got my dead cab! feedback is appreciated!

[tony]

LOVE THE NEW BOARD!  WOOO HOOOOO!

well folks, i'm having my cab delivered today and have me j-pack on order.  it seems to simply have a bad power supply (tested with a meter, voltage goes in, no voltage comes out).  i will need to replace the monitor eventually as it only seems to be about 15-17 inches and burn in was noticable.

until that happens, i would still like to get it up and running until i have some time to actually put in a new monitor and customize the controls.

so, being the newbie that i am (sorry folks), if i stick in a computer monitor and just by pass the PS, i think i should be ok.  my concern is the j-pac.  does that need the jamma PS?

any and all feedback is certainly appreciated!

thanks for reading,

tony

[johnpurs]

No the JPAC gets it's power from the keyboard port on the computer. Good luck and welcome to the madness!!


Johnpurs

[JustMichael]

If you use a computer monitor, hook it up directly to your video card as you normally would.  The J-PAC will still need to be plugged into the computer.

[tony]

thanks guys for the feedback!  i know that once i get the jpac in hand and crack the cab, i'll be ok.  nice to know that people on here are so willing to help!

i'll be using a 17" monitor in there until i have some time to completely customize the cab.  so my next question:

anyone know where i may get a power supply for this machine?  also, any recomendations on a replacement arcade monitor?  i believe the one in there is currently 17" (it's pretty small with a big black border on the monitor bezel) but i think this cab would accomodate a 21 or even 25" screen.

thanks, tony

[Lilwolf]

If its a true arcade monitor you probably wont get it working without getting special equipment.

I think there is only like super old video cards that work with with arcade monitors.  Without a Jpac, you have the chance of blowing the monitor if you send a VGA signal to it.  And only one or two video cards will allow windows access at all.  Read around and you will find some solutions.

But as for a monitor.  My favorite is either a well-gardner monitor (expensive 800 bucks or so) or a SVid TV (250) and an ATI video card.   Then I would look into B-grade VGA monitors (max res 640x480/800x600 at 25"+ for built in scanlines)... then last would be a SVGA monitor.  

[tony]

thanks lilwolf!

btw, i did order a j-pac which i pill be using for the pc to arcade screen output so i think i am ok there.  i will be using a pc monitor until i decide on which arcade monitor to get.  $800 is a bit steap, I was hoping for something in the $400 range...

thanks all for the feedback!  please keep it coming!

tony

[Spartan]

I once bought a 25" CGA/EGA switchable monitor for my NBA Jam cab for about $350 or so (Pentranic monitor).  It's not a MAME cab tho.

[Dav]

Does your monitor have a glow in the neck, or make any kind of humming noise.  Until you start getting signals from your board it will be difficult to tell what kind of shape your monitor is in.  A little black plexi will hide all but the worst burnin.

[tony]

hi dav, i will need to recheck but i believe the monitor neck does light up and that it hums.

i would still like to replace it though with something larger and just a new, bright, crisp screen.

tony

[rick6668]

Keep us posted Tony.

Newbie here too and I'm trying get all the info I can before I start.

[Dav]

hi dav, i will need to recheck but i believe the monitor neck does light up and that it hums.

i would still like to replace it though with something larger and just a new, bright, crisp screen.

tony

It probably works then.
If you haven't read bob roberts page on building a video game you should.  If you understand that, it makes it a lot easier to repair them.

http://www.dameon.net/BBBB/

Also I think he has power supplies for $25