Arcade Game RGB/CGA/EGA/YUV to VGA Video Converter for MAME??

[hogcia]

I want to buy this board but need to know if it will work on a home MAME cabinet. I am using a computer running windows 7, does anyone know if this will work? I see people using this with a standard arcade when they don't have a CRT monitor. If this will not work, is there an alternative for MAME? thanks

[BobA]

This gives VGA output for assorted arcade style inputs.   You do not need it for mame.   If you are going to use a vga monitor just hook it to the vga on your mame pc motherboard.   If you are going to use an arcade monitor the story is different.   You will then need a video card that supports conversion of the output to cga or other monitor format.    Please indicate what you are using for a display and you will get more accurate details.

[hogcia]

Thanks for your reply. I am doing some research before I start my project. I haven't purchased anything yet. I am building a small 17" LCD tabletop arcade. Space will be very tight, so I was hoping to use the on-board graphics on whatever mini-itx motherboard I buy. So your saying that VGA to VGA will give me an arcade type picture?

I remember seeing some kind of mame RGB to VGA adapter once that someone on the forums was selling?

I will be using HyperSpin with my project, and I know I can enable arcade type "scanlines" but Ive been having trouble with that. thanks

[PL1]

Are you thinking about CraftyMech's Mini SLG?

Info and pics here.



640 x 480 is the preferred resolution for the Mini SLG.

Paradise Arcade Shop and the KADE Store both sell them.


Scott

[Slippyblade]

I think he's confused on multiple fronts here.

Hogcia, don't try to anticipate what we will ask.  Just answer the questions as they come up.

Number one question is what kind of display are you using or wanting to use.
  A) LCD
  B) TV
  C) Arcade monitor

I think you are trying to jump the shark and combine too many concepts all at once and tripping yourself up.  Knowing exactly what display you are using will help us to help you.

[Generic Eric]

+1 for sound advice

Come back OP.  They are here to help!

[hogcia]

Are you thinking about CraftyMech's Mini SLG?

Info and pics here.



640 x 480 is the preferred resolution for the Mini SLG.

Paradise Arcade Shop and the KADE Store both sell them.

thanks, that's what I was looking for


Scott

[hogcia]

I think he's confused on multiple fronts here.

Hogcia, don't try to anticipate what we will ask.  Just answer the questions as they come up.

Number one question is what kind of display are you using or wanting to use.
  A) LCD
  B) TV
  C) Arcade monitor

I think you are trying to jump the shark and combine too many concepts all at once and tripping yourself up.  Knowing exactly what display you are using will help us to help you.

I did say 17" LCD tabletop arcade figured you would guess that I am using a 17" LCD monitor. don't have a brand or make yet because I am doing research before buying anything.

[ed12]

if u are going 17" lcd then why the conveter to start with ?
u said mame on a 7 box
which already mean's u have a video output to a lcd >15pin<
so why the conveter ?

ed

[hogcia]

if u are going 17" lcd then why the conveter to start with ?
u said mame on a 7 box
which already mean's u have a video output to a lcd >15pin<
so why the conveter ?

ed

I simply want good looking "retro" arcade quality graphics. I will be playing pretty close to the screen, I want the games to look like the image below, even on a 17" LCD.

[Slippyblade]

Got it.  Most of what you want can be achieved with the screen filters that MAME has these days.  The scanlines can be achieved either using a screen filter or an in-line dongle like was posted earlier.  Keep in mind that even using a scanline generator, it still won't look totally accurate since CRT's have a "bloom" effect on the pixels that isn't present on LCDs.  That can be faked via screen filter as well though.

Personally, scan lines drive me bonkers but that's just my opinion.

[Unstupid]

If you want that look you will need a scan line generator (SLG) like PL1 recommended earlier.  The VGA board you mentioned in your first post doesn't inject scan lines.  It only converts arcade signals to VGA.  Just a FYI... The scan lines are not generated by the arcade boards rather they are a result of the CRT monitors.  Since LCD panels don't have scan lines you need a SLG to create the effect...

[hogcia]

I will be going with an SLG, software CRT filters never worked that great for me. I am hoping that the SLG will work across the board, since I am using several emulators with HyperSpin. thanks

[Slippyblade]

A scan line generator will put scan lines in ANYTHING.  It will put scan lines in your browser window if you want.  They modify the signal after it's left the computer.  An SLG  doesn't care what the signal you feed it is, it simply chops out a row of pixels every few lines.  So, yeah - if that's the effect you are after, it's a simple plug and play solution.

[Dungeonsdeep]

I will be going with an SLG, software CRT filters never worked that great for me. I am hoping that the SLG will work across the board, since I am using several emulators with HyperSpin. thanks

Unless you purchase the SLG as mentioned earlier in the post, you are going to have to set up emulated scanlines in every emulator you use. For example, when using Hyperspin, you can open HyperHQ, and should be able to set up scanline options in there, this will set scanlines globally for the frontend.

However, it will not pass that down to each emulator you open. I know ZSNES has scanline options, and probably many other emulators as well, just not sure if they all do.

The SLG is 30 bucks which seems a bit pricey to me for something that is designed to make and LCD look "worse" (notice I implied worse there, don't want to get in an argument about whether scanlines are superior or not, but I'm under the school - "If you want scanlines. use a CRT!").

