My first project: PiCade, low cost arcade emulator.

[johncl]

Still havent received my RPi but its just around the corner. I see people have some success with the Pi and Mame. I guess older games like Donkey Kong will run fine? My only problem with the RPi is that it doesnt have VGA output and most older (and cheap) 4:3 LCD panels only have a VGA input.

I finally got xubuntu to boot up on my Via Epia CN13000 (CN700 chipset) and although xubuntu works fine, I tried to run sdlmame on it which was absolutely a terrible slideshow of a thing when trying to run Donkey Kong on it. Dunno why really as I sort of thought the CN13000 was on par with the RPi performance wise. I guess will try Puppylinux again some day although i had problems getting that to boot at all on the machine. I'd love to give the old Via board a life in my Donkey Kong bartop project.

[johncl]

I really would love to void a lenghty boot to run Mame so I found AdvanceMame (which doesnt seem to be supported anymore?) and a nice AdvanceCD setup where I was able to make a bootable USB stick. Unfortunately when I boot it on my Via Epia CN13000 it stops telling me that the it cannot find any graphics mode supported. - It seems the Via chipset is really not supported well, although I think I have read someone running AdvanceMame on an old Epia 5000 fine. Some advice on how to get AdvanceMame booting up on my Via board would be great.

[johncl]

I was able to boot FreeDos from a USB stick so I tried copying AdvanceMame DOS onto it but with no success, it is able to run the initial config procedure, but when I try to run e.g. dkong with it the screen scrambles up with no result. According to the AdvanceMame pages the Via Unichrome chipset should be supported so I dont know what could be the problem unless I need to configure something to get it going and using the right video card driver or something?

I am able to boot puppy linux on the Via board but the Mame performance is too bad using the vesa graphics options. It runs at 50% speed or thereabout. I got a small speed improvement if I change the resolution on the desktop to the lowest (640x480x16) before starting it, but setting PAMame to 320x240 does nothing to improve the speed (it seems to scale the game up to desktop resolution). SDLMame seems to base its settings of mame.ini in the user folder but I have not been trying to tweak that... perhaps that could make it run better? I'd love to use the old Via CN13000 board for something useful like playing Donkey Kong!

[Jigenjuke]

I was able to boot FreeDos from a USB stick so I tried copying AdvanceMame DOS onto it but with no success, it is able to run the initial config procedure, but when I try to run e.g. dkong with it the screen scrambles up with no result. According to the AdvanceMame pages the Via Unichrome chipset should be supported so I dont know what could be the problem unless I need to configure something to get it going and using the right video card driver or something?

I am able to boot puppy linux on the Via board but the Mame performance is too bad using the vesa graphics options. It runs at 50% speed or thereabout. I got a small speed improvement if I change the resolution on the desktop to the lowest (640x480x16) before starting it, but setting PAMame to 320x240 does nothing to improve the speed (it seems to scale the game up to desktop resolution). SDLMame seems to base its settings of mame.ini in the user folder but I have not been trying to tweak that... perhaps that could make it run better? I'd love to use the old Via CN13000 board for something useful like playing Donkey Kong!

Hey there johncl,

I am using an older version of a VIA board the M10000.  This runs great with MAME 32 1.32 under windows XP.  I am using 256megs of ram and onboard video.

Jigenjuke

[Jigenjuke]

Sorry, you can check out the rig here, and I guess I upped it to 512 megs...

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,106894.0.html

[johncl]

Hey there johncl,

I am using an older version of a VIA board the M10000.  This runs great with MAME 32 1.32 under windows XP.  I am using 256megs of ram and onboard video.

Jigenjuke

Hi, and thanks that good news to hear. I seem to recall reading many using these old Via boards for mame so I was really at a loss at how to achieve this. But you know, I'd rather avoid XP alltogether as I really wanted to have a free OS on this thing, and preferably something that boots much faster directly into mame. It sounded to me that AdvanceMame would be the thing, but the only bootable distro they made of that was AdvanceCD which has very limited hardware support it seems. The pure AdvanceMame DOS builds seems to support the Via chipset but alas I have had no luck running that from FreeDos at least. Perhaps I need MSDOS for it to run? Perhaps some memory issues that need to be adressed (I recall that as being a problem in MSDOS when I tinkered a lot with that 20 years ago). Or perhaps it simply some configuration I need to do to enable the Via chipset drivers to run? Also I have found OpenChrome which should be Via drivers for linux, perhaps I need to install or compile and configure these in some way (both of these are things I have no knowledge of as I am very green in the linux world).

Ah I also read that maybe I need to use an old mame build as the latter ones are too CPU intensive? Perhaps I can get an older one running on puppy arcade? Any idea how I would go about getting that? I will only run the classics like Donkey Kong and Pac Man on this arcade project.

Also if anyone has a bootable image of a linux/dos distro for Via chipset with a working mame I would be eternally grateful!

