BetaBrite marquee - alternatives?

[Texasmame]

Just doing more research/brainstorming and came upon the BetaBrite content here.  After a few seconds, I KNEW I wanted this to be my marquee.  Sadly, it seemed like there were some hangups on developing an easy and useful software interface for use in MAME cabs where the game name would automatically be displayed.

Any alternatives to using a BetaBrite - other brands or ideas?  Saw the Lite-Brite idea and Palm ones already but don't like those. 

[Texasmame]

Picked one up but no cable, software or PS with it, tho.  I saw a site to hack a cable together.  Anyone know off hand where to get or what kind of PS it has?  TIA.

[Texasmame]

*nudge*

[Mr Ironpants]

Sorry my knowledge of acronyms is pretty bad.  PS?  Pin Set? Personal Software? Porcupine Shampoo?  Any way we hacked one of these at work for the lunch room.  Pretty straight forward.  My friend did most of the hardware stuff and I helped a couple of guys with the software.

The hardest part of putting the cable together was getting the jumper on (sorry don't remember which pins it was on) but other than that it was pretty straight forward.  If the PS is pin set let me know, I think my friend can probably remember that.

For Software we downloaded the software from BetaBrite and then got the BetaBrite API from the web.  The version we used was in VB but I think there is an interface that uses Perl too.

I am sure that doesn't help but please let me know if I can be of assistance.

Jim

[Texasmame]

Sorry my knowledge of acronyms is pretty bad.  PS?  Pin Set? Personal Software? Porcupine Shampoo?  Any way we hacked one of these at work for the lunch room.  Pretty straight forward.  My friend did most of the hardware stuff and I helped a couple of guys with the software.

The hardest part of putting the cable together was getting the jumper on (sorry don't remember which pins it was on) but other than that it was pretty straight forward.  If the PS is pin set let me know, I think my friend can probably remember that.

For Software we downloaded the software from BetaBrite and then got the BetaBrite API from the web.  The version we used was in VB but I think there is an interface that uses Perl too.

I am sure that doesn't help but please let me know if I can be of assistance.

Jim

Thanx for the reply.  PS = power supply. 

[Mr Ironpants]

Okay so sometimes I am about as smart as a bowl of wet mice.  Good thing is I can help you with this.  I actually ordered the PS for ours.  This is the website I used.  http://www.alpha-american.com  I'd like to tell you it was a pleasant experience but it was a little like pulling teeth.  I did get what I needed and it works so I guess that is all that matters.

[Texasmame]

Okay so sometimes I am about as smart as a bowl of wet mice.  Good thing is I can help you with this.  I actually ordered the PS for ours.  This is the website I used.  http://www.alpha-american.com  I'd like to tell you it was a pleasant experience but it was a little like pulling teeth.  I did get what I needed and it works so I guess that is all that matters.

Ah, thank you.  See what you mean - never understood sites that required you to jump through hoops to get prices.  Ah, well.

Nice avitar, eh!

[dblume]

I just found some helpful information regarding manipulation of BetaBrites at www.i-hacked.com that should set you on the right path.

[Texasmame]

I just found some helpful information regarding manipulation of BetaBrites at www.i-hacked.com that should set you on the right path.

Thanx.  Yeah, that's where I found how to hack a cable together.

[Silver]

Can't help you on the hardware/data cable, but once you've got that side working, I wrote a simple program that will go through your rom collection, compare it to the info from ControlDat and Mame's Listinfo, and produce txt files that will make the Betabrite display the game name (with or without all the "clone" or "US version1.20490293" stuff) and the controls used in that game.

Some frontends will automatically send the data from the file out to the sign as you browse or play the games - I know MameWah will, I'm sure others do. You can grab it here, if its any help: http://www.silverfoxy.f2s.com/LCDGen.html

[Banacek]

I'd love to know where to find one of these. It seems that Sam's Club doesn't carry them anymore...

[NightGod]

E-bay.

Google prolly worth a look, too, but Ebay seems the most common, by far.

[Banacek]

Oh man, I found one on Ebay that I was just about to buy. Good thing I didn't. It says it's 25.8" wide, and I only have 25" to work with. Hmm, can anyone suggest another one?