ultracade!! dun dun dun!

[icka]

So a few years back I acquired a free ultracade machine.  I believe it is the 27" VGA Cabinet. I was super stoked about it even though it was said not to be working.  The owner had no idea what was wrong with it.  I've put together computers and dabbled with this and that, I can figure it out right? HAH!

So anyway years later I finally get around to tackling this project.  I started working on it today.  I try to boot it up and i get "no signal" then i decide to actually power it on manually.  SUCCESS!  Well at least I thought.  This is when i start encountering problems.  At first street fighter 2 goes on but it winds up freezing 2 seconds into the game.  I think to myself.  I will reinstall the os and the gamepacks.  Clearly I think wrong because i am missing the key for installation.  So this of course prompts me into calling globalvr and trying to obtain a key.  Anybody that knows anything about ultracade would now realize why this wont work for me.

So now I have a few issues.  Even the rep at globalvr seems to think i should turn it into a mame machine because of all the restrictions with ultracade at this point.  So anyway I am dealing with a few problems here.  number 1.  i manually have to boot this machine.  That means I need to press the power button buried inside the machine anytime I want it to go on.  so my first question is.  Why?  Battery or faulty motherboard?  I am hoping battery.  I am assuming battery because bios wont save properly for me to switch the settings for it to boot up on its own.  However could a faulty motherboard be causing it to freeze so none of the games work?  They go on and automatically a screen flashes with a yes or no and they turn off and it goes right back to the game menu.

my next issue.  If it is just a battery and a matter of needing to reinstall the os and game backs clearly i cannot do this without the key.  Of course i cannot obtain this unless I want to send a distributor the comp and let them install everything for me (where is the fun in that though).  So i've accepted that this machine is going to have to enter into the future and away from ultracade.

When doing my initial investigation (years ago) with ultracade i was under the impression that i would have to switch out the computer in order to mame this machine.  Upon talking to globalvr though they have stated that is not in fact the truth as long as i can find mame software that is compatible with what is inside my machine.  So... does anyone know of any?  I want to run older arcade games.  I am not looking for the machine to run newer games (at least not right now).  I am talking stret fighter, pacman, galaga, asteroids, maybe some old school wrestling crap.  Id like it to have around 100 games on it though. 

1. Can anyone point me in the right direction here with everything? 
2. any opinions on battery vs faulty motherboard issue
3. what operating system would be best to run mame off of?

lastly, i apologize if this is posted in the wrong location.  it is late i am tired and i looked over things a few times and couldnt find a better spot for any tech help type issue.

this is my post here from years ago when i got the machines: http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,98932.msg1045291.html#msg1045291
i bid on that board and never got it.  the machine got pushed in a corner until now.  i am just posting it because it shows photos of the machine.

[DeLuSioNal29]

I would try replacing the battery first.  (If you want to salvage the board).  Then I would try to load windows xp onto it.  Once installed run a program called AIDA 32, which will tell you what hardware is in there.  It will make it easier to obtain the drivers for your hardware from the manufacturer's site once you know.

If all else fails, let me know.  I may be able to whip up something with my spare parts I have lying around.

DeLuSioNaL29

[icka]

what originally prompted me back here was: http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=100146.0

i am seeing little success in installing windows on this machine?  i can give it a shot though.  if i could just install windows i could run a mame emulator, and it is that simple?  assuming my other issue is battery related and not mobo related?

[paigeoliver]

Don't install anything else on your ultracade computer.

Unplug it, leave it in the bottom of the cabinet or sell it intact with the problems it has.

By trying to install something else on it you are potentially ruining a very valuable original arcade component that someone else could probably fix, just to save the $20 it would cost to get a used computer with similar specs to the Ultracade one.

Really, if you were close we could go down to the used compy store together, you could hand me the ultracade box and I would buy you something better right then and there.

[icka]

Don't install anything else on your ultracade computer.

Unplug it, leave it in the bottom of the cabinet or sell it intact with the problems it has.

By trying to install something else on it you are potentially ruining a very valuable original arcade component that someone else could probably fix, just to save the $20 it would cost to get a used computer with similar specs to the Ultracade one.

