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| SPARKY70:
hi, i just picked up an old super pacman cabinet, that was converted to final fight. from what i have learned from reading some posts, not to mention that the circuit board says jamma in big letters, i think it is a jamma cabinet. this machine was left outside for a few years, and was only covered with a tarp. the whole exterior of the cabinet is completely rotted, and really cant be saved, but surprisingly, the game is still playable. i will have to build a cabinet from scratch. the monitor works, the sound works, most of the buttons work, and the joysticks seem to work. ultimately, i want to set up a mame cabinet. i read about the j-pac ($60), and it seems to be a real easy hook up.. however, i want to make my cabinet a 4 player cab. i read that i will need an additional i-pac ($40 ) for the additional 2 players. i also read, that it is a good idea to get the arcade vga card($90). and a cable ($?) to go from the vga card to the j-pac. should i bother with the vga card? it seems that i would be doing all this, just so i could use the original monitor. so, approx $175 to hook up a 22 year old monitor. the i-pac 4 is only ($60) but i will need to get another type of monitor. is it worth the money and trouble to use the old monitor?, or should i just get the ipac 4, and use the difference of approx $115 towards a monitor or tv? i dont know if i would even bother to use any of the old components, if i dont use the original monitor. i see that there are a few other companies out there that make keyboard encoders. can anyone recommend any other encoders that will enable 4 players, that they think is better than the i-pacs? also, i have a dumb newbie question. i see alot of refferences to ps/2 cables, and such. does this stand for playstation 2? |
| Tiger-Heli:
--- Quote from: SPARKY70 on November 24, 2004, 01:24:32 am ---hi, i just picked up an old super pacman cabinet, that was converted to final fight. from what i have learned from reading some posts, not to mention that the circuit board says jamma in big letters, i think it is a jamma cabinet. --- End quote --- That seems to me to be a key indicator that it is JAMMA. --- Quote ---i will have to build a cabinet from scratch. the monitor works, the sound works, most of the buttons work, and the joysticks seem to work. --- End quote --- Actually, you might do better buying another completely gutted cabinet, (with decent exterior) and selling off parts of this one to make it work. --- Quote ---is it worth the money and trouble to use the old monitor?, or should i just get the ipac 4, and use the difference of approx $115 towards a monitor or tv? --- End quote --- This is mostly personal preference. Personally, I like the crisp output of a PC monitor (although it's less "authentic"). S-video output to a TV will be your cheapest option. The arcade VGA card to a true arcade monitor, the most costly and most realistic. You could ask in the monitor/video forum, but everyone has their personal preferences. My advice: Read http://www.oscarcontrols.com/monitors.shtml Play LOTS of MAME on your current PC and monitor. Play with the different settings. See if you like it or if the "sharpness" takes away the authentic feel for you. If you can do it with your current video card, or if a friend has a cab setup this way, run your computer to a TV and play with the settings, and see how this feels. Then either find and play a video game at Chuck E. Cheese or somewhere, or preferably, find someone with an arcade monitor and play it. At the end, you will probably know which way you want to go. --- Quote ---i see that there are a few other companies out there that make keyboard encoders. --- End quote --- http://www.mameworld.net/tigerheli/encoder/index.htm - shameless plug --- Quote ---can anyone recommend any other encoders that will enable 4 players, that they think is better than the i-pacs? --- End quote --- Not really, the MK64 was an option, but good luck finding one. You CAN get 4-player support out of a KeyWiz (even the $20 Eco), but you have to make a LOT of compromises (stealth-shifted inputs, doubled buttons (P2 buttton 5 might also be P4 Up)), etc. The better question is: Will you have 3 other people around often enough to justify a 4-player cab. For example, you could make a two-player cab and have front USB ports to connect a couple of gamepads for the occasional 4-player game. Connect 4 gamepads to a USB hub and it's even a fair setup. --- Quote ---also, i have a dumb newbie question. i see alot of refferences to ps/2 cables, and such. does this stand for playstation 2? --- End quote --- Generally this refers to the PS/2 Keyboard or mouse port as opposed to USB or serial (or parallel or gameport). The convention I use is PS/2 - Computer port, PS2 - Playstation 2 console, but I doubt everyone follows this. |
| NoOne=NBA=:
--- Quote from: SPARKY70 on November 24, 2004, 01:24:32 am ---is it worth the money and trouble to use the old monitor --- End quote --- As Tiger-Heli said, it's a personal choice. The one thing I would ask is whether you want to play any vector games. If so, go with the PC monitor. You can put in settings to make it not look as crisp for raster games, but can USE its sharpness when you need it for vector stuff. Trying to play vector stuff on anything but a vector monitor, or PC monitor, is a lesson in frustration. |
| neuromancer:
I hooked up my arcade monitor with a standard VGA card. It worked well enough but I never got to the point of finding out how to lock in the refresh settings so the games would all play without needing to fiddle with the monitor. Bob |
| paigeoliver:
A 4 player machine with a 19" monitor is kind of stupid. It isn't worht doing, you will need a 25". :police: I suggest just cutting a new cabinet for your final fight parts (look up the plans for Pac-Man cabinets, your parts will fit, and those look nicer than super-pacs), and moving your game into that cabinet. You'll be able to reuse all your cabinet hardware, so the new cab will only cost some wood and paint. Keep your Final Fight in the new cab and build your 4 player from scratch. |
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