Slightly Confused

[MarcC]

Hi everyone new to the forums, *wave*

I have been playing with the idea of building a mame cabinet for well over a year now and finally decided to bite the bullit, I have been re-searching this for aaagggeessssssss and one thing still perplexes me.

Now I have a 19" PC monitor and a 25" TV with scart and S-video in, basically I want to know what one would be best to use the get the "one button to turn it all on" I have read all the info about the VGA to scat mod etc and although I am technically minded and could do this im just looking for opinions. Would the system do the "one button to power all" with the S-video connection? I hope so as this would be alot simpler for me

Im using 8500 GT for the system it has video out DVI and VGA.

I have been trying to get my head round the various methods I can use but to be honest im still none the better

Obviously I want the biggest possible I can get in the cab and the best picture.

If I had a decent size PC monitor I would just use that as it is the most simpliste method but I dont.

Can anyone help me out here please.

Thank you

[HaRuMaN]

the VGA to scat mod

[ahofle]

Why in the world would you use a muddled up S-Video connection over SCART?  SCART basically turns your TV into an arcade monitor!  Read the sticky about SCART and then the sticky about Soft15khz.  Or you could just get an ArcadeVGA card instead of Soft15khz to make things simpler.
You can also test your TV to see if it powers on automatically and remembers the last setting.  Turn it on, put it on the SCART or S-Video input, pull the plug, wait a few, then plug it back in.  If it powers on to the correct input, then you are all set.  Either way I would go SCART any day over the other options you listed.

[MarcC]

Hi thanks for the replys!

Whats so wrong with the VGA to scart mod? Is there a better way to get my computer out to a scart? If so please tell me?

I just bought the 8500gt for this system so im not going too buy yet another gfx card.

I have read the sticky about the scart in great detail but its the lack of VGA to scart cable that is putting me off is there any other way or will I have to make my own cable?!

Thanks

[ahofle]

There's nothing wrong with the VGA to SCART mod. 
But you should probably have done some research before purchasing that graphics card as I'm not sure it can output arcade resolutions.  Check the Soft15khz thread for the list of supported video cards.  And yes, you will have to make your own cable.  Again see the two sticky posts I mentioned.

[MarcC]

Thanks for the reply,

I tired to make my own cable, had no such luck beyond my skills i think.

and I dont really care about the authenticity of it, apparently the 8 series cant go below 518 x 380 or something like that i would be happy to run everything in 640 x 480 if im being honest.

I have done loads of research on this topic but the tv / monitor thing is driving me totally nuts.

If i can buy a cable and run everything at 640 x 480 I will be happy

Thanks again for you're reply

[ahofle]

Assuming this is just a normal TV, you won't be able to give it a 640x480 progressive signal from your video card, even if you buy a cable.  It would have to be interlaced, which requires either Soft15khz or an ArcadeVGA video card.  Think of it this way: your TV can only display around 300 lines or so.  It sounds like you are trying to substitute the TV as a high resolution PC monitor which isn't possible.  If you go with the TV and SCART, then you should (IMO) be striving to run authentic low arcade resolutions on it.  If you don't care about any of that, then just hook up S-Video (but don't be expecting anything close to as crisp as SCART).

[Ummon]

No opinion about it. One format is for one thing, the other is for another. Pick between 'em.

[northerngames]

Thanks for the reply,

I tired to make my own cable, had no such luck beyond my skills i think.

and I dont really care about the authenticity of it, apparently the 8 series cant go below 518 x 380 or something like that i would be happy to run everything in 640 x 480 if im being honest.

I have done loads of research on this topic but the tv / monitor thing is driving me totally nuts.

If i can buy a cable and run everything at 640 x 480 I will be happy

Thanks again for you're reply

if you want that res only then go with stock vga monitor and pc