ArcadeVGA and my monitor...

[cbmeeks]

OK, I think I have an understanding but correct me if I am wrong.

I have a Twin Eagle cabinet with the monitor.  I have NO IDEA if the thing works...never turned it on.  I bought it for $35 and it went straight to my storage building.

I *might* be getting a new pad soon which will have a place for it.

SOOO, assuming the monitor still works, I am guessing I will have to do the following to use it in my MAME cab  (oh, for those that don't know, I am converting the Twin Eagle into a "classics only" MAME cab...Donkey Kong, Pac Man, etc)

1) Get an ArcadeVGA card so that I can use a real arcade monitor

2) Get some type of cable because it looks like the ArcadeVGA has a standard VGA output and the monitor does not.

3) Get AdvanceMAME so that I can tweak resolutions??


I will only be playing Donkey Kong/Jr, Pac Man/Ms, Galaga, Frogger, Centepede, Q*Bert, Dig Dug, and a couple others.  So, they probably all use the same display so maybe number 3 is not needed?

Thanks!

-cb

[SirPeale]

I'm not sure how Twin Eagle is wired.  If it's wired JAMMA, you might want to look into the J-PAC.

The ArcadeVGA is not *required* to run an arcade monitor!  It's the easiest solution when using Windows, but not a requirement.

First thing you should do it open it up, and look for anything that might have come loose inside the cab.  I'm talking metal things that could be shorting out a connection somewhere.  That way when you plug it in you don't lose all your magic smoke.

After you make sure of that, THEN plug it in.  You should hear the monitor turn on.  If not, there may be other issues at work.  Anything to not being hooked up, to a blown fuse, to a borked monitor.

[cbmeeks]

how would I get the proper refresh rate?

[SirPeale]

If you're using DOS, then you'll use a front end that supports it (currently only ArcadeOS and AdvanceMenu, until PacManFan fixes the DOS support for Kymaera).  DOS Mame supports it fine when you select the 'monitor=arcade' option.

With Windows, there are a couple ways.  One, a card based on the Trident Blade T64 chipset has drivers that support it.  Another, a program called PowerStrip can also do it.  It requires a bit of work, from what I understand.  I've never done it myself, I'm a DOS guy.