

btw, I haven't heard anyone mentioning how good the screen quality is when running pure windows applications anyway.

[Lilwolf]

One more thing

There is a Malox video card that can also do it... . I think the 400.  I think it's the best video card that can handle it.  (not best quality maybe (don't know), but more the newest fastest one)

[Howard_Casto]

I think alot of video cards can do it now, although not right out of the box.  I know I just bought an ati radeon 7500 (third party) and it came with and overclocking utility! It even came with a little thingy that lets you try any refresh rate that the card will support, regardless of wheather it's a usual win display res/refresh rate.

It lets you choose hor and vet freq I think, but i haven't messed with it yet.  I'll try it out and keep you posted.

I've also heard that several of the geforce cards can do it too.

Both are much better solutions than the ancient blade 3d card.  It's much to slow to handle the new win emus, which would be your only real reason to run win.