Really, if you were close we could go down to the used compy store together, you could hand me the ultracade box and I would buy you something better right then and there.

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,98932.0.html

its not about the worth its about doing it myself.  ultracade is a lost cause at the moment.

[paigeoliver]

Right, I just don't understand why you would want to wipe out the legitimate Ultracade computer with all those LICENSED games on it that someone else could probably easily fix. Just so you can use it as an 8 year old PC.

[icka]

Well to answer your question, i don't.  However that being said even david foley himself, on this message board, has stated ultracade is a dead product.

I sold UltraCade Technologies over two years ago and have not been involved in the system ever since.  It's a dead product.  Global VR discontinued the UltraCade and Arcade Legends product lines.  They renamed it to Global Arcade Classics, but then they laid off the team and did not renew a bunch of the licenses.

as found here: http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,86245.0.html

Just for note the people over at Globalvr say the same.

 Ultracade is STILL wrapped up in lawsuits from my understanding.  Each key needed to reinstall gamepacks is individual so its not a matter of going on the computer and finding one.  GlobalVR NO LONGER offers keys over the phone.  rather they offer you a distributor in your area which you MUST PAY and have the gamepacks reinstalled by them due to restrictions, lawsuits and other bs.  the entire system is working.  besides the bios not saving and constantly resetting to defaults.  that could be a simple battery issue though and when i am around the machine and buy another battery i plan to test that out.  the only other issue is that the games are freezing right after you start them up.  now clearly i am knew at this but ive spent nights now researching joshua os, jamma, ultracade, david r foley, j pacs and other blah blah blah.  maybe simply a fresh install of the gamepack would work with this issue?  maybe it is mobo related issue?  i can't really easily fidgit with it because of restrictions with the key?  From my understanding, and please correct me if i am talking out of my bum, not many other people would be able to easily fix this issue unless they had the licensing to do so? 

however that all being said, i am probably a lot less intelligent than some here and maybe somebody could fix it easy but its MY machine.  i could install an emulator on my pc and purchase a joystick but thats just not as cool as having a giant arcade machine in my living room.  HAH!  So i could probably sell it and buy another machine?  but the worth of the ultracade in its entirety is not very high?  people are saying they purchased them for 500/600 dollars.  ebay has one listed for 3400 or something but its not sold and its been listed before at the sameish price.  and lastly i am completely mesmerized by this machine and over the past 2 nights i have done more and more research on it and have some more to do.  :-D

So clearly i would rather the machine work as an ultracade machine but if that is not an option for me, i shall move on to plan b which is turning the machine into something else since the worth does not seem so high at this point in time.  also, there would be no handing you anything the machine weighs almost 300lbs.

whats funny is if i would have started working on this machine when i first got it in 2009 i wouldnt have run into these issues with the key as globalvr was just offering them over the phone :-/

[paigeoliver]

I wasn't suggesting that you need to fix the machine up as an ultracade. 

Mame the heck out of it.

What I keep trying to explain is that it makes no sense to try to reuse the old ultracade computer. You know, the COMPUTER. Not the entire 300 pound arcade cabinet.

The COMPUTER inside the Ultracade cabinet is rather low spec and as a COMPUTER is literally worth like $20, if that.

You could probably get a couple hundred bucks for the COMPUTER out of the ultracade, even though it is having problems. Someone else could probably easily repair the problem without involving GlobalVR or David Foley or any of that other mess. Chances are decent that your problems with Street Fighter 2 might not have even been related to a corrupt ultracade install, it could have just as easily been power supply problems or motherboard problems, or any one of a dozen other little computer hardware gremlins that may still rear their heads on the system even after you wipe the install.

There are millions of 8 year old PCs out there waiting to be had for free to $20. However the number of Ultracade PCs floating around is extremely limited. Someone will want that thing, I promise.

[Ken Layton]

Chicago Gaming has some machines similar to Ultracades:

http://www.chicago-gaming.com/supercade.php

http://www.arcadelegends.com/

[lilshawn]

what IS the computer?


it could be that someone had switched out the computer with one thought to be compatible but not enough to work.