BTW Jigenjuke, fantastic mini arcade projects you are working on, amazing that you are making so many of them at the same time. My current project which I will make a thread about here soon is a classic Donkey Kong Bartop similar to this one. I am quite sure I tried this exact bartop on R3Play 2010 in Blackpool and perhaps even had a short chat with the creator. I got some free 11mm MDF which could work very well for this project although I will have problems fitting white t-molding to it, but more about that when I start my own thread.

BTW2: Sorry for "offtopic'ing" this thread, please continue with the PiCade work/chat! I just got my RPi in the mail yesterday! If that works fine for DonkeyKong I might even try to find a 4:3 LCD with a video-in port since the RPi has that output (imo the RPi sorely lacking a VGA port).

[johncl]

To bring this thread back on topic I thought I'd ask you all (since I now have my RPi), what screen options for an arcade DIY'er is there for the RPi? I feel a decent arcade project needs a 15-17" screen and preferably one that is 4:3 aspect. From what I have seen, almost all older LCDs only have a VGA input and the RPi only has RCA and DVI output. My older 20" Dell Ultrasharp 2001FP however has both SVHS and composite input (is that the same as RCA?) so this might work although that screen is too big. I think I have seen these screens very cheap used now.

The only 4:3 screens with RCA input I can find are small 7" things which is too small for at least my arcade project.

Perhaps there even are some real (and cheap) arcade screens with RCA input? Or even some 15" inch old LCD tvs to be found? Or for that sense new 15-17" screens with DVI input (assuming these are all 16:9 I guess one would want to go 17" and just centre the picture and make a frame/cover on the top and bottom for portrait mounting)?

[stuckpixel]

Look at HDMI to DVI adapters. Most monitors will have a DVI port you can use. Should only be a couple bucks.

You can also get a HDMI to VGA adapter -- but you need to actually have some electronics doing that to go from the digital to analog signal I believe -- cost of that would be about what the pi cost you.

[javeryh]

The only 4:3 screens with RCA input I can find are small 7" things which is too small for at least my arcade project.

Where are you seeing 7" monitors that are 4:3 with a VGA port?  I'd be very interested if the price was right.

[stuckpixel]

Look at like the car lcd monitors - there are a bunch out there-- most aren't 4:3 these days though.

[johncl]

Where are you seeing 7" monitors that are 4:3 with a VGA port?  I'd be very interested if the price was right.

Well, as I said I can find several 7" screens with RCA (video in) input, not VGA input (which is no good for RPi). Neither can I really find 15" LCDs with DVI or HDMI input to save the day. Most cheap 4:3 ones you can find have a VGA input. Which again baffles me a bit since obviously the cheap RPi can be used for hooking up old monitors which all have VGA ports. Most monitors I can find today with DVI (which could have worked with a HDMI->DVI adapter) are 16:9 which really isnt the best way to go for a Donkey Kong machine. - The more expensive HDMI to VGA adapters will naturally work (I guess there are some cheap ones from China you can buy on ebay) so I might even go that route if I want to use the RPi for my project.

As for 4:3 7" screens you can find some used ones from e.g. Liliput around, but I feel almost all these have exceptionally low resolution for an arcade. I'd rather have a 1024x768 LCD for this to emulate some raster lines as well. 

[Jigenjuke]

Hey there johncl,

I am using an older version of a VIA board the M10000.  This runs great with MAME 32 1.32 under windows XP.  I am using 256megs of ram and onboard video.

Jigenjuke

Hi, and thanks that good news to hear. I seem to recall reading many using these old Via boards for mame so I was really at a loss at how to achieve this. But you know, I'd rather avoid XP alltogether as I really wanted to have a free OS on this thing, and preferably something that boots much faster directly into mame. It sounded to me that AdvanceMame would be the thing, but the only bootable distro they made of that was AdvanceCD which has very limited hardware support it seems. The pure AdvanceMame DOS builds seems to support the Via chipset but alas I have had no luck running that from FreeDos at least. Perhaps I need MSDOS for it to run? Perhaps some memory issues that need to be adressed (I recall that as being a problem in MSDOS when I tinkered a lot with that 20 years ago). Or perhaps it simply some configuration I need to do to enable the Via chipset drivers to run? Also I have found OpenChrome which should be Via drivers for linux, perhaps I need to install or compile and configure these in some way (both of these are things I have no knowledge of as I am very green in the linux world).

Ah I also read that maybe I need to use an old mame build as the latter ones are too CPU intensive? Perhaps I can get an older one running on puppy arcade? Any idea how I would go about getting that? I will only run the classics like Donkey Kong and Pac Man on this arcade project.

Also if anyone has a bootable image of a linux/dos distro for Via chipset with a working mame I would be eternally grateful!

BTW Jigenjuke, fantastic mini arcade projects you are working on, amazing that you are making so many of them at the same time. My current project which I will make a thread about here soon is a classic Donkey Kong Bartop similar to this one. I am quite sure I tried this exact bartop on R3Play 2010 in Blackpool and perhaps even had a short chat with the creator. I got some free 11mm MDF which could work very well for this project although I will have problems fitting white t-molding to it, but more about that when I start my own thread.

