My Game Collection

[mwong168]

However.. I am somewhat interested in your comments about using the arcadevga and arcade monitor setup with MAME. I have never really looked into that at all.

Well keep i mind the ArcadeVGA was designed to work with a JPAC. Both of these products can be found on ultimarc.com. I've used them and my friend has use them on all his cabs. You can put a PC and MAME a jamma cab in seconds literally.

If you have a JAMMA based cabinet all you do is unplug the harness from the original arcade game PCB and connect it to the JPAC. Then connect a PS2 or USB from the JPAC to your computer to power it and then VGA cable to the ArcadeVGA in your computer. Make sure you set the jumper on the JPAC to the proper refresh rate and you are done. The JPAC will even keep your original coin door lit when you turn on your computer too assuming the previous operator didn't butcher the wiring harness.

Then from inside MAME you have to setup each games' native resolution as there is a difference. If you use the defaults for each rom it will have Direct3D enabled, auto stretch the resolution. This screen shot below shows defaults and the next screen is set to the proper native resolution.

Now you have to be hardcore to notice the difference at first glance but I went through this a few nights ago with all 250 of my roms and there is a difference in picture but tedious none the less. Another nice thing about this JPAC+ArcadeVGA combo is everything can be reverted back to stock in seconds.

 

[JPPT1974]

You got some nice games. As Pole Position looks so cool.

 

[DanoND]

You got some nice games. As Pole Position looks so cool.

PP always looks great fixed up since so many of them are beat to hell! New side art makes all the difference.

 

[DanoND]

What he said.

I was conteplating using mame for a pole position drop in alternate, pp and pp2 hardware is extremely unreliable by this point!

Whaaaaaaat. Just ship it off for repairs every 6 months and you're in good shape.

LOL.

 

[wmba]

Yeah.. I have looked in to using MAME in a Pole Position cabinet.. only because I learned how difficult it can be to keep the original boards running. However.. as long as mine continue to work.. I intend to keep the setup original. If they ever die.. then I will figure it out then. Likely I will just try to get them repaired or replaced... as I would prefer games to stay original when possible. It would be pretty cool to be able to have both PP and PPII in the same cabinet though...

 

[PacMarv]

your collection

Thank you for sharing your games. I like your approach to get them going in a efficient way. They look great...should be alot of fun to play.
Marv

 

[ixtlann]

Whaaaaaaat. Just ship it off for repairs every 6 months and you're in good shape.

LOL.

Don't forget to upgrade to thehalon fire supression system for when you get mad at it or when it gets mad at you!

 

[ddonaldson]

those are super beautiful...i may have to try that jpac! I would love to have Williams multi or a 60 in 1 as my space runs out.

and you have a really, really good friend for printing that artwork. creating the metal plates for the process (the last I heard) was $200+ alone..then set up, ink, color matching, materials...

but they are right...with enough quantity you could make some $$$$. Did you friend say where he found the vector art? Someone should make a public repository for that stuff.

 

[wmba]

I think he found all of the artwork online... just by doing a google search. There was a site that had a ton of vector artwork available.. and I think he pulled a bunch from there (I can't remember it now.. but I am sure others on this site know it).

Just an idea of one of the tricks we did: The Pole Position. He got some white vinyl and covered the sides with it (rather than repaint the sides white). And then he made each of the stripes, the Atari logo, and the graphic from separate pieces of vinyl and we put each one on separately. So it is not exactly the same as the original painted artwork.. but it looks really clean and nice.. and only a purist would know the difference (or care).

Someone posted something about metal plates. I don't think he did anything like that. This artwork was simply printed on vinyl using a large scale printer. Or at least some of it was. I will ask him to send me details of how he did the different parts... and what he thinks a sign shop would charge for similar work (again... he is currently not able to do this kind of work at his current job).

Thanks for all the nice comments!