[hackpgh-discuss] Re: Arcade machine thoughts

  • From: Simon Heath <icefoxen@xxxxxxxxx>
  • To: hackpgh-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Wed, 26 Oct 2016 20:56:51 -0400

So! It turns out that arcade machine monitors usually don't use normal VGA signals. Instead, they tend to use a 15 KHz RGB signal, which is less than half the frequency of the 31 KHz VGA signal. Basically, half the scanlines, so half the resolution, but not close enough to half to make conversion trivial. So, as Chad said, the computer in the arcade machine has a non-standard video card. Fortunately the company that makes them is still around and still makes the cards: http://www.ultimarc.com/avgainf.html

And also fortunately, they're huge nerds who have a fairly technical (if somewhat biased) FAQ on arcade monitors: http://www.ultimarc.com/monfaq.html

Unfortunately, the card we have is an AGP card, not PCI or PCIe, and people more or less stopped making computers with AGP slots around... 2006 or so. And we're not going to fit a new graphics card into an RPi more or less no matter what. (The PC in there has a sticker on the bottom labelled 2001; I'm amazed the thing hasn't died already.)

Now, some enterprising hackers HAVE connected a Pi to an arcade monitor, and wrote about it: http://thearcademan.net/connecting-a-raspberry-pi-to-an-old-15khz-arcade-monitor/

Long story short, they used a VGA-to-arcade video converter, much like this one which can be found by searching eBay for "vga to arcade converter": http://www.ebay.com/itm/VGA-to-CGA-Converter-Arcade-MAME-Multicade-/110934183488?hash=item19d4314e40:m:mW9QZ4s6rPG7gRfikP3yrug Be careful though, converters from arcade signals to VGA monitors are a lot more common than vice versa.

SO. That's where we sit right now. I will happily try to get in touch with Jeremy and ask if we can replace the CRT, if anyone has his contact info. I kind of want to do that just so we get rid of the ear-rending whine. But apart from that I'm down to messing around with the original PC to see if it can be coaxed into running software that actually works well. If anyone wants to buy a VGA to arcade converter (or build their own!) I'll be glad to put everything together, but I already shelled out $30 for the HDMI-to-VGA converter and this is starting to be less fun.

Also, darn it, I assume the prohibition on modifying the arcade cabinet nixes painting cool stuff on the side, which was going to be my next idea...

Simon


On 10/25/2016 11:26 PM, Chad Elish wrote:

You can’t use a Pi on that…

It is using a modified video card with that computer so that it can use the original arcade monitor. You would need a new monitor.
The P4 is enough to handle everything that it plays.

Also, Jeremy asked that we do not modify it. It is on “Permanent Loan”

I would contact him directly.

-chad


On Oct 24, 2016, at 8:57 PM, Joachim Hall <jjoachimhall@xxxxxxxxx <mailto:jjoachimhall@xxxxxxxxx>> wrote:

You can also use the shop flicker camera as an SD card reader.
-Joachim


On Oct 23, 2016 11:55 AM, "Simon Heath" <icefoxen@xxxxxxxxx <mailto:icefoxen@xxxxxxxxx>> wrote:

    Derp. Well that makes life easier, thanks.


    On 10/23/2016 11:52 AM, Robert Berger wrote:

        The laptops running the BoXZY and vinyl cutter have SD card
        readers.

        On Oct 23, 2016, at 11:29 AM, Simon Heath <icefoxen@xxxxxxxxx
        <mailto:icefoxen@xxxxxxxxx> <mailto:icefoxen@xxxxxxxxx
        <mailto:icefoxen@xxxxxxxxx>>> wrote:

In related news, is there an SD card reader at the shop? I couldn't find one, and the one in my laptop seems to
            have broken...

            Simon


            On 10/22/2016 11:54 PM, James Keener wrote:

                OK, I just didn't know the arrangement (donation or
                loan) :) I know where he went! I visited his factory
                a few months ago:)

                Sorry, just sticking my nose where it doesn't belong!

                On Sat, Oct 22, 2016 at 10:55 PM, Yevgeniy Soroka
                <ukranians2@xxxxxxxxx <mailto:ukranians2@xxxxxxxxx>
                <mailto:ukranians2@xxxxxxxxx
                <mailto:ukranians2@xxxxxxxxx>>
                <mailto:ukranians2@xxxxxxxxx
                <mailto:ukranians2@xxxxxxxxx>>> wrote:

                   Its Jeremy's, but he moved to Silicon Valley 3
                years ago to start
                   a company, and donated a bunch of stuff, including
                the arcade
                   machine. We can do what we want to it. Jeremy
                would only encourage
                   it.