I had installed the software on what I thought was a good board... everything works out...then boop! as soon as you start a game it crashed. turned


ended up finding a different computer and it worked properly.


here:


http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,107965.0.html

[paigeoliver]

Also, David Foley does post on the forum here from time to time. Ultracade may not be properly supported anywhere anymore but there is the chance that he MIGHT still have the ability to generate an install code for you if you asked him nicely. It certainly wouldn't hurt to try sending him a message.

[Nephasth]

Also, David Foley does post on the forum here from time to time. Ultracade may not be properly supported anywhere anymore but there is the chance that he MIGHT still have the ability to generate an install code for you if you asked him nicely. It certainly wouldn't hurt to try sending him a message.

While you're at it, order from Ram Controls!

[lilshawn]

Also, David Foley does post on the forum here from time to time. Ultracade may not be properly supported anywhere anymore but there is the chance that he MIGHT still have the ability to generate an install code for you if you asked him nicely. It certainly wouldn't hurt to try sending him a message.

if he wasn't in jail...

[JoeB]

You might have a "rare" yet valuable component in there that you aren't aware of.  Look for the video path, ultracade used to sell a device called the ultracade video converter (uvc) which can convert VGA to 15/25 kHz res. they might have one in your cab! It's the only existent device that can convert video to mid res! People will pay a lot for one to hookup consoles to their mid res cabs (eg candy cab)

I was looking for one for a long time and just got one from France for almost 200$ for this much you can get new PC and arcadevga and jpac!

Speaking of ultracade, what software did it use? Old version of mame?

[paigeoliver]

Out of work, and just had a baby. Otherwise I would have gladly shipped the guy a better spec PC and an ipac in exchange for the ultracade guts.

David's not in jail, the sentencing has been deferred to October.

Paige needs to put up or shut up.  If this Ultracade computer is worth so darned much, ship the guy another one ready to go in exchange for the Ultracade and go seek his fame and fortune elsewhere.  I'd format that thing so darn quick it'd make your head spin.

[lilshawn]

It's the only existent device that can convert video to mid res! People will pay a lot for one to hookup consoles to their mid res cabs (eg candy cab)

I was looking for one for a long time and just got one from France for almost 200$ for this much you can get new PC and arcadevga and jpac!

wut?!?!?!


the computer and I/O board takes care of that...the computer outputs CGA/EGA/VGA depending on the dongle installed.

in fact any computer can output whatever signal you need for an arcade monitor with no fancy converter needed.

Speaking of ultracade, what software did it use? Old version of mame?

custom linux os "JoshuaOS" with custom file system
an early hyperspin frontend
probably rips off code from MAME, but because of the custom OS and Custom File system, nobody has been able to hack into it to see the internals.


P.S. i just browsed your other thread (Sorry i'm lazy and often view the forum on my phone) You have the White SUMICOM computer...The computers where super prone to overheating and crapping out. I'd trash it...I did. They made a kit to retrofit an additional fan to the case to help cooling, but it was too little too late. it's basically a celeron 1ghz with a 20mb HD and 64mb of ram. I've given away better computers. You are going to be better off trashing it.

This is the documentation for the USBlinx board. It emulates a keyboard so you should be able to just re arrange the key mapping for mame and be good. the key layout is in the PDF.

http://service.globalvr.com/downloads/ultracade/components/040-USBLNXM-UCT_USBlinx_User_Doc_v02H.pdf

[Yenome]

i never understood the appeal of systems like ultracade. personally i would rather just buy a mamed system and call it a day. people go nutz over those systems at the auction.

[JoeB]

wut?!?!?!


the computer and I/O board takes care of that...the computer outputs CGA/EGA/VGA depending on the dongle installed.

in fact any computer can output whatever signal you need for an arcade monitor with no fancy converter needed.

Please re-read my original post.

1) PC CGA/EGA only kicks in once hacked Windows/Linux drivers are initialized.  The boot/BIOS is still 31khz and will do anything from fry your chassis, turn it off, or make it look like it's having a seizure.  ArcadeVGA is the only card that has CGA for boot/bios.

