To emulate or PCB?, that is the question

[AtariMaster]

All,

I have an idea for my arcade cabinet. I want to wire it up JAMMA for my ArcadeSD PCB but have an idea. I want to build a control panel with rotary joysticks to play Ikari Warriors and the other rotary joystick games. Should I invest in the original PCBs and play the originals or put the money into a computer and interfaces and emulate them in MAME?

It's probably an easy question but I'd like to hear your thoughts.

I guess on average each PCB could average about $100. None of them except Ikari pull at my heart strings so should I go the cheap route and emulate vs. PCB?

Thanks,
Andy

[voltz]

I really hate the way prices has risen over the years, but if there's something you've been keeping an eye on I would consider the real thing over what indie programmers would "think" is accurate.  For all the random stuff, putting a Retropi in place would be a great alternative to just throwing your money around.

[AtariMaster]

I should specify that I don't plan to add title specific artwork, bezels or even control panel overlays to any of the PCBs if I were to buy them. I want the cabinet to stay generic enough that it isn't considered a knockoff of any given title. I just want it to run smoothly and be a solid build.

[Jamesbeat]

Personally, I'd emulate, but if you really want the original pcb of the game you like so much, could a jamma switcher give you the best of both worlds?

Real Ikari Warriors pcb, and switchable to mame for the others?

[yotsuya]

I've gotten into buyi ng JAMMA boards for my most favorite games growing up. I say go for it!

[CheffoJeffo]

Ikari is one of those games where I would go original. I grabbed up a pair of sticks long ago with the intent of assembling a cabinet. Still haven't gotten to it yet.

May or may not be important to you, but IIRC, Ikari came in both JAMMA and 22/44 flavours. You could always make a JAMMA converter if you end up with a non-JAMMA board, but it is something to think about going in.

[dmckean]

It's funny how when boards were cheap, the trend here was to emulate everything but now that the collector's market has exploded and boards are expensive, it's in fashion to go JAMMA and switch out games.

[paigeoliver]

The rotary boards are a relative bargain compared to similar jamma boards, I would go for the real thing.

[voltz]

It's funny how when boards were cheap, the trend here was to emulate everything but now that the collector's market has exploded and boards are expensive, it's in fashion to go JAMMA and switch out games.

heh, wait till the day this hobby becomes too unaffordable.

[eds1275]

I'm big on emulation. But sometimes I feel like the odd one out when I just like playing the games, 100% accurate or not.

[harveybirdman]

I don't know about Ikari,  but I see great deals on Time Soldiers and Guerrilla War all the time.

[Jamesbeat]

I'm big on emulation. But sometimes I feel like the odd one out when I just like playing the games, 100% accurate or not.

I'm the same, especially as emulation is so acccurate nowadays and I never played most of the games I play on the real machine in the first place.

I can see why the op would want the real board of his favorite game though, and maybe if I had loads of money and a big basemtn I'd'd want a bunch of originals.

[yotsuya]

I only pick up real boards if I can get them cheap. Usually, the issue isn't emulation so much as it is control scheme.

[AtariMaster]

This is all very good advice.

I feel with the rotary games, simply plugging in the 13 pin joystick harness into the PCB might give me the best experience.

The short list of rotary games is about the only reason I would consider buying the PCBs. I won't go crazy and spend $400 on a title just because it's rotary and JAMMA because I doubt I've ever played it and have no way of knowing its value to me. I too have seen some rotary PCB titles under $100 and that's what got me thinking about investing in them.

JAMMA titles would be preferable but what about JAMMA adapters? Are they easy to find or are there 1000's of variations to search for?

Thanks,
Andy

[harveybirdman]

You can just roll your own.

[harveybirdman]

Also you might get good ideas here.

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,133433.msg1373910.html#msg1373910

[yotsuya]

I roll my own adaptors. If you can solder, you can do it.

[paigeoliver]

Pretty sure Ikari Warriors is the only rotary title that isn't jamma, and the dedicated ones of those came with a 56 pin adapter adapting it to some other wiring scheme, if you happen to get that adapter then you can cut and solder on it until it is jamma or just buy an Ikari to jamma adapter.

This is all very good advice.

I feel with the rotary games, simply plugging in the 13 pin joystick harness into the PCB might give me the best experience.

The short list of rotary games is about the only reason I would consider buying the PCBs. I won't go crazy and spend $400 on a title just because it's rotary and JAMMA because I doubt I've ever played it and have no way of knowing its value to me. I too have seen some rotary PCB titles under $100 and that's what got me thinking about investing in them.

JAMMA titles would be preferable but what about JAMMA adapters? Are they easy to find or are there 1000's of variations to search for?

