Interfacing arcade monitor to an RCA - - - HELP!!!

[LordDamo]

Morning all. The postie has just delivered aan ebay purchase I made only two days a go, lightning fast from Brisbane.

It was a bulk lot in the arcade section of Australian ebay. It was advertised as having 2 MCA joys (which is why I bid on it), a jamma harnes, 8 buttons and a 38cm tv. The harness is stilled wirred up with the PWR supply (looks almost new, stated as only a few mths old) im going to dissconnect the sticks as they are all I want - im going to relist the rest, including the buttons.

Now my question is what kind of TV is it? I thought I was buying a regular TV - but after arival I think it might be a arcade monitor. Ive included a few pics below. Sorry they are a bit blurry - the only camera I have at the moment is the one on my cell phone.

The pic of the plug has a corresponding plug on the harness. I was going to use this TV for a Namco 5-in-1 hack I was going to do this weekend - but if this is really a arcade monitor, I cant do this can I? correct me if im wrong.

Is there anyway I can hack the cable for a RCA imput? Do I need the harness to power it up?

Any an all rellevent coments welcomed. Thanks in advance

[gtarcade]

Thats an arcade monitor.

[Gunstar Hero]

"That's no TV... that's a arcade monitor..."

[LordDamo]

Thought so, thanks for your replys.

DARN! got to find another TV now.

What are my options with the monitor?  Is there anyway I can interface it with a RCA or Svideo plug to use it as a TV? it came with the transformer and all required parts - just wondering if I can use it or am I wasting my time? I may even keep it incase I want to build a dedicated Jamma cab one day I guess . . .

[Layer01]

this isnt what your looking for but check this out, maybe it can point you in the right direction:

http://www.mameworld.net/massive/How-to/VGA_Adapter/vga_adapter.html

there is also this, its about getting an xbox to out put onto an arcade monitor (scroll down a bit for the "tute") again might help:

http://forums.xbox-scene.com/index.php?showtopic=263781&hl=

[LordDamo]

Thanks heaps man, i'll look into it and let you know.

[Silver]

Basically Arcade monitors need seperate Red/Green/Blue/Syncs connections.

PC's/Xbox kick out some form of this (VGA has all the above, Xbox can do RCA and RGB I believe.) so can be hacked.

I'm guessing the Namco 5-1 is strictly RCA only, and the only way to connect that would to get a RCA-RGB decoder/converter which would not only cost $$$ but would lower the quality of the signal....

The only other (remote) option I can think of is opening the Namco unit and discovering if there are RGBS signals available on the PCB for you to solder to....

[paigeoliver]

The only other (remote) option I can think of is opening the Namco unit and discovering if there are RGBS signals available on the PCB for you to solder to....

There aren't. The Namco unit only has 2 unhackable BLOBS inside. The hardware itself (which is one chip, one surface mount BLOB), does support RGB, but it must be set by software, and namco's software doesn't set it.

[LordDamo]

Thanks guys for your help. Ive offered the monitor and the jamma harness that came with it to the Australian arcade yahoo group I run. Ive had one offer for the cash amout I was wanting for this, but I would prefer a trade of a similar sized tv with RCA's. After I read the pages that Layer01 posted I realised it wasn't posiable because of the whole RGB thing. It makes sence, I was just tring to use what I have avaliable. I may want to use it in the future, but not for a long time yet. Im planning on a big moves soon and I dont want to risk destroying it if someone can use it, would prfer to send it to a "good home".

Thanks for your help and comments though guy's, much appreciated.

[wboy]

have you considered an ArcadeVGA?

[LordDamo]

Gday wonderboy. Dont think ArcadeVGA would work would it? its for a namco 5-in-1 hack.

How areyou anyway? having a good chrisse? Got your barbie out yet?

[paigeoliver]

The only real point of the Namco 5 in 1 hack is to do project for the cheapest possible price. Because frankly the image quality is less than stellar, and the games look like the NES versions (I know FOR SURE the Space Invaders one has the Nes version).

[LordDamo]

True - thats why I was wanting to use what I had around. Hence the use of an arcade monitor. Its only a 36cm one - out of an old galaga cocktail. It works beaut, but I have no use for it at the moment.

Thanks for your replys Paige, I was hoping you would read this thread. You seem to know a bit about all things monitor, cheers mate.

[wboy]

Gday wonderboy. Dont think ArcadeVGA would work would it? its for a namco 5-in-1 hack.

How areyou anyway? having a good chrisse? Got your barbie out yet?

ooops..... scanned over the initial posts... didn't read in full detail!

what? you mean one of my wrapped chrissie presents is a boxed barbie doll!   

[LordDamo]

Yes wonderboy, yes I do. I even got her clothes to match yours.
You know the ones you like to wear to marti-gra???

Seriously though, I ment barbeque - though I suspect you knew what I ment.

Cheers for the sticks again dude. Im going to be using the blue stick with a blue Happ button for this hack ;-)

[Layer01]

if i may jump in a tad off topic i'd love it if you could pm me the details for this australian arcade group Lord Damo as i would love to join such a thing   

oh and glad the links could be some of use   


Sorry OT again but everytime i see your avatar Lord Damo i cant help but go "mmmmmmmm...metal slugy goodness" man i love that game...*phew* felt good to get that off my chest lol 

[LordDamo]

no worries Layer01, check your PM's

[StephenH]

This might do the job:

http://www.converters.tv/products/converters/video_to_vga_converters/43.html

[LordDamo]

HOLY CRAP! (sorry Jesus) I think you might have found it!!! Bit pricey though. Hmmm, desisions desisions . . .

at first looks, it lookes like a goer. It would be easy to get this working using one of those. I might have to wait and see how generous santa is in my xmas cards this year (most of my rello's dont know what to buy me, so just give me cash).

As I have never had or worked with a true arcade monitor and a jamma harness, I dont know what im doing, unexplored territory for me. What I have is basically the entire "guts" from a gutted arcade cab, all except for the PCB.

I know that the controllers and buttons and what-not would be all interfaced through the Namco 5-in-1. Thats an easy hack. What im needing to know is how do I then power the monitor? I guess it would be through the harness.  I have the transformer (a almost brand new one), a big coil-thingy and a jamma harness with 8 buttons and two sticks still attached. I mainly bid on this cause I wanted the sticks, and the rest was a added extra. I got the lot for about $50 on Aussie ebay.

If anyone can provide a tute or a site that might be able to help, it would be most appreciated.

Thanks in advance;

LD

P.S.  Thanks for the link StephenH, its even located here in Australia! makes it soo much easer