Author Topic: Dreamcast J-PAC project (Read 5479 times)

stellarola · « **on:** January 10, 2006, 12:00:28 am »

Hey everyone. I gotta say Dave.K, Goz, and Meanbean have inspired me to do this project. I'm trying to turn my Astro City cabinet into a Dreamcast based cabinet. I want to keep the wiring mess to a minimum so I'm trying to see if I can use my J-PAC to help do this. I ended up hacking a Ultimarc Playstation2 video adapter and which seperates the composite sync with its LM1881N IC and also on the video adapter pcb is a stereo out. I took my Dreamcast scart cable, wrote down the pinout and spliced the wires to the video adapter via european style terminal strip to keep the job very easy and fairly clean. I just booted up the Dreamcast and I have video and sound!

Now about the control side. I have the Ultimarc Playstation controller adapter. I'm hoping I can purchase a Playstation to Dreamcast controller adapter and I found a very promising one on eBay.

I'm hoping the two in conjunction will work

. I'll keep you all posted on the progress. I'll be adding some pictures of the video and sound here in a bit.

-Ben

Frosty · « **Reply #1 on:** January 10, 2006, 12:09:02 am »

Nice! Sounds like a pretty good plan. It's always great to see another 'Cast inside a cabinet...

stellarola · « **Reply #2 on:** January 10, 2006, 12:23:32 am »

These images really show just how good the Dreamcast looks in a cabinet, especially a cabinet with a Nanao

Dave_K. · « **Reply #3 on:** January 10, 2006, 01:39:06 am »

Wow, nice hack Ben! Looks like it was pretty simple too. Hope others learn from you here as another alternative method for hooking up a DC.

BTW: cab looks fantastic!

Goz · « **Reply #4 on:** January 10, 2006, 09:20:11 am »

Very slick... interesting approach.

meanbean · « **Reply #5 on:** January 10, 2006, 11:56:17 am »

Congrats on getting it to work. The New Astro City looks great.

Frosty · « **Reply #6 on:** January 10, 2006, 03:19:18 pm »

I agree...looks great.

shodokan123 · « **Reply #7 on:** January 10, 2006, 10:50:02 pm »

i so wish i could do that... lol

but with some how hooking up a ps2 as well <3

g2 play the third strike... and not the crappy 1/2 second delay in parry, BS ken's overhead wont link to super version

stellarola · « **Reply #8 on:** January 11, 2006, 12:05:52 am »

After playing both versions on this cabinet, I kinda like the dreamcast version better. It looks really good in the Dreamcast version if you hold L+Start when the capcom logo is on screen. It makes the game non-interlaced which looks much closer to the arcade version. The colors are still good too, not as bad as some peeps make it out to be.

meanbean · « **Reply #9 on:** January 11, 2006, 11:19:08 am »

Quote from: stellarola on January 11, 2006, 12:05:52 am

...if you hold L+Start when the capcom logo is on screen. It makes the game non-interlaced which looks much closer to the arcade version.

Is this an undocumented function? I have never known of this option and don't remember reading about this in the game's manual. Do you know if it works with all Capcom games?

stellarola · « **Reply #10 on:** January 11, 2006, 12:49:08 pm »

I believe just 3rd Strike on the Dreamcast. Here are a list of the features and how to do it....

Switch screen resolutions
Hold L + Start at the Capcom logo to switch to a de-interlaced screen. Hold Y + Start at the Capcom logo to switch to a low-resolution/anti-aliased screen. To switch back to high resolution interlaced mode, hold Start + X at the Capcom logo

meanbean · « **Reply #11 on:** January 11, 2006, 12:50:37 pm »

Thanks for the info...it is appreciated stellarola.

stellarola · « **Reply #12 on:** January 11, 2006, 01:41:46 pm »

no prob, bob.

