Neo-Geo MVS to Xbox cab project

[satoshi_matrix]

Yeah wow Malenko. It was incredibly hard to find just one for sale! How'd you manage to snag three?

[Oni2382]

Yeah wow Malenko. It was incredibly hard to find just one for sale! How'd you manage to snag three?

Be patient over time you can find a few......








Malenko I didn't know you had 3 MVS cabs...Technically I have 5.....1 I stripped for parts (bad water damage...the other is a future restore...




BTW  thanks for the Mobo Malenko....I appreciate the hookup...

[satoshi_matrix]

dude, what's with all the massive spaces? Please edit your comment so it doesn't take so much of screen.

I picked up my MVS yesterday and to my surprise, its a two slot MVS with Bubble Bobble 1 and Aero Fighters 3! Edit: I figured out how to open it.


To my dismay, my MVS seems to be in the casing of some other arcade cab. The sides are wood grain, not the classic MVS red and it's been retrofitted with new speakers and behind the coin slot is only the power supply and no typical box to turn it on and off with the service menu or anything. But the control panel and the labels are MVS originals and behind the control panel is a genuine MVS, there's no doubt about that.

But I've got another problem. Whenever I try to turn it on, it takes me directly to the service menu.

It runs a color test then a control test then a memory card check and then a calendar check, and then pressing start just loops me back to the start of the service check.

How do I actually play some games? I can't figure it out. Do I need to hold a button or combo of buttons for a set period of time?

[Oni2382]

It may be a dip switch setting...I'll let you know..

[satoshi_matrix]

Please do. I've disconnected and removed the Neo-Geo MVS motherboard from the cab to take a closer look at it and it seems to be in great shape and dating on it seems to suggest it's from 1992. The metal casing has rusted a bit, but the PCB look great.

The second dip switch is flipped down in my case. Maybe it'll work if I flip it back up again? The dip switches aren't labeled as to their functions. There are a total of 8 dip switches.

[Oni2382]

flip that second switch back up...the only switch that should be activated is switch number 7 (thats the Freeplay switch)

[satoshi_matrix]

This is a test picture of my new cab to ensure I can post pictures here.

[Malenko]

So you bought THREE Neo-Geo MVS cabinets?! 

Are you planning on having spare parts, empty cabs, etc? Building one "perfect" cab from three bad cabs? 

at one time I had 3. 2 2slots and a 4 slot. I miss them all.

How many cherries do you need? I have like 10

[satoshi_matrix]

Ideally I need eight. To my elitist dismay the cabinet has Happ joysticks and Happ buttons. As someone used to Sanwa, the difference is quite substantial. I intend to replace the sticks with JLFs. I prefer the Cherry microswitches to the Sanwa ones, so I'll had to mod that in too.

I'm not sure what to make of my cabinet. It seems to have been heavily modified from the beauties that Oni2382 owns.

Here's my onslaught of various pictures


The basic upper frame.



View from the side. I removed the back plate prior to taking this photo, so it's not missing, just not shown.



A closer look at the top of the front.


Closeup of one of the non-stock speakers. They're stereo and LOUD.


As you can see, the control panel is in quite terrible shape. I'll need to replace probably the entire thing. A friend works for a machinist shop and thinks his team could fabricate a custom replacement. I think I'll go with a high quality plastic instead of metal to reduce weight and cost. As is, it's still functional but god I don't like it.


Inside the control panel here's P1 buttons.



The MVS 2 slot motherboard, cleaned. What are DB-15 controller ports in the bottom right and along the right side??



Size comparison of MVS carts to all other cartridge formats I own. Next time I think I'll include a MicroSD card as well 


My MVS lacks the Service/Power module it should have behind the coin door.


Instead it has this power supply to the right of the MVS motherboard. In this picture I disconnect the two AC power lines.



Is this a JAMMA connector?



Ya olde tube. I'll need to remove it to move the cabinet at a reasonable weight, but this thing scares the crap out of me. Where is safe to touch and where isn't? Is there a way to safely discharge it?   



My monitor's Technical info. maybe it means something to arcade aficionados?


High tech internal lighting. This makes me happy though; I already have spiral bulbs on hand.



I'll make that it for now.

[TEKNYNE]

The DB15 connectors are for joystick and button controls for the system, Many of the  MVS can wire controls via the JAMMA connector or by way of the DB15 included on-board. Nice convenience when consolizing a MVS board.

[Oni2382]

Did you ever flip switch #2 off?   Also your cab has a lot of potential, and you can always wire up your own service switch and test mode buttons....

[Malenko]

PM me your address, if I can find the cherry's I'll send em out