now onto config tweaking was: q's about arcade monitor & vid amp to PC

[quarterback]

Okay, after halfway installing a PC monitor into my cocktail, I decided I'd try one of the 19" monitors from my basement instead.  I pulled out the WG K7000 (I think) and t fits much more nicely beneath the bezel and it looks like it will mount more easily as well.

I have an old emachine mobo with built in video that (according to Peale) can be easily set up to run an arcade monitor.  The CPU isn't anything to write home about, and I only have 64meg of RAM right now, but my plan is to run Win98 with MAME v .55 and just run vertical classics.

I bought a video amp a while back and now I'm going to finally give it a shot but here's where I feel the need to ask some specific questions lest I fry something.

(1) Do I need to use PowerStrip to get the onboard video to work with my arcade monitor?  I get the impression that it's the easiest way to go (if you're not using an ArcadeVGA) but I thought I'd ask.

(2) Below are pics of the video amp and the WG monitor connection.  There are two connectors on my monitor's PCB.  One has four wires attached to it which are: "RED" (a red wire), GREEN (a white wire), BLUE (a blue wire) and a GROUND (the black wire).  There are two other pins on the monitor's PCB here for "POS H. SYNC" and "POS V. SYNC", but there are no wires attached to them.  Is this a problem?




This looks pretty self explanatory.  I connect the RED, GREEN, BLUE and GROUND wires to the RED, GREEN, BLUE, and GROUND connections on my video amp. 

On the top connector there is one wire which is connected to two of the three pins: the "NEG H SYNC" and "NEG V. SYNC".   Do I just connect that single wire to the "SYNC" terminal on the amp and then just plug it into my computer?  Is it really that easy?

(3) Do I even need a video amp with this monitor?  I also have a hacked cable around here somewhere. Should I just use that instead?  Is there any problem using the video amp if it's not needed?

(4) As I'm getting PowerStrip set up, is there any problem with me running NON-video-monitor frequencies to the video monitor?  OR  Are there any problems running video-monitor frequencies to a normal PC monitor?
Do I set all the frequencies while using the PC monitor and then reboot and plug into the Video monitor?

I'm just picturing the process I'll be going through as I set up the resolution(s) and try to get things working.  As I'm setting things up, should I be doing it with the arcade monitor, the PC monitor, or should I be switching back and forth as I go?   

That's all I can think of right now.   I've scanned through the PowerStrip thread but didn't see the answers to question #4.   I'm going to go install Win98, MAME and download powerstrip, but if anybody can confirm, deny or answer my questions, I'll feel safer about the whole thing.

Thanks!

[quarterback]

Well, maybe I need to come up with a different solution.  Powerstrip doesn't seem to work on my eMachine system.  I get a 'page fault' error and can't even get the program started.     

[SirPeale]

I have an old emachine mobo with built in video that (according to Peale) can be easily set up to run an arcade monitor.  The CPU isn't anything to write home about, and I only have 64meg of RAM right now, but my plan is to run Win98 with MAME v .55 and just run vertical classics.

Why are you dragging me into this, and then not following my advice?  DOS, boy, DOS!  Assuming, of course, that the board allows it.  If it's the same eMachines board I'm using, you won't have any problems with DOS drivers.

My vertical cab is running .96, which is the version that Galaga got it's sound chip finally emulated.

[quarterback]

I have an old emachine mobo with built in video that (according to Peale) can be easily set up to run an arcade monitor.  The CPU isn't anything to write home about, and I only have 64meg of RAM right now, but my plan is to run Win98 with MAME v .55 and just run vertical classics.

Why are you dragging me into this, and then not following my advice?  DOS, boy, DOS!  Assuming, of course, that the board allows it.  If it's the same eMachines board I'm using, you won't have any problems with DOS drivers.

So, were you using ArcadeOS to drive the arcade monitor or some other method?   I was never quite sure if that was the path you took because (I thought) I read some posts you made last year where you were'nt able to get ArcadeOS working.  Maybe I dreamt that....

If not ArcadeOS, what were you using to set the output for arcade resolutions?

[SirPeale]

Yes, I used ArcadeOS as the FE, and DOS Mame. 

At one point I tried to get AdvanceMenu/Mame working, but I think there's some kind of weird issue with the video chipset, as all I could ever get to happen was weird rainbow colors.  Someone else with the same chipset said the same thing.

All I did was plug the VGA into the video amp, then connected that to the monitor. 

[quarterback]

Okay, I'm having some success here.    I figured I'd start with Vantage because of my slow processor and because "It was written to be as small and fast as possible (to keep the cost of the host PC to a minimum) and to run the arcade games 'as intended'."   After getting some games to work, I moved onto dmame .55 and mame .36 both in DOS and in a Win98 window.

I guess my biggest shock was how easy it is to output to an arcade monitor.   By simply using the "-monitor arcade" command line switch, it worked, both in DOS and in Windows DOSbox.   No need for a fancy build or specific front end. 