2) You assume everyone only uses a PC in their cab.  What about XBOX360, PS3, Dreamcast?  All these output VGA (31khz) or you can hack them to output 15khz interlaced (which looks like ass due to interlace).  With a uvc, you can take your high res 31khz signal, and down-convert it to 25khz non-interlaced that looks arcade perfect.  ***NO OTHER DEVICE CAN DO THIS***

[JoeB]

I just looked at your original thread ..  It doesn't seem you have a uvc, but you have something different.  It looks like a uvc + JPAC in one device.
It's the little device that is sitting on top of the PC, on the shelf.  It's the one that looks like it has an orange fuse from a car.

Can you provide more pictures of it?

[lilshawn]

wut?!?!?!


the computer and I/O board takes care of that...the computer outputs CGA/EGA/VGA depending on the dongle installed.

in fact any computer can output whatever signal you need for an arcade monitor with no fancy converter needed.

Please re-read my original post.

1) PC CGA/EGA only kicks in once hacked Windows/Linux drivers are initialized.  The boot/BIOS is still 31khz and will do anything from fry your chassis, turn it off, or make it look like it's having a seizure.  ArcadeVGA is the only card that has CGA for boot/bios.

2) You assume everyone only uses a PC in their cab.  What about XBOX360, PS3, Dreamcast?  All these output VGA (31khz) or you can hack them to output 15khz interlaced (which looks like ass due to interlace).  With a uvc, you can take your high res 31khz signal, and down-convert it to 25khz non-interlaced that looks arcade perfect.  ***NO OTHER DEVICE CAN DO THIS***

did you even read the USBlinx documentation???

The video circuit in the USBlinx is used when the target monitor is either an arcade CGA or EGA
monitor.  The USBlinx provides three necessary functions to convert PC signals into arcade monitor
signals.  Firstly, the BIOS has control of the video during the PC boot-up phase and may output
incompatible signals.  Secondly, the voltages of the RGB signals are different.  Finally, the
synchronization format may differ.
During PC boot-up, the application, and even the operating system, has no control over the video
mode.  The BIOS uses whatever default mode the motherboard supports.  There is therefore the
potential that these modern synchronization signals may damage older style arcade monitors that

do not support such fast synchronization signals.  The USBlinx therefore disables the
synchronization signals from propagating to the target monitor until the DDC signals enable it.  DDC
consists of clock (SCL) and data (SDA) lines, and is a mostly unregulated method for monitors to
identify themselves by sending and receiving configuration information.  The SDA line defaults to
high, and the USBlinx needs to see the SDA line pulled low to enable the pass through of the video
synchronization signals.
Both PC and arcade monitors use +5v synchronization signals, however, the voltage ranges are
different in the red, green and blue signals.  The USBlinx therefore provides a video amplifier for
converting the PC’s 0.7vpp RGB signals (input into the DB15 connector J11) to the arcade monitor’s
5vpp signals (output through the JAMMA connector).
The type of synchronization signals used by arcade monitors can differ.  All PCs produce separate
horizontal and vertical synchronization signals, while some arcade monitors require just one
composite signal.  The USBlinx therefore combines separate synchronization signals (input into the
DB15 connector) into a composite signal (output through the JAMMA connector)

this I/O board combined with soft15k/arcadevga will keep nasty 800x600 and other weird signals from being displayed. NO OTHER DEVICE CAN DO THIS because they don't need to...and everybody else has realized this.

[JoeB]

?!? Have you even read my post?? The usblinx is more or a jpac than arcadevga. Have you ever owned the uvc? Have you tried to hook up a VGA signal from a game consol to a mid res monitor? Or are you just a MAME PC user?

The uvc is a full blown frame by frame scalar! It scales multiple PC or VGA (480p) resolutions down to mid res or low res (240p) That's a lot more than ArcadeVGA/soft15 can do for REAL CONSOLS!

