MAME on a BVM-20F1U?

[ClintTX]

I've been using my Sony BVM-20F1U with my RGB modded NES and my Sega Genesis, but now I have discovered the world of MAME and would like to use it for that as well. What are the options for making this work? My current video card only has DVI and display port, but no VGA. I can get another card if needed. What I've read has talked about using VGA to RGB, and I've also heard of a video card that outputs an RGB signal. What is the best way to go?

[SNK-NEO-GEO]

I am on the same steps as you with the same monitor.. the board memebers recommended the bellow steps.

a video card compatable with soft15khz or an Arcadevga video card from ultimarc and a sync combiner "UMSA" from arcadeforge- the latest compatible video card that I sow at the soft15khz board was the XFX ATI Radeon HD 4890 but that card requires a 500w power supply ebay $50

retoragb mentions that a soft15khz compatible video card or arcadevga card might be all you need and a 4 BNC RGB/H+V to D-sub 15-pin VGA adapter from ebay = ebay search - Premium 4 BNC RGB/H+V to D-sub 15-pin VGA Video Adapter Cable - 6 FT

"You can try to find a VGA to 4 BNC (RGBs) cable, however you'll need to make sure that the cable has both H and V sync signals combined into the one SYNC cable. Most VGA to 4 BNC cables only have H-Sync coming through the sync cable, which will not work in this scenario"

If you have sync issues then you need a sync combiner from arcadeforge "UMSA - Ultimate SCART Adapter" that would means that you also need a BNC to male SCART cable since the UMSA seems to have female connector.

So far, I went the ArcadeVGA route and the 4 BNC RGB/H+V cable…, I have the arcadevga and the cable is on the way.. if that does not work then I will order the UMSA and a male BNC SCART cable and try that.

[niall]

Go with soft15kHz or Calamity's drivers - ArcadeVGA can only do a very limited set of resolutions, so you won't be playing many in the original intended resolution so there'll be some inaccuracy. Or if you don't care about 100% accuracy, ArcadeVGA works a treat and is simple to install and use.

I'd go with an Extron RGB 203Rxi interface to combine the RGBHV->RGBS for the BVM, so you've got easy and fast horizontal and vertical position controls without having to enter the BVM menu for every game.

EDIT: and obviously use GroovyMAME

[ClintTX]

Thanks for the info, so soft15khz is the name of the special driver and there is a website associated with it? What is this about the arcadevga card not being able to display some resolutions? I'm mainly concerned about 240p stuff and anything that the bvm-20f1u can output, which is 240p-480i I think. On my mame, I only have games up to 1982 on it right now, but I will get more current games later.

[SNK-NEO-GEO]

ClintTX I asked Niall this via PM. Hopefully it will cear things up for you as it did for me. I grabed an RGB 203rxi unit from ebay for $50. I picked Arcadevga beasue it is very user friendly plug and play.

extron RGB 203rxi - Are you saying that I need the PC with the arcadevga which will connected to the RGB 203rxi. The RGB 203rxi will conbine the signal RGBHV into RGBS. then on th 203rxi out put I would connect the BNC out to the PVM/BVM? Then I would not need to order the UMSA Ultimate Scart adapter?

From the PC to the RGB 203rxi I would need a regular VGA 15pin cable?
for the out put - I would need to order a set of regular 4 BNC cables?


"Yep exactly - stick with a good quality, properly shielded VGA -> VGA for ArcadeVGA to Extron, then 4 * BNC RGBS out Extron into BVM/PVM. Having horizontal and vertical pots on the front of an RGB interface by Extron is really worth having to centre every different resolution quickly without menus."

I could not get them working with a PVM-20L5 and the BVM-20F1u with the arcadevga and the 4 BNC RGB/H+V. The RGB 203rxi is on the way..

edited...

[ClintTX]

Ugh, doesn't retrorgb.com indicate that the arcadevga card should work without needing the extron? Why does the arcadevga card output separate H and V sync? I guess most normal arcade monitors have inputs for both?

[ClintTX]

Ok, I just read that the H and V synch that the arcadevga outputs need to be combined to get composite synch for the BVM. Other than that the only thing I could think of being an issue might be getting the proper signal strength, it did mention some monitors needing a video signal amp, but that might just be for real arcade monitors.

[SNK-NEO-GEO]

I am not sure but I could not get it working on both PVM/BVM using the ultimarc drivers. I got a picture on the ext sync but the picture was moving up and down and it was small. With sync is a stead picture but with strange colors out of sync. I tried two different cables. anyhow, I will update once I get the extron:)

Ok, I just read that the H and V synch that the arcadevga outputs need to be combined to get composite synch for the BVM. Other than that the only thing I could think of being an issue might be getting the proper signal strength, it did mention some monitors needing a video signal amp, but that might just be for real arcade monitors.

