First Mame cabinet, Video card/ RAM questions

[tagnetti]

Hello all, I am wiring my first MAME machine this weekend with the help of a veteran Arcade restorer. I basically have everything I need and am using an Ipac. My PC is a bit low end that I'm using running Windows XP a PIII 500 with 512 Megs of RAM. I am wondering when running MAME what really helps? Does my machines RAM really help? At one point is it overkill and can it make up for my lower processor speed. Also as far as a video card what type of card is best. I believe 2d is all I really need be concerned with but am wondering what will help boost performance. 32,64 or does it matter and if it does recommendations for a MAME specific card would be appreciated.

Thanks

[rampy]

*shrug* Mame relies mostly on processor speed (for the most part -- now with the fancy d3d code they are working in not sure how that is changing)

The extra ram (512 is puhlenty of breathing room in this case) will benefit the inital overhead of XP/operating system.

You're probably fine with either sized card... MAME doesn't really soak up video memory in the same way as a 3d PC game... (although zinc on hte other hand...) so 32 is fine...

Are you outputing to an arcade monitor, TV, or PC monitor? That will have a greater effect on your vid card choices.

1. realize with that processor you'll be able to play all classic games thruough neo geo games and I imagine some modern fighters with some frameskip.  The midway games like Mortal Kombat might give you trouble, as will nba jams, etc...  no chance in hell of playing killer instinct, area 51 etc etc...

2. The best think you can do is work on tweaking all the unnecessary crap out of windows XP. i.e. disable un needed services (what the hell do you need fax service running on a arcade machine in the background for?) I recommend some time checking out the black vipers page on this

*shrug*

Rampy

The only other thing you could try and it would be an interesting experiment with your machine being right on the cusp of break even point... is running it in pure dos *Shrug*

[tagnetti]

Thanks for the quick reply. It is actually an old DK cabinet and I have restored its look to that of a DK Jr. It has the original Monitor, but I am going to pull it and drop my 21" PC Monitor in it. I was going to get that ULtimarc VGA but would rather keep it simple.

I am totally reformatting my drive and was going to put XP and use winmame with MAME WAH. However I only want it for MAME but am unsure how to set it up under DOS. ANy tips on that would be great if you think it would increase the number of games I can play. Not sure how to set it up.

You are dead on with game compatibilty as I tested on my PC a PIII 550 with a 32TNT2 card and 300+ RAM and came up short at about Mortal COmbat but MArvel fighting game worked.

I have other machines but would like to get the most out of this. I will check that other link as well. Thanks a ton