Converting Marvel Vs Capcom

[J8son]

I'm getting a good deal on a Marvel Vs Capcom cabinet that I plan to convert to a MAME cabinet. I plan to keep all the original hardware and convert it to run off a PC I'll build and put inside (typical MAME cabinet setup).

I'm unsure how to convert the monitor and cabinet speakers to run on a PC. I plan to use JPAC for the control panel and I think it has a monitor feature.

Any thoughts?

Thanks! 

[M37R01D]

One of my favorite fighters, what a shame to destroy 

[J8son]

One of my favorite fighters, what a shame to destroy 

One game must die so many more can live on in its place. 

Besides, I'll be selling the Jamma board so technically it will not be destroyed.

[wana10]

One of my favorite fighters, what a shame to destroy 

mvc didn't have a dedicated cab. all it needed was a jamma compliant generic cab with a kick harness.

[J8son]

Yeah, I figured. That's why I don't want to gut the cabinet as all the parts still work well. Just need to remove the board and convert everything. And like I said before, I know the JPAC board will do that job but I'm not sure how to convert the monitor and speakers.

[wana10]

Yeah, I figured. That's why I don't want to gut the cabinet as all the parts still work well. Just need to remove the board and convert everything. And like I said before, I know the JPAC board will do that job but I'm not sure how to convert the monitor and speakers.

actually it's pretty easy, the jpac will do that for you as well.

here is a jpac. you plug the vga cable from your computer into the vga port on the right, and as long as the signal is safe for a arcade monitor to display it will be routed through the jamma edge to the cabinet's monitor.
you can also attach the speaker out from your computer to the two screw terminals on the right that are labeled speaker.
finally the kick harness from your mvc setup gets attached to the other screw terminals labeled 1sw4-8 and 2sw4-8. attach the jpac to the computer as though it were a keyboard and poof! it works.

(disclaimer: this is second hand knowledge from a friend of mine who did it himself, if i'm wrong...blame him )

[J8son]

actually it's pretty easy, the jpac will do that for you as well.

here is a jpac. you plug the vga cable from your computer into the vga port on the right, and as long as the signal is safe for a arcade monitor to display it will be routed through the jamma edge to the cabinet's monitor.
you can also attach the speaker out from your computer to the two screw terminals on the right that are labeled speaker.
finally the kick harness from your mvc setup gets attached to the other screw terminals labeled 1sw4-8 and 2sw4-8. attach the jpac to the computer as though it were a keyboard and poof! it works.

(disclaimer: this is second hand knowledge from a friend of mine who did it himself, if i'm wrong...blame him )

Thanks for breaking that down for me wanna10. However, being that I've never actually seen the inside of an arcade cabinet yet, I'm getting a little lost here.

Based on your illustration, you said I can take my VGA out of my computer and into the VGA port of the JPAC board (which will not be a problem since I'm buying a special video card just for arcade monitors).

But, on the cabinet side, how would I get the connections for the monitor and the speakers to join up with my PC through the JPAC board? Also, dont the speakers need some kind of power?

[wana10]

because you have a mvc board already in the cab everything will be wired into two sets, the jamma harness and the kick harness.

jamma

this mess of wires(with any luck whoever wired your cab took their time and it won't look like a rats nest.) controls practically everything on the cabinet. the power, the monitor, the coindoor, the speakers, the buttons, everything. plugging this onto the top edge of the jpac will connect the cabinet speakers and monitor.

kick

this is the kick harness. as per its name it has the kick buttons and a ground. nothing else.

[CheffoJeffo]

When I drop a PC into a JAMMA-wired cab I use a JPac as wana10 has suggested and an ArcadeVGA video card to produce the 15K signals.

Only thing I would mention is that JAMMA expects amplified audio while your PC sound card probably doesn't produce amplified audio. The JPac FAQ discusses this and the options that you can use.

http://www.ultimarc.com/jpac1.html

Since I am using these cabs typically for classic gaming, I typically don't need stereo, just amplification, so I drop an audio amplifier circuit inline between the PC and the JPac. I pick these up from the local surplus store for a couple of bucks and drive them with 12V from the PC power supply.

Example:

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=60297.msg615954#msg615954

It may be easier for you just to use a pair of amplified PC speakers, but my intent is typically to not alter the cabinet's wiring at all so I can swap the PC in or out at will.

 

[J8son]

So your saying there is no way to just run the sound out of my sound card, to the board and through the pre-installed speakers? I was hoping to keep the originals but I'm not to good at doing all the power amp stuff.

[CheffoJeffo]

Unless your sound card puts out an amplified signal, then nope.

I know CornChip was looking at finding a plug and play inline amplifier -- dunno if he ever found one.

[J8son]

Unless your sound card puts out an amplified signal, then nope.

I know CornChip was looking at finding a plug and play inline amplifier -- dunno if he ever found one.

When shopping around for parts to build the computer inside the cabinet, is it common to find a sound card with the ability to amplify the audio? Or is that next to impossible?

[somunny]

Unless your sound card puts out an amplified signal, then nope.

I know CornChip was looking at finding a plug and play inline amplifier -- dunno if he ever found one.

I used this model amp for my last project and was very happy with the results:

Sonic Impacy 5066

Doesn't look like they make them anymore though.  Aftermarket prices are double what I paid in 2006.  This appears to be the successor (and less powerful?) model.  I'll most likely be using this one on my Ark project:

Sonic Impact 5065 Gen 2

[J8son]

I used this model amp for my last project and was very happy with the results:

Sonic Impacy 5066

Doesn't look like they make them anymore though.  Aftermarket prices are double what I paid in 2006.  This appears to be the successor (and less powerful?) model.  I'll most likely be using this one on my Ark project:

Sonic Impact 5065 Gen 2

Well, it that is the case then I can't see myself going with the amp solution. I mean, it looks to cost almost $60 and for that I can buy a 2.1 speaker/subwoofer combo that connects directly to the sound card and will probably sound better than the original speakers anyway.

A little disappointing but at least I wont run into technical issues I'm not familiar with.

[Kajoq]

Thats what I ended up doing J8Son.  I still have the original speaker in the cab because my cab stays hooked up to the arcade cart of Super Street Fighter 2 X most of the time, but I have a set of altec lansing 2.1 speakers I got for like 25 bucks on clearance when CompUsa was liquidating.  Theres plenty of room to mount them in my cabinet as well, Yours might be large enough to keep both.

[J8son]

Thats what I ended up doing J8Son.  I still have the original speaker in the cab because my cab stays hooked up to the arcade cart of Super Street Fighter 2 X most of the time, but I have a set of altec lansing 2.1 speakers I got for like 25 bucks on clearance when CompUsa was liquidating.  Theres plenty of room to mount them in my cabinet as well, Yours might be large enough to keep both.

That's funny you mention that as I had planned to use this set of Altec Lansing 2.1 speakers:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16836113016&Tpk=Altec%2bLansing



But, I have heard that people have interface issues when used with a computer monitor. Do you find any interference issues with the arcade monitor?