[cools]

Go with soft15kHz or Calamity's drivers - ArcadeVGA can only do a very limited set of resolutions, so you won't be playing many in the original intended resolution so there'll be some inaccuracy. Or if you don't care about 100% accuracy, ArcadeVGA works a treat and is simple to install and use.

I'd go with an Extron RGB 203Rxi interface to combine the RGBHV->RGBS for the BVM, so you've got easy and fast horizontal and vertical position controls without having to enter the BVM menu for every game.

EDIT: and obviously use GroovyMAME

[SeanAndSuch]

I just got everything setup yesterday.
Picked up a BNC to SCART cable and that's what's connected to the back of my Sony BVM-20F1U.
The SCART end of the cable gets connected to a Arcadeforge USMA I ordered from Germany.
This took over a month to get to the US and finally arrived yesterday.
The other end of the UMSA has a standard VGA computer monitor connection. A cable goes from this to the VGA port on the Ultimarc ArcadeVGA 5000 video card.
I connected a standard computer monitor to the DVI port on the ArcadeVGA 5000 and installed Windows XP along with the Ultimarc display drivers.
After that I made the necessary adjustments to the MAME settings (DirectDraw, enable "switch resolutions to fit", etc) and everything looks pretty sweet.
Granted, it's a 20" monitor so maybe things look awesome because I'm so used to everything looking crummy on a large LED TV but overall I'm pretty happy with the way things turned out.
I wasn't aware the ArcadeVGA 5000 can't display all of the resolutions. That's unfortunate.
I didn't have to install the Soft15khz software or whatever though so I guess that's a plus.

[SeanAndSuch]

Go with soft15kHz or Calamity's drivers - ArcadeVGA can only do a very limited set of resolutions, so you won't be playing many in the original intended resolution so there'll be some inaccuracy. Or if you don't care about 100% accuracy, ArcadeVGA works a treat and is simple to install and use.

I'm just curious why you mentioned the limited number of resolutions when Ultimarc mentions the following on the ArcadeVGA 5000:
"On PC monitors, all the native game resolutions are available, plus conventional Windows resolutions."

Were you referring to the older ArcadeVGA card? Or are they misleading customers?

[Fudoh]

On PC monitors, all the native game resolutions are available, plus conventional Windows resolutions

this does not include 15khz display.

[SeanAndSuch]

On PC monitors, all the native game resolutions are available, plus conventional Windows resolutions

this does not include 15khz display.

Okie dokie.

[ClintTX]

Is Seanandsuch = SNK-NEO-GEO?

So, I'm wondering is it ok to install the arcadevga as the 2nd video card in my main pc and just use it when I want to play mame or is there a reason to build another mame only pc?

[SNK-NEO-GEO]

Seanandsuch took a diff approach than I and got things working.. We are both using the ArcadeVGA but I went the RGB 203rxi as advised. I got the RGB 203rxi $50 unit but now waiting for 4* NBC cable; will update once I have everything plugin.. when I searched for an RGB 203rxi a few days ago, there ware a lot on ebay, now they are only two available and do not like the price tags.

I do not think that you can use the an arcadevga as a 2nd video card since the drivers and low res will be apply at the OS level and you will have different drivers for the other video card.

what I did.. I glabed one of these for $200.. put and old hard drive and the arcadevga.
Lenovo ThinkServer TS140 Tower Server System (Core i3-4330 3.5GHz 4GB 70A40)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/301528584683?rmvSB=true

Is Seanandsuch = SNK-NEO-GEO?

So, I'm wondering is it ok to install the arcadevga as the 2nd video card in my main pc and just use it when I want to play mame or is there a reason to build another mame only pc?

[SeanAndSuch]

Wow that is a pretty new PC you opted for.
I went with a Dell Optiplex 330 w/ Pentium D and 2GB of RAM. Got the PC for $44 here.
Just needed to make sure it had a full size PCIe slot for the video card.
People have made MAME PCs with waaaaay slower PCs (Pentium 3 I'm looking at you lol).
You can have 2 monitors connected to the card so you could use it as your main PC without issue if you wanted to. Just have MAME launch on the Sony monitor and use the regular PC monitor for normal PC use.

[SNK-NEO-GEO]

I have my cables and all work great with the 203rxi, I can see windws screen perfectly, no sync issues thanks for recommending the 203rxi guys.. As I look into what would be the best MAME setup, I came accross the groovyarcade link bellow. I think this is the best and easiest approach to my setup.. a few things that I am not sure.. if groovyaracde which is linux supports my current hardware (Lenovo ThinkServer TS140 Tower Server System Core i3-4330 3.5GHz 4GB 70A40) and Ultimarc ArcadeVGA card and my PVM. I am ready to experiment and wipe out windows with this process. It will take me sometime to experiment but I will update just incase that someone wants to take this approach. or if someone has this setup please let me know how is working out for you and what to lookout for.

https://code.google.com/p/groovyarcade/ ... nfig_Guide

Is Seanandsuch = SNK-NEO-GEO?

