The time is finally here... is this all I need?

[pointdablame]

Well, school is over May 10th, I've scrounged up some cash, and I finally have some free time on the horizon, so looks like I'll finally get to work on my cab  

Quick recap as I've been saying I'm going to "start" my cab for probably over 6 months now. I have a 25" cab, good monitor, PC is set, speakers are taken care of. Prolly gonna order a SmartStrip for power concerns. Marquee light works, coin door is good.

My thought is that I need to order an ArcadeVGA, JPac, and an Optipac and I'll be good to go.  Control panel is not set in stone yet, but it will definitely have a trackball as I already bought one. Prolly a simple 2 player set up, Tball, maybe spinner.  Other than some wire, disconnects and some free time is this all I need?  Is there a simple, more cost effective way to get the tball working with a few mouse buttons instead of the optipac. I'm wary to try a mouse hack, although I guess I could give it a shot.  Plus wouldn't that impede my use of a spinner if I decide to put one in now or in the future.

I have to do some serious reading on the Jpac as I'm still kinda confused on how all the controls interface with the JAMMA conncetor. If anyone has a good link that explains it (other than the Ultimarc site which has a lot of info, i Know) please link me to it.

Also, if anyone else thinks I'm overlooking anything I need, please tell me.  After being here and playing with my simple control box, I'm feeling ready to do this, haha. Thanks all.

[bloodyviking77]

Does Ultimarc's minipac handle some optical inputs?

[SirPeale]

I have to do some serious reading on the Jpac as I'm still kinda confused on how all the controls interface with the JAMMA conncetor. If anyone has a good link that explains it (other than the Ultimarc site which has a lot of info, i Know) please link me to it.

It's very simple, once you have one in front of you.  The wires to the joysticks and buttons all end up at the JAMMA harness.  If there was a game PCB attached, it would take the input from the buttons/joys and translate it into movement on screen.

The J-PAC is just a keyboard encoder with a video amp built in.  Instead of having screw terminals (which it does have for the buttons outside the JAMMA standard) it has the edge connector that plugs into the harness.

Just plug the connector into the harness, add video and either keyboard or USB input, and that's it.  It's literally THAT simple.

[pointdablame]

Thanks for the info Peale.  Everyone seems to say its easy, and I'm thinking that once I have one in front of me like you said, it will probably become more clear.  I guess my problem is I havent really even looked to hard at my cab as it is, as to where the control wires are going now.  That's where I lose my thought process. I just see the Jpac edge connector connecting to the harness, and I can't picture where the wires are going to go.

The minipac is similar to the Ipac, correct? In that it doesn't use the JAMMA harness?  I'd like to use the Jpac to have the ability to run JAMMA boards if I so choose.

So does my list look ok?  Those three Ultimarc products and I should be good to go, no?

[Lilwolf]

If you don't care about true arcade pcb boards...

you can go with a mini-pac and an arcadevga.  But you will probably want to add a video amp also.

mini-pac will handle the digital inputs and the trackball.
ArcadeVGA -> amp -> arcade monitor.

your done.... after recabling your cabinet....

that includes converting / cutting in 1/2 a monitor cable extension in 1/2.

So what does the jamma do?  And if you wne that route... what whould you gain?

You would be able to unplug your entire PC and plug in a true jamma board you got on ebay for 10 bucks.... And turn on the power and its working.

And there is DEFINATELY something to be said about this!

I personally think its a lot easier / better with jamma... until you have more then 4 buttons on each side... where you have to handle the extra connections seperately anyway..

[pointdablame]

Yeah, I'd really like to keep the option of running JAMMA boards, especially seeing as I already have a perfectly working Xmen board.  I do plan to have more than 4 buttons for each player (6) but it's my understanding that the Jpac can handle that with no problem.  

If I don't get the minipac, I will need the optipac though, correct? I just wanna make sure I don't forget to order something.

[jcoleman]

Does Ultimarc's minipac handle some optical inputs?

BloodyViking - I just emailed Andy asking this very question...apparently the early Mini-PACs actually have all the optical control circuitry, even though you may have purchased the "Mini-PAC Standard" and not the "Mini-PAC Opti."  He also told me that this fact is about to change, so if you haven't purchased one yet, you might want to do that.

Coleman

[Witchboard]

I don't even see the minipac listed on ultimarc's website.  Am I missing it?

[mr.Curmudgeon]

It's not yet, for some reason.

Go to:
http://www.ultimarc.com/minipac.html

[Knoxximus]

I gotta MiniPAC, and I just finished rewiring my whole JAMMA  setup for it...and what a chore THAT was.  I wish I would have known about the video amp ahead of time, 'cause know I had to pay another 12 bucks in shipping AND wait about a week and a half to get it...sheez!  In the meantime, I've connected my showcase controls to my Laptop (aka "MAME Boy Advance PC) and it works great!

[Witchboard]

It's not yet, for some reason.

Go to:
http://www.ultimarc.com/minipac.html

Dude.. that's so much cheaper than having to buy both the I-PAC2 and the Opti-Pac.  I may have just found my encoder.