Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum
Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: vidmouse on May 19, 2008, 10:25:09 am
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Have no idea if this is even possible, but I thought I'd ask the question.
I just scored another cab off ebay that is complete except for
a monitor and a back panel. Was wondering if I can take my
old 19" tv that only has coaxial cable inputs and turn it into
a monitor for this cab w/o really MAME-ing it? (it comes with
the oriignal boards and roms but don't know 100% if they're
working)
As a second option (ie if they don't work), I could MAME it but then I'd need a way to
hook into the coaxial cable inputs -- some help here would be
great too!
This is the cab I got:
(http://www.klov.com/images/11/1122911565.jpg)
http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=9700 (http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=9700)
Thanks for any help!
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It's possible, but not exactly easy. You will need a chassis to convert your TV to an arcade monitor. Something like this:
http://www.8liners.com/datatech/monitor.html
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Has anyone tried one of these 8-liners chassis?
I would be interested in a review or impressions.
- Fred
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There's a big thread somewhere in the monitor forum. Rick from niemandisplays.com may also be able to help.
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Thanks. Just taking a look at it , it seems more than what I'd want to get into.
Another thought, maybe if I MAME it I can use my 19" as a monitor by
using an RF modulator to accept my PC's s-video input. ANy better
way to do this than buy an RF modulator? (note my tv is old, has
only a coaxial cable input)
What did those old game boxes do that came with Atari's?... seemed like you plugged in a single cable to this box and you could screw in the box terminals to a coax cable converter... can't remmber how it all worked though.
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Yeah that's an RF modulator. It's pretty much the worst possible way to run a video signal to your TV. You will probably want to avoid that route. Personally I wouldn't go any less than S-Video for MAME purposes. Maybe you could try your local craigslist or Goodwill type stores. Used CRTs seem to be going for cheap these days.
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Yeah that's an RF modulator. It's pretty much the worst possible way to run a video signal to your TV.
You know, I remember the picture looking pretty decent back then, though. Maybe not really?
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Yeah, I remember it being not terrible either. Then I tried it a few years ago. It's really not bad if you're used to playing games in a snow storm. I also didn't feel like VHS was so bad when DVD came out, but it's damn terrible. Then again, the tapes are getting older as well.
I sometimes wonder if the more modern advancements will seem like such tremendous leaps in hindsight, even though component and dolby 5.1 are more than enough for me at the moment.
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I'd advise away from monitor conversion if at this stage you know nothing about it. I'd rarely advise even if you were competent at electronics. For such a cab with a broken monitor, I'd MAME it into a nice multi-game upright machine. If all you have is a co-ax input, you should get a step-down unit like we use to have in the UK back in the day. Before we all had SCART TV's, if we bought an input SNES or NEO-GEO we had to buy a converter that changed a SCART signal to co-ax. No idea where to get one though.
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Thanks for the warnings.
Actually, I do have an RF modulator, but it's not exactly a spare... it's running
on my family room set right now w/ an older TV that also has only coax inputs
(was my wife's unit before we got married, go figure)
I might just test out an s-video conversion and see how much I can stand.
Probably not much. :)
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i have an rca fr modulator with s-video it doesn't do a bad job it looks good it you use scanlines. tested it on a 13 inch tv, 50 inch projection and a 30 inch tube tv looks best on the 30 the text is a littl messed up but all in all if its all you got it works good
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Forget the TV if your are going with MAME. Look around on craigslist and visit some local electronic and computer repair places. You will find a 19-21" pc monitor for less than 50$, often for free.
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I'm guessing at the monitor size right now. That's a good idea, we'll see what it is when I get it on Friday. Could be a 17-incher (if so, should I keep the bezel art -- whaddya think?)