First Timer Questions

[Radeyes]

Hello All,

I'm in the planning stages of my first cabinet project. Well, actually, I've decided to build a unit similar to this fine gentleman's - http://arcadeinabox.com/. While I'd love to build a full size cabinet, my apartment (not to mention girlfriend) will not currently allow it. The unit will be basically a typical MAME cabinet minus the monitor (attaches to an external TV set by S video).  
Anyway, I've got a few questions for you folks who have done this sort of thing before:

1. After browsing people's projects, I've decided to go with the following button formation:

--BINGO! Either that, or I was attempting to say "before" but it was too many letters to type-- B5 B6
B1 B2 B3 --BINGO! Either that, or I was attempting to say "before" but it was too many letters to type--

Rather than reinvent the wheel, if anyone has templates made for this sort of layout, I'd love to see/use them.

2. I've decided to go with a TView gold scan converter.  The PCI version of this looks nice, power is provided by computer, so I will have no need to provide power for anything other that the computer power supply inside my box.  Are there any drawbacks to using the PCI version, as opposed to the standalone one?

3. Is there anyplace cheap to buy the TView products besides ebay?

4. I will be using an I-PAC. I've noticed in MAME, some games require an OK to be typed before the game starts. How have you guys dealt with this?


Thanks for reading this!

[Johnny the MAMEr]

Move the joystick left and right for the OK. No extra buttons needed for this.

[JustMichael]

Addressing #2:  Why use a scan converter if the tv accepts S-video?  Why not just use a graphics card that already has s-video out?

[lusid]

I have to agree with JustMichael,
Why use a scan converter?

You'll get a much better picture by using a video card that has good Svideo out.

There is a template on my website for a joystick and this button layout:
--BINGO! Either that, or I was attempting to say "before" but it was too many letters to type-- B5 B6
B1 B2 B3

Just add the extra --BINGO! Either that, or I was attempting to say "before" but it was too many letters to type-- at the end of the bottom row.

http://home.adelphia.net/~seanhat/arcade

[Radeyes]

From the sites and messages I have been reading, I was under the impression that going with a good scan converter was preferable to a video card /w svideo out.
Maybe I'll rethink this...

Thanks for the link to your template.

I have to agree with JustMichael,
Why use a scan converter?

You'll get a much better picture by using a video card that has good Svideo out.

There is a template on my website for a joystick and this button layout:
--BINGO! Either that, or I was attempting to say "before" but it was too many letters to type-- B5 B6
B1 B2 B3

Just add the extra --BINGO! Either that, or I was attempting to say "before" but it was too many letters to type-- at the end of the bottom row.

http://home.adelphia.net/~seanhat/arcade

[Frobozz]

With the prices of good scan converters, you might as well get a 27" Wells-Gardner VGA kiosk monitor.  The graphics should look very similar to the low-res arcade ones.

Recently, I compared my WG VGA 19" side by side with an arcade cab (i.e. NON-Mame, real low res monitor) running Time Pilot.  I honestly couldn't see a difference.  Really wish I had a digital camera to show it!

As soon as my friend gets his replacement flyback transformer in for his dig-dug machine, I might do a comparison to it as well.  Hopefully, I'll be able to borrow a camera as well.