Frosty · « **Reply #13 on:** January 11, 2006, 03:00:26 pm »

Yeah, Stella--thanks for this info. Never knew this!

elvis · « **Reply #14 on:** January 11, 2006, 05:39:13 pm »

Quote from: stellarola on January 11, 2006, 12:49:08 pm

I belive just 3rd Strike on the Dreamcast. Here are a list of the features and how to do it....

Switch screen resolutions
Hold L + Start at the Capcom logo to switch to a de-interlaced screen. Hold Y + Start at the Capcom logo to switch to a low-resolution/anti-aliased screen. To switch back to high resolution interlaced mode, hold Start + X at the Capcom logo

Is this for SCART output only? Or will it work on the VGA-out on a multi-res cab also?

stellarola · « **Reply #15 on:** January 11, 2006, 07:34:12 pm »

Quote from: elvis on January 11, 2006, 05:39:13 pm

Quote from: stellarola on January 11, 2006, 12:49:08 pm
I belive just 3rd Strike on the Dreamcast. Here are a list of the features and how to do it....

Switch screen resolutions
Hold L + Start at the Capcom logo to switch to a de-interlaced screen. Hold Y + Start at the Capcom logo to switch to a low-resolution/anti-aliased screen. To switch back to high resolution interlaced mode, hold Start + X at the Capcom logo

Is this for SCART output only? Or will it work on the VGA-out on a multi-res cab also?

Couldn't tell you really. I found the low resolution setting to look really washed out, but the other two look real nice.

elvis · « **Reply #16 on:** January 12, 2006, 01:32:52 am »

I guess I'm hooking my DC up to my 21" VGA monitor tonight and having a play!

zakk23 · « **Reply #17 on:** January 12, 2006, 04:09:03 am »

Good luck with the controls. I do not own a single controller adapter (PSX/PS2->DC, Xbox, gamecube, USB) that functions with the Ultimarc Playstation controller. And I'm fairly certain I have the newest Ultimarc revision too. If you find one that actually works, and does so without lag, please let everyone know what type it is.

stellarola · « **Reply #18 on:** January 12, 2006, 09:40:16 am »

Zakk what kind of PS1/2 > DC adapter do you have?

elvis · « **Reply #19 on:** January 13, 2006, 10:32:52 pm »

Quote from: elvis on January 11, 2006, 05:39:13 pm

Quote from: stellarola on January 11, 2006, 12:49:08 pm
I belive just 3rd Strike on the Dreamcast. Here are a list of the features and how to do it....

Switch screen resolutions
Hold L + Start at the Capcom logo to switch to a de-interlaced screen. Hold Y + Start at the Capcom logo to switch to a low-resolution/anti-aliased screen. To switch back to high resolution interlaced mode, hold Start + X at the Capcom logo

Is this for SCART output only? Or will it work on the VGA-out on a multi-res cab also?

I just tried all three on my Jap copy of 3S with a VGA box, and it made absolutely no difference.

My SCART->JAMMA cab is in pieces at the moment, so I'll have to wait until it's alive again to try it on there.

Dave_K. · « **Reply #20 on:** January 14, 2006, 03:37:59 pm »

Quote from: elvis on January 13, 2006, 10:32:52 pm

I just tried all three on my Jap copy of 3S with a VGA box, and it made absolutely no difference.

My SCART->JAMMA cab is in pieces at the moment, so I'll have to wait until it's alive again to try it on there.

Those specil interlaced and non-interlaced modes are for 15khz only. They won't work with a VGA box at 31khz.

zakk23 · « **Reply #21 on:** January 19, 2006, 01:33:17 pm »

Quote from: stellarola on January 12, 2006, 09:40:16 am

Zakk what kind of PS1/2 > DC adapter do you have?

This one:

http://www.lik-sang.com/info.php?category=29&products_id=1996&

elvis · « **Reply #22 on:** January 20, 2006, 12:54:20 am »

Quote from: Dave_K. on January 14, 2006, 03:37:59 pm

Those specil interlaced and non-interlaced modes are for 15khz only. They won't work with a VGA box at 31khz.

