Console --> Arcade monitor adapter (AVAILABLE, see 1st post)

[blazemore]

I'm very sure it's not an official cable. I bought it from consolegoods in the UK for like $6. I just ordered an official cable from eBay and will see how that goes.

The official Dreamcast cable worked.

[s8n]

thats great news blazemore nice work

[ckong]

In the new design, both the terminal blocks and 56 pin JAMMA edge connector have been replaced with a general purpose expansion connector. Expansion boards for terminal blocks (for pad hacks) and JAMMA connectors (compatibility with previous adapter) will be available, and easily changable. Expansion boards containing controller encoders are planned for the future.

Hi Viletim, I'm sure a lot of us are anxious to hear about your progress. Could you perhaps share some (technical) details with us, and maybe some pics or schematics.

I can't wait to buy one from you, your first adapter is really great.

[viletim]

Hi Viletim, I'm sure a lot of us are anxious to hear about your progress. Could you perhaps share some (technical) details with us, and maybe some pics or schematics.

My prototypes look a bit haggard, so instead of a photo of one I'll show a diagram generated mostly from the PCB silkscreen.



A: JAMMA card edge.
B: Terminal block - alternative to a JAMMA connection. Power input, video out, speaker out.
C: Line level audio in/out through 3.5mm jacks. Audio input takes priority over audio from SCART (switch jack).
D: SCART input. RGB video and stereo audio input.
J: External A/V input. RGB and stereo audio. 8 pin header wired in parallel with SCART.
E/G/F: Volume/brightness/contrast adjustments.
H: LM1281 video amplifier IC.
I: Control expansion.

The control expansion consists of is a 40 pin IDC header (electrical) and three holes (mechanical). Expansion boards also have the header and holes and can be connected, one at a time, to the adapter via a cable (looks like a stubby IDE cable). Changing connections is easy because there are ejection levers on the headers. Expansion boards can all be screwed to each other and to the adapter to form one long PCB, or can be mounted seperately and removed when not in use. They contain only terminal blocks at the moment but I think it's a significant improvement to having the adapter wired directly to the controller.

Here's Expansion Board #1



Planned is and active controller expansion board which doesn't require hacking pads or external encoders. There is a video input on the connector which would allow for an on screen display which could be useful to set up and load/store controller configurations.

Current production status: All the parts have been sent to the factory, manufacturing should start within the next few days. It's expected to take 2-3 weeks.

[emphatic]

Planned is and active controller expansion board which doesn't require hacking pads or external encoders. There is a video input on the connector which would allow for an on screen display which could be useful to set up and load/store controller configurations.

Thanks a lot for the update! Everything that doesn't looks as good as before are improvements! So this active controller expansion board, is it similar to the products sold by Akihabarashop.jp? I've been eying their new PS360 PCB, that will output to XBox 360 as well PS3/PC, but if you could actually make an expansion board that can handle all of the popular consoles, than that'll be quite revolutionary.

[ckong]

Planned is and active controller expansion board which doesn't require hacking pads or external encoders. There is a video input on the connector which would allow for an on screen display which could be useful to set up and load/store controller configurations.

That sounds very promising. Which controller configuration files could be used with this? I hope for sure the Dreamcast, the Gamecube, PSX/PS2, XBOX/XBOX 360 and the Saturn. Older consoles with Scart leads (that I have) are SNES, Megadrive, NeoGeoCD, modded PC Engine. Would be great to be able to use them all with your adapter.

and it's a very nice thing to still have the jamma edge.

[neorichieb1971]

This new adaptor, it supports controls for running a console in a cabinet?

So you just plug a module into the adapter thats wired to your controls and thats it?

[manimani]

Only 1 scart input, do this pcb update let's work the Jap 21 RGB ?

[THE]

Please add me to the list, I will take 2 units.

I would love to have joystick adapters for SFC, Megadrive, PCE and DC.

[rtw]

Please add me as well, I will take 1 unit in addition to the one I have

I would love a PCE and DC adapter.

