Help with Neo Geo MVS 4 Cabinet Build

[invisiblek]

Hi everyone,

Couple questions if anyone can shed some insight on these that would be awesome!

I picked up a Neo Geo MVS 4 Cabinet the other day (for $40, what a deal eh?) with the intent of building it into a MAME system. It didn't come with the mainboard, which I was fine with, planned to gut it out anyway and throw a PC in it (maybe even my RaspberryPi if it works out =])

One thing I'm struggling with here is I'm trying to figure out a way to get the original CRT that is in it to interface with the computer that I plan to put in.
As far as I can tell the CRT works fine, I can hear it turn on and you get that good old fashioned CRT look when turning it off (like android phones do nowadays).

I've been reading about some JAMMA adapters quite a bit but from what I'm seeing it requires the original mainboard (which I didn't really plan on being necessary). Also, most people are doing the opposite by putting a newer screen in with the old mainboard.

Wondering if someone has a solution for me here, I've linked some pictures of what I'm looking at below.

Cabinet pics (in the process of fixing up the control panel):



Here is the wire that comes off the board from the CRT:


And a pic of the CRT board itself:



I understand this type of CRT to be called a CGA display? Is that correct?
I've been looking at a board like this: http://www.jammaboards.com/store/cga-eg ... _rewrite=1
For this, but someone told me they thought it required the original board to work.

Also just found this one that looks promising: http://na.suzohapp.com/monitors/49272710.htm

And even one of these, looks even better (more affordable):
http://www.ebay.com/itm/VGA-to-RGBS-CGA ... 416d59811d

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I'll invite you over to play on it once finished too =]

[EllertMichael]

I picked up a Neo Geo MVS 4 Cabinet the other day (for $40, what a deal eh?)

...with the intent of building it into a MAME system.

please don't do that.

[bryan_65]

I picked up a Neo Geo MVS 4 Cabinet the other day (for $40, what a deal eh?)

...with the intent of building it into a MAME system.

please don't do that.

I agree. You should put a MVS board back in and get a 161 in 1 cart if you want an instant Neo Geo collection. Or you could just bring it back to glory with a 4 slot board and some killer carts that you will play for a long time. I had a 100 in 1 cart and found my self not spending enough time with each game so I sold it.

[Hobie-wan]

Thirded that the cab deserves to be refurbished into a proper MVS machine.

[Majors]

I have no love for MAME but I think you're looking for this video converter:
http://www.jammaboards.com/store/vga-to ... s8100.html

And even one of these, looks even better (more affordable):
http://www.ebay.com/itm/VGA-to-RGBS-CGA ... 416d59811d

...Or the one you found on eBay.

The CRT in the cabinet is low res/CGA/15Hz. The PC will out put Hi-res/31Hz (unless you go with a ArcadeVGA solution). The converter you 1st posted is the other way around, to make a lo-res game(JAMMA) run on a hi-res CRT. I know, because I'm getting ready to buy one for a Naomi Universal cab that I'm converting into a JAMMA setup.

You can just throw in a LCD or computer monitor in the cab also, and part out the CRT in the cab now(sacrilege!).

Look at J-PAC stuff, might be a one-stop solution for you:
http://www.ultimarc.com/jpac.html

[invisiblek]

I have no love for MAME but I think you're looking for this video converter:
http://www.jammaboards.com/store/vga-to ... s8100.html

And even one of these, looks even better (more affordable):
http://www.ebay.com/itm/VGA-to-RGBS-CGA ... 416d59811d

...Or the one you found on eBay.

The CRT in the cabinet is low res/CGA/15Hz. The PC will out put Hi-res/31Hz (unless you go with a ArcadeVGA solution). The converter you 1st posted is the other way around, to make a lo-res game(JAMMA) run on a hi-res CRT. I know, because I'm getting ready to buy one for a Naomi Universal cab that I'm converting into a JAMMA setup.

You can just throw in a LCD or computer monitor in the cab also, and part out the CRT in the cab now(sacrilege!).

Look at J-PAC stuff, might be a one-stop solution for you:
http://www.ultimarc.com/jpac.html

Thanks a bunch Majors, this is pretty much what I had discovered in my searching but wanted to be sure.

Sorry to ruffle everyone's feathers too. When I set out to do this project I didn't necessarily intend on getting this cabinet (or any specific one in particular), I just happened upon it and thought it would be cool build.
To be honest I wasn't really too concerned with what cabinet I bought, this just happened to be there at the same price as the others he had.

[driph]

The ideal solution for a MAME cabinet is either a generic cab (most Asian candy cabs, or US Dynamo cabinets), or building your own. An additional advantage of the Dynamo for MAME use is the drawer (see the flyer I linked to above).

Since you bought that one for so cheap and it looks clean, you could easily find yourself a Neo-Geo MVS board, install it, and then flip the cabinet and make a couple hundred bucks to put towards your MAME project.

Although really, if you arent destructive with your MAME build (drilling new button holes, adding a trackball, that sort of thing), you should be able to build something from the Neo that you'd be able to easily switch back to stock if down the road you decided to return it to an MVS system.

[invisiblek]

The ideal solution for a MAME cabinet is either a generic cab (most Asian candy cabs, or US Dynamo cabinets), or building your own. An additional advantage of the Dynamo for MAME use is the drawer (see the flyer I linked to above).

Since you bought that one for so cheap and it looks clean, you could easily find yourself a Neo-Geo MVS board, install it, and then flip the cabinet and make a couple hundred bucks to put towards your MAME project.

Although really, if you arent destructive with your MAME build (drilling new button holes, adding a trackball, that sort of thing), you should be able to build something from the Neo that you'd be able to easily switch back to stock if down the road you decided to return it to an MVS system.

Gotcha. Yea I didn't really plan to destroy this thing. The buttons would be the same, no drilling there and nothing about the structure of the cabinet would really be changed. Just different guts.

I may do some things like replacing the speakers, but definitely nothing like adding a trackball or anything to it. Its going to remain a 2 joystick, 4 button system.

[AppleQueso]

Personally I think keeping it an MVS is way cooler than a MAME cabinet, but whatever.

It's good you plan to at least keep it all original.

[Majors]

Although really, if you arent destructive with your MAME build (drilling new button holes, adding a trackball, that sort of thing), you should be able to build something from the Neo that you'd be able to easily switch back to stock if down the road you decided to return it to an MVS system.

You don't want to be scoffed at!