Neo Geo Jamma/MAME Cab..Build questions?

[Bleedingsouls]

Hey all,

Not sure if this is allowed but I figure I'd make one topic for myself that I could inquire about questions or ideas that I have. If its not then John or other mods (if any) move or remove.

I've been having the idea to build a MAME cabinet for a while now but, recently I've thought well can I have both JAMMA and MAME? I like the Neo Geo a whole lot and have noticed the PCBs online for roughly 100.00 or so, there are also adapters for JAMMA. I've also seen the J-Pac for connecting buttons (Similar to I-PAC) and was told this (JAMMA + MAME) would be possible but, I'd need a video switcher of some kind. (Andy from Ultimarc mentioned this) I've no idea what a video switcher is for an arcade cab (I know what they are for PC's. I'm an IT guy by trade)

So basically first question is this even possible or should I just go with one or the other?

Would anyone care to point me in the direction of some trusted parts/retailers?

Edit: Also what are the differences between all the models of Neo Geo 1 slot PCBs? MV1C, M1BBV, etc? Are some better than others?

[VertexGuy]

yeah there is this one model that comes in a red cabinet marked "Neo Geo" on the sides that usually has a 2 slot, 4 slot and sometimes 6 slot.
Its called an arcade machine.


Sticking consoles and home PC's in a cab is cool but I really like the look and feel of a real neo geo arcade machine much more.

[Otaku]

You'd need a signal converter board to convert the signal up while converting it to VGA and then you'd need a switcher between the two VGA cables to the monitor and probably some sort of switcher for the controls (which will have to go to the board and to the PC, somehow) unless you don't mind some major stuff happening on the other thing while you're playing the other counterpart. Seems very difficult to do along with being a waste of money and time, I'd just do one or the other, or just MAME the Neo-Geo stuff, too.

[Bleedingsouls]

You'd need a signal converter board to convert the signal up while converting it to VGA and then you'd need a switcher between the two VGA cables to the monitor and probably some sort of switcher for the controls (which will have to go to the board and to the PC, somehow) unless you don't mind some major stuff happening on the other thing while you're playing the other counterpart. Seems very difficult to do along with being a waste of money and time, I'd just do one or the other, or just MAME the Neo-Geo stuff, too.

There really only seems to be a few games that are not compatible/or working in MAME in regard to Neo Geo anyway. The way the J-Pac was explained to me makes it seem that I would only need a switcher for video. controls would be the same. I figure audio would be needed to be switched or spliced into somewhere as well. Mhm One or the other looks to be the best bet at this point. I'm still just in the planning and research stages of this build anyway. I just wanted to bounce some ideas off people and get as much information as possible. I may end up building two down the line. One for Jamma the other for MAME.

Vertical vs horizontal games in a cab? I hear people  talking like its a big issue? I've been poking about in MAME on my PC. It doesn't seem to bother me when its full screened. Could it be because I'm using a widescreen monitor that I'm not seeing the issue people are complaining about?  People talk like you need to be able to rotate the monitor. I was gonna stick an old CRT PC monitor in there and just see when I get it built.

VertexGuy: I meant what are the differences in the single slot boards. I new about the multi slot ones. I was just wondering of the single slot ones is there one that's better to have than the rest. eg hardware differences, or version updates, compatibility, etc 
Thanks for the replies Otaku and VertexGuy.

[VertexGuy]

the single slot models are more jamma friendly in foreign cabs

[Bleedingsouls]

Okay so I'm 95% sure I wanna go mame and I found a prebuilt that I like. Its a 3 Control Panel Cocktail. 2 Player horizontal side and 1 player on each vertical side.
this raises a few questions.

I assume software would turn the screen to the correct orientation or that can be programmed. (Benefits of being in Information Technology)
Also how you wire it up. Would you have just a 2 player I-PAC and splice buttons together.. example being 1 player horizontal is spliced to 1 player vertical and same for 2 player. Or would you get that larger version of the I-PAC and wire them all separate? Again I assume most of this can be handled with software. Maybe its over my head I hope not as its awesome and I'd love to do it.

Another thing is the bezel frame installation I wanted to clarify if I was going to put glass over the entire top I would also still have the bezel over the screen correct?

