Getting back into the arcade side...

[ConvincingJohn]

Hey All,

Started out in the hobby on the arcade side years ago, and slowly slid into pinball. By random chance I saw a YouTube video for the Exa-Arcadia system and the interest came roaring back. The Exa page had a list of recommended cabinets by rank, and googling those led me to here, so thank you in advance for helping get someone back into the hobby.

This will be my first time dealing with Japanese cabs so I'm still figuring out where to start. The Black Diamond was what they recommended as best, but I wasn't sure if the Orange and Blue Diamonds were the same just in a different color scheme? The orange seem to be more expensive so to be honest I'm not sure what the differences are in those models.

I'd also like to pick up something cheaper like a Vewlix L to start swapping some older stuff in and out of? Primarily thinking of multi's like the CPS and ST-V stuff. I believe I saw a (hopefully) upcoming Jamma adapter being made so that would fill that.

Thanks to all for being the wealth of knowledge that you are, hopefully after a while I'll pick enough up that I can start helping others in turn...

 

[kikaso]

Welcome to the forum!

 

[hatmoose]

Welcome!

 

[Aurich]

Started out in the hobby on the arcade side years ago, and slowly slid into pinball.

Well, one benefit of that is even the expensive arcade stuff will feel cheap compared to pinball.

The Black Diamond was what they recommended as best, but I wasn't sure if the Orange and Blue Diamonds were the same just in a different color scheme?

The Black and Orange are essentially the same. The Blue is older and not the same. The main difference is that the Black and Orange come with 1080p monitors, and the Blue with 720p.

 

[ArcSys101]

Welcome

 

[ConvincingJohn]

Thank you all for the welcome!

So if I'm understanding the breakdown correctly, then the only differences are color palette on the machines and monitor type? So I could buy cheaper versions as long as I like the color scheme, and by upgrading the monitor (which I was going to do after seeing Hadouken's kits) I end up with the exact same functionality if not better?

That's cool.

Also, if you're the same Aurich from Pinside, then I owe you some thanks for you work over there as well.

 

[Aurich]

Also, if you're the same Aurich from Pinside, then I owe you some thanks for you work over there as well.

Haha yeah, that's me. Not too active on Pinside these days, the hobby getting so expensive burned me out a bit on pinball tbh. I poke in sometimes, and I might work on some new pinball projects this year, we'll see. Have a couple mod ideas still kicking around. I'll pop back over there if I do anything fun, that's definitely the place to share.

I still have 3 pins, but I haven't gotten a new game in a while. My arcade cabs are the thing I'm social with people over, so they get a lot more attention.

 

[bagheera369]

Welcome, @ConvincingJohn !!

Like Aurich and soon yourself, I'm a mix of Candy and Pins as well!

The EXA's are cool, but between PC's, Consoles, TTX multi's, Naomi's, etc, there's a TON of cool stuff you can do with Vewlix cabs, aside from just the EXA's.

Make sure that you check into @dewmansnk 's adapter board for the Meanwell PSU's, if you are gonna need 3.3 and 5v in your Vewlix cabs, as its a big upgrade over the default Taito power supply.

Beyond that, If your a big shmup fan, you may consider getting 2 or 3 cabs, so you can have 1 tate, and then one for fighters/etc, or if you get really crazy, 2 for fighters mirrored with 1p panels, or 2 separate 2player fighting cabs, if you have that many folks coming around.

There's a wealth of knowledge here, and a ton of good people, so good luck on your quest!

 

[jassin000]

and by upgrading the monitor (which I was going to do after seeing Hadouken's kits) I end up with the exact same functionality if not better?

Waaaaaay better!
No matter what Vewlix you buy, do yourself a favor and replace that trash LCD with a LG 1440p (or better yet 4K OLED).

 

[ConvincingJohn]

I'm definitely looking for two cabs at this point, and just starting out with playing Steam games on one, and Jamma with some of the multi boards I've seen here on the forum. The Exa will wait for now and I'll enjoy some stuff I've already been missing.

Granted I've just made cursory research, but it seems like all I need for running Steam through Big Box Mode on Launchbox is a JVS-PAC 2? I'd be curious for feedback from anyone running something like that. I would prefer to not have to use a mouse or keyboard at all except for the rare times I'm adding games from Steam. I'm hoping I can launch and back out through a few extra buttons on the panel from heartcade?

For Jamma, the Jammafier and RetroScaler A1 combo should do the trick correct? With the jamma I'm looking for the "close enough" instead of the "exact experience."

I never went past Jamma back in the day, so its exciting looking into JVS and imported cabs and finding out all that you don't know!

Edit: I'll have to look into dewmansnk's power adapter. I wasn't even aware I should be looking for something like that...thank you for the advice.

 

[jassin000]

it seems like all I need for running Steam through Big Box Mode on Launchbox is a JVS-PAC 2?

Kinda... See the JVSPAC2 identifies its self as a keyboard.
IF your Steam game allows you to remap actions to keyboard keys no problem, IF it demands a joystick (DirectInput) for example you have to resort to an emulation layer (like key-to-joy).

