MAME PC opinions

[bradd]

At the risk of getting too far off topic here, have you finished your cab yet?

LONG before you drop the PC in, you should have your cab done and ready to go.

Don't make the same mistake I did - I got my cab 90% built, then spent all of my time getting the software/hardware side up and running. Once the cab was playable, it was all over. Now I have a cab that still needs finishing touches, but I never got to them. I spent too much time playing

same here. although the truth is i dont care that much and neither does anyone else. still kind of mickey mouse though...

 

[Drew57366]

Don't make the same mistake I did - I got my cab 90% built, then spent all of my time getting the software/hardware side up and running. Once the cab was playable, it was all over. Now I have a cab that still needs finishing touches, but I never got to them. I spent too much time playing

I did this. I started the PC/software before my cab was ready. Man, you really do just play instead of finishing up the touches (or in my case, about 90% of it, lol).

LOL. I may be jumping the gun. I have my cab stripped down and ready to paint. I am waiting to get the control panel designed and finished before I paint it. I'm just steady looking for deals on parts I will need so I will have it all here when the time comes for installing it all. I would also like to go ahead and start setting up the software, roms, Hyperspin ahead of time so it will be ready when the cab is. I heard Hyperspin is kinda tough to configure.

Hyperspin is semi difficult, although I didn't use their auto tools for picking up games. Also, with Hyperspin, if you choose to run a SNES emulator and you are playing a game that uses in game saves, when you exit it's the same as pressing 'Alt + F4'. It exits completely without saving anything you've done. I also use 2 versions of MAME to run different sets of games, and I wasn't sure if Hyperspin could do that - never checked into it though.

CAUTION: this takes TIME....serious TIME.

Understatement!! Best case scenario is that you know someone who has everything and would be willing to just copy and paste to an external hard drive. This would save you endless hours and costs (with 'donations' to sites for rights to the intro video library and such).

As far as I know (I last looked 6 months ago) there is still not a completely hidden execution of Windows7 on a PC cab. Some are close, but not all the way there. Most are working around it by using relays on their monitors, not having them turn on until a specified time lapse. I think that's stupid. Just like an authentic arcade cabinet, I want to SEE something right after my monitor warms up, and I don't want to wait 30 seconds for my monitor to turn on.

Don't even get me STARTED on using an LCD. Whole other topic.

also to make your life easier
use an lcd "i mean cool you want original" well then go buy the original mame is not original get over it
the extra cost and hassle involved in using a arcade cga or ega monitor is just not worth it not when you can get a 25 inch or larger lcd for 150$

not to mention the weight reduction i move arcade cabs all day long at work and belive me i wish they all had lcd monitors in them


another thing to make life better is to stay away from ultimarc

i use groovy game gear for my ps2 encoder boards they are high quality work well right out of the box and are cheaper than anything ultimarc has
they even have one that is 25$ that save cash by making you solder the wires insted of using the screw blocks

i have bought and used at least 20 of the ps2 encoders from gg and so far none have had any problems
http://groovygamegear.com/webstore/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=76_80
im cheap so i like the solder version
gg also has a optical encoder as well

http://groovygamegear.com/webstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=76_85&products_id=260

they also are one of the cheapest around for happs buttons (you can get cheapo jap crap/china knock off cheaper elswhere but they suck)


another good thing about the upgraded pc spec i listed is if you swap the gfx card out for a gtx 250 you can use the same pc for one of these

Well, I decided to use LCD with mine. I can trouble shoot LCD, and yes very light in comparison. I did buy from Ulitmarc, and have not had any issues with them. If you can get a comparable or superior product for less - go for it. I didn't know where else to buy at the time, but am 100% satisfied with my purchases.

 

[famicom]

that video pinball machine is killer

 

[PrepP]

Understatement!! Best case scenario is that you know someone who has everything and would be willing to just copy and paste to an external hard drive. This would save you endless hours and costs (with 'donations' to sites for rights to the intro video library and such).

I did actually find a guy that has done just that. Search google for Hyperspin project. It is the same guy that did that youtube video I linked to in an earlier post. You can get his whole project and then just make the tweaks and changes you need for your PC.

 

[PrepP]

that video pinball machine is killer

I agree. Discgolfer has some great info to share. I love that VidPin also. I'm thinking of possibly building one of those down the road depending on how this project goes.

 

[Deadpool66]

At the risk of getting too far off topic here, have you finished your cab yet?

LONG before you drop the PC in, you should have your cab done and ready to go.

Don't make the same mistake I did - I got my cab 90% built, then spent all of my time getting the software/hardware side up and running. Once the cab was playable, it was all over. Now I have a cab that still needs finishing touches, but I never got to them. I spent too much time playing

Agreed I could not wait to fire up my showcase Mame machine and it still needs painting ;-). Which means removing all buttons and wiring. I'm also dragging my feet on assembling my last aimtrak probably finish it up this weekend. Im using these http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115037 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150482

I can run anything maxed out I especially like playing street fighter 4 and HOD3

 

[PrepP]

Deadpool,

I noticed you are using a TV monitor in your setup. Are you using S-Video? If not what are you using?

 

[RetroHacker]

mames minimum specs to run anything thats playable are
p4 with ht 2.8 or better
512 ram (1 gig recccomended)
at least a 256 gfx card

That's funny. My MAME machine has a Pentium II 266mhz, 128 megs of RAM and an old Trident video card. Plays all the classics fine. It chugs along on newer games, but does fine for anything from the "golden age" of arcade games.

Of course, it's due for a rebuild one of these days, as the 6 gig hard drive finally died, so I'll probably put something a little faster in there... when I built it a PII was still a fairly expensive used computer.

