Ultracade Universal Video Converter

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emphatic
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Re: Ultracade Universal Video Converter

Post by emphatic »

It looks like it's either sync or video ground related. Are you 100% sure your soldering is good on the adapter you've made and that the wires are hooked up to the right places?
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aoiddr
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Re: Ultracade Universal Video Converter

Post by aoiddr »

emphatic wrote:It looks like it's either sync or video ground related. Are you 100% sure your soldering is good on the adapter you've made and that the wires are hooked up to the right places?
The UVC will work in my Sega Astro City and give a clear picture, but my Dance Dance Revolution machine's monitor gives me that dirty sync issue. It's odd as I don't have that issue with normal PCBs or even a MiniMaid (it's like a JPAC, but made especially for DDR machines).
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emphatic
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Re: Ultracade Universal Video Converter

Post by emphatic »

Maybe you should seperate the sync wires going to JAMMA and use the DIPs depending on what cab it's used in? Gives you options to try at least.
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aoiddr
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Re: Ultracade Universal Video Converter

Post by aoiddr »

emphatic wrote:Maybe you should seperate the sync wires going to JAMMA and use the DIPs depending on what cab it's used in? Gives you options to try at least.
Okay, I tried hooking up just the V Sync wire, but the picture looked the same on my DDR machine.


And here's where things get really weird. I hooked up one of the Chinese VGA TO CGA GBS-8100 boards...and the picture is perfect on my DDR machine. It can only take a 480p VGA signal from the Wii (480i splits in half, stacked), but it's a very stable and crisp picture. >_>
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antron
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Re: Ultracade Universal Video Converter

Post by antron »

I don't know if it has been reported before but the UVC can accept sync on green VGA (at least in 640x480)

I realized this with a PS2. I was running through an extron 130xi to make standard VGA but I accidentally set output to SOG. To my surprise it sync'd with correct colors. So I removed the extron and confirmed it truly worked.

I have a second to last firmware version, 2.04. Tested with Gradius V (looks amazing!)

Added: Gradius IV looks rock'n too. Using Xploder HDTV for both btw.
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Re: Ultracade Universal Video Converter

Post by leonk »

Recently there has been a flood of these wonderful devices on eBay. They all come with the standard 2.04 firmware. A couple years back I purchased my current UVC from a forum member here. To my surprise, it has the "rare" 2.10 version!! (see attached image).

The UVC does have the programming interface port on it. Anyone ever figure out how to rewrite the firmware (or dump it??)

Image
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pigswill
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Re: Ultracade Universal Video Converter

Post by pigswill »

I recently got a UVC and I'm trying to use it on my PVM, but I'm running into a few issues. The picture is too large I have to use overscan to see all of it, the picture is shifted to the left, and it seems sort of blurry. The PC is running at 640 x 480. Does anyone know if there's anything i can do to fix those issues without going into the PVM's service menu? Any help would be appreciated.
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Re: Ultracade Universal Video Converter

Post by leonk »

pigswill wrote:I recently got a UVC and I'm trying to use it on my PVM, but I'm running into a few issues. The picture is too large I have to use overscan to see all of it, the picture is shifted to the left, and it seems sort of blurry. The PC is running at 640 x 480. Does anyone know if there's anything i can do to fix those issues without going into the PVM's service menu? Any help would be appreciated.
take a look at above picture. UVC output is 320x240 not 640x480.
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pigswill
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Re: Ultracade Universal Video Converter

Post by pigswill »

leonk wrote:
pigswill wrote:I recently got a UVC and I'm trying to use it on my PVM, but I'm running into a few issues. The picture is too large I have to use overscan to see all of it, the picture is shifted to the left, and it seems sort of blurry. The PC is running at 640 x 480. Does anyone know if there's anything i can do to fix those issues without going into the PVM's service menu? Any help would be appreciated.
take a look at above picture. UVC output is 320x240 not 640x480.
I meant the PC input is 640x480
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antron
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Re: Ultracade Universal Video Converter

Post by antron »

Did you have to turn your brightness way down? Arcade RGB signals are higher, this is why superguns pass them through resistors first. Doing this would only possibly fix your brurryness.
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Re: Ultracade Universal Video Converter

Post by Lemony Vengeance »

Just a heads up, if anyone is making their own adapter for this, the part #s for the RGB and power connectors and pins are below.


