ArcadeVGA/Jpac/monitor woes

[BobJ]

Received my Jpac and ArcadeVGA last week and have just spent a very frustrating weekend struggling to get things up and running. Perhaps someone would be so kind as to set me straight on a few things (I'm using windows 98).

Should the sync OK LED on the Jpac light up during boot & windows when using an ArcadeVGA or just when a 15Hz signal is being sent when running a game in Mame?

If the drivers have been installed correctly will 640 X 288 be selectable from the blue icon in the task bar in Windows 98?

I'm a real low level noob when it comes to this stuff. I think its driver installation I'm falling down on since I've yet to see the sync OK LED kick in or 640 X 288 appear as an option. I havent managed to achieve anything approaching a stable picture during boot and windows (horizontal sync is unstable). I've tried almost everything I can so I'm thinking there must be a conflict somewhere. If I were to format the HD and reinstall windows is there a particular version thats easier to work with (98/2000/XP)? Is the ArcadeVGA more sensitive to h-sync than a normal arcade PCB (never had any problems with it before on Jamma PCBs)?

Any help would be much appreciated. 4 nights in a row uninstalling and re-installing drivers on an image thats flying by like a one sided tennis match is really starting to grate. I'm just about ready to get out the sledgehammer.

[menace]

what monitor are you using?  You should see the LED light when a sync signal is received but different monitors accept different sync signals (some take H-,V- and others the opposite of that)  if using the AVGA you should be getting the sync in light almost immediately (if the moniotr is hooked up properly) since the card was designed for 15khz monitors.  Check your keyboard line to the jpac (thats where it gets the 5V to run the LEDS--no power, no leds)

also consider that 640x288 may be out of your monitors range depending on what model you are using (doubtful though since its not that extreme of a demand on the monitor)

[BobJ]

I'm using the Hantarex monitor in my old Neo Geo cabinet. It's about 14 years old so I think its inability to get a horizontal lock may be due to age although it works perfectly with normal Jamma PCBs and the 6slot motherboard.

The "sync in" LED kicks in immediately but the "sync OK" hasnt sprung to life at any stage. Just want to confirm that a properly installed ArcadeVGA will give a clear and stable picture during boot and in windows.

[Lance]

Are you plugging the cable to the jpac into the right connector on the arcadevga?  The one connector that has a ribbon cable (I think it is the one nearest to the top) outputs a 31khz signal, the bottom one the 15khz signal.

You should get a clear screen on the windows startup screen/desktop from the 15khz connector on your arcade montior

[menace]

yes it should give a stable screen almost immediately,if it doesn't try different combinations on your sync in line on your jamma harness.  for instance i have a WG K7191, for a jamma game it only requires H- (from the monitor chassis)to be hooked up to the sync line on the jamma harness for a stable picture, However, when running it through a jpac i need the H- AND V- to be connected to the sync line of the harness.  Then it was just a matter of fine tuning the adjustment knobs.  is it horizontal sync (screen looks like its tearing itself to shreds) or vertical sync (cnstant rolling)--just checking.

[breech]

just telling you about my j-pac experience.. i got mine with the jumpers in weird positions from ozstick. pin 1's on 15&25khz were shorted as were pin 2's 15&25. when i plugged it in the screen was dark & no OK led. the correct jumpering is 15k across pins 1&2, 25k across pins 1&2 for a 15k monitor.

correct:
[1]=[2]  31khz

[1]  [2]  25khz

[1]=[2]  15khz

incorrect:
[1]  [2]  31khz

[1]  [2]  25khz
 ||    ||
[1]  [2]  15khz

[Halo]

Just a few things: Just checking the obvious first -

As the other guy said, make sure you have the 'mouse hole' type connector plugged from the ArcadeVGA card into your JPACs similar 'mouse / keyboard' type hole. This is what powers the JPAC.

Next question - look at your Jamma cab. Do you have a coin counter wired into the Jamma loom, or any other stray voltage getting in there? If you have any voltage hitting the JPAC apart from the lead mentioned above, by way of the Jamma loom, it will not power as it has a protection circuit built in. It must only be powered from that lead.

I had one here that wouldn't light up - so there was a stray voltage going in. By a process of elimination, I disconnected each wire that went to the loom (it had to be one of 'em!) and it turned out that as soon as I disconnected the 12v that went to the coin counter / mech - on came the lights, and it was all go from there.

[Halo]

Oops wrong light - what the other guys said