-Ian

 

[Deadpool66]

Deadpool,

I noticed you are using a TV monitor in your setup. Are you using S-Video? If not what are you using?

nope that's a presentation monitor does vga 800x600. Gateway dl31 I scored four of them for free. I put the bezel back on and you cant even tell its not the standard 33.

 

[discgolfer72]

That's funny. My MAME machine has a Pentium II 266mhz, 128 megs of RAM and an old Trident video card. Plays all the classics fine. It chugs along on newer games, but does fine for anything from the "golden age" of arcade games.

Of course, it's due for a rebuild one of these days, as the 6 gig hard drive finally died, so I'll probably put something a little faster in there... when I built it a PII was still a fairly expensive used computer.

-Ian

what version of mame are you running
sounds like a older build

per mames site the latest mameui32 needs the specs above

i have used slower stuff like 500 p3's but you can only play the classic stuff no ki or mvc

 

[RetroHacker]

what version of mame are you running
sounds like a older build

per mames site the latest mameui32 needs the specs above

i have used slower stuff like 500 p3's but you can only play the classic stuff no ki or mvc

Yeah, it is an older build. 0.68 or something. It played all the classic games perfectly, never a problem with those. The fighting games ran sluggish, but it hardly matters, those aren't the kind of games I care to play.

Also, MAME back then was a DOS program.

-Ian

 

[SuperSprint]

Back then?? Bring over some beer and we'll log some hours on my mame which still runs DOS

 

[smalltownguy2]

IDK if I've ever shared here, so for what it's worth....

My setup:

 

[Blades]

That is pretty killer. What is your setup on it? How and can you change your tables seemlessly or do you have to bust out a keyboard/mouse. And is that a 37" LCD or what are u running in there. Any instructions? That is pretty cool I like it!!!

;

 

[discgolfer72]

no need for a keyboard or mouse you use the flipper buttons to slect a table
and i wired one of the setup switches inside the coin door to exit the tables back to the game select menu

im still fighting an ishue with my back glass monitor not wanting to display the dmd's corectly but its up n running now

here is a thread i did on the build

http://forums.arcade-museum.com/showthread.php?t=168427

 

[FrizzleFried]

I'd read somewhere in this thread that someone recommended not bothering with 64 bit OS/MAME...

Bad advice. I got at least a 15%-20% speed bump going from Windows XP 32 bit to Windows XP 64 bit and (here is the key) a 64 bit compile of MAME.

All of a sudden NFL BLITZ, etc became not only playable, but they run as close to an and at 100%...

XP x64 is ABSOLUTELY worth it.

 

[smalltownguy2]

True. But only if these assumptions are in place:

1. Your current setup with a 32bit OS runs what you want at 85% framerate or better. Otherwise the extra 10-15% won't get you there yet.
2. You can get 64bit drivers for your devices (video card, chipset, audio, etc)

 

[FrizzleFried]

True. But only if these assumptions are in place:

1. Your current setup with a 32bit OS runs what you want at 85% framerate or better. Otherwise the extra 10-15% won't get you there yet.
2. You can get 64bit drivers for your devices (video card, chipset, audio, etc)

You only need the basics for MAME so driver issues aren't usually a problem...

If you have a Core2Duo or any other INTEL 64 bit processor... I absolutely recommend a 64 bit OS and 64 bit compile of MAME. It's worth it.

(I equate jumping from 32 bit to 64 bit to be about equivalent to adding another 500mhz+ to your CPU)...

EDIT: By the way... this post was written under the assumption this will be a DEDICATED MAME PC. If this is an every day PC that you want to run MAME on, either stick with Windows XP or go with Windows 7 64 bit... and my rig prior to running 64 bit OS would run Blitz playable... but with noticeable lag and sound stuttering. Add 64bit OS/Compile to the mix and it's damn near 100% (100% during gameplay and I get a single stutter strangely when the NFL logo drops down after a series... but that's it).

 

[PrepP]

Thanks for the recommendation of using a 64bit OS. I will probably go with Win 7 64.

I am thinking of going the route of building my own budget PC from newegg.What do you guys think of this processor?

AMD Athlon II X2 245 Regor 2.9GHz

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Combo...tion-_-cables-_-na-_-na&ItemList=Combo.643066

You only need the basics for MAME so driver issues aren't usually a problem...

If you have a Core2Duo or any other INTEL 64 bit processor... I absolutely recommend a 64 bit OS and 64 bit compile of MAME. It's worth it.

(I equate jumping from 32 bit to 64 bit to be about equivalent to adding another 500mhz+ to your CPU)...

EDIT: By the way... this post was written under the assumption this will be a DEDICATED MAME PC. If this is an every day PC that you want to run MAME on, either stick with Windows XP or go with Windows 7 64 bit... and my rig prior to running 64 bit OS would run Blitz playable... but with noticeable lag and sound stuttering. Add 64bit OS/Compile to the mix and it's damn near 100% (100% during gameplay and I get a single stutter strangely when the NFL logo drops down after a series... but that's it).

 

[Paul Olson]

Thanks for the recommendation of using a 64bit OS. I will probably go with Win 7 64.

I am thinking of going the route of building my own budget PC from newegg.What do you guys think of this processor?

AMD Athlon II X2 245 Regor 2.9GHz

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Combo...tion-_-cables-_-na-_-na&ItemList=Combo.643066

If you are trying to get max performance, you will want to go with an Intel CPU, Core2Duo, or better. The athlons fell way behind in MAME performance quite a while ago.

Wow! I just looked on Newegg, and the old C2Ds are expensive! I bought my e8500 when it was new for about half what they are going for now. Some of the new Sandy Bridge processors are cheaper. Unreal!