HomeMVS Introduction
Ok, so I recently discovered that I'm addicted to Neo Geo, and I go out and splurge a lot of cash on a Neo Geo AES System (Home Cartridge). Unfortunately the prices are now higher for Neo Geo games because they're collectable. So realizing that getting all the games that I really want on home cart would literally cost in the thousands, I had to find a cheap way of playing all the games I want.
Enter the Neo Geo MVS (Arcade PCB). It's the same exact hardware as the home system, and uses similar cartridges to interchange the games. One problem: it needs a RGB arcade monitor to be played. And I don't have the room for a Cabinet (not to mention the money), so I had to get it to play on a TV. So I decided to build a SuperGun, which would allow me to play any JAMMA arcade board on a TV with A/V or S-Video inputs. Yeah I could have bought one, but they're pretty damn expensive to buy, and cheap as hell to build. Not to mention the other benefits mentioned below.
A standard SuperGun is very general by design so you can plug in different
kinds of arcade boards. I however only want to hook up a MVS system. This
meant I can make a very specific SuperGun and a specific enclosure and joysticks.
You see most SuperGuns don't enclose the arcade board, you have to let it
sit on top, which just looks ugly. Also they have a Capcom style joystick
layout, where I want the Neo Geo control setup. So I decided to build a "all
in one" kind of deal where I can make the unit look relatively decent,
and I would make my joysticks compatible with not only the Neo Geo, layout,
but with both the Neo Geo and Capcom layout.
So anyway I decided to sell the Home cart system and get a MVS setup with
a bunch of games, I could use this as my senior project for college (which
is also really cool since I'm only starting my Junior year and my advisor
already approved it). So I can achieve a childhood dream of building a game
console, play all my favorite Neo Geo games, and get credit (not to mention
a easy senior year) for it all. Yes, life is good….
Below I will detail the specifics of each section for my HomeMVS project:
- HomeMVS Intro: Um, you're reading it!
- Neo-Geo Info: About as much information on the Neo-Geo systems and ways to play that I could bring myself to write about without killing people.
- HomeMVS: The heart of the project, how to build the System from physical construction tips to how I built the RGB->NTSC Converter.
- Universal Joysticks: The other big part of my project, the Joysticks. I have construction tips that can really help you out, in addition to information on how to make truely "Universal" joysticks that can work on any system you choose!
- MVS Inserts: Ways to "dress up" you're MVS collection in more ways that one!
