X-Arcade, Sound and mameui32fx

[FalconYT]

Hello,

I just recently started to use Mame, I've tried it on my Mac and my PC so far.. However I just updated to Mameui32fx 0.123u2 on my PC. I have noticed that my X-Arcade arcade stick no longer works on the info screen where it says to type OK or move the joystick left or right to continue.. I downloaded the xarcade.cfg from X-Gaming and tried it with no luck.. Is this possibly something new with this version??? The joystick operates fine within the games them selves. Version 0.122 seemed to work fine with the x-arcade before..

Also I tried a couple games with CHD's, the sound echos and the performance is kinda slow... Is this normal on MAME, I am assuming the sound is not.. I don't think CPU is my issue, 6400+ AM2 AMD X2, running under Vista.. I read in a post below someone mentioned refresh rate for repeating sound???? Are there special settings to run games with CHD's??

Thanks for any info anyone can provide, I have been reading a lot to get my MAME versions working but I am a nubee when it comes to MAME for sure...

 

[FatTrucker]

A number of the CHD games don't run properly on any current hardware. There are a number of others that only run in a playable state on a very fast Core2Duo and 64 bit windows. There are a few (like Killer Instinct) that work perfectly well on ordinary mid range hardware. Its highly likely dependent on what CHD games you are trying to run that they simply won't work properly with your/most hardware.
Mame by default is also set to throttle games (slow them down to their original speed), in game if you press F10 it will toggle throttle on and off, similarly repeatedly pressing F9 will give you varying levels of frameskipping.

For the x-arcade thing try opening the mame/cfg folder and delete the default.cfg file (don't worry mame generates a new one when you run it). In most cases where you've upgraded and the controls go wierd that will sort it out.

If not try using the TAB menu in game, select input general and re-assign the controls in there (I think it will be under general or other input types and will prbably be called something like UI left UI right).

 

[jpcline004]

make sure you check off "enable joystick input" in the default game options. That solves 95% of joystick problems

 

[FatTrucker]

make sure you check off "enable joystick input" in the default game options. That solves 95% of joystick problems

He says the joystick is working fine 'in game' so it must already be enabled, the problem is with the OK action to get past the game info splash screen on bootup.

 

[FalconYT]

Thanks for the info, I will be trying that out today and see if that fixes it and let you know.. I really like the old Gauntlet arcade game and never remembered ever seeing the others growing up. I ran across Dark Legacy and tried it and it runs on MAME OSX but horribly.. That is v122 of MAME and on v123 it would not start at all says it's missing files??

 

[FatTrucker]

That can happen from build to build with mame as things are changed, improved and/or redumped. Updating your mame version can often also mean updating any roms that have changed.

I think Gauntlet Legends is one of the titles thats just barely playable with a C2D and 64 bit windows on the 64bit build of mame. It runs between 1 and 2 FPS on my overclocked Athlon64 3700, 2Gb Ram machine to give you an example.

 

[FalconYT]

Well I just tried the suggestions and none of them are working, I wonder if this is something that just cropped up with the newer version?? I reset to defaults, the joystick selection is already enabled and I deleted the config file.

Would a different front end program with just mame32 be a better choice you think??

I tried Gauntlet Legends and that is almost playable, it starts good then the sound goes south.. I see what you mean by the power of the computer to play some of the CHD games.. I also tried syncing sound to video in the options and that didn't do anything useful.. Tried the F9 and F8 and disabled the throttle in the settings and nothing.. I guess it will be trial and error to see what I can get to work..

I will be building a cabinet and some controls so that should be a fun project..

 

[FatTrucker]

Its possible. Try regressing to the previous mame version and if the problem disappears then you've found yourself a bug.

The sound issues you are experiencing are very much related to the emulation and not something that you will generally improve with changed settings. Eventually as the emulation improves so should the sound.
The stuttering issue with other sound relates to refresh rates where you must be running the game at a lower refresh than your display or turn on Triple Buffering.

Making your own cab is the best thing in the world and nowhere near as technical as you might think at first. Definitely recommended.

