Xbox 360 to Egret II? Explain this to someone clueless

[TastySoil]

Hey guys,

I've been searching around and can't seem to find any consistent info on the different message boards i've checked, so I'm hoping someone that knows how to do this can lay it out...

I want to hook an Xbox360 up to my Egret II to play the shooters I have for it. I don't want to hack up any wires in my Egret II as it's in great condition.... can this be done without damaging the Arcade cab

Here is what (I think) I know goes into hooking this up:
• get some hacked xbox360 controllers to hook to the control panel..
• something to interface between the Xbox360 console and the Egret II jamma
• something to convert the video (i guess? Convert a high res signal to low-res....I'm confused on this a bit...)

Any way, I was thinking this thread could help me and any other people curious about this figure out how to do this in the most straight forward way possible. Please post links to the stuff recommended if possible. Thanks for all the info!

[Fudoh]

something to convert the video (i guess? Convert a high res signal to low-res....I'm confused on this a bit...)

Your options are:

a) direct connection via RGBs (15khz 480i) - no conversion needed, but possibly a sync stripper.
b) 480i to 240p using an Extron RGB interface. Requires a sync stripper. Worth the effort if you're mainly into native low-res shooters. Doesn't work so good on native 480i/p games. (RGB Interace ~ $30)
c) 480p to 240p using an Extron Emotia. Gives you 240p with scanlines on every game (Emotia ~ $60-100)
d) 480p to 384p (24khz) using an UVC. Gives you a "high-res-like" picture with basically no visible scanlines (UVC ~ $100-120*)

* the UVC can convert to both, 240p and 384p.

[TastySoil]

So if i'm going to mainly play the Cave XBOX360 ports and Raiden IV would the UVC be the best to use?
P.S. is this the one you are talking about?: http://www.emphatic.se/?p=139

[kernow]

You could always fit a 31k capable rodotron/wei-ya 666A chassis to it I believe, for a direct VGA connection @640x480, downside being you'll lose 15k performance.

[rugdoctor]

Simple method @480i:

Tate your screen as you would.

Get a SCART cable for the xbox360.

Get a SCART to JAMMA adapter: http://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.ph ... t+to+jamma

Hook up any 2x joypad hack/PS360 etc pcb to the adapter (it will allow up to 2 players controls).

The adapter will allow up to 3 fire/action buttons and start button in line with standard jamma configuration. If you require 6 buttons (rare in shmups ), you need to make seperate connections for the other 3 buttons. You probably wont need to do that if its only a dedicated shmup cab. The setup should have enough cabling to allow the xbox to be outside the cab or if you want to risk RROD but have a seamless setup, use the wireless pad to power on the xbox while its inside the cab.

[TastySoil]

Simple method @480i:

Tate your screen as you would.

Get a SCART cable for the xbox360.

Get a SCART to JAMMA adapter: http://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.ph ... t+to+jamma

Hook up any 2x joypad hack/PS360 etc pcb to the adapter (it will allow up to 2 players controls).

The adapter will allow up to 3 fire/action buttons and start button in line with standard jamma configuration. If you require 6 buttons (rare in shmups ), you need to make seperate connections for the other 3 buttons. You probably wont need to do that if its only a dedicated shmup cab. The setup should have enough cabling to allow the xbox to be outside the cab or if you want to risk RROD but have a seamless setup, use the wireless pad to power on the xbox while its inside the cab.

This sounds great, thanks so much for everyones suggestions. I think this method sounds like the easiest way... how is the picture quality using this method for the Cave games? better to use this then the UVC with an Egret II monitor? ---

Anyone know anyone selling hacked xbox360 gamepads?

[emphatic]

If you consider yourself a novice, go with the scart+viletim. The picture is superb, although you will get some flickering in menus. It's super easy to setup and you can run ALL scart consoles through this. It also supports sound straight out of the box. With a UVC you have to wire up sound somehow and also amplify the console sound output.

