best and easiest graphics card for PCI Express/ Arcade monitor

[Ifko]

bought a new Mame computer,  couldnt find one with an AGP slot (I was told many times, they are phased out) .  I have an AMD 64 athalon 3800 with a PCI Express slot.

The Mame computer is going into a Blitz cabinet,  so I will need a graphics card that will support differnt arcade monitor resolutions.
I also dont want to run Advance Mame, etc.....   I was going to use 3D Arcade as my front end for Mame.

anyone have any recomendations for a graphics card that hooks up to the PCI express slot and is Arcade Monitor Friendly, and easy to use without using specific front ends??

thanks
Scott
Detroit

[Effayy]

Unfortunately without going the AdvanceMAME route, I think the ArcadeVGA would be your only option, and currently that only comes in its AGP flavour.

I wonder if Andy has any plans to release a PCI-E version of the card at any point?

- FA

[Ifko]

I researched some old posts,  and of March 06 he said he wasnt too interested because he thought AGP was still pretty readily available.

I dont know,  I would happen to disagree with him at this point in time.
I know he is in the U.K. and things could be different.

thanks for the reply
Scott

[Czapala]

There are plenty AGP mobo's out there.

I am purchasing stuff to build my very first cab and I just bought the Gigabyte GA-K8NSC-939 mobo for AMD 64 and it has an AGP 8X slot.  check out www.pricewatch.com for good prices.

Then pick your processor, then go to the manufacturers website and look at the recommended motherboards and it should list which boards have what slots. Then search for it on Pricewatch.

[pointdablame]

It doesn't help your situation, but whoever told you that AGP was phased out is an idiot.  There are still plenty of AGP mobos out for s939.

As for your current situation, there is not an easy way for you to do this.  Older video cards could be tweaked to work well with mame (advmame mostly), but I'm not sure if any new PCI-E cards that output 15hz.  They may be out there though, I'm not the guy to ask as I've only used ArcadeVGAs personally.

The only truly *easy* solution for you would be to use a PC monitor, but that isn't actually easy seeing as you seem to already have an arcade monitor.

I'd honestly see if you can return/swap systems for one with AGP, or alternatively, buy an AGP motherboard, and sell your PCI-E board.

[Wicked]

So, If I'm to understand this right. My pci-xpress graphics card wont work with a arcade monitor?

[Czapala]

well it *can* but you will need to set (and/or force)  the resolutions.

Btw  I only talk from regular tech experience as I have just started my first cab this week. on Retorblast's site they mention a tool to use to force res's so you don't accidently set ip to out of scan range.

( I am getting into something, arcade monitor wise, I have only read this forum about, might want to wait for someone more experienced)

[pointdablame]

So, If I'm to understand this right. My pci-xpress graphics card wont work with a arcade monitor?

not easily.

Again, older video cards could output 15hz with some tweaking and the usage of AdvMame.  If newer PCI express cards can do the same thing, you can get it to work.

A better statement would be:  There is no clear cut, easy way to interface your PCI Express video card with an arcade monitor.  You will have to do a lot of manual configuring to get it to work (assuming it can work at all).

[ZeroPoint]

You can use any ATI Radeon from 9600 and above (including the X1K series) to output almost any frequency. It doesn

[MonMotha]

Supposedly, nVidia cards from the FX5000 series and newer (which should include all PCIe cards) can go down to 15kHz, but I've not had reason to try this since my monitor can do 800x600 (actually, it'll go up to 1080i).

However, Blitz cabs use medium res monitors, so if it still has the original monitor in it, you can probably get standard progressive 640x480@60Hz out of it.  Check the specs on the monitor to be sure (30-31.5kHz horizontal, 60Hz vertical).  Note that XP won't let you select this from the normal GUI: you'll have to futz around under advanced, where all the useful options are.  My solution is to just run Linux and use a modeline to guarantee the exact timings I desire.

Also, VGA text mode is at 70Hz (and I've also seen 72), not 60, and most single mode arcade monitors won't take kindly to that, so beware of that, too.  The solution to this seems to be doing a divide by two (or even a full-out interlace using a line buffer) when 60Hz, 480 line progressive material (such as standard 640x480) is being displayed, and simply shutting off the sync when anything other than 15/30kHz horizontal and 60Hz vertical is being displayed to prevent damage to the monitor.

[Ifko]

Thanks, for all the responses... I plan on studying up on my monitor;  it is not a standard Blitz Medium Res ,  someone put a standard 25 inch Wells Gardner--not sure of the model type.

Great News though,  I emailed Andy with Ultrimarc  and he emailed me back and said HE will have a PCI Express Version out by the end of August at the latest.... basically any week now....   I will be pre ordering..

One last question, is the Medium Rez monitor better in a Mame/Arcade cab than a standard older Wells Gardner monitor..

Thanks again
Scott
Detroit

[LPZ]

I just have to wonder....if I was a vendor in this thread, if ppl are buying my product, wouldn't you want to prepare them for the next big one?  You'd bet I'd be chiming in on what I can offer!

LPZ

 

[AndyWarne]

I just have to wonder....if I was a vendor in this thread, if ppl are buying my product, wouldn't you want to prepare them for the next big one?  You'd bet I'd be chiming in on what I can offer!

LPZ

 

Thats true but there is a problem with that approach sometimes. If a vendor announces future plans it compromises the sale position during the run-up period to the launch of the new product.
I have already said (or inferred) too much hehe!
OK  hang it... The PCIe version is almost ready.
Andy

[edge]

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