Don't get me wrong. I use groovy mame with a jpac in my new astro city (which by the way can't pass 25khz signal to the monitorbut that's a different story)

If you have a mid-res 29" MS9 monitor (arguably the best 15/25 monitor ever made) and you want to hookup a dreamcast or real Sega Naomi hardware to it, you're stuck using 15khz 480i resolution. (as you can only do 31/15 kHz with these and not 25!) but the uvc can take the 31khz signal and output 25khz after scaling the image resulting in nice progressive output that looks better than 15khz @ 480i

The uvc is the only device that allows you to do this.

[lilshawn]

?!? Have you even read my post?? The usblinx is more or a jpac than arcadevga. Have you ever owned the uvc? Have you tried to hook up a VGA signal from a game consol to a mid res monitor? Or are you just a MAME PC user?

Neither...I'm a service technician for an amusement company. I needn't convert anything, We have the proper technology.

The uvc is a full blown frame by frame scalar! It scales multiple PC or VGA (480p) resolutions down to mid res or low res (240p) That's a lot more than ArcadeVGA/soft15 can do for REAL CONSOLS! 

yup. it sure does for "real consols"

The uvc is the only device that allows you to do this.

yes and there is a reason. You needn't do it. otherwise the market would be flooded with manufacturers ready to jump on the MAME bandwagon to sell them over priced parts.


People too lazy/cheap/inexperienced to build/setup a MAME computer run consoles...they are also the most likely to also run TV's in their cabinets instead of arcade monitors because the cabinets are often bought with no/non-working monitors to keep cost down. You needn't convert the signal to display it because the TV already supports it.

If you have a mid-res 29" MS9 monitor (arguably the best 15/25 monitor ever made) and you want to hookup a dreamcast or real Sega Naomi hardware to it, you're stuck using 15khz 480i resolution. (as you can only do 31/15 kHz with these and not 25!) but the uvc can take the 31khz signal and output 25khz after scaling the image resulting in nice progressive output that looks better than 15khz @ 480i

if you have REAL Naomi hardware most resolutions are supported by simply changing dip switches on the computer. given the state of most 15k monitors out there I could understand you wanting to run it at med res...but really there isn't an appreciable difference to speak of since the hardware just doubles up the pixels (same as the scaler) even at high res. It's the same image...it doesn't look any better. the games are coded at the lowest resolution supported and enlarged to fit others.


if you are converting a game system (dreamcast) that originally had 320 lines (tv resolution) don't you find it's funny that CGA resolution (15k) was 320x200. most available early monitors were based on TV designs and so had the same frequencies. so with an amplifier and a RGB mod on your system you can hook right up to a 15k monitor. (unless it outputs at TTL levels. I don't know I never had one.) but the bottom line is you need not convert the signal to a non-standard resolution to simply display it at a "higher" resolution since the "higher" resolution is hardly an improvement over the original.


I know 25 is bigger than 15 but you know what? put the same game on 3 monitors... 15/25/32k and sit them side by side.... THEY ALL LOOK THE SAME. hell, nobody has noticed the Friction game i built out of an old time crisis 2 cabinet has one 15k monitor and one 32k monitor in it. (other than a slight skew in color between them)


besides, OP has a cabinet with a D9200 the whole 15/25k argument is moot. 


also, here is a snippet from Andy regarding 25k

25 Khz monitors. If you have a choice, don't go for one of these. They cannot display any of the early games at native resolutions as the scan rate is too high. Only a few games used these monitors and only these few games can be displayed 100% accurately on them. Advanced MAME will be needed for these monitors.

so let's see...we have a company that made scaler cards for their game system (as an extra purchase)  to display on disused monitors that where only used for a very small number of games. The company that picked up ultracade has not continued distributing those cards...can you see now why we need not convert the signal yet? there is a reason they switch between 15 and 25.

you don't need to.

[JoeB]

so let's see...we have a company that made scaler cards for their game system (as an extra purchase)  to display on disused monitors that where only used for a very small number of games. The company that picked up ultracade has not continued distributing those cards...can you see now why we need not convert the signal yet? there is a reason they switch between 15 and 25.

you don't need to.

