No 16-bit Vesa Mode Error driving me nuts

[Raven19]

Hi, I'm running a 735 mhx computer, 256mb ram. It has a built onto the motherboard video card and soundcard. I went ahead and added a soundblaster 16 card for the sound, but left the SIS video card, which is capable of 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, or 64 mb modes.
 
I have windows 98 installed with arcadeos as a front end running in dos with bootgui=0, and autoexec and config.sys stuff.
 
I have a 19 inch wells gardner CGA monitor, model k7602, from 1987 I belive. I have tryed the incabinet=1 option on arcadeos but It doesnt seem to be working. I wait for arcadeos to boot, hear the 3 beeps, then I turn on the monitor. It displays the arcadeos games list in a 320x XXX mode, but wont let me play any of the games cause they all get an error. The screen goes to "loading game: xxxxxx", then it blanks out, then it goes back to the arcadeos menu with this error: "No 16-bit Vesa mode available".
 
I'm thinking maybe this card doesnt have any vesa drivers or something. But I also tryed an ATI Redeon 7000 card, wich is 32mb and supports up to 32 bit graphics. It also has a tv out connection wich means that it was built to handle 15khz from a tv. So in theory it should work for this monitor. But it had the same error, "no 16-bit vesa mode available".

I really don't know what to do. Is there some VESA driver that I have to add to my config.sys or my autoexec.bat and execute it before I run the arcadeos?

Also is there a TSR that will allow me to explode DOS with my arcade monitor safely? Right now I cant view dos with my monitor, I can only view arcadeos. If I go into dos the sync is all messed up and probebly damageing to the monitor.

Or is it a problem that my monitor is CGA not VGA? And therfore it doesnt support vesa?

I have no idea what to do.

[tom61]

First off, let me give you a suggestion, if you have the money, and an AGP slot, get the ArcadeVGA. It makes all these configuration hassles go away with using an arcade monitor, and you can even run Windows on your arcade monitor with it.

it goes back to the arcadeos menu with this error: "No 16-bit Vesa mode available".

You might get around this by downloading and running the Sci-Tech Display Doctor for DOS. It's supposed to add VESA support to cards that don't have it. (I never got it to work myself though)

But I also tryed an ATI Redeon 7000 card, wich is 32mb and supports up to 32 bit graphics. It also has a tv out connection wich means that it was built to handle 15khz from a tv.

Incorrect, in modern cards there is a chip that converts VGA type signals into NTSC/PAL. Just because it has TV-out means nothing for using with an arcade monitor.

Also is there a TSR that will allow me to explode DOS with my arcade monitor safely?

The Mon-Arc drivers would allow you to do this, you load the driver in config.sys (I think), and causes all of DOS to output at 15kHz (if your card is supported by it).

Or is it a problem that my monitor is CGA not VGA? And therfore it doesnt support vesa?

That should have no effect on it.

I have no idea what to do.

If you have an AGP slot, the arcadeVGA will let you do everything you want, and more, with minimum fuss.

I can't remeber the URLs off the top of my head, but at least one of the drivers mentioned should in the download section. www.ultimarc.com is the place that sells the arcadeVGA.

[Raven19]

Several problems with that, my computer has no AGP slot, only PCI.

And I'v actually made some progress over the past day. I was able to get ARCMon to run with my SIS630E motherboard video card. It's basically like MonArc, it displays all dos at 15khz. So I have that running in my autoexec. And I decided to use advancedmame with arcadeos frontend. And I am now able to configure some of my monitor settings in advmame. I also got the arvcab wich has the TSR needed for vesa bios flashing.

So hopefully once I configure my monitor settings with advcab, I can run the vbe TSR and bootup arcadeos and see if she works. I still gotta find the vclock and hclock settings for my monitor before I proceed. Then I gotta disable all the resolutions but 640x420, and it should work. At least according to purplemames' site. He has a monitor almost identical to mine, they even use the same owners manual. But he is running a Trident 64 card, and I'm useing the SIS630E, but I'll let you guys know how it goes down.

One question though, I am able to go into arcadeos, but for some reason it has a list of zero games. Although I have the advmame rom folder filled with tons of games, they dont show up on the arcadeos list. Any suggestions?

[Raven19]

Wheee!!!

All is well. I purchased a Triden Blade T64! Chipset video card from gateway 2 days ago and recived it this morning. After about an hour of fiddeling around I got it to work!

Basically I am running arcadeos with advmame. Running the MonArc TSR for dos enabled video support for my trident card. Then I have autoexec enable the VBE /l tsr that comes with advcab. Then arcadeos boots through advmame and it works perfectly.

All the games display in perfect resolution/color/speed everything. And damn, what a difference an arcade monitor makes from a pc monitor. You have to see it to belive me. I can't belive some people run arcade cabinets with pc monitors. There is just no comparison. Games that look pixelated and boxy on a pc monitor look smooth and perfect on an arcade monitor.

Anyone else with a 19k7602 monitor that is haveing problems, or any Wells Gardner CGA monitor for that matter, do yourself a favor, buy a Trident Blade T64 chipset video card NOW! It will solve all of your problems.

Then simply run MonArc in your autoexec.bat along with the VBE tsr with advcab and it works like a charm. It takes alittle work to configure your advmame.rc file and the vbe.rc file and the advcfg but once your done with that, stand up and play till the whee hours.