Controls:
Get a PS360+ from www.Akihabarashop.jp when they release it and get control support for PSX(PS2), 360, PS3 and PC.
Or get a PSX padhack and buy a PS2->360 converter from www.etokki.com

The PS2 support is great as you can run your PS2 through the viletim with very little fuss in the same package as the 360 support. The viletim has screw connectors for controls that are passed through it's JAMMA connector, so no messing with your EGRET II wiring at all.

[rugdoctor]

Check out my blog http://kelvinsgamingheaven.blogspot.com/, might answer some of your questions.

Some videos on my channel too:http://www.youtube.com/user/Colorwolf2006?feature=mhee

Pad hacking a dualshock1 pad is the way to go to future proof your setup, thats what I am using. But you need to get the appropriate adapters for any consoles you wish to use. However, if it is only the 360 you wish to run on the cab, then get the PS360(+) pcb. No soldering required and just screw in wires from the adapter to the pcb and nothing else to worry about.

If you wonder how 480i scart will look like, just plug your 360 through composite in any old school TV (on its side ofcause) and imagine less ghosting, brighter colours, more noticable flickering on texts and high contrast edges and jumpy scanlines..of cause all these quirkes of 480i is not that big a deal when everything is moving on the screen and you are focussing on pink/blue/green/violet/red/yellow..bullets, flashing lazer beams, floating powerup icons, missiles and ofcause intricate backgrounds.

[TastySoil]

emphatic & rugdoctor, thanks for the replies & advice...it's a huge help in trying to understand how to get this going, i'm curious about the ps360+ -- I can't find much info on everything it does...is it purely just a controller connection? Anyone have any links explaining more about it?

[rugdoctor]

most likely be the same as the PS360 pcb, which featured screw in terminals for buttons and ground, WAY easier than padhacking, everything should be labelled, so you hook up the corresponding labels between the scart adapter and the ps360. Simple.

Here is the manual for the PS360...its a large file, but very useful none the less.

http://www.portalversus.com.br/versus_c ... /PS360.pdf

[TastySoil]

Thanks for the PDF link!

I don't want to derail this thread from being about the XBOX360 but I have a quick side question
I found a guy selling this to hook a Original XBOX up to a cab:



but he claims this is just plug and play into the cab with no other stuff needed to get the video & controls working good. If anyone knows, is this setup going to work with a Aero City or Egret II? Its a good price on it, so I wanna grab it, but not if it's not going to work with my cab.

Thanks again!

[PC Engine Fan X!]

I'm currently using one of viletim's Scart to Jamma adapters with a JPN region 360 console setup + Euro 360 Scart cable on my Egret 2 candy cab. You can adjust both contrast knobs on the Scart to Jamma adapter & your Egret 2 to fine tune the picture to your liking.

For comparision purposes, playing the 360 port of DDP-DFK 1.5 tends to a bit lighter when using an S2J adapter + Scart cable setup compared to playing a real DDP-DFK 1.5 PCB (with it's dedicated low-res output) on the ol' E2 cab (with it's native dual sync 15/24kHz low-res/med-res output from the get-go).

I'd like to get one of those upcoming latest PS360+ controller adapters (that are currently in production) & I'd be set in the game controls department.

Some folks say that you get a better picture by going the S2J route than if you were to use an UVC setup with a 360 console + candy cab. Of course, your mileage may vary.

If you decide to go with an UVC adapter, then you'll need to pick up an 360 VGA cable as well.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[fagin]

something to convert the video (i guess? Convert a high res signal to low-res....I'm confused on this a bit...)

Your options are:

a) direct connection via RGBs (15khz 480i) - no conversion needed, but possibly a sync stripper.
b) 480i to 240p using an Extron RGB interface. Requires a sync stripper. Worth the effort if you're mainly into native low-res shooters. Doesn't work so good on native 480i/p games. (RGB Interace ~ $30)c) 480p to 240p using an Extron Emotia. Gives you 240p with scanlines on every game (Emotia ~ $60-100)
d) 480p to 384p (24khz) using an UVC. Gives you a "high-res-like" picture with basically no visible scanlines (UVC ~ $100-120*)

* the UVC can convert to both, 240p and 384p.

