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sharing Mame controls with Jamma
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pkarza View Drop Down
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Joined: 18 April 2012
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    Posted: 18 April 2012 at 10:41pm
I've seen an article (Russ Prince) on a cabinet that was built using the same controls between the Mame box and a Jamma 60 in 1 board.

I was going to use 5 4PDT switches, but I think this can be done electronically with multiplexers...

Has anyone done this?


And - do I need to switch more than one control set with the trackball for Mame?

Do I even need more than one set of controls?

Thanks for helping a noob here.
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Points: 4268 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Shark™ Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 April 2012 at 10:56pm
2 way jamma switcher should do it.. (a device that lets you connect 2 game boards to the one jamma loom/cabinet, with a switch button).
 
no more tinkering necessary.. the controls will all work, plug and play (provided you have them working already)..  
I play SSFIITHDR and pinball.
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http://www.jammaplus.co.uk/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=27608&KW=JAMMA&PID=241041&title=blue-red-video-master-jamma-cabinet#241041

This is my cab. It's got a Street Fighter 2 PCB and a MAME PC hooked up using a JAMMA switcher as Sharky suggests. It's a good product.


Any questions, just ask.

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Points: 15 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote pkarza Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 April 2012 at 4:33pm
That looks pretty slick -

So I'd need the PC-Jamma board, plug it into the switcher and the vga in to the switcher - it looks like there is VGA OUT as well...??
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Points: 15 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote pkarza Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 April 2012 at 4:35pm
I forgot to ask - I looked at you cabinet - but I was wondering if it was just worthwhile to set up the computer to rotate the screen 90 degrees  - I'm using an LCD for the 60 in 1 vertical games, and if I do this for the MAME box, I should be ok?  I'm using a 19" 4:3 monitor

This option sure saves a lot of rotating...
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The switcher supports VGA in and out so you can use normal computer monitor instead of the arcade monitor if you wish Thumbs Up.

Obviously your sound and controls will still go through the JAMMA connector. Your computer will need to use a JPAC for routing the controls and the sound to your cabinet's speaker(s): http://www.ultimarc.com/jpac.html.

You'll need to amplify the sound from your PC before the JPAC. For this there are ideas on this thread:


One thing to consider, you're planning on having a 19" computer monitor mounted horizontally, vertical games will look very, very small Disapprove. Unless you stretch them to fill the screen, then they'll just look rubbish Thumbs Down.

Another is the 60-in-1 boards are only setup for vertical orientation. You can't flip their output as far as I know. This means you will need to have your monitor set to vertical orientation and rotate it for your horizontal MAME games. So I think you'll find with your plans, you will be rotating either way.

Regards the trackball, I don't know if the 60-in-1 supports them, how it likes them connected in or if it even needs them. But if it's only for the PC, for simplicity, I'd suggest just getting a USB trackball. Failing that get a more conventional one and an Optipac. All available at Ultimarc like the JPAC.

Final thought. 60-in-1 boards are basically, in principle like MAME with 60 games of varying quality emulation stuck on a tiny PCB with a JAMMA connector on it.

They're not official. They're not the same as owning the original PCBs. They're not legitimately authorised or licensed by the original game manufacturers. So if you're planning on having a MAME setup anyway, why not just have a MAME set up? Then you can get everything wired up and working in MAME, including your trackball. You'll have all the games that are on the 60-in-1 and simply not have to worry about the complications of the switcher and the 60-in-1 at all. That would be my advice really.

The only reason I have a switcher between MAME and a Street Fighter 2 PCB is because I'm a Street Fighter fanboy Embarrassed and I just wanted to have an original PCB. But I spend as much time, if not more playing games in MAME.

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Points: 15 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote pkarza Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 April 2012 at 10:15pm
"Another is the 60-in-1 boards are only setup for vertical orientation. You can't flip their output as far as I know. This means you will need to have your monitor set to vertical orientation and rotate it for your horizontal MAME games. So I think you'll find with your plans, you will be rotating either way."

yes - I was going to mount the monitor vertically, and I've setup an xp machine to rotate the monitor 90 degrees, and it looks pretty good.

I found the minipac interface for the PC, and I'm going to get that for the MAME unit.    It takes the trackball...

I like the 60-in 1 just because of its simplicity.  I might sell it if I grow tired of it.  It boots up pretty fast, too.  I don't know... I'm just poking around in the dark! Dead

Thanks for all the help
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by the way - what is the EASIEST and SIMPLEST way of rotating the screen?
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rotating the screen is simple..
 
*unbolt it from the cabinet, turn it round, bolt it back on..(provided you cab have a rotatable monitor- pretty likely)
 
* in mame, load a game, press tab, video options, rotate screen..
 
 
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Points: 1436 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote venom Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 April 2012 at 11:29pm
There is a picture of a two switcher I am messing about with in my cabinet here.

Same principal as you want to do, apart from I am running mame and neo geo, well trying.....
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Originally posted by pkarza pkarza wrote:


yes - I was going to mount the monitor vertically, and I've setup an xp machine to rotate the monitor 90 degrees, and it looks pretty good.

I found the minipac interface for the PC, and I'm going to get that for the MAME unit.    It takes the trackball...

I like the 60-in 1 just because of its simplicity.  I might sell it if I grow tired of it.  It boots up pretty fast, too.  I don't know... I'm just poking around in the dark! Dead

Thanks for all the help

That's cool man. Some fairly sound reasoning. At the end of the day, if you're gaming and enjoying yourself what does it matter what the games are played on. Just wanna make sure you're informed before you part with your cash Thumbs Up.

For my first MAME cab I used a minipac. Very good little bits of kit if you're not fussed about having the PC JAMMA'd.

Keep us updated on the progress.

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Ok all - an update -

Everything WORKS!  BUT... I won't post pics until it is done with sideart...  

AND... I need more help.

The LCD (yes, I know...) monitor has to be turned on by a button on the front - have any other 'nonpurists' who have used LCDs just extended the power to the power switch area?  What have others done for the monitor controls?

Thanks again... I'll keep you posted
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Glas it works man.

Not sure about the monitor thing though, but I know some members have gone the LCD route. Hopefully someone will have something? But certainly extending the power buttons to a convenient place like inside the coin door is an option.

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Points: 1436 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote venom Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 April 2012 at 8:44pm

I used my coin return button when I needed a switch for something else. It just hits the microswitch
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cool idea!
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