Arcade monitors

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Good evening.

Q: can arcade monitors be used for anything else other than their intended games or could they be wired up eg. as a tv or pc monitor?

Q: i'm after someone to modify my xbox. does anyone on this forum do such a service? (i'd rather go through trusted traders than send it to a strange company)

Thanks.

[trickytree]

You can use your arcade monitor as a PC monitor if you use a video card that will display at the correct frequency, such as this one:

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

this card can also be used to connect a PC to a TV via RGB SCART. MAME games look perfect displayed at the correct non-interlaced resolution

you could also just download Powerstrip and configure some custom resolutions if your video card allows.

either way you'll get better advice at www.arcadecontrols.com

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Wow. thanks for the knowledge.

Have just been checking out arcadecontrols.com and theyve got all the information and links to information that you could possibly need. thanks for that link.

So if i were to build a cabinet to run mame i'd be better off with a television rather than a computer monitor for the authenticity of the image. its all slotting into place. i always thought running mame on the pc looked a bit 'off'.

[trickytree]

So if i were to build a cabinet to run mame i'd be better off with a television rather than a computer monitor for the authenticity of the image.

No, an arcade monitor is just as good or even better than using a TV - I only used a TV because I didn't have an arcade monitor and I don't want to build a cabinet. There's some interesting info about this on the Ultimarc website.

i always thought running mame on the pc looked a bit 'off'.

You're right, on a monitor or a TV using S-Video, or with hardware stretch or any of those scanline-type filters it just doesn't look right, because it isn't! However I can't recommend the ArcadeVGA card enough, not only does it output an RGB signal but it will display almost all games in their native resolution, which is as perfect as you'll get.

On your other point, if you're looking to get your Xbox chipped just to play emulators, I'd recommend using a PC instead using the above method or a similar one (again check Arcadecontrols.com). The Xbox is ok for older games, but because of its low CPU speed and RAM i'd imagine it struggles with anything halfway demanding (larger NeoGeo games being an obvious example).

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(Using a tv rather than a computer monitor was what i meant to add. This would be better?)

Not sure what i was trying to find out in the first place with this thread. I think it was that if i happened to find an old arcade cabinet could i use it as a monitor....but now thanks to that site you linked me to im all excited about building my own dreamcast arcade cab!! Woohoo...a hobby!

Umm...not sure about my PC running mame very well. Do you have any minimum system requirements to run each emulator as near to perfect? (mame, final burn etc) because the old system i have at the moment doesnt cope too well with some games on mame (Athlon 700hz).

[trickytree]

....but now thanks to that site you linked me to im all excited about building my own dreamcast arcade cab!! Woohoo...a hobby!

Umm...not sure about my PC running mame very well. Do you have any minimum system requirements to run each emulator as near to perfect? (mame, final burn etc) because the old system i have at the moment doesnt cope too well with some games on mame (Athlon 700hz).

I doubt an Athlon 700 would play the decent stuff (ie. CPS2 and NeoGeo) too well, why don't you see if you can pick up a faster CPU that your motherboard can support? Bet you could pick up a 1.4ghz Athlon for about ?25, which works fine with 99% of games for me. Go on spend spend spend!! although a DC cabinet sounds cool too, so build both

Here's a link to some (fairly old but still valid) MAME benchmarks:

http://www.classicgaming.com/mame32qa/bench.htm

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?25!? really? spend i will!!

Right, off to chop me down a tree and build me a cabinet.

Thanks mate, youre a veritable mine of information. 8)

[trickytree]

ok, but you know to make sure it works with your motherboard and all that first? I just don't want you blaming me when you spend your money on something you can't use!

A cabinet with a MAME PC and a DC connected to a TV/monitor via RGB - sounds very nice indeed. Can I borrow it when you've finished?

[Streets Of Rage]

for the xbox mods contact will2003 on this forum, did my xbox and its fantastic, he also has a site www.londonconsole.com

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Right...f;aw in plan. Fiance has said wouldnt it be better to wait till i finished my degree before i swan off building stuff....can still think about it and design it tho. guess shes right.

Thanks for the linky S.O.R.