Just acquired a neo-geo MVS-2-25

[majs]

Hello All,
I just got me a working arcade unit in good condition. One of them multi video system thingy with 2 slots. The games that it came with are world heroes 2 and samurai showdown 2. I'm excited because it's going to save me some time and money in building this arcade of mine. Well, a mamed one that is. I was going to use a tv but since I have an arcade monitor now, might as well use it.

 Anyway, I have a dedicated PC that I am currently hooking to my tv with a built control panel. Just wondering what the best way to mame this puppy. The monitor is a Qnic CGM-2500. I searched for this in this forum and it seems that not to many people posted this monitor. Anyone else have experience with this thing?

I'm thinking of getting the arcadevga card, but not sure if I need a j-pac. I want 6 buttons for my mame cab. I currenly have an ipac4 on the panel I built.

Anyway, just trying to get some tips before I get going. Thanks a bunch.
majs

[Grauwulf]

IMHO, I would sell the Ipac 4 to someone who is going to use a PC monitor or TV and get a J-pac and a cheap ATI video card. With those two things you should have your cab up in running in a couple of hours. An AVGA card really isn't required unless you really want to run windows in your cab.

[majs]

I wanted to do a 4 player cab at one point like the supercade, so that was why I got the ipac4. Anyway, Thanks for confirming that I do want an arcadevga card as I would also include the daphne games on my cab. So do I actually need a jpac if I get the arcadevga card? Is it just easier if I get the jpac?

I'm thinking my only problem would be the connection between the video card to the arcade monitor and just use the ipac4 for the inputs.

I might be able to get another cab here in a few days can't remember that it is but it's a 3 player game with 3 buttons each. I might just keep the neo-geo as is and mame the other cab. Anyway, just wanting to see what my options are when I get going on this. It just seem to be less of a hassle to hook this thing to a tv.

Is there a better option (another option) aside from the arcade vga route? Would you recomend it?

Thanks in advance for the help.
majs

[Grauwulf]

The question is, do you still want to do a 4-player cab? I originally had the same plan, but decided against it, the added complexity and cost wasn't worth it for the few times I would actually have 4 people playing at the same time.

The cab is wired for JAMMA, so the cheapest and easiest way to go about setting up your MAME cab is a J-Pac and an cheap ATI video card. Run dos and a front end like Arcade OS.

[CheffoJeffo]

Since he wants to run Daphne, he'll need (OK, NEED is too strong a word, but life would be easy with) the ArcadeVGA. Other than that, I agree 110% with Grau.

JPac and ArcadeVGA are the way to go for you -- plug the ArcadeVGA into your computer, plug the JPac into your JAMMA harness, connect the ArcadeVGA to the JPac and you are off to the races (after misc stuff like driver installation, disconnecting power supply, etc.).

Cheers.

[Glaine]

I play my dedicated neo-geo about 5 times more than my MAME cab most of the time now.

Just saying, you might regret it if you hack up the control panel and such. I regret doing that to my MAME cab.

Not really my business though, I just worry.

[majs]

Thanks for the comments and suggestions.

Now it's confirmed. I'm getting another cab this evening. It's a pit-fighter cab and it's the one I'm going to mame. I'm keeping the neo-geo as it is.

The pit-fighter cab is jamma+. Now a newbee question here, am I right to assume that the j-pac and arcadecga will work on this this too? (Not really sure what major differences are between jamma and jamma+) Is there anything else I need to be aware of before getting this cab? I'm planning on creating a different control panel and just go with a 2 player setup for this one.

Thanks again.

[Stingray]

I play my dedicated neo-geo about 5 times more than my MAME cab most of the time now.

Mine gets more play than my MAME cab too.

-S

[Glaine]

It's a pit-fighter cab and it's the one I'm going to mame.

Can't argue with that, no one would miss a Pit Fighter, what an aweful game. Plus it's probably got a nice big panel for you to put a good 6 button fighter setup or whatever you're going to use.

[horseboy]

It's a pit-fighter cab and it's the one I'm going to mame.

Can't argue with that, no one would miss a Pit Fighter, what an aweful game. Plus it's probably got a nice big panel for you to put a good 6 button fighter setup or whatever you're going to use.

Pit Fighter is the greatest game ever made.

[majs]

Just got back from the trip to get the pit-fighter cab. It's in good condition.  The monitor seem to be in ok shape (a wells gardner 25"). It's the original cab and yes the control panel area is big enought to do some customizing.

I opened up the back part of the cab and I think I'm just going to use an arcadevga card and hook it up directly to the monitor and just use the ipac4 I have with it for inputs. I know it's a little overkill for a 2 player (for now) cab but I'm thinking of making some DDR pads for this as well.

I figured I'm not really going to need a jpac. If I get one it'll only be used for the monitor connection.

Anyway, thanks for the feedbacks.

[Crowquill]

The Pit-Fighter cab should be awesome for MAME. It's almost identical to my Primal Rage cabinet (which I use for JAMMA games). It's got a good-sized monitor and you should have plenty of real estate on the control panel to either add a trackball and spinner or just keep it as a 3-player setup. I was seriously thinking about "converting" my 2-player CP to a larger Pit-Fighter-type one for MAME. If it's anything like my cab, it weighs a ton and stairs are a nightmare, but I'm sure you know that already 

Congrats on the good finds, I envy your MVS. It's one of the things I still want to pick up.