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Author Topic: Building Arcade- How to setup a CRT  (Read 3870 times)
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Jimd0586
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« on: April 04, 2016, 10:27:01 pm »

Hi all. I have a raspberry pi running retropie flawlessly on my TV. I decided I want to put it in a cabinet and add joysticks and buttons. I found the cabinet and the button set which are USB. I decided I want to go old school and use a CRT monitor, partially for the nostalgia but also so I can use the NES zapper! (LCDs obviously won't work with the NES light gun). I was going to force sound out the pi through the audio jack and install some old computer speakers. That shouldn't be too difficult. It's installing the monitor, or at least wiring it that I don't know how to approach. I was thinking HDMI to component and then soldering that to the wires in the monitor? Or do I do something else? Anyone done anything like this? I have a soldering kit, but not much electronics experience. I am willing to learn though.

Any help or options would be appreciated! Thanks!

Jim
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Jimd0586
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« Reply #1 on: April 05, 2016, 01:18:10 am »

After some reading I realize that older arcades run at 15khz. I don't know what standard monitors or tvs of the 90s ran at... but that older look at 15khz is what I am going for. Is it possible to find an older TV or monitor and step it down to 15khz?

Lots of questions here for you all, I know. I am just trying to weigh my options for the best screen/monitor. Thanks again!

Jim
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iankellogg
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« Reply #2 on: April 05, 2016, 02:56:10 pm »

every TV is going to support 15khz since NTSC is a 15khz signal.

RGB is obviously a better way to drive a monitor than NTSC but unless your TV supports a VGA input you probably aren't getting RGB without significant modification. If you can find a way to use composite (NTSC) video then you would at least have something working.
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jtslade
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« Reply #3 on: April 05, 2016, 07:49:14 pm »

I've always heard that the pi audio is not super great.. Get an older pc, ATI 4k cheapie card, run XP, groovy MAME or groovy arcade, grab a 19" arcade monitor. Wire up a 19$ isolation transformer.. Plug it all into a smart strip..

For controls go with used arcade 4 way or 8 way..  Use a usb encoder..

It will be arcade perfect.. It's very, very close..

Please just don't hack up a classic cabinet..

Then your good to go..


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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BrianWithAnI
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« Reply #4 on: April 07, 2016, 09:21:30 am »

I used an old CRT TV with my Pi 1 B+. I used the video/audio out, not the HDMI. I used a GP Wiz40 for my joystick and buttons (note that you will need 2 if you want 2 players with 8 buttons each). I'm not quite done with it but it's functional. It works well, I think this is close to what you're trying to accomplish.

It feels very retro and the sound is great. I moved the speakers out of the TV and put them right at the bottom of the bezel.

Note that if you use Retropie the menu is made for HD, so it is difficult to read the text, but possible. There is yet to be a low def theme available that I know of.
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Jimd0586
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« Reply #5 on: April 07, 2016, 11:58:17 am »

Thanks guys!

And I would never hack up an old cabinet!!!! ☺️
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Jimd0586
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« Reply #6 on: April 07, 2016, 11:59:48 am »

This does bring up my next point, since I probably won't use a CRT for now, does anyone know if the Aimtrack light gun works with a pi? I know it uses sensors... Can it be calibrated for a pi? And if so, once calibrated, does it require special roms or will it work with normal unmodified roms?
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