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Main => Consoles => Topic started by: sharpfork on July 13, 2011, 09:20:14 pm

Title: Xbox 1 to 25" Wells Gardner arcade monitor- want to make cable
Post by: sharpfork on July 13, 2011, 09:20:14 pm
Hello-

I'd like to make my own XBOX1 to wells gardner 25" arcade monitor cable but can't find info on how to do this.  I know I can buy an ultimarc cable but I'm trying to do it on a tight budget.  I have a couple of 1.6 xboxes, some spare component cables, and maybe a pre 1.6 xbox I can trade for if needed.  I've soldered 1.6 rebuilds and digital audio so I'm not afraid to solder right on the mobo if needed.  I'd love 2.1 stereo for computer speakers too.
I can tap into the JAMMA harness if I need to.

Can anyone point to any guides on how to do this kind of thing?

Thanks in advance
Title: Re: Xbox 1 to 25" Wells Gardner arcade monitor- want to make cable
Post by: sharpfork on July 13, 2011, 10:47:04 pm
I answered my own question with more googling:

http://mysteriousandmisplaced.com/category/xbox-to-jamma (http://mysteriousandmisplaced.com/category/xbox-to-jamma)

I'd still like to know if these things are any good for an all in one jamma to Xbox connection:  http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250756462241 (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250756462241)

http://www.coin-arcade.com/catalog/i22.html (http://www.coin-arcade.com/catalog/i22.html)

If the video and controllers are good, its worth the ~$36

Title: Re: Xbox 1 to 25" Wells Gardner arcade monitor- want to make cable
Post by: Howard_Casto on July 14, 2011, 03:27:53 pm
I can explain to you the theory, but I can't vouch for the product.  Most of the info can be found on that site you linked to though. 

A RGB signal consists of R,G,B, Ground, and Sync wires.  Scart is essentially the same, but the sync rate is different.  The solution on that website is probably the best... take your composite out (yellow rca cable) and add a chip which essentially removes the color and luma info, halves the signal and essentially makes a sync line.  So you've got 480i RGB coming out of your xbox, which should work nicely on a jamma cab. 

The board you linked to looks quite complex, but it has to be.  In addition to the sync chip it needs two chips to emulate xbox controllers, a video amp and an audio amp.  It looks like the right stuff is in place, but the only way to tell if it's any count is to buy one.
Title: Re: Xbox 1 to 25" Wells Gardner arcade monitor- want to make cable
Post by: sharpfork on July 14, 2011, 04:31:00 pm
Thank you Howard_Casto!
I just finished swapping out my iPac+ XP for soldered XBOX controllers+ XBOX and am thinking I'm going to do the same for my Jamma cabinet.  This means I don't need the questionable quality full Jamma conversion board i posted.  I'm game on taking the old composite XBOX cable (I use component now) and soldering a XBOX ->Jamma converter.  The only thing that I'm still considering as an alternative is the ultimarc amplified cable:

Quote
Connects X-BOX AV port to a 15 Khz Arcade Monitor and PC-type speakers. Includes video amplifier. Screw connectors for monitor.

Can anyone comment on the necessity of a video amplifier?  I want to do it inexpensively but have a quality output.  Might I be able to add a video amplifier to the cable in the howto I posted?

Thanks in advance.
Title: Re: Xbox 1 to 25" Wells Gardner arcade monitor- want to make cable
Post by: Howard_Casto on July 14, 2011, 09:57:10 pm
Well generally speaking consumer level connections (read anything that plugs into your tv) are unamplified and jamma video is amplified so technically speaking you should need an amp.  Then again the guy on that site you linked to said he just cranked the brightness up real high so you might be able to get away with not using one.
Title: Re: Xbox 1 to 25" Wells Gardner arcade monitor- want to make cable
Post by: sharpfork on July 16, 2011, 12:08:10 am
so technically speaking you should need an amp.

Is that something I can buy and add to the design in the how to I posted?
Title: Re: Xbox 1 to 25" Wells Gardner arcade monitor- want to make cable
Post by: Howard_Casto on July 17, 2011, 07:31:15 pm
so technically speaking you should need an amp.

Is that something I can buy and add to the design in the how to I posted?

Yeah.... I don't know the specifics, but there isn't much to them.  Typically it's something along the lines of a few "pull up" resistors connected to the R,G,B lines.   I think ultimatrc sells them, but you can get a schematic for a arcade video amp anywhere on the net and make one as well.