first build help...........

[mean6]

Hi, I just started my first mame arcade project.  I bought what was an old "nintendo super system cabinet" complete.  It has what I believe to be a phillips tube, and a Wells Gardner chassis model K7193 monitor.  I was just wondering what would be the quickest and easiest way to get this thing hooked up to a pc.  I was looking at the Ultimarc VGA card, and the breakout cable as well.  Would those work, and is that all I would need?  Thanks in advanced.

Mean6

[Hogie1418]

are you going to be using the controllers that are on the cab? (The SNES looking ones?) I have one of these machines and thought about adding a PC to it myself but thought it may not work well. Plus my monitor went to ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- on me 

[mean6]

no, I have already built a control panel for it.  Had to modify the cab a little bit.  All I have left now is to get everything together now.  I am looking for the quickest way to get the monitor working.

[mean6]

anyone here that can answer my question?

[mean6]

I have an ati 3870 videocard, and figured it shouldn't go to waste.  If I use this card with an arcade monitor, what will I have to do?

[shess]

Soft15khz is supposed to work with normal video cards to convert the output to 15khz, see the wiki entry on it.  The easiest way though is to just buy an arcadevga and that breakout cable.  It is really just plug and play with very little extra work needed.

Scott

[mean6]

Is there any risk to damaging the monitor if I use the ati 3870?

[atomikbohm]

Your ATI 3870 without the benefit of either soft 15 or powerstrip will send a 31kHz signal to your Wells Gardner monitor that wasn't designed to take a signal much higher than 15kHz. 

From what I understand there will be a high pitched squeal from your chassis board till at least one of a long list of components fries, possibly a puff of smoke and a lot of work to be done to get the monitor working again.

Give soft 15 a try
Download & Install page http://community.arcadeinfo.de/showthread.php?t=9367
Aracdecontrols discussion thread http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=66402.0

It's really easy to set up.  For the monitor you are using just install the 15kHz settings.  And if you don't like it you can always buy the arcade VGA and breakout cable.  Andy at ultimarc is very good about helping out if you have any questions.  (I know I did and still do  )

[mean6]

Thanks for the reply atomikbohm.  I could still use the breakout cable with my 3870, correct??  Out of the 2 cards mentioned, is one better than the other, or is it just the plug and play factor of using the arcadevga?

[Beretta]

ya cable is just a hacked VGA cable, you can also salvage one from a dead monitor.

the card is where the magic is it's programed for to put out a refresh freqs the monitor can understand, where as using soft 15hz tells the card to output that same freq but only after it's been loaded into windows.

IE: the card when it's activated puts out VGA but then is told to put out CGA.

where as the arcadeVGA puts out CGA from the get go.

so for example using soft 15hz you can't see anything before windows loads.
the arcadeVGA you can see everything including the bios when you first turn the computer on.

the difference is basicly cost.. if you have a card that works with soft 15hz then no need to buy a special card for 80 or 90 bucks or what ever it sells for.

ideally this will also mean that later on when you need to upgrade you're not bound to the arcade vga..

for example say you buy a arcadeVGA AGP verson for a modest starter system.. well agp is dead, so a year from now you upgrade to a system with PCI-E (pci express), you have no AGP slot you're then forced to buy another arcadevga.

with soft 15hz you have a larger selection of cards to choose from.

this is less of a concern if you are starting out with PCI-E because chances are it will be supported by card makers for many years to come.

however there is also the consideration of what you want to play on the arcade cabinet.
mame does'nt need much muscle in the video department. it makes very little use of your video subsystem.. the aradevga (correct me if im wrong) uses ATI radeon 7000.. this is fine for mame as it's more then enough.

but lets say you wanna play something that requires a little 3D muscle.. or maybe a PC game.

suddenly that more then enough 7000 because pair of cement shoes.. it's weak for modern 3d games..

with 15hz you can choose something more current which will work with the arcade monitor and still provide good 3d performance.. for 80 or 90 bucks you can get a decent main stream video card.

if you just want plug and play, are gonna use PCI-E, and dont care about anything other then mame, thent eh arcade VGA is a good way to go.

if you want flexibility in upgrades and extra muscle for 3d games, then soft 15hz and a decent main stream card are probably the best (and possibly only) way to go.