ArcadeVGA outputs

[samps8]

Hello. I'm trying to clear up a problem with my Mame cabinet which is a PC with an ArcadeVGA card, Jomac chassis and 29" TV tube. I'm not getting any picture to the TV, but using the ArcadeVGA's DVI output I have Windows running on a 17" monitor.

 

I've tried plugging the 17" monitor into the ArcadeVGA's RGB output (15 pin VGA cable) and I don't get any picture. Is this because that output is CGA and therefore not displayable by the monitor?

 

The full thread describing my problem is here if you have any other suggestions.

 

Thanks in advance,

Paul

 

PS. There is beer/$$$ on offer to anyone who can help - I'm getting desperate!

[Arcade King]

how is the monitor chassis connected to the Arcade VGA? via a Jpac or directly?

[samps8]

It's connected directly. That is, RGB/black/white wires spliced into a standard VGA cable running to the ArcadeVGA. I've tried both the white and gray sync wires from the ArcadeVGA and it didn't make a difference.

 

Would pictures help?

[Arcade King]

yeah could do but I've got mine hooked through a jpac, ive never tried hooking it up directly.

[gints]

isn't part of the JPAC circuitry the VGA Amplifier that takes the VGA signal from the standard 1v line level to the 4v used by most monitors?

 

I know ultimarc sells this part (just the video amplifier) by itself, and believe you MAY need that (but im no authority).

 

EDIT: re-read and found it wasnt working on a VGA monitor as well. Guess I am wrong, though it still may be a consideration for the arcade monitor.

[Arcade King]

isn't part of the JPAC circuitry the VGA Amplifier that takes the VGA signal from the standard 1v line level to the 4v used by most monitors?

 

I know ultimarc sells this part (just the video amplifier) by itself, and believe you MAY need that (but im no authority).

 

EDIT: re-read and found it wasnt working on a VGA monitor as well. Guess I am wrong, though it still may be a consideration for the arcade monitor.

 

yes the amp may play a part.

[gints]

where do you live? If your gold coast/brisbane I could probably bring my JPAC around and see if that makes any difference to eliminate one potential issue.

[samps8]

Thanks for the offer mate but I'm in Melbourne.

 

Is there some way of testing the CGA output from the card, other than using the chassis or 17" monitor? Eg, using a multimeter somehow?

[GameDude]

It's connected directly. That is, RGB/black/white wires spliced into a standard VGA cable running to the ArcadeVGA. I've tried both the white and gray sync wires from the ArcadeVGA and it didn't make a difference.

 

Would pictures help?

 

A couple of things..

1. If you plug directly you have to twist both horizontal and vertical sync wires together for the sync.

2. Without the caps added you will get a very dark picture.

3. Your VGA 15pin should work when you POST your system regardless of windows, if it does not then you problem is computer hardware based.

4. Verify your monitor setup is good... to do this I recommend finding someone local to you with a 48in1 gameboard as this uses standard PC 4pin molex power and has output for both VGA and CGA from the VGA port and the JAMMA harness.. You need to verify the monitors working.

 

Once all that is done its a metter of software setup

[samps8]

A couple of things..

1. If you plug directly you have to twist both horizontal and vertical sync wires together for the sync.

2. Without the caps added you will get a very dark picture.

3. Your VGA 15pin should work when you POST your system regardless of windows, if it does not then you problem is computer hardware based.

4. Verify your monitor setup is good... to do this I recommend finding someone local to you with a 48in1 gameboard as this uses standard PC 4pin molex power and has output for both VGA and CGA from the VGA port and the JAMMA harness.. You need to verify the monitors working.

 

Thanks for the feedback mate. Comments...

 

1. On the RGB adapter (output from ArcadeVGA) I have a white wire labeled "H/C" and a gray one labeled "V". Should these be twisted together and spliced into the white wire going to the chassis?

 

2. What do you mean by caps?

 

3. Are you saying I should be able to plug the 15 pin VGA (RGB) cable directly into my 17" monitor and get a picture? It only works on the DVI output, which as I understand it is correct.

 

4. Joey suggested this, but I don't know anybody in Melbourne with one of these. How much are they to buy? I have over $1000 in hardware doing nothing, what's another few dollars to get it working? :)

 

Cheers,

Paul

[nigelicious]

4. Joey suggested this, but I don't know anybody in Melbourne with one of these. How much are they to buy? I have over $1000 in hardware doing nothing, what's another few dollars to get it working? :)

 

Cheers,

Paul

 

Dorian has a bunch of them available to AA members linked in his sig..

 

48 in 1 Arcade Classics PCB $149 SUPER SPECIAL http://www.gamedude.com.au/arcade/pr...arcCLASSIC48_1

 

1066 in 1 PCB and PSU $315

 

1000+ "RED BOX" System $249 http://www.gamedude.com.au/arcade/pr...o=arcPCBred_16

[samps8]

A couple of things..

1. If you plug directly you have to twist both horizontal and vertical sync wires together for the sync.

 

Gamedude, last night I twisted the white (H/C) and gray (V) wires together from the ArcadeVGA and spliced that into the white (sync) wire to the chassis. Still no result.

 

Surely somebody here has linked an ArcadeVGA to a chassis and TV tube? :unsure

[samps8]

Ok I've just verified that the chassis and tube are working fine by plugging in a game board (thanks again Joey).

 

When I plug the PC back in I'm still not getting any picture. Has anyone experienced this with an ArcadeVGA? If so, how did you solve it?