Option B above works very well.

[rugdoctor]

Thanks for the PDF link!

I don't want to derail this thread from being about the XBOX360 but I have a quick side question
I found a guy selling this to hook a Original XBOX up to a cab:



but he claims this is just plug and play into the cab with no other stuff needed to get the video & controls working good. If anyone knows, is this setup going to work with a Aero City or Egret II? Its a good price on it, so I wanna grab it, but not if it's not going to work with my cab.

Thanks again!

The A/V circuit might not be beefy enough, so you need to tweet up the contrast or brightness on the monitor, refer to this video for the setup: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=laB6qmIZ5xw. The adapter supports 3 buttons from the get go, so you might be able to use the JAMMA controls instead of rewiring the control panel to the hacked controllers. Not sure if the circuit supports RGB?

[emphatic]

That Original XBox->JAMMA is supposed to work really well. It might have a fixed timer though that I'm not sure you can turn off.

It might be this one: http://www.starcab.net/product_info.php ... cts_id=126

[TastySoil]

That Original XBox->JAMMA is supposed to work really well. It might have a fixed timer though that I'm not sure you can turn off.

It might be this one: http://www.starcab.net/product_info.php ... cts_id=126

It does have a timer, but it can be turned off (so he says)
Here is a closer photo, it does't seem to look like the one you posted the link to, but it looks similar:



If it all works, I'll use this with my hacked xbox running coinops2.

[TastySoil]

Does microsoft still make xbox to Scart cables? I can't seem to find any official cables, only 3rd party ones...

[TastySoil]

ok, here is another question

I found a guy that knows how to hack Xbox360 controllers -- If I get the Scart to Jamma Adapter can I hook up a hacked controller to it without the need to buy a PS360? If so, is that all i'll need to get this setup going? Since the PS360 isn't for sale yet, i'd like to go another way to get it all hooked up

[kernow]

If it all works after being on the carpet

[TastySoil]

Hahahah...Yeah....I was a little worried about that too.

[emphatic]

ok, here is another question

I found a guy that knows how to hack Xbox360 controllers -- If I get the Scart to Jamma Adapter can I hook up a hacked controller to it without the need to buy a PS360? If so, is that all i'll need to get this setup going? Since the PS360 isn't for sale yet, i'd like to go another way to get it all hooked up

I say get hacked PS2 controllers instead, then get the etokki adapter. There are adapters for almost all systems (on eBay) that will fit the PS2 connector meaning it's a way better choice than getting hacked 360 pads. But yes, getting 360 pad hacks will of course work like you ask. Just make sure to connect the correct wires from them to the screw connectors.

[TastySoil]

ok awesome, the guy I found can hack PS2 controllers also. Although I don't have any intention of getting a PS2. Is there any other advantage to getting a PS2 controller other then being able to hook a Playstation 2 up to it also?

So just a quick recap of what I need to buy.

• Scart to Jamma Adaptor
• Scart cable
• Hacked xbox360 controller (or ps2 + etokki adapter)

am i missing anything?

Is there a diagram anywhere explaining what screw connectors to plug the hacked controller into?
*I think* It's all starting to make sense now
Thanks for all the answers to my questions dudes

[antron]

ok awesome, the guy I found can hack PS2 controllers also. Although I don't have any intention of getting a PS2. Is there any other advantage to getting a PS2 controller other then being able to hook a Playstation 2 up to it also?

ps2 controller adapters exist for just about every console ever made.

