ArcadeVGA Card + TV

[bleakboy]

Hi i am new to using a TV for a monitor, I am thinking of building a cabinets sometime, but was looking to use my PC and my TV for MAME, at the moment, I have a space 1800AMD, 1g ram, and a Geforce 4 MX440, I tried using the Video out but couldn't get the TV Out to look good on my TV, 29" Sony Vega 4:3

What is the best way of doing this have seen the ArcadeVGA Card, would it be best to purchase the ArcadeVGA Card, or build a VGA to TV cable and use the Geforce 4 MX, as i am in the UK i can use a scart lead if that make it easy and have found this site

http://www.idiots.org.uk/vga_rgb_scart/index.html
didn't really understand it

Not bothered about using the pc for anything else apart from MAME and some other console Emulation, maybe 98 for downloading updates for MAME

[DeathMonk]

If your using a TV, your pretty much stuck using the TV out on your GeForce.

ArcadeVGA is designed for acrade monitors only.  So unless you plan on getting an arcade monitor, it would be pointless.

[bleakboy]

OK can't i make a cable like on that website to go from the arcadeVGA Card to the tv???

[Minwah]

If your using a TV, your pretty much stuck using the TV out on your GeForce.

ArcadeVGA is designed for acrade monitors only.  So unless you plan on getting an arcade monitor, it would be pointless.

Incorrect in this case  

One thing that us UK-ers are blessed with is Scart.  So using the ArcadeVGA and a cable wired to Scart (RGB), you can indeed have an arcade perfect image on a TV.

bleakboy:  I would suggest get the ArcadeVGA and the 'hacked' VGA cable from Ultimarc.  You will then just need to solder a Scart plug on the end of the cable and that's it!  I have the pinouts if you need them...and have a look at http://mamewah.mameworld.net/ArcadeVGA.html for some shots of the ArcadeVGA & Sony TV in action.

The only downside to using a TV is that the picture controls (height/width etc.) are not as easy to access as on an arcade monitor.  That said, I believe many TV's have a service mode which enables you to alter these things.  The reason I mention this is that some games have edges slightly cut off on my TV.

Good luck!

[Minwah]

OK can't i make a cable like on that website to go from the arcadeVGA Card to the tv???

That cable would probably work, but since I used the hacked cable from Ultimarc as I said above, I am not exactly sure of the connections at the VGA end - the 'loose' ends come nicely labelled.

[bleakboy]

Thanks for the info Minwah

That is excatly what i am going to do , get the arcade VGA Card, and the hacked cable, do you have the pin out's or is it pretty easy

The reson i want the ArcadeVGA Card is in the long term i am going to get a Jamma Cabinet / build and just want to get something that I won't have to replace if i build a cab

[Minwah]

Here are the pinouts (the letters will mean something once you get the cable):

Cable  Scart
R         Pin 15 (Red)
G         Pin 11 (Green)
B         Pin 7 (Blue)
-          Pin 13 (Red GND)
H         } Pin 16 + Pin 20
V         }   "      "

+      Un-needed (blank off)

You can see the scart pin numbers on the site you linked to earlier.

Good planning, I also am still preparing for my cab, but I do intend using an arcade monitor.  In the meantime I can test my setup and stuff on my TV

[bleakboy]

Minwah

Is the H & V on the pinouts got to the same scart socket?

Thanks got my cable and card order from Ultimarc and should have it Wednesday or Thursday  

[Minwah]

Yes, just twist the H & V wires together before soldering them to the Scart plug.

I believe this is because Scart uses composite sync (ie H + V together).  I think some arcade monitors require separate horizontal + vertical syncs.

Have fun when you get the card  

[shmokes]

Damn you peace loving Europeans with your SCART inputs.  War and composite video are where it's at!

[Minwah]

Damn you peace loving Europeans with your SCART inputs.  War and composite video are where it's at!

Sorry to rub it in, but Scart is really great - I'd be lost without it.

I often wonder why whoever invented s-video, didn't just not bother and use the same 4-pin mini-din plug for R,G,B and Sync.  Everyone uses separate photo (RCA) leads for audio anyway.  TV's could have these as inputs, DVD players etc. as outputs.

Sorry, I got carried away.