Help! MAMEing a cab, question about monitor??

[xtravbx]

http://klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=8474

Someone locally is selling this game, in the original cab. Everything looks good, w/ a good original 25" monitor.

I've been trying to read on my own - but I don't really understand.

If I was to buy this, get the JAMMA to PC adapter - would I be able to use this setup for MAME?

Say I wanted to play older games, newer games, etc - would this monitor support that? Or does it ONLY display the resolution / refresh rate for this game?

Sorry I'm a total noob - I'm learning though!

[Turnarcades]

In short, you've already got the idea.

All a J-Pac or similar interface does is make connection between the PC, monitor and controlsvery simple and avoid the need for wire cutting and soldering etc. MAME can be set up to display many different refresh rates on a PC but you will likely need a way of outputting the picture at a low frequency for a genuine arcade monitors (someone here will be more technical). This can be done with an ArcadeVGA graphics card or by some software solution.

Once you have it all connected, you can run any kind of emulator/PC software in there you want and using a 'front-end' program you can hide the regular PC environment and do away with a keyboard and mouse for normal use, making it more like an arcade machine.

[xtravbx]

Hey thanks for the reply.

So with a J-Pac and an ArcadeVGA video card - I can set the refresh rate to whatever the monitor accepts, and basically be on my way?

Obviously I'm limited by what the control panel already has built into it as far as controls go, but I could always alter that in the future, by adding more buttons, correct?

Will there be open spots on the current connector for me to add more buttons? Is that universal? Or is each connector block going to vary slightly? If so - how do you add more buttons if the current connection system is maxed out? Add an IPAC and add more buttons that way?

[Turnarcades]

A J-pac has enough inputs to accept two joysticks and 16 buttons so you could add 2 extra to each player very easily for a regular 6-button fighting layout. Not sure what you mean by your last paragraph, but basically anything over 3 buttons each player will need to be connected straight to the J-Pac itself as the JAMMA standard was only 3 (though 4 was possible on some and 6 with the use of a 'kick harness' like SF2 did).

There are no extra inputs available on the JAMMA connector and you would need to use a J-Pac type connector anyway in most instances else it would mean having to hard-wire your monitor to your PC and hacking a keyboard or gamepad to connect your controls.

[xtravbx]

Ahhh I gotcha. So if I wanted more buttons, I'd just wire right to the J-Pac, not through the JAMMA to the J-Pac.

That makes sense.

That just leaves my question. Does the ArcadeVGA convert everything over to the necessart frequencies for the arcade monitor to display? Are there games I won't be able to play because their native frequency isn't supported by the monitor in the cab? Or will the ArcadeVGA card handle all that for me?

[Turnarcades]

It should do, but if you are unsure check the Ultimarc website or ask Andy to confirm that.