Best way to MAME but perserve JAMMA cab

[PokerMan]

I have rebuilt classic arcades before, but all the stuff I do is pre Jamma.  The other day I picked up fairly cheeply a working arcade with a 33" moniter.  I figure now is the time to build my mame.

I am going to keep the real components of the arcade, installed, but disconnected.  Basicly, I just would like to plug in a PC and run MAME. 

The original  control pannel comes off easy enough and going to build custom ones that will just fit in the same area.  I am going to build a few different pannels to suite specific needs of the arcades I play.  I don't want to build a one size fits all panel.


Right now I am not sure what specific monitor is in the cab.  There is a Wells Gardner Flyback, phlipps tube, etc.  I assume it has to be at a med resolution.

Thinking the quickest thing for me to do is to go ArcadeVGA card with J-PAC from ultimarc.com  then build out my custom controls to plug in to JAMMA. 

Anybody have a different suggestion?

[Flinkly]

nope, sounds like your on the right track.  might want to start a thread in the projects page and give us some pics, so we can start giving you other kinds of ideas, like what controls you should have or how much we envy your large monitor.  good luck.

[paigeoliver]

Why do you assume it is a medium resolution? Almost no games use medium resolution, I could darn near name them all from memory. Now if it is Virtua ANYTHING then it is medium res, otherwise it probably isn't. Just post the title of it and I can tell you.

Also you are going to want to hope it isn't a medium res, arcadevga doesn't do medium res, and medium res is the absolute worst choice for mame, it is very difficult to set up (must use dos and advancemame and do a lot of praying), and the results are that 98 percent of your games will be running on the wrong monitor, but paperboy will look really nice.

[PokerMan]

Game is Virtua Fighter 3

[PokerMan]

After doing some digging foudn out this is a WG U3000.  The spec sheets tell me that the Horizonal Sync frequ is 31.5kHZ and the Vert Sync is 60-70Hz.

Graphics modes are 640x200, 640x350 and 640x480

going to create post under the moniter section to figure this one out.

[Bloinkxp]

Go look on WGs site.   But given the sync of 31.5kHZ and the Vert. Sync you have got yourself a 33" VGA monitor.

That ought to mame nicely...

[Gunstar Hero]

I don't think VF3 is a JAMMA game though....

[pointdablame]

I don't think VF3 is a JAMMA game though....

Yeah I had the same thought.

KLOV shows it as a Sega Model 3 conversion class, not JAMMA.

[Goz]

I don't think VF3 is a JAMMA game though....

Yeah I had the same thought.

KLOV shows it as a Sega Model 3 conversion class, not JAMMA.

I can be converted to JAMMA, but the fella's are right... It may look like it has a JAMMA header, but it is a SEGA variation.

Is your cab one of the all metal ones?

-Goz

[paigeoliver]

Ok, well not Jamma, but possibly VGA! VGA is good.

[PokerMan]

Yep after doing some digging it is Sega not Jamma,

The monitor is not labled but from the defelection board found out it is a WG 3000 and it does have the 31.5 synch

Not the metal cab, but particle board.  It is a monster weights in at almost 500 lbs with the monitor installed, and about the size of a pinball machine.   Got everything for under $600, hell figured the 33" monitor was worth that.

So then what do I use to drive this VGA monitor advanced mame and some video card?  What's the best way?

Still thinking of going to go J-Pac the just leave the existing wire harness alone, built my own for my own control panel.

[paigeoliver]

If it is truly VGA then you should be able to wire up any video card and use regular mame.