So, I'm wondering is it ok to install the arcadevga as the 2nd video card in my main pc and just use it when I want to play mame or is there a reason to build another mame only pc?

[SNK-NEO-GEO]

guys with ArcadeVGA and Groovymame and PVM newbies like me. read the tread bellow to get goovymame working

I have windows 7, ArcadeVGA, Groovymame and a 203rxi... on the ume.ini make this change

lock_system_modes 0
lock_unsupported_modes 1
refresh_dont_care 1


http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.p ... 550.0.html

when you make the changes to the ini you will need a front end. If you double chick on goobymame.exe the vidoe resolution for mame will be wrong (moving up and down) which is explained on the tread. You can fixed that by changing interlace to 0 on the ini file but Calamity recommends not to do so becasue it affects the games as well. Also under the OSD video options you have to disable the window or the maximun screen to 0 so when the gemes starts they do not start windows size, they will start on full screen. I hope that helps you guys.. it took me a bit to get things semi working.. the games look great so far.. now I need a front end that is easy to use.

edit - the more I read about Groovymame and undstand how it works the more reasons I get to stay away from using ArcadeVGA. For now I got the ArcadeVGA working great with Maximus arcade which is extremelly easy to setup. For the vertical games I connected the PVM-1354Q (which is rotated) with regular *4 BNC cables to the out put of the of the M20L5. On mame I just change the game orientation to look good on the 1354Q, tun off the PVM M20L5 and play on the PVM-1354Q. The 1354Q is very cool mini PVM:). I am happy for now and I think that I am done for a while, now to enoy MAME:).. Thank you guys for all the imput and for helping a newbie(me) out:)

edit 2 - Had a compatilbe VGA card working with Groovymame but it takes more effort to setup.. something went wrong on the 3rd day and troubleshooting took a lot of time. I went back to using the ArcadeVGA. The ArcadeVGA is as simple as plug and play and making the changes on the ume.ini. For newbies like me, my recomendation is the ArcadeVGA route.

Is Seanandsuch = SNK-NEO-GEO?

So, I'm wondering is it ok to install the arcadevga as the 2nd video card in my main pc and just use it when I want to play mame or is there a reason to build another mame only pc?

[Juy]

Hi Folks,

sorry for unearthing this thread, but it helped me a lot. I never was very happy with the MAME emulation on my PC LCD Monitor.
This thread encouraged me to take the plunge into CRT retrogaming.
I happen to work in the movie postpro business as sound engineer and have worked with those Sony PVM/BVM monitors the last
20 years. I asked around at the postpro company for such BVM monitors and snatched the last unit for free including the remote.
Apparently they already dumped all other CRTs and i got the last one. The literally dumped them.
Next thing i bought a Extron 201 rxi and a old P4 Shuttle PC with a Radeon 9250 AGP card used off ebay.
It took me about 5 days to get that setup running with Groovymame, lots of fiddling with CRT Emudriver, mame.ini, vmmaker.exe
and Arcade OSD lol. But I FINALLY MADE IT!!!
I got it running perfectly including the X-Arcade Dual Stick with Trackball and it is AMAZING
I have to say that the BVM 20 i have is quite curved which sticks out when turning it vertically, but that's nitpicking.
Scrolling is absolutely perfect with Phoenix, Vanguard and the likes i have never seen that before, also no sound hickups.
I cannot believe how closely the picture and sound matches my childhood memories.
I had to turn off the ADSP of the Extron though or it wouldn't sync. But i can play most games without any adjustments. So no biggie.

Thanks to everyone who has participated in this thread as it helped me tremendously to get on my tracks. Also 100000 thanks to Calamity and
everyone involved helping making this real. I am very happy.

Juy

[charlie chong]

i want to use multiple computers so i got one of these vga to cga pcbs
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/111462786405? ... EBIDX%3AIT

haven't got round to setting it up yet but i got all the bits.gonna test the svideo first and then see if i can wire up a scart lead with it from the 5 pin rgbs part.(am i right in thinking i need to wire 5v to the scart lead from somewhere on the board)
i'll let you know how i get on though i don't expect much from such a cheap pcb
probbly just gonna wire it to a fingerboard connected to a female scart i have that is already wired for euro scart.

[Overkill]

That ebay pcb only has 480i output @60Hz

That's not the best choice

[charlie chong]

yeah i know it's not the best.. just wanted a quick and easy solution and at least it's cheap.
if it too shit i guess i'll just install soft 15khz on my pc with the nvidia.
still im used to playing xbox 360 ports like that so it might not piss me off too much.