More questions

[Tempest]

questions / problems

I have been going through the forums, but I couldn't find answers to these...

1. most of my snaps are not displaying as I go through my mame game list. I checked my paths, made sur that the image names match the game names, changed themes, and I had gameex update the lists (just for good measure), and most of the snaps don't show up. They used to, and I'm sure I did something, but I don't know what.

Edit: I forgot to mention this, but when scrolling through the games list, I get random noises, like Gameex is trying to play part of an audio file - different sounds for different games...

2. In another thread, Bkenobi suggested that I use the Guncon2 lightguns, which I think is a great Idea since I already own two of them, but how do I hook them up? I am using a PC (CRT) VGA monitor. The monitor also has DVI inputs.

3. My PC is an Intel Celeron (I believe its a p4) 2.4Ghz, 512Mb Ram. I have visual pinball running fine, but future pinball runs slow. Any sugggestions for config changes? I read somewhere in the forum that on board video should not be used, so I am looking for advice on a new video card. There are so many choices, the only thing I know is that I don't want to spend $600. I'm hoping to fix some of the slower games. Or maybe a video card won't help?

Thanks again!

[bkenobi]

2) GunCon2 light guns can be hooked up to the PC really easily IF they have a USB connection on them (some do, some don't) AND they don't require extra power. My guns came with a USB port (which was a requirement when I was looking) but they also had a laser feature I thought I would be using (I don't) that makes the gun require power. The problem is that it gets power from the Playstation plug. So, I built a circuit to convert 12v power from the PC to 9 volt (as I recall) that the gun needs and hacked a pair of PS2 extension cables. My suggestion is using Namco models that have USB and no need for power if you want to go the GunCon2 route.

[Tempest]

2) GunCon2 light guns can be hooked up to the PC really easily IF they have a USB connection on them (some do, some don't) AND they don't require extra power. My guns came with a USB port (which was a requirement when I was looking) but they also had a laser feature I thought I would be using (I don't) that makes the gun require power. The problem is that it gets power from the Playstation plug. So, I built a circuit to convert 12v power from the PC to 9 volt (as I recall) that the gun needs and hacked a pair of PS2 extension cables. My suggestion is using Namco models that have USB and no need for power if you want to go the GunCon2 route.

I do have the Namco models, so i should be able to just plug in the USB for power. Right?

I was more concerned about the video connection and how to hook up the composite to VGA. I'm assuming that the guns will still be using scanlines to work properly. You mention hacking a PS2 extension cable, that doesn't have anything to do with video does it? Keep in mind that I really don't know what I'm talking about, so I probably am not asking the right questions.

[dwight]

1. Can you see the snaps in explorer OK? What format are they/

2. The reference to ps2 plugs does not involve your video, its about interfacing with a PC

3. Looks like you need more memory first - get 1GB or more in your system for the biggest difference, and if that doesnt work, I'd say you need to upgrade your CPU (which may also mean upgrading your motherboard). A $100 video card will give you plenty of grunt, but its not your main bottleneck.

[Tempest]

1. Can you see the snaps in explorer OK? What format are they/

2. The reference to ps2 plugs does not involve your video, its about interfacing with a PC

3. Looks like you need more memory first - get 1GB or more in your system for the biggest difference, and if that doesnt work, I'd say you need to upgrade your CPU (which may also mean upgrading your motherboard). A $100 video card will give you plenty of grunt, but its not your main bottleneck.

1. Yep - they are there. I double (quadruple) checked the path in configuration / Basic Mame Settings. Then (just to make sure) I checked the path in the Gameex.cfg - just in case it was read only or something stupid. I have 6582 images, unzipped, all in png format, however most of them do not display.

2. I looked around on the net for another 1 1/2 hours, and I can't find anything conclusive about hooking up lightguns to a pc monitor. (Alot of broken links, and circles to run around in.) I don't know if you are up for it or not, but It looks like I need step-by-step instructions for hooking up the Guncons. Can you recommend a site to go to? Am I missing something?

3. Thanks for the tip, more memory it is!

[Tempest]

2) GunCon2 light guns can be hooked up to the PC really easily IF they have a USB connection on them (some do, some don't) AND they don't require extra power. My guns came with a USB port (which was a requirement when I was looking) but they also had a laser feature I thought I would be using (I don't) that makes the gun require power. The problem is that it gets power from the Playstation plug. So, I built a circuit to convert 12v power from the PC to 9 volt (as I recall) that the gun needs and hacked a pair of PS2 extension cables. My suggestion is using Namco models that have USB and no need for power if you want to go the GunCon2 route.

I found this link http://xoomer.alice.it/guncon2/VideoCon3.htm Is this the right way to hook them up? I don't want to ruin a bunch of equipment with a bad idea - I prefer to do it all on my own!

[bkenobi]

I didn't realize you were planning on hooking this up to a PC monitor, I thought you were looking at a CRT TV (either RCA or SVideo connection). I've heard that those schematics work (I've seen them before), but as I use a TV, I haven't tried them. Unless you are good with building circuits (or want to be), you might consider seeing if anyone sells these first AND find out if 2 guns can work with a single circuit. It would kinda suck having to build 2 of them. If I were using a PC monitor, I might consider the LCD Topguns since you don't have to debug the circuit after you build it and it don't work

[Tempest]

I didn't realize you were planning on hooking this up to a PC monitor, I thought you were looking at a CRT TV (either RCA or SVideo connection). I've heard that those schematics work (I've seen them before), but as I use a TV, I haven't tried them. Unless you are good with building circuits (or want to be), you might consider seeing if anyone sells these first AND find out if 2 guns can work with a single circuit. It would kinda suck having to build 2 of them. If I were using a PC monitor, I might consider the LCD Topguns since you don't have to debug the circuit after you build it and it don't work

I appreciate the response, that's two out of three questions answered... Care to take a shot at #1?

1. most of my snaps are not displaying as I go through my mame game list. I checked my paths, made sur that the image names match the game names, changed themes, and I had gameex update the lists (just for good measure), and most of the snaps don't show up. They used to, and I'm sure I did something, but I don't know what.

Edit: I forgot to mention this, but when scrolling through the games list, I get random noises, like Gameex is trying to play part of an audio file - different sounds for different games...

Dwight replied:

1. Can you see the snaps in explorer OK? What format are they/

I answered back:

1. Yep - they are there. I double (quadruple) checked the path in configuration / Basic Mame Settings. Then (just to make sure) I checked the path in the Gameex.cfg - just in case it was read only or something stupid. I have 6582 images, unzipped, all in png format, however most of them do not display.

[Nologic]

Do you also have video files setup for your roms...because it sort of sounds like you do after your mention about audio clips being played...if so GX I think will try to play a video prior to displaying an image....if this is the case then you may not have your video codec's setup correctly.

[Tempest]

Do you also have video files setup for your roms...because it sort of sounds like you do after your mention about audio clips being played...if so GX I think will try to play a video prior to displaying an image....if this is the case then you may not have your video codec's setup correctly.

Nologic,

Outstanding! I download the xvid codec and everything works!

I've read enough posts to know that you guys already know this, but you guys are the s**t!

I am beginning to believe that the best kind of logic is Nologic!

Thanks to everyone who helped with these three questions .... time to start a new list

[bkenobi]

Good stuff. Have fun!