[moogrum]

So does it have a 2 person control panel and two one person control panels?  Can you post a picture?

[moogrum]

Oh I think I found it. Yes, software can set the proper orientation of the screen. Yes, you can wire both player 1 buttons in parallel, as well as the player 2 buttons. You will probably want a bezel as it will make it so you don't see the inside of the cabinet on each  side of the monitor.

[Bleedingsouls]

So does it have a 2 person control panel and two one person control panels?  Can you post a picture?

Oh I think I found it. Yes, software can set the proper orientation of the screen. Yes, you can wire both player 1 buttons in parallel, as well as the player 2 buttons. You will probably want a bezel as it will make it so you don't see the inside of the cabinet on each  side of the monitor.

Moogrum, The Cabinet

I'm not yet sure if I'm gonna order this one as I live in Canada, US Customs and Brokerage fees are likely to nab me for a 500.00 thing and likely add another 100 to that price. And for that price I'd imagine I could build from scratch using instructions for assembly of one of the old Pac-Man Coctkails and just add that panel on the horizontal side. I'm looking for options with a kit so if anyone knows of a good place to order from or other similar kits I would love to know.

I've just been thinking of how I need to wire it up. I thought an I-Pac 4 would be a good option for this. But as I said I might find it easier to connect them together as its not really a 4 player cab, just a two really set up for vertical and horizontal games respectively. Any help would be appreciated! 

[Otaku]

Just a note (probably not what you want to hear), maybe you should try to see if you could find a real cocktail with a Ms. Pac in it, it's a much more satisfying feeling and you already have the upright, and from a price point it seems much cheaper to go that route and install a PCB switcher or even MAME it (gasp, , please find a broken one then without a monitor or with a dead monitor and sell the boards, lowers the overall money spent even more) than to buy brand new stuff. No way would I pay $400 just for that particle board or whatever it is, seems like a major waste to me even though it's a little easier.

[Bleedingsouls]

Just a note (probably not what you want to hear), maybe you should try to see if you could find a real cocktail with a Ms. Pac in it, it's a much more satisfying feeling and you already have the upright, and from a price point it seems much cheaper to go that route and install a PCB switcher or even MAME it (gasp, , please find a broken one then without a monitor or with a dead monitor and sell the boards, lowers the overall money spent even more) than to buy brand new stuff. No way would I pay $400 just for that particle board or whatever it is, seems like a major waste to me even though it's a little easier.

I actually don't have an upright. This would be my first cabinet! Yeah my Dad actually suggested finding a broken Ms. Pac and doing what I want with it. I've been searching. Honestly think I wanna price out doing it from scratch with good quality wood. Even though John and others here would want me dead for doing Mame to an original (Ms.) Pacman Cocktail. I've been searching that for a little while, ebay, Kijji (The Craigslist of Canada) and the classified here and I've had no luck at all. Only things I can find are custom built ones that are going for 1,600-3,000 and I'm thinking I could build one for the lower end or cheaper than what they're asking.

[moogrum]

If it's going to be for 2 players, no need to complicate the keymapping with an ipac4.  You should only get an ipac2 if you are planning on putting an lcd in it, otherwise if you're going with a CRT get a jpac.  A jpac is basically an ipac2 that has a jamma edge connector, so if you get a jamma cab, or just jammatize your cab, it handles the video component as well, and you won't need to get a video converter.  If you get a ms pac cocktail you could get a ms pac to jamma adapter, and a jamma switcher, and have a dedicated ms. pac, with the ability to switch it to mame, but I guess you could only play games that use a single 4 way joystick. 

[iankellogg]

Just a quicky here,
if you are already going to do mame there is no reason to put a dedicated neogeo board in the cab. Mame emulates neogeo pretty much perfectly.

[Bleedingsouls]

Just a quicky here,
if you are already going to do mame there is no reason to put a dedicated neogeo board in the cab. Mame emulates neogeo pretty much perfectly.

Yes. I've found this now as I've experimented with Mame for a little while. I'm playing with the idea of having a 3 sided Cocktail cabinet now. 2 players set up side by side on the horizontal side with 8 way sticks. and 1 player on each vertical side with 4 way sticks.

Thanks Ian!