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Author Topic: Got a 25” Smash TV to MAME . . . J-PAC & ArcadeVGA questions  (Read 4494 times)

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dgame

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I won’t be touching any of the art or the original control panel, though eventually I will make another swappable control panel with two players having 7 buttons each.

I am thinking of going the PC2 JAMMA route using a J-PAC and ArcadeVGA card.
That way I can keep the cabinet’s stock look and play the other dual stick MAME games on it also.

The additional control panel will be two Ultrastik 360s interfaced directly to the PC using USB.

I am going to pick up the machine tonight so pictures will follow.

Any advice on this?

Is the J-PAC and ArcadeVGA card all I need to do the initial conversion?

Does the J-PAC support the Smash TV two-player dual 8-way controls?

How do the vertical classics (Pacman, Gyruss, etc.) look on a 25” Horizontal arcade monitor when driven by the J-PAC/ArcadeVGA combo? Does it clip (highscore and lives in Ms. Pacman) or stretch the screen? Does it maintain the correct aspect ratio?

Can the ArcadeVGA be used with dual monitors, one monitor being the LCD and the other being the J-PAC? How will this affect my LCD monitor resolution? Can I have arcade resolution on the J-Pac and SVGA on the LCD monitor at the same time?

Thanks!!!
« Last Edit: May 02, 2008, 04:26:17 pm by dgame »

ahofle

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How do the vertical classics (Pacman, Gyruss, etc.) look on a 25” Horizontal arcade monitor when driven by the J-PAC/ArcadeVGA combo? Does it clip (highscore and lives in Ms. Pacman) or stretch the screen? Does it maintain the correct aspect ratio?

In my experience, 256 line and less games (Gyruss, Donkey Kong, Centipede, etc) look great on a horizontal CGA monitor at 352x256 once you adjust the vertical size and position.  288 line and above games (Pacman, Ms. Pac, Galaga) usually end up clipped on the top and bottom since they are right at the limits of CGA.  You can adjust the vertical size to get most of it to fit, but then horizontal games will have a large amount of empty black space at the top and bottom, so it's a compromise.  It's easier to run those games stretched at 640x480 interlaced although they don't look as good IMO.

dgame

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Saw the cab last night and paid for it so it is officially mine!

This is my first ever arcade machine!

I am going to bring it home tonight.

 I didn’t get any pictures but it looks to be in similar condition to this one:



The coin doors have no locks and are open so I could see inside the cabinet and it is very clean in there, no signs of water damage or anything like that, just some unidentified envelopes and documents.

The back door is locked and the guy doesn’t have the key, but I suspect it the backdoor key may be inside the cabinet somewhere, probably in one of those envelopes. I will fish everything out and remove the control panel to see if the key is in there before drilling the back lock.

The game plays sweet! The controls are tight and the screen is nice with no burn in.

The cabinet overall is in good shape.

There are some small cigarette burns on the control panel and on top of the first joystick.

The volume control is a little scratchy but it works and the cabinet sounds really loud. 

Overall, it could use a good cleaning, fix the burned joystick, and that is about it . . . until I receive the JPAC and AVGA.


Game on.
« Last Edit: May 02, 2008, 04:27:11 pm by dgame »

boogieman

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Re: Got a 25” Smash TV to MAME . . . J-PAC & ArcadeVGA questions
« Reply #3 on: May 02, 2008, 10:50:00 pm »
Awesome score!  I played that game once or twice when I was a kid.  Probably burnt $2 worth of quarters in 2 minutes.  I got it on a playstation 2 pack (I think midway classics).  I am better now, but man does it take some skill.  I think there was talk about someone being able to play it with a quarter.  WOW!