RGBHVG connector


Digikey part # WM2115-ND
Manuf part # 0009508063 CONN HOUSING 6POS .156 W/POLAR

Digikey part # WM2300-ND
Manuf part # 0008500106 CONN TERM FEMALE 18-24AWG TIN


POWER connector

Digikey part # WM6982-ND
Manuf part # 0015244048 CONN HOUSING 4POS .200 VERTICAL

Digikey part # WM2293CT-ND
Manuf part # 0002081201 CONN TERM FEMALE 14-20AWG TIN
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SNK-NEO-GEO
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Re: Ultracade Universal Video Converter

Post by SNK-NEO-GEO »

Questions - trying to put a Taito Type x2 into an Egreet II cab with a Nanao MS9 monitor.. How should the Jamma finger board be wired (video, power sync etc) and what are the settings on the UVC? Does the Taype x2 system work with the UVC? Any one here got that working?

thank you for reading and for your feedback..
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emphatic
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Re: Ultracade Universal Video Converter

Post by emphatic »

SNK-NEO-GEO wrote:Questions - trying to put a Taito Type x2 into an Egreet II cab with a Nanao MS9 monitor.. How should the Jamma finger board be wired (video, power sync etc) and what are the settings on the UVC? Does the Taype x2 system work with the UVC? Any one here got that working?

thank you for reading and for your feedback..
If the X2 can output in the supported resolutions, it should be fine.

Wire R, G, B to the corresponding pins on the fingerboard and also VIDEO GND and VIDEO SYNC. I wired both H/V sync to the JAMMA sync on mine.
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RegalSin wrote:Street Fighters. We need to aviod them when we activate time accellerator.
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SNK-NEO-GEO
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Re: Ultracade Universal Video Converter

Post by SNK-NEO-GEO »

@Emphatic - Thanks for the reply...what should the jumper settings be on the UVC? Also do you see any difference in picture quality between 15khz and 24khz? any preference?

emphatic wrote:
SNK-NEO-GEO wrote:Questions - trying to put a Taito Type x2 into an Egreet II cab with a Nanao MS9 monitor.. How should the Jamma finger board be wired (video, power sync etc) and what are the settings on the UVC? Does the Taype x2 system work with the UVC? Any one here got that working?

thank you for reading and for your feedback..
If the X2 can output in the supported resolutions, it should be fine.

Wire R, G, B to the corresponding pins on the fingerboard and also VIDEO GND and VIDEO SYNC. I wired both H/V sync to the JAMMA sync on mine.
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emphatic
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Re: Ultracade Universal Video Converter

Post by emphatic »

SNK-NEO-GEO wrote:@Emphatic - Thanks for the reply...what should the jumper settings be on the UVC? Also do you see any difference in picture quality between 15khz and 24khz? any preference?
For high res stuff, 24kHz looks really good IMHO. 15kHz looks great for pixel art though. If your cabinet's mostly used for regular JAMMA games, I would go with 15kHz, at least for setting everything up and seeing that it all works as expected. I always use 480p output for my high res usage, even though 800x600 and 1024x768 works as well. The most important thing is 60hz, or the UVC will only report the resolution used in the splash screen without actually giving you a game image. For DIP settings, please refer to the manual after you've seen the splash screen on your monitor and you can see the available firmware info.
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RegalSin wrote:Street Fighters. We need to aviod them when we activate time accellerator.
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Re: Ultracade Universal Video Converter

Post by SNK-NEO-GEO »

Great.. thank you very much for the feedback:)
emphatic wrote:
SNK-NEO-GEO wrote:@Emphatic - Thanks for the reply...what should the jumper settings be on the UVC? Also do you see any difference in picture quality between 15khz and 24khz? any preference?
For high res stuff, 24kHz looks really good IMHO. 15kHz looks great for pixel art though. If your cabinet's mostly used for regular JAMMA games, I would go with 15kHz, at least for setting everything up and seeing that it all works as expected. I always use 480p output for my high res usage, even though 800x600 and 1024x768 works as well. The most important thing is 60hz, or the UVC will only report the resolution used in the splash screen without actually giving you a game image. For DIP settings, please refer to the manual after you've seen the splash screen on your monitor and you can see the available firmware info.
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Re: Ultracade Universal Video Converter

Post by mR_CaESaR »

I'm very late to the party, but would anyone know where I can get one of these to use on my astro city?

I've got Viletim's scart to jamma on the way, but that's at 480i and 240p just looks so much sweeter!