I guess I was/am just a bit confused.  I was completely under the impression that I HAD to use something like PowerStrip or ArcadeOS to easily utilize the arcade monitor.  But mame has the option built in.  Easy.

Should it really be that easy?  I mean, if MAME can output directly to an arcade monitor, why would people mess with setting up AracadeOS?   I can understand why people would use PowerStrip, because it'll let you see Windows (poorly?) on your arcade monitor as well, but I guess I don't get ArcadeOS.  Is it the only front end that will run at arcade frequencies?  Is it the only one to run in DOS? Is there something else i'm missing?

EDIT: I see. It's because it's one of the only/few to run in DOS. 

Another question:  On my arcade monitor, the games are all a little low (theres a bit ofempty 'black' at the top) and to the left slightly,  Is this fixable by some kind of custom resolution setting or    It happens both in Vantage and in .55 and .36 on the 5 or 6 games I've tested.

[SirPeale]

You can 'nudge' the game position in VAntAGE, using tweak.

The biggest reason for AOS is because it can output to an arcade monitor.  I don't know of any other DOS FE (other than AdvanceMenu) that does that.

Kymaera's DOS port has it hacked in, but it doesn't work.  It crashes if you try it.

[quarterback]

You can 'nudge' the game position in VAntAGE, using tweak.

Yeah, but I'm thinking this may be something more.  I'll take a pic later, but this off-center thing exists whn I'm running AOS as well.   With my jamma board hooked up, the screen is full, but when I driving it from my PC, I'm having this shifting issue.  It makes me think there might be something else I need to fix.

The biggest reason for AOS is because it can output to an arcade monitor.  I don't know of any other DOS FE (other than AdvanceMenu) that does that.

Gotcha'.  I was just cornfused.  All these years without an Arcade monitor and just reading about ArcadeOS and Powerstrip made me think they were the only way to get anything out to the screen.  If I'd been more aware, I would have tested this monitor (and my vga cable hack) a long time ago.


So, I'm into ArcadeOS.  It's not as pretty as MameWah, but it works on my arcade monitor, and that's what counts.  I had some problems for a while because I couldn't get it to generate a list of ROMS.   I eventually googled up the info about the "legacygen" switch, but even then had problems until I figured out it needed to be set to "0" for versions lower than .84, not "1"


I also finally read through the cfg file again and  figured out that I needed to set "incabinet" to 1 to get the arcade display working


Now I need to figure out how to get the vertical games to turn vertically.  I don't know if it's a listinfo v. listxml that makes the difference, but it's like everything is listed as a horizontal game.

And when I select vertical games while using the arcade monitir, thy roll like crazy.  Is there a switch or cfg setting I'm missing somewhere?

Thanks

[quarterback]

hmmm... having more troubles now with vertical games whether they're through ArcadeOS or just one of my DOS versions of MAME.   They're all broken up now on the arcade monitor even though previously they'd been fine.  I got a bit panicky, thinking I must have fried something out except for the fact that Vantage will still display vertical games fine...   pics to come, and maybe I'll take this question into 'software'

[korendog]

QB, My setup is ArcadeOS with AdvanceMame.  I started off using Dos Mame like you but I liked the fact that AdvanceMame lets you tweak the monitor setup which lets you get it perfect.  Excellent if you are anal retentive like me.  lol  It took me a while to get AdvanceMame to work with ArcadeOS, but it was worth it.  If you want to go the same route as me just let me know and I'll help out in anyway I can.  -Jarrett

[SirPeale]

Hey, if you can  help him get AdvanceMame running with that chipset, I'd be interested too.  Make sure you post all hints here.  All I got was crap on my screen.

[quarterback]

QB, My setup is ArcadeOS with AdvanceMame.  I started off using Dos Mame like you but I liked the fact that AdvanceMame lets you tweak the monitor setup which lets you get it perfect.  Excellent if you are anal retentive like me.  lol  It took me a while to get AdvanceMame to work with ArcadeOS, but it was worth it.  If you want to go the same route as me just let me know and I'll help out in anyway I can.  -Jarrett

Thanks Jarrett,

I've been out of town for a couple days and won't get a chance to even mess with my machine until this coming weekend, but if you're willing to help me out, I'll totally give AdvanceMame a shot because I'd love to have my display look perfect.    I'll PM you when I get back to the cab.

Thanks

[korendog]

QB/Peale, I created a page on my site that gives a general walkthrough of what I did to get my setup up and running.  It's been a while since I set this up so I know I missed a lot of the details you will most likely need.  Ask the questions and I'll guide you specifically as to what I did.  I'll also post my config files on my site so you can take a look at those.  It will also allow me to update my page so it will help others that want to get ArcadeOS and AdvanceMAME working.  QB, my first suggestion would be to upgrade the processor on the MOBO.  I did that on my friends MOBO and I think that board can go up to 450-550 mhz equivalent.  It's an easy upgrade and so cheap.  Just get on ebay and pick yourself up a processor.  -Cheers 

www.jarrettkoren.com/software.htm