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How to run Advanced MAME the first time and with ARCADEOS
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This documents was written the time of ammame-0.37b16.0

**If you're having trouble setting up your PC to run Advance MAME read my FAQ page for help**
http://www.hpautoelectrics.com/millenniumcabinet/faq.htm

**If you can't load all the roms using ArcadeOS with ammame-0.37b15.3 and onwards open the Arcadeos.zip**

The following instructions are for NTSC Arcade monitors that run at 15kHz positioned horizontally.

Also this help can be used for TV's, SVGA Monitors, PC Monitors and Vertically positioned monitors eg. PAL, VGA, SVGA.
(You just have to make sure you have the correct monitor timings in your video settings in the mame.cfg file)

You must read the text supplied in install before reading this additional help to get an over view of the utilities used. Also you must have a basic knowledge of DOS.

Before running Advance MAME for the first time, setup the video structure in the mame.cfg. To achieve this you must use the MV.exe program.

STEP 1

Re-Install in a fresh directory the official MAME program. http://www.mame.net/download.html

Then copy the Advance MAME binary (mame.exe) plus all other files that are in that directory to your MAME folder.
Then copy mame.cfg file I have supplied to your mame folder.

(If you are using this basic install text for a guide to use your TV/Monitor, you must make sure that the hclock/vclock is correct for your type of monitor) These timings can be found in the install text from the AdvanceMAME build.

STEP 2
 
Re-install ArcadeOS Frontend utility into a fresh directory (Don't forget to save your arcadeos.cfg before overwriting it, only if you have been using this program) 
http://www.mameworld.net/pc2jamma/frontend.html

Copy the mame.dat file that I have supplied to the ArcadeOS directory

**NOTE you must have ArcadeOS and MAME directories in separate folders. It is prefered to have them in the default directories.**

STEP 3

From the AdvanceMAME and AdvanceVBE build folders copy all the files in them to your mame directory. Also rename the standard.cfg to vga.cfg (Remember this is for 15kHz monitors) Read the vga text to see what your monitor config file should be.

STEP 4

To run Advance MAME on your Arcade Monitor you have one of the three options to drop the frequency rate so you don't blow your monitor.

1) Use the VGA.exe or vbe.exe depending on your video card from downloading AdvanceVBE. In the autoexec.bat I have the following to drop the frequency and to turn the monitor on when it is safe to do so.

cd\mame
vga
portio lpt1 ff

* Note portio is only used if you are using the PC2Jamma Printer Port device to switch the monitor on or any other device that you make up using LPT ports.

Then in the arcadeos.cfg leave the output to standard VGA 

#Using external arcade monitor TSR (such as MonARC)
extdriver=0

[MONITOR]
#Selects video output type:
#0 = Standard VGA Output
#1 = 320x200 Arcade Monitor / NTSC Output
#2 = 320x200 PAL TV Output

#DO NOT SET TO 0 IF YOUR PC IS CONNECTED TO AN ARCADE MONITOR
#AS THIS MAY CAUSE DAMAGE TO YOUR MONITOR
incabinet=0

2nd option) 
Use ArcadeOS Frontend http://www.mameworld.net/pc2jamma/frontend.html

Once installed edit the ArcadeOS.cfg file to 
[MONITOR]
#Selects video output type:
#0 = Standard VGA Output
#1 = 320x200 Arcade Monitor / NTSC Output
#2 = 320x200 PAL TV Output

#DO NOT SET TO 0 IF YOUR PC IS CONNECTED TO AN ARCADE MONITOR
#AS THIS MAY CAUSE DAMAGE TO YOUR MONITOR
incabinet=1

3rd option) In the VGATV folder run the VGA2ntsc program. This should drop the frequency to the required rate. 

STEP 5 

Depending on your videocard you can run a driver to suit your card in Advance MAME

vbe3 | laguna | sis6326 | savage | 3dfx | ati | s3 | cirrus | matrox | r128 | neomagic |auto

In the mame.cfg file place your card under 

vbeline_driver = ???? 

If your card is not listed just put auto or vb3 if the card supports vesa3 

My cabinet is using the r128 driver (r128 = ATi Rage 128 chipset)

In the DOS shell. Go to the mame directory and run the MV.exe

Once in the MV.exe you should see the video modes that your TV/Monitor can produce. Using the up/down arrow keys select the video settings that have NTSC by pressing the space bar to highlight them.
Once highlighting all the settings selected test them individually by
1) Press ENTER
2) Press the space bar after reading the info displayed for the first time
3) Now you should have a grid that fits the whole screen
4) Press ESC
5) Press F9 and view the test pattern. Is the circle centred? If not press ESC key. If good GOTO 8 
6) Press ENTER
7) Using Total by pressing (Y / shift Y) Center the screen to the direction the circle was out. Or use the arrow keys to move the test box. Press ENTER to Exit the screen.
8) Press F9, Satisfied with test pattern? Yes! Press ESC. If not continue 7 until you have the desired pattern.
9) Press TAB Rename the video mode to the desired name.
10) Once you have tested all the NTSC settings and are highlighted in the main MV menu press F2 to save to the mame.cfg
11) Press escape to exit

There is an example I have in the mame1.cfg file

STEP 6

Now run the cfg.exe program. Follow the instructions and save the end result to the mame.cfg file 

STEP 7

Run ArcadeOS. 

If your using ammame-0.37b15.0 and on use the arcadeos.bin file supplied to read all the roms.

You can change the name of the modeline whatever you like for the video option but you must edit the mame.dat file in ArcadeOS folder to the names you have selected in the mv.exe program. You can have up to eight modeline saved for ArcadeOS.

To achieve different video settings whilst playing MAME press TAB and goto video and select your best setting.
On most games you will be limited to how many types of video changes you can do.
If you are not happy with the desired video setting in the TAB/Video change the video=xxxxx in the mame.cfg to a different modelines. Also you can use the < > keys to select the correct video mode.

Leave most games on video=auto, videogenerate=generate and resize=no as Advance Mame determines what is the correct setting for the game. Video and bliteffect are the only setting you really need to change depending on your monitor.

When playing vertical games on a horizontal monitor you will see a black border left and right of the game, as these games were never intended to play on a horizontal screen. Depending on your monitor you may see missing lines whilst playing the game. This is not a problem of the horizontal/vertical orientation, but it's a problem of Arcade/TV monitors (but not PC monitor) which have a FIXED number of rows. So if this number is lesser than the lines of the game some lines are necessary lost.

To get the best resolution on horizontal monitors playing vertical games is to use the < > keys to choose the correct setting, then goto video in the menu and enter the "Save for this resolution" to have it saved for then next game that has this setting.

Enjoy

Nick Bourdo
 
http://www.hpautoelectrics.com/millenniumcabinet