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Re: Ultracade Universal Video Converter

Post by parodius »

These pop up on ebay once in a while.
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Jman
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Re: Ultracade Universal Video Converter

Post by Jman »

Well if someone wants one, they are for sale here https://www.zax.com.au/buy/pc-to-arcade ... 000-PCB-03

Just got one in the post :D
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Re: Ultracade Universal Video Converter

Post by djsheep »

Recently got another uVC and I was wondering if anyone (emphatic?) has come across the "sammy1" version of PCB-03? I assume this was either used for a specific device (developed by or for Sammy perhaps?) or maybe a development version? Here's a photo of the splash screen: https://imgur.com/a/l5aUkbl

The date stamp puts it between Version 0.3A and 0.3B.

The issue I'm having with the device is that the 4 x LED's that signify the resolution near the video harness aren't working. The other LED are working.
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emphatic
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Re: Ultracade Universal Video Converter

Post by emphatic »

So, apart from the LEDs not lighting up, it works? Perhaps they've used old stock version 01 PCBs?
Version 02A. PCB version 02. Firmware version 2.00:
o 11/26/2003, DRF. Input and output resolution displayed while syncing. PCB
updates include: unused LED removal; unused pads for non-stuffed parts removed;
reset changed from button to 2-pin header; video output pins remapped to reverse
of standard monitor input pins.
o 12/14/2003, DRF. Added Troubleshooting Section.
o 1/23/2004, DRF. Fixed J7 in document’s wiring diagram.
· Version 03A. PCB version 03. Firmware version 2.04:
o 7/01/2004, DT. PCB allows multiple clock footprints. Firmware has increased
functionality.
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Re: Ultracade Universal Video Converter

Post by djsheep »

The silkscreen says PCB-03? I had issues syncing 1024x760 with this one (wouldn't proceed past the Splash screen even though the resolution was observed), and at 640x480 I was loosing sync and went all fuzzy after a while, sometimes even at the splash screen without anything connected.
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Re: Ultracade Universal Video Converter

Post by AlxUnderBase »

Very nice :)
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Re: Ultracade Universal Video Converter

Post by Trevor spencer »

Hi

Sorry to necro bump but i thought I'd bring this old thread back to life as I will properly get the most info here.

I'm having problems with my UVC where it powers on intermittently, I've tried various things like.

Powering from a different power source

Reflowing the molex connector solder

Bypassing the molex connector and soldering the power wires to the bottom of the board.

I can usually get it going power cycling about 3-4 times so not ideal.

Power leds when working

https://ibb.co/DtGp3Hc

Power leds when not working (blank screen)

https://ibb.co/MPYCXCx

Any ideas ?

Also if I cannot get this fixed what's my best option these days ? GBS-AIO ? if so how would I get this working in my sega astro with my PC and Xbox 360.

Thanks :)
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Re: Ultracade Universal Video Converter

Post by AlxUnderBase »

Thank you @emphatic for this !

I finally powered yesterday the UVC unit after i received the fingerboard harness compiled by @FrancoB (bless him and his family for all help provided) to power the unit and i was amazed to see how the games i tried on xbox360 looks through this device.

(i set the xbox360 on 640/480 and looks amazing for my needs)

dip switch from Uvc are set : on , off , on , on , on , off , off , on

Image

Image

I used the Jammaizer to get audio

Image
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emphatic
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Re: Ultracade Universal Video Converter

Post by emphatic »

Nice! I have a 2.1 systems in my cabinets, so I use that for console audio.
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digitron
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Re: Ultracade Universal Video Converter

Post by digitron »

I finally scored a UVC converter, been on the lookout for over 2 years lol. Now I need to hunt down an old AT PSU to cut the 4 pin Molex & 6 pin wiring harness off! haaai yaaa!
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emphatic
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Re: Ultracade Universal Video Converter

Post by emphatic »

Congrats! Maybe there are easier ways to find the right type of connector, I just stumbled on the one from the AT harness back when I got mine.
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RegalSin wrote:Street Fighters. We need to aviod them when we activate time accellerator.
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digitron
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Re: Ultracade Universal Video Converter

Post by digitron »

emphatic wrote: Fri Feb 23, 2024 10:02 pm Congrats! Maybe there are easier ways to find the right type of connector, I just stumbled on the one from the AT harness back when I got mine.
Thanks emphatic! 8)
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Re: Ultracade Universal Video Converter

Post by digitron »

From the UVC manual, pin 1 is +12vdc and pin 4 is +5vdc, can someone please confirm which pin is 1 and which pin is 4? There's no silkscreen marking and nothing in the manual. Last thing I want to do is fry this board. :shock:

Image

Image
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