Mame Cabinet in the works, need a few tips

Hey all,

Been looking to build a MAME machine for a while, today i picked up an NBA Jam cab, complete minus the PCB. 4 player (3 buttons each + 4 start buttons) JAMMA harnessed (for the two players, monitor, and audio), the other two are through it's own molex connectors.

I plan on adding a total of 6 buttons to the system. (an additional 3 to player one and two for fighting games and such) I'm trying to figure out if i should rewire my control panel to an IPAC4, or get a JPAC and an IPAC2 to support the additional 2 joysticks.

The second method is a little more expensive, but is it easier/better quality? It doesn't seem like to strip out the current JAMMA harness and rewire it all would be a big deal being that i can screw it into the IPAC and get the crip connectors for the microswitches.

Also, does anyone have experience with the ArcadeVGA? My arcade monitor does not have a VGA 15 pin port like some of these newer ones. So it looks like I'll need this card if i go with the IPAC4 and then get the VGA adapter to the arcade monitor. The monitor now has a R, G, B, and a Sync wires, which I'm sure most do, so it'll connect.

Otherwise, i get the JPAC, and just use that to connect to my PC monitor output. However I think I red that if you dont have a PCB board the power load isn't right and the monitor won't work correctly or something. It just doesnt seem like the monitor could possibly draw enough power through the keyboard/usb ports or anything to power it. I'd imagine i'd have to separate the power sources and keep the monitor on it's own line? ( i guess thats where the issue is with an uneven load or something?

I'm just looking for some general tips/advice on this topic. Any thoughts are greatly appreciated from anyone who's done this before, as this is my first time doing this and I am super excited.

In the meantime while I figure out what parts I need to buy, I'll be sanding and painting and working on some cosmetic things!

Hey mate welcome to the forum and best of luck with your project.

I'm afraid this isn't going to be a useful post for you since I have no idea about how those things work but be sure to keep us updated with pics and commentry it sounds really interesting.

Thanks anyway! And I will be posting up some pictures to document this along.

This wiki might help you...

The BYOAC Wiki

Haha, been there many times before I even bought the cabinet to get a feel for these projects. Thanks though

I'm just presented with an interesting setup that is JAMMA (which is a 2 player support) with an additional 2 joysticks+buttons. I haven't read about anyone handling this particular situation so I was looking to get some advice on the issue and how to handle it.

I'll have some pictures with some commentary up tonight I promise!

*EDIT* Okay! No pics or commentary tongiht...I lied. I just got tickets for the Transformers movie opening tonight. Pics will have to wait another day.

PS: Anyone have suggestions regarding my control panel dilema?

danomitek.wordpress.com

Have some pictures up and stuff, check it out!

Cool pics

im just in the stages of planning my cab project and im soo excited :)...it seems like awsome fun and the final product is just awsome...im basing mine on mk2 cabinet :D

Lots of people dong this around here, did you see genomes


http://forums.emulator-zone.com/show...5707#post85707

also good job finding a NBA jam one...i loved that game...u gonna re-do original nba jam artwork?