Thanks,
Andy

[adder]

atarimaster i dont know if it would be suitable but  there is a joystick hack version of ikari warriors in mame if you wanted to try it with regular joysticks instead of needing rotary ones

[voltz]

atarimaster i dont know if it would be suitable but  there is a joystick hack version of ikari warriors in mame if you wanted to try it with regular joysticks instead of needing rotary ones

Play like Robotron/SmashTV?

I really want to see this.

[paigeoliver]

atarimaster i dont know if it would be suitable but  there is a joystick hack version of ikari warriors in mame if you wanted to try it with regular joysticks instead of needing rotary ones

Play like Robotron/SmashTV?

I really want to see this.

No, I am pretty sure it plays like Ikari Warriors with a rotation button or something else equally bad that the bootleggers crapped out in a day to save $120 on their bootleg machines. A large chunk of code would have to be rewritten to make the game with its 12 incremental rotary positions translate into 8 instant jump positions.

[adder]

if you want to try it for yourself in mame it is called "Ikari (Joystick hack bootleg)"   romname:  ikarijpb

it lets you move in 8 directions yes, like eg. the game  Commando by Capcom
(it doesnt use any kind of rotation button/option as far as i remember)

[AtariMaster]

Well I took the first step and already landed in hot water. I bought a Time Soldiers PCB for under $50.00 but as an afterthought realized I don't own a CGA arcade monitor. I have a Viewsonic 21" computer CRT and a ELO rack mount computer touchscreen CRT.

I was going to use them with my ArcadeSD and probably build a MAME cabinet. I never considered building a JAMMA cabinet to actually run original PCBs.

I don't really want to buy another CRT because if my wife sees another CRT brought into this house she is going to flip.

Is there anything I can do to move forward with buying rotary title PCBs and running them on my computer VGA CRT monitors? Or will i need to spend $650-$700+ on a new Makvision CGA CRT or give up on the PCBs and just emulate on my VGA CRTs?

I guess if I built a cabinet that can do it all, run PCBs, run my ArcadeSD and also a MAME computer I could easily justify a Makvision CRT.

Thanks,
Andy

[paigeoliver]

Fix whatever problem in your marriage that would cause your wife to flip if you got another crt. There are probably 50 or 60 crts at my place.

Also, I suggest buying a complete cabinet that already has a monitor in it rather than springing for a new makvision.

[AtariMaster]

Problem solved?

Tonight after work I'm going to a guys house in my hometown to look at an Ikari 3 The Rescue cabinet that appears to be in working order. There was only 1 picture in low light so I really don't know the condition but for $200 I am optimistic.

I'll follow up tonight.

[harveybirdman]

Dude if that monitor works and the ls-30s are in remotely decent shape you snap that sucker up at that price no questions asked.

[AtariMaster]

It works. The SNK LS-30 joysticks work fine but the monitor doesn't fill the entire screen. The image on the screen is 'cropped' at the top and bottom about 1 inch. The cabinet it a generic one and not the Dynamo I was hoping for and doesn't have the cut corner CP. It has a coin door and a coin collection door both keyed.

It's okay I guess but I'm curious about the monitor. I didn't notice any burn in.

Andy

[pbj]

Update with pics of game in your garage kthx

[harveybirdman]

Vertical and Horizontal position are adjustment knobs bro. Offer him 1 hundy and buy that ---steaming pile of meadow muffin---!

[AtariMaster]

Delivered to my garage for $200.00.

One thing I like about it is the fact that the control panel is suited for a taller person.

[harveybirdman]

Looks like a Williams cab, I didn't realize the Rescue was a horizontal game.

[AtariMaster]

Looks like a Williams cab, I didn't realize the Rescue was a horizontal game.

Could that be why it appears to be 'cropped'? Maybe it is displaying on a horizontal monitor but should be oriented vertically? IDK, I'm really just guessing.

[harveybirdman]

Nah I think it is horizontal, I'll fire it up in Mame to be sure though

EDIT: yeah its horizontal

[AtariMaster]

Looks like a Williams cab, I didn't realize the Rescue was a horizontal game.

I think it was originally a Bubbles cabinet. I can see circles under the paint on the sides.

[P.H.U.]

Either way, it is a steal. Enjoy that game and cabbie for all it's worth!

[CheffoJeffo]

Either way, it is a steal. Enjoy that game and cabbie for all it's worth!

This.

Nice to see a new guy get a good deal instead of heming and hahing himself out of it.

 

[pbj]

$200 delivered for a working cabinet is a great deal.

That "displayed in the wrong orientation" stuff is from MAME, not real games.  You just need to turn the adjustment knobs a little and you're good to go.

[AtariMaster]

Vertical and Horizontal position are adjustment knobs bro. Offer him 1 hundy and buy that ---steaming pile of meadow muffin---!

I found the adjustment knobs after drilling out the cam lock on the back panel and was able to adjust the 'cropped' bottom border but will need more time to mess with it this weekend. Good call!