I have no experience with the SLG or much knowledge about it, but I'm guessing that as a piece of hardware, it will create better results than any software emulation.

So, I realize that you have made up your mind, but maybe another user will find help in this a little longer down the road.

[nitrogen_widget]

I have the slg dongle.
I run the front end at native screen res. 1280x1240 and no scan lines so its easy to read.
Then when I run Mame I get scanlines because it kicks the res  down to 640x480.
Looks cool to me. Not as good as an actual arcade monitor but good enough to make it look cool.

[hogcia]

I have the slg dongle.
I run the front end at native screen res. 1280x1240 and no scan lines so its easy to read.
Then when I run Mame I get scanlines because it kicks the res  down to 640x480.
Looks cool to me. Not as good as an actual arcade monitor but good enough to make it look cool.

So when you run a mame game the SLG turns on automatically?

[hogcia]

I will be going with an SLG, software CRT filters never worked that great for me. I am hoping that the SLG will work across the board, since I am using several emulators with HyperSpin. thanks

Unless you purchase the SLG as mentioned earlier in the post, you are going to have to set up emulated scanlines in every emulator you use. For example, when using Hyperspin, you can open HyperHQ, and should be able to set up scanline options in there, this will set scanlines globally for the frontend.

However, it will not pass that down to each emulator you open. I know ZSNES has scanline options, and probably many other emulators as well, just not sure if they all do.

The SLG is 30 bucks which seems a bit pricey to me for something that is designed to make and LCD look "worse" (notice I implied worse there, don't want to get in an argument about whether scanlines are superior or not, but I'm under the school - "If you want scanlines. use a CRT!").

I have no experience with the SLG or much knowledge about it, but I'm guessing that as a piece of hardware, it will create better results than any software emulation.

So, I realize that you have made up your mind, but maybe another user will find help in this a little longer down the road.

Most emulators do have scanline options but I've had trouble making them all work right. I need something that works globally across-the-board like the SLG.

Everyone is entitled to there own opinion, I think scanlines improve the look of retro games on an LCD, which makes the $30 an easy investment for me. I am using a Wells Gardner 27" Arcade monitor on my big cabinet which works great. But CRTs are not always an option, and they are expensive and heavy.

[ed12]

SLG 3000 2. Release, state: February 2011
Functional description and connecting hints
First: Many thanks for purchasing this simply, but efficient working device.
Intentional simply constructed, it may be produced and offered for a convenient price.
Tough the actual purpose, generating of scanlines, is realized absolutely satisfying.
There is no noticeable time lag, because it’s only a simple analogue switch, wired in
your VGA cable.
It is careful designed, tested with several VGA-sources and displays that basically
use the analogue VGA signal transmission standard.
Every unit is individually tested before delivering.
The really most interesting practical operation should be the lower VGA resolution
640 x 480 at circa 60 Hz, using the double scanning mode of your graphic device.
The graphic readout always spends two lines with identically image content. This
resolution is common used during the emulation of vintage video games from the 15
KHz areas applying any contemporary display. Here sets the simply, but greatly
effective concept. Every second line is attenuated or cut off cyclical, applying
electronically switches. The attenuation is infinitely adjustable from 0 to circa 100 %.
Due to the fact, that every second line has an identically image content like the
previous, you get no loss of image information.
The result is a image with “REAL SCANLINES”!
Easiest connection:
Loop through the VGA connection using a VGA extension cable, male / male plugs.
Important:
Make sure, that the PCB gets no contact with metallic surfaces inside your machine.
So take care to fix it insulated from other conducting parts. Connection to your
equipment should be done only while power is switched off. Proper function is only
guarantied during strict observance of the VGA norm standards.
Matching different resolutions:
You may use the DIP switches 4 and 5 to accommodate the functionality
Resolution DIP4 DIP5 Effect
640 x480 OFF ON every odd line attenuated
ON OFF every even line attenuated
Remark: The unit is able to handle this high resolutions, practical there is no mind
about that. The effect is hard to notice; in addition you get loss of picture information.
Miscellaneous:
Please connect the unit applying only premium extension cable, to avoid image
interferences. You prevent overshooting video signal pulses, caused by mismatching
from poor quality.

with its pdf

ed

[PL1]

I have the slg dongle.
I run the front end at native screen res. 1280x1240 and no scan lines so its easy to read.
Then when I run Mame I get scanlines because it kicks the res  down to 640x480.
Looks cool to me. Not as good as an actual arcade monitor but good enough to make it look cool.

So when you run a mame game the SLG turns on automatically?

if MAME sets the VGA resolution to 640x480 (or 1024x768), then the mini SLG will add scanlines to the image. If you have a MAME front-end and don't want scanlines for those screens, just run the front-end at a higher resolution than 1024x768.

When the mini SLG sees a certain signal that is present during a 640x480 (or 1024x768) video signal, it blanks every other line so you get 240 (or 384) pairs of video and blank lines (scanlines) per frame.

  1 Video line 1
  2 Blank
  3 Video line 3
  4 Blank
  . . .
  479 Video line 479
  480 Blank

Higher resolution signals don't have that certain signal, so the mini SLG blanking isn't triggered.


Scott
EDIT: Corrected the video line count.

[hogcia]

Thanks for the info.