[viletim]

Only 1 scart input, do this pcb update let's work the Jap 21 RGB ?

I ran out of room and decided to ditch the Jap 21 RGB connector. If anybody still needs it I'll come up with one which will attach to the 8 pin header next to the SCART socket.

So you just plug a module into the adapter thats wired to your controls and thats it?

That's what I'm hoping to achieve. Plug into the adapter, plug into the console - quickly and easily.

Thanks a lot for the update! Everything that doesn't looks as good as before are improvements! So this active controller expansion board, is it similar to the products sold by Akihabarashop.jp? I've been eying their new PS360 PCB, that will output to XBox 360 as well PS3/PC, but if you could actually make an expansion board that can handle all of the popular consoles, than that'll be quite revolutionary.

One board to handle all would be impractical, there is just too much variation in protocols, voltages, etc. It would be hard to make such a system idiot proof. About 2-3 consoles per board is more likely but I can't really say much at this stage.

[manimani]

Only 1 scart input, do this pcb update let's work the Jap 21 RGB ?

I ran out of room and decided to ditch the Jap 21 RGB connector. If anybody still needs it I'll come up with one which will attach to the 8 pin header next to the SCART socket.

In fact i want scart to jamma to put a Super famicom with RGB cable in an arcade cabinet, so for me it's just essential

[neorichieb1971]

Viletim,

can't you do one for scart and one for JP RGB? Its just that all my connectors are JP21 configured. If you went RGB SCART only I would have to replace 5 or 6 cables. Or perhaps use one socket with a switch that redirects the signals accordingly. the other reason is that all my cables currently work with all my consoles. If you went Euro set up the new cables I might buy might not work per some other peoples experiences.

Since that part of the set up is already tried and tested on the mk1 model the homework is already done.

If you would like a JP21 version chime in and let viletim know so he can get an idea of demand.

[brentsg]

Yeah I definitely won't buy this next revision if the JPN21 is gone, but I'll buy one for sure with.

Disappointed to hear of this detail.

[THE]

Maybe the Euro Scart / JP21 problem could be solved with simple jumpers on the PCB? Not sure how much it would degrade picture quality though...

[Trevor spencer]

Couldnt you just get a JPN scart to Euro Scart convertor cable , Im sure chaoticjelly on NTSC-UK does one ?

[thegreathopper]

I will take one of these if some are still available. Cheers

[Sparda]

Hello

its been a while since i wanted to register on shmups ^_^ (im sorry for my english ), but now, its done

i didnt order the first adaptater, but i hope i'll be able to buy one when the new one will be avaible.

So, i want to thank you for your work , and please, can you add me to the list if theres still adaptator available.

[quadratic]

Unfortunately I couldn't buy the first version (I came to this forum just a few days too late, arghh!!), but I'll definitely buy the new one as soon as it's ready! If I can afford it, I'd like to buy two of them, but one is for sure anyway!
Great job, viletim!

[neorichieb1971]

Couldnt you just get a JPN scart to Euro Scart convertor cable , Im sure chaoticjelly on NTSC-UK does one ?

If one is available thats good.

[Almighty]

put me on the list to, also send you a e-mail.

[antron]

Couldnt you just get a JPN scart to Euro Scart convertor cable , Im sure chaoticjelly on NTSC-UK does one ?

this girl on ebay sells the reverse of what you guys need:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... TQ:GB:1123

I asked her about one for the other direction and she said this:

if you purchase one and leave a note saying you want it wired in reverse I can do that.

[Max...]

Hi Viletim - looks a great piece of kit. Noting the revisions on the MKII version (deletion of Jamma 'controls pass through' socket) and regarding the modular controllers part - will it still be possible to hardwire in a universal female controller port so that those of us with a series of already hacked pads with the same male connector can still be used?

