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Building a MAME Pc - help please!!
RedSquirrel:
I am soon to be building a Mame PC, but need some answers please!!
1) Should I go with a PC Monitor or TV (using tv-out from a graphics card). Cost is obviously a factory as I want something like 20 inches..
2) If I use a TV out card, will it display only in windows or will it also work from DOS ( because I will have Mame run in dos).
3) I should have it run from DOS right? I want to turn the unit on, and have it boot pretty quickly. I tried ArcadeOS and it seemed good. I dont want to wait a few minutes to get into windows, especially since I wont have a mouse/keyboard.
4) How to you get around the "Ok" start up screens when using Mame? Again, if I dont have a keyboard this will be kinda hard.
5) I might use a X-Gaming Arcade panel instead of making my own. I have heard many good things about them. I pressume they work in DOS as it mimics keyboard presses?
6) Any sites with exact measurements of the unit? Perhaps to fit a 20/21 inch screen?
Cant think of anything more just yet, so thanks in advance!!!!!
Hoagie_one:
1--i like monitors, i just got this huge 21 inch mitsubishi. its not too crisp as it is old so it has the arcade feel, and i got it dirt cheap.
2--dunno
3--i like windows becaus eit is user friendly, i may look into dos applications though
4--you can just tap left adn right ont he joystick for the "OK" does the same thing
5--dunno, im building my own
6--I just used trial and error
AlanS17:
--- Quote from: RedSquirrel on June 01, 2003, 11:54:52 am ---I am soon to be building a Mame PC, but need some answers please!!
1) Should I go with a PC Monitor or TV (using tv-out from a graphics card). Cost is obviously a factory as I want something like 20 inches..
2) If I use a TV out card, will it display only in windows or will it also work from DOS ( because I will have Mame run in dos).
3) I should have it run from DOS right? I want to turn the unit on, and have it boot pretty quickly. I tried ArcadeOS and it seemed good. I dont want to wait a few minutes to get into windows, especially since I wont have a mouse/keyboard.
4) How to you get around the "Ok" start up screens when using Mame? Again, if I dont have a keyboard this will be kinda hard.
5) I might use a X-Gaming Arcade panel instead of making my own. I have heard many good things about them. I pressume they work in DOS as it mimics keyboard presses?
6) Any sites with exact measurements of the unit? Perhaps to fit a 20/21 inch screen?
Cant think of anything more just yet, so thanks in advance!!!!!
--- End quote ---
1) If you are builinding a cabinet from scratch I suppose a TV isn't a bad idea. However, I converted an old cabinet and would never use anything other than a front-mount (arcade style) VGA monitor.
2) A TV Out card should work in DOS, but are you sure you want to use DOS?
3) Again, back to DOS. Well DOS would load the fastest, but the best front-ends are all for Windows. If you like ArcadeOS I suppose that's fine. You don't need a keyboard/mouse after it's finished. (But we don't like to use the "f" word around here.)
4) This is the easiest question. Press "left" and then "right" on your controls to answer the "OK". I think on the newest versions of MAME you can even turn those screens off.
5) I'm not sure if X-Arcade uses PS2 or USB connections, but if it uses USB then it might not work in DOS if your motherboard doesn't allow it.
6) The only question I have no idea how to answer... Good luck.
RedSquirrel:
Okay, say I did use it in Windows - could it all be operated with the joysticks? I want it to be as simple to use (and arcade like) as possible.
AlanS17:
The majority of people on this site that have cabinets use Windows. Just auto-load your favorite front-end at startup (put a shortcut to your program in the "Startup" menu). Then it's all joysticks and buttons from there. Pretty simple, right?