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| Gipionocheiyort:
Hi, I just registered though I've been lurking around here for months now....I just didn't have anything constructive to add since I'm still learning. I had to join now though because I've hit an issue that I just can't figure out. I've been searching around to see if this issue has already been solved...but I can't seem to find it if it has. Anyway I guess I should start by listing what I've done so far. I have an old Neo Geo MVS cab that I have set up with a J-Pac and a computer that I built. I'm using a Radeon video card and Soft15khz to get the frequency right...and for the most part everything is working perfectly (at least on games...looks like crap on the Mame menus and such but I could care less). The issue that I'm having is on the bootup...and it almost seems like the cabinet is just toying with me. Basically the steps that I have to take to boot alot of the time (but not every time...sometimes it boots up perfectly right away) are: 1. Turn on the PC and the Monitor (I don't have it wired to a single switch yet). 2. See the PC go through the dual screen boot mode from the Jpac (this step obviously only happens if I have both jumpers set...but leaving just the 15khz jumper on doesn't remove the issues in later steps) 3. Hear Windows boot up as the monitor goes black. 4. Get annoyed that something is wrong and lug out my test CRT monitor. 5. Hook test CRT up to video card....get no signal. 6. Get annoyed....Reboot computer...watch boot sequence on test monitor...see windows boot up 7. Get "Out of Frequency" error from test monitor 8. Hook PC back to Jpac....good to go. Obviously this boot sequence is a bit more complex than it should be but I can't for the life of me figure out whats going on. The passthrough light on the J-Pac isn't lit when I'm having issues so I know that it's got to be something with the frequency...but I can't figure out why being connected to the Arcade Monitor via J-pac would keep Soft15khz from working properly (I never disconnect the USB link between the J-Pac and PC so I don't think it's a hardware conflict or anything). To make matters more confusing I'm able to reboot the PC when it's already running and it reboots into 15khz just fine (though I'm not sure if this is the case every time or if I just got lucky when I tried rebooting it after a windows update the one time). Has anyone seen anything like this before and can point me in the right direction? My theory is that the monkeys who run the PC I built enjoy watching me lug a CRT monitor around....but that's probably not the full story here. Thanks in advance and sorry if I'm asking a question that has been answered before...when I was searching I found similar issues but nothing that really seemed to be the same thing that I'm experiencing here. Phil |
| bkenobi:
So is your video card/motherboard checking for a monitor on boot? It sounds like it is and it's then complaining that it can't find what it wants. It then waits for you to acknowledge the problem which you can't because you can't see anything. When you plug in the correct monitor, you are now using the wrong resolution, so it freaks out again. There are 3 possible fixes if this is what's happening. 1) Get a video card/mobo that don't require you to have a monitor plugged in. 2) Adjust the BIOS settings and/or video card settings so that it doesn't check for a monitor. 3) Build a VGA dongle that will fake the system into thinking a monitor is plugged in. I can't remember what that dongle is called nor can I think of any search terms to use to find it. These used to be commonly required from what I remember reading, but I don't think they are anymore now that file servers and HTPC's are so much more common. |
| Gipionocheiyort:
Nope that's not it. I hear the entire Windows boot process including the chime that normally plays when the desktop loads...it's definitely getting past POST. It's also worth nothing that Windows isn't showing any prompts or errors on the screen when I finally get it to display on the arcade monitor...and there's no interaction required other than hitting the power switch. |
| bkenobi:
Ok, well that's all I got. I did a quick google search and found that the connector is called a "VGA Dummy" or "VGA Dummy Plug". You may not need it, but I'm posting the link in case someone else reads the thread later on. http://soeren-nielsen.dk/mod/VGAdummy/index_en.php |
| Gipionocheiyort:
Oh also the fact that I get through the boot process with the dual screen mode of the J-Pac when I have the jumper set makes me think it's something else too. It's weird but I get the dual screen all the way through the boot until Windows loads when Soft15khz would normally take over and switch to 15khz...at this point the arcade monitor just goes black. |
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