Just realised as well that the board only allows for mono audio - with all the typical consoles (SFC, MD, PCE, DC, N64 etc) and Candy cabs having stereo this seems a shame - is it possible to build in amplified stereo output or if not can the board output a stereo line feed so the Candy cab stereo amp can use this?

[viletim]

Hi Viletim - looks a great piece of kit. Noting the revisions on the MKII version (deletion of Jamma 'controls pass through' socket) and regarding the modular controllers part - will it still be possible to hardwire in a universal female controller port so that those of us with a series of already hacked pads with the same male connector can still be used?

Absolutely. That's what Expansion Board #2 is for. I don't have a pictutre of it but I do have one of #1.



If you can imagine something like that with a 56 pin female edge connector in place of the terminal blocks...

Just realised as well that the board only allows for mono audio - with all the typical consoles (SFC, MD, PCE, DC, N64 etc) and Candy cabs having stereo this seems a shame.

Maybe some are stereo, but the vast majority of JAMMA cabinets, as well as arcade boards are monaural. Another significant factor is that two amplifiers may require twice as much current than a single channel amp. Then it starts getting very difficult preventing the audio amplifiers from interfering with the video section.

- is it possible to build in amplified stereo output or if not can the board output a stereo line feed so the Candy cab stereo amp can use this?

There will be audio line outputs and line inputs in the form of 3.5mm jacks.

Current status: Production started couple of weeks ago, the PCBs were manufactured, and then everything ground to a halt. One of the problems was that the potentiometers I'd sourced had the wrong leg configuation. Now I'm dealing with a potentiometer factory... Everything should be sorted out in a week and a half, then back to the contract manufacturer to wait for the next problem.

[jepjepjep]

Thanks for the status update, viletim. I'm sure it'll be well worth the wait.

[burgerkingdiamond]

I was about to buy a jpac setup for my ps3, but I read about the quality issues on this thread so now I think I'll hold off on that and take one of these. So put me down for 1, and whatever controller expansion junk I need for two players for ps3. Thank you sir.

[burgerkingdiamond]

I think I'm a little confused on what is in development and what you already have made, and I don't have time to read through all 16 pages of this thread. What if any products do you have now? I may not need whatever current latest greatest version your working on. Thanks.

[viletim]

I think I'm a little confused on what is in development and what you already have made, and I don't have time to read through all 16 pages of this thread. What if any products do you have now? I may not need whatever current latest greatest version your working on. Thanks.

Fair enough.

What I have made:
http://users.tpg.com.au/vile88/scart2arc/scart2arc.htm

They're all sold now and I currently have nothing available for sale which related to SCART/JAMMA adapters. What I'm working on at the moment is not significatly different in function to the previous version. The new controller system allows for greater flexability in the handling of controls in the future, but on release, I'll only have terminal block and edge connectors boards available.

[Max...]

Viletim - thanks for the prompt reply and update. Please take the following as prompting discussion not hostile critiscism!

Just to be clear then - the MKI came as standard with the female Jamma socket so that a ready wired Jamma fingerboard could be inserted that was itself wired to a DIN [edit - my error - Viletim is correct below - I meant sub-D not DIN) socket into which a range of hacked pads could be plugged - as is the normal way for anyone wanting to run a range of consoles in the same cab. Effectively this would be the universal adaptor and any pad could be hacked and used and configured as the user required.

Seems a step back though that this had been deleted and you will need to buy a second plug in board to achive the same thing? Also different people like the button placement in different ways (eg L R buttons for SFC etc) - I appreciate that the ability to just plug a controller straight in might be an advantage for those who cannot solder a pad but it does take away some of the flexibility...?

Guessing a DIN controller socket could still be hardwired to the solder points - will this be possible?

Regarding stereo - appreciate that it complicates things a bit but again it seems a real step backwards in gaming - haven't listened to anything in mono for 40 years and all consoles AFAIK from the SFC onwards are stereo. Appreciate that all older Jamma boards may be mostly mono but this is a device to play consoles in a cab. Shame to mix up all that lovely stereo music that plays such a big part in classic console games into one channel.