Its really intended for MAME, all default keys supported, zero remapping needed (unless you wanted something different/substandard).
ie drop a coin into your cab and MAME's default key for Player-1 coin is pressed, press Service or Test and again MAME responds correctly with no configuration.

I'd be curious for feedback from anyone running something like that

Ask me whatever you like

For Jamma, the Jammafier and RetroScaler A1 combo should do the trick correct?

Yes and no...
Jammafier yes, but RetroScaler A1 is not for you.
Its not that the RS-A1 won't work, only that its output is locked to VGA-640x480 (in 2022 what a fucking joke).

Its really intended for CRT Tri-sync, you are going to own a LCD based Vewlix (and maybe even upgrade the monitor).
You should be using a Retrotink 5x for its HDMI-1440p output and tripple buffer, or failing that an OSSC for its HDMI-1600x1200 output (lacks a buffer tho so some games won't display on the stock Vewlix LCD).

You will need a device to knock-down the pure arcade JAMMA video levels into SCART approate levels.
Officially the Jammafier is to be used with either the RS-A1 or the Tri-Sync Helper.
TSH is again designed for people who want VGA output (or have the unfortunate combo of a Taito F3 and a OSSC).

I invite you to check out the Jassifier, which is a device I made for the Jammafier to output proper SCART via 8pin mini-din.

 

[ConvincingJohn]

Okay, this is slowly starting to seep into my brain. I'll focus on the Jamma side first. The Jassifier looks like a great little tool, do you happen to have any assembled available? I'd be down for two if you do. What's the cleanest method you've found to get power to the OSSC? I've come across some of your posts and it seems you're a big proponent of doing as little changing to a cabinet as is needed, which is the way I prefer to go.

 

[jassin000]

I had a need, and I thought others would too...
I never wanted to sell it, and only made that last batch to make sure no problems with the design existed.
Only one SMD component, everything else is thru-hole (aka very easy to solder/great project to learn on).

Yes I tried to avoid making permeant alterations, so the cab retains all its arcade functionality.

OSSC power is easy, Vewlix has two AC outlets inside (one for the LCD, one for the OSSC).

 

[Aurich]

EXA isn't really "arcade" think of it more like rare SSD running on emulator PC with JVS or Jamma connector..

You might as well call anything on a TTX or similar system not arcade by that criteria. Arcade games just been hard drives and Windows PCs for a long time now.

Seems silly to me, if you can play it for money in an arcade it's an arcade game. Now whether or not it's worth collecting is up to the individual. exA at least doesn't gimp their games if you're not paying into a special network that you couldn't sign up for if you tried or have an offline hack or are illuminati enough to be on a private server.

 

[jassin000]

You might as well call anything on a TTX or similar system not arcade by that criteria

I mostly do this.
Don't own any of the embedded x86 platforms, I feel a real PC is best if thats the experience your looking for.

 

[Aurich]

I think it would be accurate to say that exA is scraping together whatever they possibly can lol.

But to be fair, they're not just porting, all their rewarmed leftovers have original-to-the-arcade bits. Gimmick for example is hardly some kind of emulated "seen it before" title.

At some point I'm sure they'd love more original games, have to grow enough to prove that potential.

 

[Kagaden]

Welcome aboard CJohn!

If you or Jassin000 need to do keyboard to Xinput directly for better compatibility, I highly recommend K2X that Schwing developed some years ago here:
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,158047.0.html

Not much these days uses DirectInput and it can cause the odd occasional issue daisy chaining it with something like X360ce. This is a straight and simple solution I've been using for years.

 

[jassin000]

@Kagaden I've been trying to convince @invzim to add joystick/DXI support to the JVSPAC2 for over a year now.
It COULD be done 100% in device firmware, and that would open up lots of older PC titles from the mid/late 90's that demand it.

I don't have the skills for that kind of thing, but I'd be willing to donate/fund someone who can.

 

[invzim]

@Kagaden I've been trying to convince @invzim to add joystick/DXI support to the JVSPAC2 for over a year now.
It COULD be done 100% in device firmware, and that would open up lots of older PC titles from the mid/late 90's that demand it.

I don't have the skills for that kind of thing, but I'd be willing to donate/fund someone who can.

With the current parts-shortage, there is not much development going on - so it may happen this year

 

[ConvincingJohn]

Well, I've got plenty of ordering to do, thank you all for your help and willingness to answer all the newbie questions.

I understand the mixed feelings on the Exa, it was my love of my long-gone Neo Geo that lead me to looking back into a couple of arcade machines and the Exa wormed its way into my searches looking for a candy cab NG. I can see both sides, yeah its just a PC running a game. But my love for cartridge-arcade gaming knows no bounds.

The pinball world is going through something very similar right now with the introduction of the Multimorphic system. Its still a pinball machine with real steel balls and ramps, but instead of a painted wooden playfield there's a screen you're shooting on. For some its the next evolution that opens up new possibilities, for others it steals some of the charm. In the end its just something a little different, and ten years from now we probably won't even think anything odd about it.