Not sure why you keep saying these.  You assumed that most cabs are used for either real PCB's (which most are 15k) or MAME.  Not sure why you keep going back to the PC.  Some people actually do try to hook up XBOX360 with native games to a cab.  So, tell me, which of the following would you prefer:

- XBOX 360 hacked to output 480i on a 15khz monitor with a nasty flicker (as XBOX360, like most games consoles can't output 240p)
- XBOX 360 set to output 480p -> uvc -> 15khz -> true 240p

I'd take the arcade perfect 240p signal.

As for Andy's quote, he was talking about MAME and mid-res games.  The gist of what he's saying is that using modern PC's the majority of mid-res games are not playable.  Yet for mid-res games in general, there's quite a few popular ones (heck, Daytona USA, the best selling arcade machine of all time is a mid-res game!!)  So don't discount 25khz ..

I'm sorry that you can't see the difference between 31/25/15 for a game.  I sure as heck notice a difference.  Naomi games were designed to be played on Sega Candy cabs, which a majority are 31khz.  The 15khz dip switch was added for backward compatibility; operators that want to retrofit Naomi in their older 15khz only cabs.  15khz in Naomi is a hack - it's interlaced video that looks like ass.  On my 29" CRT it has a very bad flicker.  I prefer to play non-interlaced games, and the UVC allows one to do so.  (I can do 31khz -> 15khz or 25khz .. my choice)

At the end of the day.. to each their own.  I'll enjoy playing non-interlaced high res games on my 29" monitor using an XBOX360.  And for this system, one will notice the difference between 25k and 15k as the games were originally made for 31k or higher.

[lilshawn]

Which Do I prefer? nether.


given, if had to hook up a xbox360 to an arcade monitor, I would use a VGA cable and a 31k monitor like the 9200 or the 2525. otherwise i would't do it. It would be a waste of time and money to try and downconvert a VGA signal to EGA or CGA plus introduce another point of failure.


so which is better:


XBOX 360 set to output 480p -> uvc -> 15khz -> true 240p


or


XBOX 360 set to output 480p -> monitor

Of course trying to send a non-supported resolution into most monitors will lead to a muggy, badly scaled, and possibly out-of-frame-image...which is why i said:

People too lazy/cheap/inexperienced to build/setup a MAME computer run consoles...they are also the most likely to also run TV's in their cabinets instead of arcade monitors because the cabinets are often bought with no/non-working monitors to keep cost down. You needn't convert the signal to display it because the TV already supports it.

The key is to properly match your hardware so you don't have to do all sorts of ridiculous adapting to make things work.


most console "MAMERS" are doing it this way because they can't afford to spend 1000 bucks on a cabinet with a brand new tri-res monitor in it. So they pick up a 200 cabinet with a busted monitor (if a monitor at all) toss the monitor and put a TV in there and hack the controls for their xbox. there is no sense fixing an EGA monitor and then pay for an adapter to change their VGA signal to EGA so it can run on it. TV's are nearly free now a days.


if i find the coveted UVC i'll be sure to send it your way...at least someone will buy it.

[amendonz]

Yawn, uvc is great, if you have a 24khz monitor and want to run 360/dc its awesome, also 'most people buy cabs with busted monitors' um some do, wouldn't say most though.

[JoeB]

Candy cabs are not 100$ if you find one in ok condition under 1000$ jump all over it!

Putting a trisync monitor in a cab that came with a mid/low IS equivalent to the same as putting a tv or LCD in it.  For purists that want original as much as possible (including playing games in their original 240p mode) the uvc is the only solution, no matter how imperfect it is.

A lot of the 200x shooters made by cave still cost >1000$ just for the pcb alone. This is why xbox360 ports of those games scaled to 240p are so popular (even if the games still cost 50$+ on xbox360)

Until there is a better solution, I'll stick to using the uvc as its a darn good lag free scalar for real arcade monitors.

[icka]

I just looked at your original thread ..  It doesn't seem you have a uvc, but you have something different.  It looks like a uvc + JPAC in one device.
It's the little device that is sitting on top of the PC, on the shelf.  It's the one that looks like it has an orange fuse from a car.

