So, who will be the first to setup their machine?

[mjannusch]

The ArcadeVGA does display at the proper levels, and it looks just as it did with the original hardware. I'm looking to get a little bit of an extra boost with the amp to put it closer to the color/brightness levels the LCD was at.

Technically ArcadeVGA displays at VGA levels (0-1V), but the stock monitor is built for 0-5v RGB signals. The original Pin2K computer also outputs at 0-1V VGA levels, so ArcadeVGA is a faithful reproduction of the original configuration. Putting the video amplifier on to bring up the levels maximizes the color range of the display to where it should've been from the factory. With the amp you can get great black levels and vivid colors at the same time. I'd say the amp is a worthwhile upgrade if you are keeping the original CRT arcade-style monitor.

[Troz]

Thanks Matt, that's exactly what I wanted to hear.

[Jazman]

What's bing.com cashback? Do you have a link for the offer/program?

Thanks,
Jaz

I got mine from a 3rd party distributor via Ebay with Bing.com cashback, otherwise I would've gone straight to Ultimarc. It's the only, as far as I know, distributor for Ultimarc products in the US. He also posts at arcadecontrols.com. Took a few weeks to get here. Wasn't Pinball Life originally planning to stock the ArcadeVGA cards?

Of course, I still have another issue with the original monitor that I'm opening a new thread for. I had hoped to solve it by today but am not having any luck with it.

[Troz]

Check this thread on slickdeals, specifically the 2nd post: http://forums.slickdeals.net/showthread ... &t=1510005

It looks like Ebay is getting 10% cashback right now. The amount varies from time to time. Earlier today it was at 15%. When the program started months ago it was at 35%! It's basically a rebate that you get 60 days after you buy an item. You have to pay with Paypal to get the cashback.

[Jazman]

Ok thanks.

Well, here's where I'm at right now. I am pretty bummed because I was hoping to get this dragging out project completed early this week. But, I am no further than I was other than knowing my monitor won't fit.

I've been totally wishy-washy on what to do. If I drop $100 on an ArcadeVGA, I will have the simplest job completing this thing. I should be happy with the image as I really like the blacks. The color is a bit washy compared to the new screens but it is what it's always been.

But, the monitor is 10 years old. It has very low hours on it due to the history of my machine, but on monitors/caps/etc, time ticks even when the machine is off. It will probably need a cap kit in the near future and who knows what the next 10-20 will hold. Getting an LCD will probably ensure a much longer, lower maintenance future.

So, I've decided that I'm going to pick up a Dell 21.5" display tomorrow at Best Buy. I am going to give it a shot. They have a 15-day return policy on monitors so if I don't like what I see, it's going back and I'll order the card.

Jaz

[Jazman]

Well, the LCD I got is not as bad as the last one I saw (black levels), but not as good as I'd like. However, I'm going to learn to accept it. I'm going to order the same LCD through Amazon as the price is $160 delivered.

I think the mounting scheme that GLM used in another thread is pretty nice so I'm going to do that same thing with extruded aluminum pieces. If all goes well, I should have the LCD mounted and the computer installed in the head by the end of tomorrow. Then, this way too long project can be put to rest.

Jaz

[Jazman]

Well, for the most part, the installation is done (finally). There's still a little bit of wiring to do, I need to add some light blocking foam around the panel, the sound needs some work to eliminate the digital noise in the system, and I still need to figure out how to mount the florescent housing. But, the majority of the work is done.

I ended up using GLM's technique to mount the LCD. I used aluminum U-channel that mounts with the original 4 CRT bolts in those same 4 holes. The technique really works well for others interested in doing something similar. I used an old computer case to mount the computer hardware. I bolted the side panel of the case to the top of the upper cabinet. I used 2 of the original holes/Tee nuts and had to add 2 more Tee nuts. That is the only permanent change I made to my cabinet. The components are mounted to the case chassis which then slides into the side bolted to the top. Then you use the normal screws to lock the case to the side panel. I'm pretty happy with the way that worked.

If people are interested, I'll pose some pics in the next day or so.

Jaz

[Jazman]

I finally completely finished the installation now. The various power supplies are all wired into the main chassis power system, the florescent tube is mounting an almost identical location to stock, and the sound is all fixed. Everything seems to be working well. Now I just need to make a backup clone of the hard drive so I can just restore it when the drive fails (it's used so it's inevitable).

Last night I finally popped the cherry on my SWE1 playfield. That is working pretty well except for a sticky switch or 2. It's nice to have the easily swappable kit.

I am trying to get all my documentation together for the folder. The only thing that I seem to be missing is the schematic for the USB board in case I ever need to repair it. I see the audio amp schematic is up, but not that board. Chuck, when can we expect the USB board schematic to be up? Is it on the CD somewhere and I just didn't see it?

Thanks,
Keith