Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum

Main => Monitor/Video Forum => Topic started by: battlecat on August 17, 2011, 07:12:17 pm

Title: Help identifying arcade monitor
Post by: battlecat on August 17, 2011, 07:12:17 pm: Hello:

I have an arcade monitor that is inside a pacman cocktail cabinet.

I would like to know if it is possible to connect it in some way to a PC for MAME.

I do not see any open wires so I am curious as to where and what gets hooked up where.

Thank you!
battlecat
Title: Re: Help identifying arcade monitor
Post by: nickmudd on August 17, 2011, 08:30:12 pm: Looks like an electrohome G07. http://www.therealbobroberts.net/go7.html (http://www.therealbobroberts.net/go7.html) If I remember correctly, it is the monitor that came with most Pac-Mans.

Here is a link to the monitor manual.
http://www.arcade-museum.com/manuals-monitors/Electrohome%20G07-CA0.pdf (http://www.arcade-museum.com/manuals-monitors/Electrohome%20G07-CA0.pdf)
Title: Re: Help identifying arcade monitor
Post by: battlecat on August 22, 2011, 05:28:20 am: Hi there:

thanks for the info on what kind of monitor I have in the cabinet. I am thinking that since I know so little about the things (arcade monitors) and since there is no real way to hook it up safely to an old PC other than to purchase a special video card that I should replace it with a VGA computer monitor. Would most 19 inch VGA computer monitors fit into the case and harness?

Thanks again!
battlecat
Title: Re: Help identifying arcade monitor
Post by: newmanfamilyvlogs on August 22, 2011, 05:53:23 am: With programs like Soft15kHz, or the GroovyMame drivers for ATI cards, you can hook an arcade monitor up to almost any PC with normal video cards.
The special video cards like ArcadeVGA simplify the process by generating the proper signal at boot time.

That having been said, in the 19" category of monitors, you might find an easier time working with a VGA, as there will be less to go wrong.
Title: Re: Help identifying arcade monitor
Post by: battlecat on August 22, 2011, 10:36:38 am: Hello:

I would personally love to keep my Arcade Monitor in place. I have no reason to believe it does not work. I just do not have the time to become a monitor expert. I am confident in my abilitiy to work with the monitor and not get electrocuted.

I see on my monitor that there is only one wire coming off of it in the back. This wire terminates in a two prong female plug. Other than that all wires have been removed that might have been for the various hookups. I need to figure out what and where they are.

I did download, print, and somewhat read the G07 monitor docs. Let me say that I do not see what I need in order to wire up the monitor to a PC VGA. I am sure that I am overlooking it because I am skimming it. Any guidance would be appreciated.

Also I love using Linux so I would love to keep it a Linux box using Groovy MAME. The USB option is perfect as it would be the most cost effective way to get the selection of games I want. It would even allow the swapping of game sets which is very cool. I am sure that I have a few 512 meg and 1 meg thumbs laying around the office. I know this would be overkill really as I am only really interested in 1975-1984 game sets with one fire button or less and a player 1 and play 2 button. I have yet ot figure out what roms would be fit this category.

Thank you once more for your help. :)

battlecat
Title: Re: Help identifying arcade monitor
Post by: newmanfamilyvlogs on August 22, 2011, 10:54:35 am: You can use a program like Romlister to filter down your set to only games prior to 1984, known to work, and with a certain number of buttons.

You can also look at the games of that description at MAWS:
Here are all working games using at most 2 buttons, by year released:
http://maws.mameworld.info/maws/index.php?src=srch.php%3Fpage%3D1%26stat%3D1%26type%3D1%26buttons%3D2%26by%3Dyear (http://maws.mameworld.info/maws/index.php?src=srch.php%3Fpage%3D1%26stat%3D1%26type%3D1%26buttons%3D2%26by%3Dyear)
Title: Re: Help identifying arcade monitor
Post by: Nephasth on August 22, 2011, 11:31:10 am: Quote from: battlecat on August 22, 2011, 10:36:38 am
I see on my monitor that there is only one wire coming off of it in the back. This wire terminates in a two prong female plug. Other than that all wires have been removed that might have been for the various hookups. I need to figure out what and where they are.

1. Don't skim your manual. You might want a quick answer, but thorough research will tell you everything you need to know and then some.

2. The two prong plug is your AC power connector. An isolation transformer must be used with this monitor.

3. You will need to make or buy a VGA breakout cable to connect to your monitor's input signal header (J201 I believe, it's a 6 pin header).
Title: Re: Help identifying arcade monitor
Post by: Gray_Area on August 23, 2011, 09:55:42 pm: I suggest you read everything you can find about 15khz monitors, video cards, and resolution/scan rate/refresh - particularly what's in the wiki.