XM29 Monitor Question

[iammud]

I know there's some XM29 owners in here, so I hope you guys can help me. Does anyone understand how the PC/EXT CTL works? Right now I'm using a VGA splitter when I know I shouldn't need it, because these are built to daisy chain. When I set dipswitch 6 on both monitors they won't fully turn on. I ran a remote cable, which works when dip 6 is shut off. When dip 6 is turned on the monitors will power up to standby mode, but will not turn on.

*Edit - After reading the manual a few more times I think I figured this out. Apparently the PC/EXT CTRL is simply for daisy chaining the functions (degauss, mute, picture mute [sounds awesome], etc). To share the picture, you use a "MultiCable" from the vga device to monitor one's DB15 port on RGB1 (make sure to flip the switch to HIGH here), then use the normal VGA in as a VGA out to the same port on monitor 2. The final monitor should be set to 75Ω, whereas every other monitor should be switched to HIGH. *Note - The XP29 monitors should have all VGA ports, whereas the XM29 has a DB15 port, which is the MultiCable. Oh yeah, you can use the old Mac DB15 to VGA adapters as the MultiCable.

Also, apparently you're able to control these monitors from a PC using a serial port? Aside from giving you a pinout, the manual seems pretty vague on this subject. *Edit, absolutely everything you need to know is in the manual, except for how to use a com port. IE to turn your monitor on from a batch file: 4E > COM2

Serial to VGA cable can be found here, and other places: http://www.ambery.com/db9todbadca.html

Also worth a mention that while the XM29 Xtra supports component, the regular & Plus models do NOT! Arg. At least I can still use these nifty RCA to BNC adapters for the supergun I'm building for this.

[iammud]

Even though no one has replied, I figure I'll leave my ventures in this subject for anyone else interested.

http://www.jurai.net/~jjpatt/forsale/NEC_XM29.pdf
If you scroll down to page 43 is vaguely explains the PC/EC Function. *Edit, apparently it's not as vague as I thought: Page 47 has all the input codes for the monitor.

Found this cable on Amazon, too. Apparently quite a few people places make db9 to db15 cables specifically for NEC MultiSyncs. *Edit - you need one specifically for the MultiSync.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00288 ... ZKAB5MRJ10

I'm still in the woods on monitor sharing, but it's not that big of a deal for me since I have a powered VGA splitter.

[gray117]

Even though no one has replied...
...Does anyone know if all db9 to db15 cables adapters are the same? I found some on monoprice.com for cheap, but they're not advertised for the MultiSync like the Amazon ones are.
http://www.monoprice.com/products/produ ... 1&format=2
...I'm still in the woods on monitor sharing, but it's not that big of a deal for me since I have a powered VGA splitter.

Hey not much to contribute I'm afraid - like most people it's probably considered pretty rare/lucky to have opportunity/space for more than 1 xm29

Not all db15 to 9 connectors are the same, ironically it's NEC that is the prime cause of this often opting for non-standard connections on a range of late 90's early 00's projectors: http://www.ambery.com/db9todbadca.html

Having said that; most connection issues surround video feeds rather than control/instruction setups and the instructions are a bit vague in that manual...

Perhaps greater success would be had on a more av related forum where some poor tech probably had to figure this out?

[iammud]

Hey not much to contribute I'm afraid - like most people it's probably considered pretty rare/lucky to have opportunity/space for more than 1 xm29
Not all db15 to 9 connectors are the same, ironically it's NEC that is the prime cause of this often opting for non-standard connections on a range of late 90's early 00's projectors: http://www.ambery.com/db9todbadca.html
Having said that; most connection issues surround video feeds rather than control/instruction setups and the instructions are a bit vague in that manual.
Perhaps greater success would be had on a more av related forum where some poor tech probably had to figure this out?

I suppose there are better forums, but I figured with all the xm29 users in here... And while it's rare for people to have two of these, if you pull these out of a commercial location you likely have 10+. I also just needed someplace to document my progress.

You were actually way more help than you think, because the cable differences are still what I haven't been able to search on. Been too busy trying to figure out how to get these monitors to link, before my vga splitter return date expires.

I set up some other serial devices that have similar codes and everything tested fine, so once I get the cable I should be good to go. Now back to figuring out how the hell to get these monitors to link VGA.

[gray117]

I also just needed someplace to document my progress.

That bit's always appreciated - I'm sure there's a more than a couple of like-minded curious observers even if we only have one xm29 Nothing more frustrating than a topic that just ends without any feedback (even if it was "tried that, didn't work").

... plus it's always nice to see this good forum pop up in google when you're looking for an answer to a game related question.

[iammud]

Just in case anyone needed an ATA case for your XM/XP29, here you go! heh

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 394wt_1654

[SolderFace]

if you are after a handheld remote for that rs232 serial port, it can done with off the shelf parts. you write your own firmware but thats easy for a remote.

[iammud]

if you are after a handheld remote for that rs232 serial port, it can done with off the shelf parts. you write your own firmware but thats easy for a remote.

I'm not trying to make a remote. I want to control the video input from a PC, so I can add a bunch of consoles to a MAME cabinet.

Then another system11 user [Ratsflif] has one that's linked up to a MAME'd out Naomi Universal, so all the vert games on it display on the tated XM29 instead. We're trying to get the monitor turn on when a vert game starts, and off when you quit it.

[SolderFace]

is your mame machine linux or windows based? I think I may have a solution for you.

[SolderFace]

I know you could recompile mame but avoiding that, you could use eventghost in windows to see what the last rom accessed was and send the control signal down the com port to your monitor. the only way to trigger an event like that with evenghost is over HTTP request. so basically you need to setup a mini webserver plugin and a static IP. then map the network drive as a windows folder. then browse to the mapped folder where your roms are and eventghost will know exactly what game your playing. all you need to do is write a few lines of code. easier than compiling mame I think.

[iammud]

is your mame machine linux or windows based? I think I may have a solution for you.

Windows based. How in the hell does one survive on a Linux based "mame" cab rig? I suppose if I hooked a Netloader up to my RGBHV, I could switch over.

I know you could recompile mame but avoiding that, you could use eventghost in windows to see what the last rom accessed was and send the control signal down the com port to your monitor. the only way to trigger an event like that with evenghost is over HTTP request. so basically you need to setup a mini webserver plugin and a static IP. then map the network drive as a windows folder. then browse to the mapped folder where your roms are and eventghost will know exactly what game your playing. all you need to do is write a few lines of code. easier than compiling mame I think.

Oh, since he's using a frontend, determining which one is vert is easy peasy, so I'm not really stressing all that. Actually, I think I've got everything figured out now.

[SolderFace]

now that you have a solution, I'm interested to know how you did it. what frontend are you using? did you just setup two VGA outputs on the computer and use the front end to select the active monitor? then set the monitors to auto off/auto on with no signal?

[iammud]

now that you have a solution, I'm interested to know how you did it. what frontend are you using? did you just setup two VGA outputs on the computer and use the front end to select the active monitor? then set the monitors to auto off/auto on with no signal?

Well, I haven't actually done it yet. Ratsflif's setup is running off 2 VGA outputs from the PC. What he did was make a menu in HS of only vert games, and ran it to an instance of MAME setup for vert on monitor 2 (w/ Soft15k installed), then used the favorites list to combine hori and vert. With HyperSpin you can launch secondary exes with rom launches, so I'll just write a batch script that sends the com port the signal to turn the monitor on, then waits for the game close button to be pressed, sending the monitor the command to turn off, and passing the close function onto the frontend.