One Super Gun to rule them all

A couple of months back, I wanted to increase my options to play JAMMA games. On the same thought, I also wanted to utilise more of my USB based controllers whether it was for the PlayStation 3 or the XBOX360. This product poped up and claims, it can go both ways. 

First I tried my AES controller to make sure it’s working and also adjust the +5V on the Super Gun. Then I wasted no time and tested the XBOX360 controllers in the form of the wired controller and the EX-SE. Both worked beautifully, I am impressed.

You can tell the Super Gun has accepted the controller by the LED diodes which lights up once t accepted the USB controller.

Sorry Terry and Joe, you guys will be dancing for me tonight.

Next was a long shot because I chose the second funckiest controller converted I have in my arsonal: the GameCube/XBOX/PlayStation2 to USB converter...No LED, got power but no LED. 

Next I brought out my other converters which in this case is either a PS3 or XBOX360 converter for PlayStation controllers.

It worked!

And so did this one! In either PS3 or XBOX360 mode.

Finally I tested specialised PCB in this case it’s the MC Cthulhu...2 of them used in a special controller.

And both worked making my HSS-130 journey back to the arcade roots complete! 

Huh...where did Joe went?

Time for, a New Generation

Well, technically an older generation of the Street Fighter III series. I remember when it came out amidst the Street Fighter EX series and was largely ignored in favour of the ZN-2 and CPS2 offerings at the time. Which is a bit of a shame as the hardware was quite beefy and can handle 2D sprite work like nobodies business.

This revision was suppose to drop Ryu and Ken to make way to new characters essentially making Alex the main character. But it was wise for them to include the two protagonist to retain the identity of the Street Fighter series.

This was also the first time CAPCOM allowed the players to choose their Super Arts/Combos to balance super meter usage and the effects of the super art.

There is no fault in the graphics design nor the revamped HUD. Everything was essentially what a sequel suppose to be, bigger and better.

Some spare SIMMS I am hawking off....CAPCOM branded ones too.

CPS3 arise from your grave...

Recently acquired some CPS3, unfortunately the cartridges have suicided. So I sent them to Mitsurugi/Jeremy to rectify that and rectified he did. A well done job mate, thanks for the super service!

This is the setup in all its glory (Please ignore the controls for now, no way I could play any of the CPS3 games with the AES controller...or could I?):

And its alive!! Notice the image is shifted to the right by a good inch...no special guess to what I could of used here.

I did not hit the 1P start button to enter the menu so its a mystery game loading up...I wonder what it could be?

45 minutes later...

Selected another game...

45 minutes later...

Happy days.

PCB Line dancing made easy

There are a couple of occasions where the arcade PCB outputs at a different scan timing to the CRT where as an arcade monitor can accommodate this by geometry compensation..consumer CRT, not so much. 

You will have 2 options:

1. Open up/Go to the service menu of the CRT and adjust the geometry for that couple of games that requires the adjustment.

2. Alter the signal before it reaches the CRT.

I chose to do the later:

I bought 3 H-Shift circuits with built in Sync leveling capabilities to ensure compatibility with non-arcade monitors.

So it interfaces between the arcade PCB and the Super Gun. This circuit is not required for arcade monitors so it is solely for consumer (or professional) grade CRT.

Please excuse the bad reflection, as you can see, the image is cut off at the bottom and you loose quite a bit of detail of the HUD. This is the image you get if you use the PCB directly to the Super Gun or if you have the interface turned off.

This is the image you get with the circuit turned on, notice you can center the image where ever you like without affecting the other geometry setting. All this is accessible at the circuit so no need to change TV settings at all.

 Before:

After:

Some STG offerings...

Like the Sesame Street song, one of these is not the same. I let you guess which one was developed solely to suck your coin out of your pocket..

I decided on focusing on Twin Cobra, I am torn between the Green and Blue weapon...they are quite simply superb to use.

I opened up the DSE CRT for fun. Quite surprised it uses a Samsung tube.

Another oddity from the Megadrive multicart..

It was interesting how they used the unreleased SF2' rom for the multicart in place of any of the released Street Fighter 2 games on the Megadrive. Anyway, I like this version, sort of remind me of the PCE version.

Recent DSE CRT pickup designated for "unusual" displays

Recently picked up a 20" DSE branded TV to satisfy boards which rotates the other way or quite simply did not have a flip option.
The stereo function is also a little iffy, which I was able to fix by resoldering a dry joint.
But apart from that it could be the best setup flatscreen I ever saw.

This device was necessary to convert RGBS to YUV which is what the TV would accept as an RGB signal.

I just realised The Revenge of Shinobi is the altered version on the multicart...oh well..

This is the forementioned, dare I say it, perfect geometry.

Athena is one of those unflippable games, I had to play this like Igor. It was not unpleasant.

At the end of the day, it aint no PVM/BVM, but for $10, I am not complaining.