jilted

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Re: Got a 25” Smash TV to MAME . . . J-PAC & ArcadeVGA questions
« Reply #4 on: May 02, 2008, 11:01:39 pm »
me and a friend used to meet up at the arcade on our campus once a week

we would each have a $10 roll of quarters

we would pump that $20 into the game

sometimes we would beat it, others times it would beat us

that game is a riot

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Re: Got a 25” Smash TV to MAME . . . J-PAC & ArcadeVGA questions
« Reply #5 on: May 02, 2008, 11:05:28 pm »
oh um, you willing to sell it? Ive always wanted a smash TV cab. I'd swap between it and total carnage and never be happier
If you're replying to a troll you are part of the problem.
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dgame

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Re: Got a 25” Smash TV to MAME . . . J-PAC & ArcadeVGA questions
« Reply #6 on: May 06, 2008, 02:12:33 pm »
This is my first cabinet so I have no plans of ever selling it. Been having a smash (pun intended) playing it.

I have decided to completely re-do the control panel. I have ordered 4 new red ball top Ultrastik 360s, longer shafts, circle restrictors, and buttons. The original control panel will be intact and on display, probably hanging on a wall near to the machine.

It will retain the two sticks per player, but will add six buttons between each set of joysticks for two player fighters and even some three/four player games.

I went with balltop U360s to keep the Smash TV look and because of the versatility (need two 4 way sticks for two players Karate Champ) and the U360s have a smaller foot print than the Wicos (important because I am adding the buttons between.)

Will use the JPAC/AVGA for video and the the buttons will interface through the u360s. I’m using GGG micro-leaf switches everywhere.

Everything I do will be completely reversible, and it should only take plugging back in the original control panel and PCB connections to return it to its dedicated Smash TV state.

Interesting how I got a perfectly good cabinet and then proceeded to spend three times as much on controls and interfaces for MAME. The beautiful 25” arcade monitor is just calling out for some hardcore old school gaming. I can’t wait to fire up Robotron on it for the first time!
« Last Edit: May 06, 2008, 02:20:32 pm by dgame »

Ummon

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How do the vertical classics (Pacman, Gyruss, etc.) look on a 25” Horizontal arcade monitor when driven by the J-PAC/ArcadeVGA combo? Does it clip (highscore and lives in Ms. Pacman) or stretch the screen? Does it maintain the correct aspect ratio?

In my experience, 256 line and less games (Gyruss, Donkey Kong, Centipede, etc) look great on a horizontal CGA monitor at 352x256 once you adjust the vertical size and position.  288 line and above games (Pacman, Ms. Pac, Galaga) usually end up clipped on the top and bottom since they are right at the limits of CGA.  You can adjust the vertical size to get most of it to fit, but then horizontal games will have a large amount of empty black space at the top and bottom, so it's a compromise.  It's easier to run those games stretched at 640x480 interlaced although they don't look as good IMO.

If you use ArcadeOS (or Advancemame) you can get better modes without having to re-adjust your monitor. I haven't tried it out, but apparently you can specifically adjust mode data in-game with ArcadeOS.
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ahofle

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Re: Got a 25” Smash TV to MAME . . . J-PAC & ArcadeVGA questions
« Reply #8 on: May 06, 2008, 07:06:37 pm »
It has nothing to do with the modes.  You have to adjust V.SIZE to fit 288 lines on a CGA monitor no matter what mode you are using.  This then leaves black borders on 224/240 line games.

Ummon

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Re: Got a 25” Smash TV to MAME . . . J-PAC & ArcadeVGA questions
« Reply #9 on: May 09, 2008, 01:31:38 am »
I think you're not familiar with Advancemame.
Yo. Chocolate.


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ahofle

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Re: Got a 25” Smash TV to MAME . . . J-PAC & ArcadeVGA questions
« Reply #10 on: May 09, 2008, 11:05:09 am »
I think you're not familiar with analog CGA monitors.

pincky

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Re: Got a 25” Smash TV to MAME . . . J-PAC & ArcadeVGA questions
« Reply #11 on: June 05, 2008, 06:36:54 pm »
That answers my questions also
Thanks!

(regarding the screen sizes for mrs. pacman & others)