                   -Geno

                   On Sat, Oct 22, 2016 at 9:49 PM, James Keener
                <jim@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:jim@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
                <mailto:jim@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ;<mailto:jim@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>>
                   <mailto:jim@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
                <mailto:jim@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>>> wrote:

                       John, which machine? The one by the garage
                door that is a real
                       arcade box and screen with a PC in it was
                Jeremy Herrman's.

                       On Sat, Oct 22, 2016 at 9:28 PM, John Lewis
                       <oflameo2@xxxxxxxxx
                <mailto:oflameo2@xxxxxxxxx>
                <mailto:oflameo2@xxxxxxxxx
                <mailto:oflameo2@xxxxxxxxx>>
                <mailto:oflameo2@xxxxxxxxx
                <mailto:oflameo2@xxxxxxxxx>>> wrote:

                           I am pretty sure Chad built this one.


                           On 10/22/2016 09:09 PM, James Keener wrote:

                               Not to poo-poo anyone, but is the
                    Arcade ours or just on
                               loan from Jeremy? If it's ours, I'd be
                    OK upgrading it:)
                               I like playing it from time-to-time
                    when I stop in.

                               On Sat, Oct 22, 2016 at 9:04 PM, Eris
                    Symms
                               <eris.symms@xxxxxxxxx
                    <mailto:eris.symms@xxxxxxxxx>
                    <mailto:eris.symms@xxxxxxxxx
                    <mailto:eris.symms@xxxxxxxxx>>
                    <mailto:eris.symms@xxxxxxxxx
                    <mailto:eris.symms@xxxxxxxxx>>> wrote:

                                   Missed the USB controls part.
                    Either way, I can drop
                                   off the pi tomorrow.

                                   Eris


                                   On Oct 22, 2016 9:03 PM, "Eris Symms"
                                   <eris.symms@xxxxxxxxx
                    <mailto:eris.symms@xxxxxxxxx>
                    <mailto:eris.symms@xxxxxxxxx
                    <mailto:eris.symms@xxxxxxxxx>>
                    <mailto:eris.symms@xxxxxxxxx
                    <mailto:eris.symms@xxxxxxxxx>>>
                                   wrote:

                                       I can provide the pi 3 and the
                    retro pie image
                                       but I don't know much about
                    mapping the physical
                                       buttons via gpio.

                                       Eris


                                       On Oct 22, 2016 9:01 PM, "John
                    Lewis"
                                       <oflameo2@xxxxxxxxx
                    <mailto:oflameo2@xxxxxxxxx>
                    <mailto:oflameo2@xxxxxxxxx
                    <mailto:oflameo2@xxxxxxxxx>>
                    <mailto:oflameo2@xxxxxxxxx
                    <mailto:oflameo2@xxxxxxxxx>>>
                                       wrote:

                                           I think we should replace
                    the whole thing
                                           with a Raspberry Pi 3. I am
                                           willing to go in for half
                    of a New Pi and a
                                           hdmi to vga converter.

                                           On 10/22/2016 08:33 PM,
                    Simon Heath wrote:
                                           > So I've figured out how
                    to take the arcade
                                           machine apart enough to
                                           > actually do stuff to it,
                    if we want.  Turns
                                           out that the computer in
                                           > it is *really* old,
                    like, Pentium 4 with
                                           512 mb of ram.  I'm kind of
                                           > amazed it still works at
                    all.  But I tried
                                           at least seeing if I could
                                           > get Linux or something
                    to boot on it, and
                                           it's too old to boot off of
                                           > a USB drive. And I don't
                    really feel like
                                           burning a CD just to see if
                                           > that thing is
                    salvagable. It's running an
                                           old version of software
                                           > called Maximus Arcade.
                                           >
                                           > There's a pile of custom
                    wiring to get all
                                           the inputs and outputs
                                           > connected to the
                    computer, but it LOOKS
                                           like the joysticks end up
                                           > plugging into a USB
                    input, the monitor is
                                           VGA and the sound is just a
                                           > 3.5 mm jack.
                                           >
                                           > So the question is, what
                    do we want to
                                           actually do with it? Our
                                           > options seem to be:
                                           >
                                           > * Just update the
                    software to a new version
                                           of the same thing
                                           > * Keep the same computer
                    but put Linux on
                                           it running MAME or something
                                           > (maybe http://www.lakka.tv/)
                                           > * Just replace the thing
                    with a RPi
                                           >
                                           > I'll play around with
                    different programs
                                           and see if I can find one
                                           > that works significantly
                    better than what
                                           we have.
                                           >
                                           > On the more hardware-y
                    side, I really want
                                           to cover the gaping holes
                                           > next to the coin
                    acceptor with something...
                                           maybe plastic with cool
                                           > laser-cut designs and
                    LED backlighting. The
                                           sides of the thing are
                                           > also just aching for
                    paint and/or decals.
                                           Anyone have any good
                                           > suggestions there?
                                           >
                                           > Simon
                                           >
                                           >
                                           >













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