Presuming the line out is mono as well - can the solder points under the Scart input be hacked to extract the stereo signal or is it 'mixed' directly into mono on the board? And does the line output pass through any components for whatever reason or is it just a straight thorough signal from the console?

And do you have a rough idea of pricing please?

Sorry for all the Q's and thanks for your expertise!

[viletim]

Just to be clear then - the MKI came as standard with the female Jamma socket so that a ready wired Jamma fingerboard could be inserted that was itself wired to a DIN socket into which a range of hacked pads could be plugged - as is the normal way for anyone wanting to run a range of consoles in the same cab. Effectively this would be the universal adapter and any pad could be hacked and used and configured as the user required.

There is no such thing as normal in this case, everybody likes to do things in a different way. In fact, this is the first time I've heard of anyone using DIN sockets (the round ones right?) for this application. I thought Sub-D connectors were the favourite but it doesn't matter...

The only thing that comes close to a standard is the JAMMA connector. Problem is that a giant card edge connector is far too big and expensive to connect some controller signals. It's also difficult to use and has a short service life. It seems what you're advocating is that I should leave the female JAMMA socket in place so it can be easily adapted to another, better suited connector (DIN)... Wouldn't it make sense to use the better connector from the start?

I chose the IDC connector because it's cheap, commonly available, rugged, easy to use - everything the female JAMMA is not. The controller boards are connected by a cable and don't have to mate directly with the adapter.

As it stands there are two controller boards. #1 features terminal blocks and is designed primarily to be connected to hacked pads with wire. It is possible to connect the same set of pads to multiple #1 expansion boards if different button mappings are required by different games. As long as only one board is plugged in at any given time.

Board #2 is the legacy female JAMMA connector, produced solely for backward compatibility with the first version and other similar systems.

There is more to it than that, however. I don't particularly like terminal blocks or pad hacks. I would prefer controller boards that can plug directly into game consoles. Instead of pissing around with wires it would be much better to be able to adjust the button mapping on the fly with an on screen display. That's my main incentive to make this change in the new version. Looking to the future... though I can not guarantee how long it may take.

Seems a step back though that this had been deleted and you will need to buy a second plug in board to achive the same thing? Also different people like the button placement in different ways (eg L R buttons for SFC etc) - I appreciate that the ability to just plug a controller straight in might be an advantage for those who cannot solder a pad but it does take away some of the flexibility...?

Put your handing into and old computer and pull out the grey IDE cable, cut a connector off one end and solder it to a gamepad. Plug it into the my adapter and away you go. If that's not flexibility...

Regarding stereo - appreciate that it complicates things a bit but again it seems a real step backwards in gaming - haven't listened to anything in mono for 40 years and all consoles AFAIK from the SFC onwards are stereo. Appreciate that all older Jamma boards may be mostly mono but this is a device to play consoles in a cab. Shame to mix up all that lovely stereo music that plays such a big part in classic console games into one channel.

I understand, it's not ideal. But in order to have a stereo amplifier that has reasonable power output and doesn't interfere with the video amplifier it would need:

- Its own power wires from the power supply.
- Terminal blocks or similar on the PCB to connect the speakers as JAMMA doesn't support stereo.

If you're willing to go that far, why not just use a separate amplifier, which is what I recommend actually. The further apart the video and audio are from each other their less they will interfere with each other.

Presuming the line out is mono as well -

Ha! That would be a travesty. No, no, it's a real stereo line output , meant specially to connect to a stereo amplifier.

can the solder points under the Scart input be hacked to extract the stereo signal or is it 'mixed' directly into mono on the board? And does the line output pass through any components for whatever reason or is it just a straight thorough signal from the console?

It's not a straight connection, the audio signals are buffered.

And do you have a rough idea of pricing please?

Price and availability will be announced shortly.

Sorry for all the Q's and thanks for your expertise!

[/quote]

It's no problem, I welcome any more questions you may have.