(except that the company that made the widest variety of them, tototek, is sold out for some reason)

[opt2not]

I started something like this a few weeks ago. Putting in a few hours here and there, this weekend I just finished my 360-to-Jamma interface to connect to my NAC. I went the Emphatic route and used a UVC, but for the controls I have 2x madcatz Arcade Gamestick controllers which were pretty easy to hack (common ground, easy to solder connections). I could have waited for the PS360+ akiharbara shop keeps promising, but I have no more patience to wait for them. Remarkably, it all fit snug in my project box:


All the button outputs from the controllers to a DB25 connection (in fact all the components are wired with the idea in mind to be able to pull them out of the box easily), and goes to the jamma edge. I used stand-offs to stack the two controllers together, and also the Microphone connection for the Gamestick controllers are really easy to mount, so I de-soldered it, extended the wires and mounted it to the project box extruding out the side.


I've got 2 USB pass-throughs, a VGA pass-through, a kick-harness connector, a 2-pin 12v connector (for supplying 12v to an auto-switching relay to my Nanao MS9 dual-rez monitor for 24khz). On the other side, the microphone jack, and there's a switch that changes the 3rd and 6th button (Fierce punch, and Roundhouse Kick) from RT & RB, to LT & LB. This was more for me to have access to those buttons if needed. Sorry for the crummy iphone pictures:


Anyways, I went this route because I wanted to leave the cabinet un-touched by having a true jamma connection, I'm somewhat handy with soldering, and I had a bunch of parts lying around already from previous projects. I also wanted to have a box I can easily transfer to a friend's machine if need-be without hassles. I hope this gives you some ideas.

[TastySoil]

Man, that setup look nice and tidy! Makes me wish I knew more about getting all this set up...

[emphatic]

I really love the use of standoffs. Very neat.

[opt2not]

Man, that setup look nice and tidy! Makes me wish I knew more about getting all this set up...

Thanks! This is probably my tidiest wiring work to date. Mainly because I was forced to be tidy with the size of the project box I have.
Don't worry about not knowing more of this stuff, everyone's gotta start somewhere. I'm not trained in electronics in any way, I'm an artist by trade. A lot of this stuff I learned by working on arcade projects, looking up videos on the youtubez, as well as information from several arcade forums like this one. There a bunch of helpful guys online that have the same passion that I do that have gone through this before and have posted their findings to share. Let me tell you, it's a lot of reading, but the forum search functions is your best friend.

I really love the use of standoffs. Very neat.

Thanks bro. I wish I found out sooner about standoffs. It would have made some other past projects a whole lot neater too!

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Does microsoft still make xbox to Scart cables? I can't seem to find any official cables, only 3rd party ones...

Microsoft doesn't make their 1st-party 360 Scart cables anymore + the fact that it's getting harder & harder to find such 1st-party MS 360 Scart cables (with the usual minature Xbox 360 themed hologram sticker to denote that it's a genuine one) for sale, especially in brand new condition. If you can source one either in new or used condition, it's well worth it indeed.

Upon inserting a 360 Scart cable into a JPN or USA region 360 console, the on-screen prompts will say Scart cable and you will have re-size your favorite 360 Cave shmup ports to properly fit the Nanao monitor to full screen size (a minor issue). Be sure to select normal 4:3 screen (as opposed to widescreen 16:9 setting) & you're good to go.

I'm surprised that MS didn't make an official Japanese 21-pin RGB cable for the JPN 360 market. Of course, you can always use a Scart to Japanese RGB output cable adapter with an XRGB upscan convertor if it needed be.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[fagin]

360 aftermarket SCART RGB cables can be bought off eBay for as little as £4! I know because I have one and the quality is 100%.

The aftremarket xbox component leads used to be a bit hit and miss, but the SCART RGB cables don't appear to be as much of an issue.

[Dave_K.]

If you consider yourself a novice, go with the scart+viletim. The picture is superb, although you will get some flickering in menus.

IMHO an interlaced picture only looks good on horizontal games. Vertical games with scrolling backgrounds have noticeable tear/flicker in them with interlace. At least this is my experience with PS2 interlaced tated shmups.

Since it sounds like you have both viletim's adapter and uvc, have you done side-by-side comparisons?

And here is my version of opt2not's convert box (smaller and without the UVC since I have a tri-sync monitor).