BTW2: Sorry for "offtopic'ing" this thread, please continue with the PiCade work/chat! I just got my RPi in the mail yesterday! If that works fine for DonkeyKong I might even try to find a 4:3 LCD with a video-in port since the RPi has that output (imo the RPi sorely lacking a VGA port).

Hey there again Johncl,

As far as a 7 inch VGA monitor you could try a Lilliput 7 Inches VGA Tft LCD Monitor.  I have used these before and they work very well especially with the VIA chrome chipsets, but I don't think that you will find one to keep you in your price range.  I made three 3/4 size "bartops" DOnkey Kong, Mario Brothers and Donkey Kong Jr.  a few years back.   I started out using Fujitsu PCs but then soon switched again used the EPIA Via M10000 boards.  In these machines I was lucky to find some cheap 15-17inch 4:3 monitors on the Japanese Yahoo auction site.  Many of the 17 inch 4:3 displays here in Japan have the dvi input, but again it would be cost prohibitive to send one to you.  Look around I believe that the Iyama monitors have what you are looking for in maybe a 17 inch size.  These would fit beautifully in a DK replica "bartop".   If there is anything I can do to help let me know. 

Many folks here have suggested an adapter.  That's probably the best way for you to go.  The little 8.4 inch monitors I have in the Mini Pac/Ms. Pac replicas are point of sale touch screen monitors for the local shipping company here in Japan called Kuronekko.   These are great but I haven't seen anymore recently. 

You can check out the DK, DK Jr. and Mario thread here...  And thanks for the kind words.  Good luck!

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,85596.msg897800.html#msg897800

Jigenjuke

[johncl]

Hi and thanks for your reply. I guess I have been a bit confusing in my posts about what i am actually seeking.

I have a very nice HP 15" 4:3 LCD with a VGA port now that I planned to use in my 1/2 size Donkey Kong bartop (fits perfectly in the design with 30 cm width front). My original plan was to use a Via Epia 13000 board for this but so far I have had no luck getting 100% framerate on even simple games like Donkey Kong. Then at the same time I see some people running Mame games on the RPi (which I recently also got) and I wouldnt mind using that instead since its so small and possibly an excellent choice for projects like this. Now the problem is that the RPi dont have VGA output so I started hunting for 15" LCDs with either a RCA (video in) or HDMI, but the only ones I can find with HDMI at least are bigger than 15" and 16:9 format. Furthermore, the only ones I can find with RCA input are the car screens which normally are no bigger than 10" (mostly 7" or lower) - and these all have very low resolution.

And as you say you can find 17" 4:3 LCDs with DVI port, getting smaller ones like 15" with DVI is harder it seems since DVI was introduced as most screens produced were 17" or higher. The only 15" I have found with both DVI and even HDMI are all very expensive storefront touch screen things at $300+.

Basically you can find on ebay and many places today very nice used 15" 4:3 format LCDs for $25 (I got mine for about that) but they all have a VGA port. If my option is to buy a new screen for $150+ I might as well just get a mini-itx Atom based board with a VGA output and use my 15" for the project. Hope that clarifies.

Although my hopes are still to get Mame running fine on the Via 13000 which really should be faster than the 10000 or even 5000 which I know some people run mame on. To further complicate matters I dont want to run WinXP but Linux since I want a faster boot directly into the game if possible. I am just starting out on Linux really so perhaps I can build some older mame version that works fine for games like Donkey Kong (see my other thread about this question).

Again sorry for the offtopic chat, I'd be interested in following the OPs RPi project as it can be a very good discussion for using the RPi in arcade projects, both mini ones or bartops. If anyone find good suitable 15" 4:3 screens for the RPi then I am sure more people than me would love to know where to find them!

EDIT: Small update, I have been able to use Rufus 1.1.7f to make a bootable USB Stick with FreeDos AND install Dos Mame 0.90b which boots fine on a Thinkpad at work and Mame worked fine with donkey kong after installing a memory manager file that was missing. I found most info here which is a very nice site about Mame in DOS. The whole thing boots exceptionally fast from USB stick and Donkey Kong loaded immediately. If I can get this working on my Via Epia CN13000 at home I will  be very very happy. I see that it should support AC97 sound chip as well as it can emulate a soundblaster. Cant wait to try this at home as it will be a much cleaner solution than booting into WinXP or a Linux desktop to run Mame. It feels like a DonkeyKong on a stick ready to be played anywhere !

EDIT2: Jigenjuke, thats some amazing bartops you have made in that other thread. How could I have missed that. You also have a red DonkeyKong bartop just like the one I am making. I also notice you use 12mm MDF which is about the same size as i am using (mine might possibly be 11mm). I'd be very interested in how easy it was to cut the groove in that for the t-molding. I am a bit afraid that it might split up since the boards are a bit thin at 11-12mm. If it works fine I will surely get some of that 1/2" t-molding which I assume you have cut nicely with a knife after mounting it to make it flush with the sides?