 

[FalconYT]

Thanks for the help Trucker..

I think I may just go back to version 122 and see what happens... I've got my cabinet oh, 75% done. I'm going to get an ipac and give it a shot.. I really like the lighted buttons and trackball... If you had the choice would you pick an actual arcade monitor and say an ultimarc arcade vga card or just go with regular direct3d and an LCD??? I'm just trying to justify spending $400 on a wells gardner arcade monitor.. Is that worth it??

 

[FatTrucker]

I've built a few cabs and would say without hesitation there is absolutely no substitute for a real arcade monitor. If thats not an option then don't go for an LCD, use an old TV or a CRT PC monitor.

For your first cab a far quicker and much cheaper route is to buy a secondhand Jamma cab and hook it to the PC and your arcade controls using a J-Pac. It solves the technical and cost issues with an arcade monitore as the J-Pac handles the signal and plugs directly into the Jamma interface. With a PC, and ArcadeVGA card you can convert a Jamma cab to a mame cab in well under an hour.

 

[FalconYT]

I looked on Ebay for a used cabinet before I started my project and unfortunately there were none available in my area. If there were any available locally, (drive to get them) they were a bit to expensive, plus you'd have to re-do them as they were pretty beat up from arcade use.. So I opted to build one from scratch.... The JAMMA standard is new to me as I knew nothing about it before I started reading and was not sure about the connection to it.

I am a little confused on the monitor, arcade vga card combo still.. Do you need them both to re-create the look of the arcade games??.. or can you use say the Wells Gardner monitor with a regular graphics card or the ultimarc arcade vga say with a regular crt or lcd and get the proper refresh and appearance?? When you read the specs and description at X-Arcade and Ultimarc it kind of sounds like you can, but not entirely sure... After priming and painting the cabinet, I am at the point where mounting a monitor would be next so I can make a bezel...

 

[FatTrucker]

The latest generation of AVGA's are fine to use with a PC monitor. TBH though, they are only really worthwhile if you're hooking them up to a PC or Arcade monitor as they are designed to output the non-standard resolutions and refresh rates that these displays require.

If you're going to use a CRT PC monitor or LCD then in all honesty, any graphics card will do.

 

[FalconYT]

Okay so if I invested in an Ultimarc Arcade VGA card per say then my regular LCD Display will be able to correctly display the proper resolution and refresh??? For some reason I was thinking the newer LCD's couldn't display those lower resolutions and refresh rates that the games required natively.

Also I contacted X-Arcade and they said that their 27" Wells Gardner that they sell is made to use with any VGA adapter as it goes up to 800 x 600 SVGA and does not need an Arcade VGA card... $400 + $99 shipping that's a big chunk of change..

Sounds like sticking to a regular D3D capable graphics card may be the least expensive option..

 

[FatTrucker]

No as a rule an LCD is fixed at 60Hz and will only support higher screen resolutions. This makes absolutely no difference to mame as it will run at your desktop res perfectly well and you can fix the refresh rate just below your monitor refresh.
Regardless of what graphics card you use you won't get an authentic looking arcade monitor image with an LCD display, thats not what the arcadeVGA does.

The arcadeVGA is designed to output the non standard resolutions and refresh rates required by a TV or 15 -31 Khz arcade monitor. It will still perform perfectly well as a PC graphics card but on an LCD monitor any PC graphics card will do the same job.

You only need an AVGA if you are using a non standard display, but its still a perfectly ok graphics card for use with an LCD or CRT PC monitor. But it doesn't enhance or improve the image on a normal PC monitor or LCD.

If you're using an LCD you can apply screen filters to mame which go some way to making the image look more authentic by simulating different pixel and scanline effects that you get with a real arcade monitor. You can get them at MrDo's arcade artwork page.

 

[FalconYT]

Thanks Trucker that explained it perfectly for me... I was trying to understand how a new monitor would work with lower refresh rates.. Obviously it doesn't... I'll have to think about now what I really want to put in there..