Cheers for confirming that. I'll check it out when I get my 15KHz setup up and running.

Quote from: stellarola on January 10, 2006, 12:23:32 am

These images really show just how good the Dreamcast looks in a cabinet, especially a cabinet with a Nanao

Brand of monitor isn't the only factor. Age has a lot to do with it. We just got a container full of brand spanking new candies with LG tubes and Sampo chassis, and they look 100 times better than the second hand and ex-location Nanao's I've seen walk through the place.

Don't always buy on brandname alone. Check the condition of stuff in person first if it's not brand new.

AndyWarne · « **Reply #23 on:** January 20, 2006, 02:36:02 pm »

I have had many requests for a DC control adaptor and I think the way to go is to use a PS2 control adaptor and PS2 to DC adaptor.
I am not sure why these adaptors don't appear to work with out PS2 adaptor, but I intend to find out, and have ordered a couple of variations to investigate this.
Andy Warne

stellarola · « **Reply #24 on:** January 20, 2006, 10:43:40 pm »

Quote from: AndyWarne on January 20, 2006, 02:36:02 pm

I have had many requests for a DC control adaptor and I think the way to go is to use a PS2 control adaptor and PS2 to DC adaptor.
I am not sure why these adaptors don't appear to work with out PS2 adaptor, but I intend to find out, and have ordered a couple of variations to investigate this.
Andy Warne

Andy thanks a lot please do post in this thread when you find out!

zakk23 · « **Reply #25 on:** January 23, 2006, 10:08:32 pm »

Andy,

Just for more data, here's a list of other adapters I've tried that do not work with the ultimarc PS2 unit.

http://www.lik-sang.com/info.php?category=76&products_id=1465&
http://www.lik-sang.com/info.php?category=76&products_id=4115&
http://www.lik-sang.com/info.php?category=&products_id=3833&
http://www.lik-sang.com/info.php?category=83&products_id=1860&

AndyWarne · « **Reply #26 on:** February 12, 2006, 02:57:50 pm »

I think I know why the Ultimarc PS2 adaptors don't work with a PS2 to DC adaptor. I have a DC on the way to test but the problem is likely to be the power supply. The original PS2 controllers take 3 volt power from the PS2 , plus 9 volts for the rumble motors. The Ultimarc adaptors use the 9 volts, which is dropped on the adaptor to 5 volts to power the adaptor and thr connected I-PAC.
The DC does not supply 9 volts, it only supplies 5 volts to the controller. I think the type of adaptors that use a mains power adaptor might work, otherwise it might be necessary to add a wire inside the adaptor to link the 5 volts inout from the DC to the 9 volt output. Or another scenario is that it might be necessary to add a wire on the Ultimarc PS2 adaptor to by-pass the regulator which drops the 9 volts to 5 volts.
I should have some more definite info in a few days.
Andy W

stellarola · « **Reply #27 on:** February 13, 2006, 03:18:31 am »

Great Andy, thanks for checking on this!

NemoKOF · « **Reply #28 on:** February 14, 2006, 05:18:12 pm »

I've noticed that Total Control 5 mentioned here has 9v AC in for AC Adaptor. Maybe when you plug it in, the stick will work??

zakk23 · « **Reply #29 on:** February 14, 2006, 10:47:33 pm »

Quote from: NemoKOF on February 14, 2006, 05:18:12 pm

I've noticed that Total Control 5 mentioned here has 9v AC in for AC Adaptor. Maybe when you plug it in, the stick will work??

The one I have will not work even with the 9v AC applied.

NemoKOF · « **Reply #30 on:** February 15, 2006, 07:45:36 am »

So I don't think it's a vlotage problem :/ There are many controllers not compatible with converters. For example digital pads don't work with ps-xbox converters. I think this may be a problem.

Andy - you have to check if your adaptor send the same signals to the console as dual shock. DS is the most converter-compatible ps controller on the market.


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