Can you provide more pictures of it?

i never understood the appeal of systems like ultracade. personally i would rather just buy a mamed system and call it a day. people go nutz over those systems at the auction.

 i am completely mesmerized by the ultracade system myself.  joshua os has amazing boot time maybe its the os im more interested in though.  at auctions?  have you seen them sell?  online im only seeing working machines going for 500/600 dollars? 

Out of work, and just had a baby. Otherwise I would have gladly shipped the chick a better spec PC and an ipac in exchange for the ultracade guts.

fixed! also, its really not about the better spec PC.  i have computers and pieces with "better specs" sitting around my house i could put new guts in the machine i dont want to.

new ideas thanks to: http://www.digitpress.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-132373.html

anything else i miss that might have been pertinent?  when im not as tired ill look over responses again.  long day.

[lilshawn]

the ultracade OS was a remarkable setup.


basically a stripped down Linux, tailor made for the hardware.


boot time is remarkable because it needn't load anything but what it needs. no bloat. don't need a fast system...the OS was basically nothing.


but Dave pretty much nailed the OS by having it made custom. That's why people are having a hell of a time with the ultracade now that global has dropped the ball on the system all together.

[icka]

the ultracade OS was a remarkable setup.


basically a stripped down Linux, tailor made for the hardware.


boot time is remarkable because it needn't load anything but what it needs. no bloat. don't need a fast system...the OS was basically nothing.


but Dave pretty much nailed the OS by having it made custom. That's why people are having a hell of a time with the ultracade now that global has dropped the ball on the system all together.

yup, there are people with appropriate licensing that can generate codes but clearly you have to pay for their services.  it's, i think impossible, to reinstall gamepacks and OS on your own since every code was individual to the mobo and software.  i haven't found any other information going against what im saying here and ive been looking for a while now.  if i started this project when those pictures where dated though...  i probably wouldnt be running into this problem.   if i could do a quick and easy mobo replacement everything might just work properly though. [edit] this may not work because a replacement mobo might generate a new code? which it may force me to put in?  must do more research on this [/edit]

[lilshawn]

I've heard if you install everything on the computer the codes where generated for, you can pull the drive...insert it into another computer....and have it work.


Apparently the code only holds up the installation....it's not constantly checked like other software. once it's installed your'e good to go.


Sounds like guys that are selling full ultracde hard drive installs are doing it this way

[lilshawn]

Sounds like guys that are selling full ultracde hard drive installs are doing it this way

Isn't that partially how one of them ended up a convicted felon?

yes 


well...that, and lying to the bank. stuff becomes all federal.

[davidrfoley]

I try to boot it up and i get "no signal" then i decide to actually power it on manually. 

The machine not powering up when you power up the cabinet is most likely a bad battery.  These are common and used in almost every older PC motherboard.  The CR2032 battery on your motherboard is mounted vertically in a holder.  Replace the battery and then set the CMOS settings to ALWAYS POWER ON and that will solve this first problem.

At first street fighter 2 goes on but it winds up freezing 2 seconds into the game. 

This is likely due to a heat or memory problem.  My first guess would be heat.  Try removing the CPU fan, cleaning the heatsink and applying new conductive grease on the CPU and reseating it.  Make sure that when the machine is on that the CPU fan is spinning.  If not, you can use a lower profile heat sink designed for 1U servers.  When we repair these computers, we use a solid copper server heatsink and fan as the replacement.

I think to myself.  I will reinstall the os and the gamepacks.  Clearly I think wrong because i am missing the key for installation.

you only need to reinstall if you have changed hardware and the system no longer accepts your software load.  Just repairing the unit, and replacing the battery does not require a reload of the software.

However could a faulty motherboard be causing it to freeze so none of the games work?  They go on and automatically a screen flashes with a yes or no and they turn off and it goes right back to the game menu.

This is an I/O problem.  You have a button stuck on, most likely the EXIT button.  If you go into the operator menu, go into diagnostics, and take a look at the JAMMA display, see if any of the connectors are lit solid, if so that is the problem.  Check for a short on that switch.  A quick test is to disconnect the USBlinx I/O controller and attach a keyboard and see if the problem persists.  Use 1 to start a game and left control as the button 1.

[lilshawn]

[Dervacumen]

Nice.