 

Also, the ArcadeVGA has primary and secondary displays labelled in the display properties in Windows. The secondary output (RGB) is currently going to the chassis. Is this correct?

 

Also I do not get the advanced properties page for the secondary display - is that normal?

 

Any other suggestions are welcome!

 

Thanks

[David_AVD]

I know SFA about the Arcade card but do you have to enable the second monitor in Windows? ie Right click it and select Attached.

[furballx]

I have my ArcadeVGA hooked up to my NANAO 15khz monitor with no problems. I am not sure if the dual res monitors are auto switching or manual switching between resolutions (Joey will know), but you could try setting the monitor & ArcadeVGA jumper to low res (15khz) and see what you get. Maybe the dual res needs the video amp but the single res doesn't??? As I recall removing a jumper will force 15khz. Gotta be worth a try. Also, try reinstalling the ArcadeVGA drivers, or if you had an ATI based card in the computer before, be sure to use the driver removal tool on Ultimarc's site and then reload. I'm in Sydney, so no local help from me I'm afraid. Oh, one more thing, I could not get picture from the CGA connection while ever the VGA was connected up. Try it with ONLY the CGA connected as well.

Dave.

[samps8]

Thanks Dave. I've done the clean driver reinstall and I don't think that's the problem. I just used the multimeter to measure the RGB pins against ground and I'm getting roughly 0.6 volts on each. So I need a video signal amplifier, as Joey has confirmed the chassis requires a 5 volt signal.

 

Can anyone verify this setup? Eg, ArcadeVGA to dual res chassis requires a video amplifier. I'm about to order one from Ultimarc.

 

Paul

[Ryan555]

I have a ArcadeVGA card and use an Arcade monitor. Going by your posts:

 

Make sure you use the HD15 VGA out of the ArcadeVGA card not the DVI and make sure R G B lines and their ground wires go to the correct spots on the the jamma connector with the sync wires you can either twist the V and H sync together from the ArcadeVGA and put them both on the H/C connector on the TV or you can do it separately put H sync from the ArcadeVGA to the H/C on the TV and V sync from the AracdeVGA to the V sync on the TV. Also don't forget the wire the sync ground to ground on the jamma as well. Just depends on what works best. I'm not sure you should get video amp as they are for Arcade monitors not TVs so it may not like have 5v shoved at it.

 

see for more info:

http://www.ultimarc.com/monfaq.html#monitorcable

 

http://www.ultimarc.com/avgainst.html

 

When I boot my arcade computer it displays the boot screen straight away so to see it work you will not need divers until you load windows.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Ryan

[samps8]

Thanks Ryan... lots of info there! I've currently got an RGB "converter" which is a little circuit board that plugs into the ArcadeVGA's "HD15" VGA output. This has R, G, B, earth, H/C, and V wires. It actually plugs into a standard VGA cable which then plugs into the ArcadeVGA, with the other end going to the chassis.

 

Jomac (who sold me the dual res chassis) tells me that it definitely needs 5 volts. Hence the need for a video amp.

 

Thanks

[samps8]

Ok folks, the 5 volt VGA amp from Ultimarc did the trick and I've finally got a picture coming through. :D

 

However it's not quite as crisp as the 20-in-1 game board that Joey lent me, so I think that I need to tune Windows and/or Mame properly.

 

The ArcadeVGA does not render to both DVI and RGB outputs at once. So I need to reboot every time I switch between the VGA monitor (DVI) and the cabinet (RGB). Is this normal?

 

In Windows display properties I cannot set the monitor for the secondary output (RGB). It's grayed out. Going back to the Windows desktop on the 15Hz chassis (640x480) results in lots of flicker and I have to adjust the H/V hold which is a pain. What res should I be using for Windows on my setup?

 

Can anyone point me towards a good setup guide for the ArcadeVGA and a 15Hz chassis?

 

Thanks in advance and thanks to those who helped me get this far. :)

 

Paul

[furballx]

"The ArcadeVGA does not render to both DVI and RGB outputs at once. So I need to reboot every time I switch between the VGA monitor (DVI) and the cabinet (RGB). Is this normal?"

 

Yep, I need to do the same. Unless we both made the same mistake:mad-pound:

 

 

"In Windows display properties I cannot set the monitor for the secondary output (RGB). It's grayed out. Going back to the Windows desktop on the 15Hz chassis (640x480) results in lots of flicker and I have to adjust the H/V hold which is a pain. What res should I be using for Windows on my setup?"

 

I think the secondary display is auto activated depending on which connection point on the card you use. I never changed the second output parameters for the Arcade monitor while I had the PC monitor connected, I setup the autopan desktop and then changed the resolution on the PC with the Galaga Bee prior to rebooting to the arcade output.

 

Ultimarcs site gives the details for a good setup. Change the few MAME parameters he recomends and set the desktop to 640x288 to display windows on the Arcade mon (Use the quick res Galaga bee in the taskbar). I found I this res good for working in windows in 15khz, but I needed to change back to 640x480 before I could get higher res games like MK to run full screen (still on the Arcade mon).

 

Once you are at this point you need to adjust the res that each individual game runs at just a little to suit the native resolutions from the AVGA card. Using one of the generating tools linked from the Ultimarc site will setup a file for each game which you can tweak as needed for best display results.

 

You're almost there,

Dave.;)

[Ryan555]

How have you got the H sync and V sync wires hooked up at the moment, as trying one way or the other as stated in my previous post can greatly affect the H\V hold issue that you mentioned.

 

Ryan