I think it is now time to venture into the world of arcade pcb's. I have gotten a hold of pretty much every console/console game I am interested in and there are some arcade only games I have been wanting to try - namely Battle Bakraid (also Armed Police Batrider). I would love some Cave stuff but I am not a piggy bank. Whilst playing my Saturn (Gekirindan) this afternoon in tate mode with horizontal controls (tv still horizontal obviously) I thought how I would love a dedicated vertical monitor....and then I got to thinking of past research on superguns and arcade games and that perhaps now is the time to make some purchases. I have been researching Sony PVM monitors for a while and those can be had for a relatively modest investment. I do not need anything big, as this monitor will have to go on a shelf next to my main tv. As far as superguns, I do not have the money for something extravagant (Sigma) and just need something to get me buy - I was thinking of one of those Vogatek motherboards that output rgb and use Sega Genesis controllers. Finally, I need to get a hold of a Battle Bakraid PCB. I plan on using the PVM for the supergun, my Saturn, and my PS2 so its not like I'm buying the monitor just to play 1 or 2 pcb's on...ugh...I feel I will lose sleep over this. Any ideas or suggestions? Perhaps this post is more of a rant, but I don't know what to do at the moment and I'm trying not to break the bank. :banghead:
I know its probably not very well accepted around here, but if you're not trying to break the bank why not use MAME for batrider? Imho it works pretty nice, and its not like the average PCB comes with a nice box and artwork anyway (except if you find a full kit, but that will set you back for even more $$$). Also would you really want to use a cheap supergun with pcb's that cost hundreds of dollars? I dont know if those things have any form of surge protection or anything. Imho the cave games are ok, but for me not worth the hundreds of dollars they go for. I think you just need to ask yourself if you think its worth paying the going price for the CAVE games. If it is, then dont worry and just buy them. If you doubt or dont think its worth it, look into other solutions like mame.
There are some similar shooters on Saturn to BB. Maybe check those out first? I bought a 19" viewable Sony PVM for my Supergun. But I also use my Sega Saturn and Super Famicom on it probably more often for its RGB input. To tell you the truth I basically bought the monitor for Mortal Kombat that runs at 53hz or 56hz. No TV of mine could sync to this. I was using a JROK encoder previously. Anyway, I too justified spending about 90$ on the RGB monitor by the fact that I could then use it for great picture quality from my Sega Saturn, Super Famicom, and any other RGB outputting console. Also, because I have gone LCD, I use the PVM for the NES as Composite Video looks horrifying on LCDs. I don't think you'd go wrong by getting a nice PVM. They are very nice. Just make sure you have a plan for how you actually connect your console to it! Some use a 25pin Dsub connection and others use BNC connectors, some have both like mine. What I did was I bought a PC VGA cable that takes Red, Green, Blue, HSync, and VSync and goes to BNC connectors. So I connected the BNC connectors on one end to Red, Green, Blue and Sync on the monitor. Then I built a small box with a HD15 (VGA Monitor) port that my cable plugs into. This box routes those signals to a SCART box. So I just buy Euro RGB SCART cables for systems and plug them in. It takes the audio and has jacks on the box for audio output. It uses Composite Video as Composite Sync. It really wasn't too hard to get it all setup. I guess more importantly is that it's so fantastic to see your PCBs running in razor sharp RGB opposed to through an encoder or seeing a console port in composite or s-video. Go ahead and grab a nice RGB monitor. But I'd check out the Saturn ports before investing in the PCBs unless you are REALLY into the game to justify the cost.
Well I would love to own some of them (Ketsui/ESPGaluda 2), but they will likely never be in my budget. Batrider and Bakraid sell for much cheaper and I really enjoy Raizing games - Battle Garegga is one of my favorite shmups. MottZilla - Thank you very much for the info :thumbsup: That sounds like an excellent and convenient way to plug your systems in. Well thats the thing....I have a relatively extensive collection of shmups on the Saturn, as well as Cave's efforts on the PS2. Bakraid looks so incredible to me and there never was a console port. I'm just needing my next shooter fix....seems pcb's are the only other option (aside from MAME). I also have been wanting a supergun for a while...its an entire library of games yet to be played *sigh*
Money and space are the issues where PCB collecting is concerned. And if you have both of those, I'd say get a nice Japanese arcade cab, something like a Sega Astro City.... or Aero City.... or Neo Geo Candy....
A Taito Egret 2 is a very nice machine as you can turn the screen into a vertical position and vice versa easier than with other cabs. http://www.zax.com.au/egret2.html price ~1000-1600$ (depending on the screen)
I have looked into cabs a bit, but money is somewhat of an issue, especially shipping the damn thing. I tracked down a Battle Bakraid pcb and assuming I get it, I will like buy a supergun and play through my girlfriends smallish Samsung TV until I can upgrade.
Make sure you buy a good Supergun then. Remember you'll need one that outputs NTSC video. That also raises the price. I originally intended to have S-Video on my Supergun but it's not in there yet since I was able to just use RGB in the end. If you want though you could get by building your own SG for cheap. That reminds me though, you'll have to flip/rotate that TV won't you?
I have been looking at a Sigma Raijin supergun. The tv I am using is already rotated so I can play my Saturn games. It only has composite video inputs so thats another reason I was looking at the Sigma. And when I am ready to upgrade monitors, I will be able to output in either s-video or RGB (hopefully the latter if I can swing a better tv/monitor).
The Sigma looks pretty nice and I've heard it really is quite nice. But I must caution you, Composite video may lead to very poor video from certain games. Most video game consoles are engineered so that the composite video quality is sharp. But if you just take the RGB signal and run it through any RGB to NTSC encoder, composite tends to look like shit. In my experience the only thing that looked ok in composite video with JROK's encoder was NeoGeo. And even that had an ugly dotty pattern of noise. But since you plan to upgrade later that's good. Anyway, I think you have the right idea if you can afford it, buy a Sigma or another high quality Supergun. It's lots of fun. =) Btw, avoid Mas Systems SuperNova supergun. Quality varies, video output is said to suck. That and it's pricey.
its actually not hard at all, playing PCBs thru a supergun is not much different from playing SNES to be honest, just less plastic bits. both bakraid and especially Batrider are amazing games, its well worth taking the plunge for those two alone :thumbsup: playing PCBs doesnt necesarily have to be that expensive, there are TONS of quality PCBs that go for $50 or less on ebay.
Well, when I started this thread, I was on a bit of a budget...then after tracking down a Bakraid pcb, I decided I could afford a nice supergun - Sigma Raijin...now it seems the pcb is going to someone else :banghead: MottZilla - Thank you very much for all the info. I suppose if (when) composite video looks like utter shite, I may just have to get an rgb monitor. Sonofabitch...this aggravates me even more that I will not get the Bakraid pcb :banghead: I suppose that if I ever get a hold of the pcb, the purchase of a supergun will follow.
I sold my Bakraid a few months ago and have not missed it that much, Batrider on the other hand just fills me full of energy! I remember the pain I went thru after selling Battle Garegga only to rebuy it months down the line for many extra £'s
Well a few months ago I purchased a Sigma Raijin on ebay that I was not expecting to win. I got a great deal. I then finally did get a hold of a Bakraid pcb as well as an ESP Ra.de. I love them both and I doubt I will ever be selling either of them....especially since it seems Bakraid has been selling for a bit more than in the previous couple years.
