Converting Simpsons to MAME - advice?

[jfh2112]

So my Mortal Kombat just died. I've had it for about two and a half years, tried to sell it a couple of times. I moved it back to the office today and fired it up - no video, no sound. Tried a few more times, would get picture & sound, but then video & sound would cut out.

Instead of trying to fix the MK, I think I'd like to take the guts of my butt-ugly MAME cabinet & put them in this cabinet instead. It was originally a 4-player Simpsons cabinet, so plenty of room to work. The monitor has a good picture on it (it's a WG - sticker on chassis says 25K7191, manufactured 5/1991); I'd like to use it if I can. My MAME cab has a 27" TV in it, running off the S-Video output of the ATI Radeon 9600. I doubt the TV would fit, even uncased.

Is there an adapter or hack or something that would allow me to use the 9600 to drive the WG monitor? Or would I be better off using an ArcadeVGA card? The rest of it I can deal with; it's just the monitor that concerns me about starting this project.

[Hoagie_one]

As much as i love the simplicity of my Arcade VGA, I wish I had some more power in my video card, especially since SF4 is coming out soon.

[Malenko]

JPAC and soft 15 or Breakout VGA cable and Soft15

[jfh2112]

JPAC and soft 15 or Breakout VGA cable and Soft15

Could you elaborate a bit? Why are these better options than an ArcadeVGA?

[Malenko]

JPAC and soft 15 or Breakout VGA cable and Soft15

Could you elaborate a bit? Why are these better options than an ArcadeVGA?

not better, just different. Soft15 allows your 9600 to output arcade resolutions like the AVGA. JPAC feeds the video signal and the JAMMA controls, a breakout cable ...well one end plugs into your VGA port, the other end goes into the monitor

[bkenobi]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the advantage is that you aren't limitted to using an ArcadeVGA card.  You can use any card (including one that is more modern) instead of the 9600 which is quite old.  The advantage is only applicable if you need the extra horsepower (SFIV would be a good reason for this choice).

[jfh2112]

I do have an X1600 I could switch to... Hm.

But let me ask this, now (and maybe I should have put this in the Monitor forum): Let's say I keep the 9600 I have and go with the VGA breakout cable. Do I need to worry about POST screens messing up my monitor due to refresh rates? I was reading over @ Ultimarc's website, but my eyes sort of glazed over. 

[Malenko]

the picture will be distorted during POST screens. I havent had any issues with mine (IE no damage by letting the POST screen display garbled on my monitor) but you could leave the monitor off until you hear the PC has finished starting up. I do believe the JPAC filters out unsupported signals and will also allow the inputs to be fed through the jamma wires

[jfh2112]

I'd rather have the whole thing power on and off via pushbutton, but at the same time, I don't want to fry the monitor.

I'd like to strip the JAMMA harness as well and rewire the entire cabinet. I'd rather keep the JAMMA harness intact and not use it than cut and splice it; I may have a need for it later on, or I can CL or eBay it.

Now, since I'm not going to use the JAMMA harness, could I go with just an ArcadeVGA connected directly to the WG?

And, am I right in assuming that I can connect the WG monitor directly to mains via the isolation transformer? I was looking at the power supply last night, and there's a white, a green, and a black wire going to the iso; looks like AC to me. Can post a pic if need be (Im' at work right now shhhh )

[Malenko]

just be sure you have the ISO transformer between where the power comes in and the monitor.  Just because you arent using the JAMMA doesnt mean you can't leave it in there. you can just disconnect the video input to the monitor and plug in the break out cable.  I have a PC inside my Killer instinct, but all I have to do is change the plug at the monitor and plug in a jamma game and its back to a "normal" arcade machine (well I hafta switch panels too, the one I have is wired to an IPAC2, an the other the jamma wires plug into)

[jfh2112]

Now, that's a thought. Of course, I don't have any JAMMA games, but in this hobby, all it takes is to buy one part and you're hooked for life.

[Paul Olson]

If you use a jpac there is no need to hack your jamma harness. Just plug your video card (AVGA or other) into the jpac. The wires for controls on your harness should have molex connectors at the end. Don't hack these off, just plug your new cp wiring into them. I don't even use the jpac for controls anymore, but it is still nice to have for the monitor connection. I had to sell my AVGA when I upgraded my computer because I had the old AGP version. I am using Soft15Khz now, and the jpac protects the monitor during boot up. If you already have the jamma setup, I would leave it. Someday you may want to use a game PCB in there as well, and there is no good reason to remove that option.

[jfh2112]

I think that's what I'll do. I'll get the JPAC and keep the JAMMA harness. Seems like that would make the conversion a *lot* easier, too. Thanks, all!