Now for the case....

I'm thinking that I'm gonna make a functional enclosure for my CMVS. I'm set on using wood since it's easily accessible for me and it could be potentially cheaper in the long run. It'll even look cool if I stain it right. I was thinking plastic (like plexiglass), but I'm afraid of cracking it while I'm screwing something in. I'd do metal, but I don't think I have any of the proper tools to form one....wood it might be.

In any other case (LOL, pun!), since the cartridge connector board separates from the main board by several connectors, I may just solder a total of 192 (!) wires to relocate the cartridge board. Yikes!...well, I guess it doesn't matter, considered how many wires I've already soldered altogether. Since there's two 96 pin connectors, I may just do one side on one day and the other on a later day. I still want to avoid all that, but that'll be the cheapest solution.

There is a 48 pin connector that's in the middle of both boards, but for the life of me, I think neither connector is connected to anything. I'm trying to confirm with Neo-Geo.com's forums about this, and it seems that it's only for stabilization of the cartridge board when it's on the main board.

SUCCESS GET!

So last night, before I went to bed, I realized that I forgot to add a component to the installation so it'll work with my HDTV. So when I got home from work this evening, after tending to my kiddos, I was able to add the component on to the installation. Hooked it all up again...didn't work. Same stuff.

I posted at neo-geo.com about my situation, and it seems that Sifu Xian Xi mentioned that I needed to tap the RGB and Sync signals from different spots on the board. Seems like the Sync signal was the culprit, as I couldn't go straight off the JAMMA edge for the signal. I had to get the signal from another point off of a resistor, which basically gave the Sync signal some resistance.

...pay no attention to Cookie Monster. He's excited that it works, too.

After fixing that up, I finally got an image!...through composite. Meh, it works. Component doesn't work for me, and after a conversation with Jeff Kurtz, it seems it may just be my HDTV. I may play around with the values on the capacitor later, but for now, I'm happy it worked.

I did get greeted by the "Cross Hatch Test Screen of Death", which generally means that there's either bad connections with the game and/or the board, or there's a bad trace on the board itself. Turns out that if I tilted the board just right, I'd get the UniBIOS screen, then the familiar Neo Geo boot screen.

....F**K YEAH!

So, component wise, it works. It's fully functional. All I need to do is finish it up aesthetically, potentially hiding the exposed board and whatnot.

As it stands, though. It's done and working.

Snags along the way...

I got too excited, so I forgot to take pics along the way. Doesn't matter though. After completing the install, the thing didn't work. It DOES power on, but there's no video.

I've posted for help. I'm hoping I can resolve this thing on my next day off.

Ugh...

More stuff...

Finished up some more installation stuff from the other night and tonight.

Here's back part of the panel of the MZ1F. Holes drilled and bored for audio and various video outputs.

All jacks screwed in and kinda in line.

Just because it was advised by another modder at JNX.com, I've added a fuse holder (holding a 2A fuse) inline with the power jack. Here they are on the left side of the MV1F's cartridge guide.

And now, the power switch.

Here's the underside...really tight under the power switch (far right contacts)

The next night, I decided to solder up the wiring for the power adapter. It goes from the +5V from the adapter's center to the fuse holder. From the fuse holder to one side of the power switch. From the power switch, to the +5V point on the MV1F.

I also managed to get all the ground points all looped together for the audio and video outputs.

(insert pic of wired back panel)

There's more to come. It's almost at the homestretch, but I still have to get a few more parts.

And so it begins...

I got the encoder from JKurtz the other day, so I'm all set to go.

First of, here's the Neo Geo MV-1F that I got through Neo-Geo.com's sales forum...and from here on end, please forgive the camphone pics, bear with the quality for a bit.

Here's where I'm replacing the original MVS BIOS with Razoola's UniBIOS.

The Universe BIOS (UniBIOS)

Raz mentions using a small screwdriver to remove the original BIOS from the socket. I used my IC pullers...since I had them.

Here's the original BIOS removed from the socket.

Something that could have been avoided, but sometimes it just happens, since the package came from Finland. Some of the pins have bent out of whack. Easy fix, though.

Using my trusty Leatherman (well, it was my wife's Leatherman, but whatever), I used the pliers to get the pins straightened. Then used the level surface of the table to get all the pins aligned.

Then all I did was insert it CAREFULLY back into the socket. I pushed down on both sides of the BIOS and then firmly pushed down on the center of it. Then I did a quick double check to make sure all the pins were placed correctly in the socket.

I took the original BIOS and placed it in the package that the UniBIOS came in; a nice little matchbox!

So, for the controller, I decided to try and function my own controller. I went to Goodwill and found a pair of PC controllers that used the same DB15 connector that the Neo Geo uses. Luckily, it had both a male and female connection to it. I'm planning to hack them just so I can have basic controls for at least the initial test of my CMVS, since the PC control scheme is different from the Neo Geo's. Also, a standard DB15 is too short to work with a direct Neo Geo controller port. Again, luckily, a website belonging to MMMonkey had a cool hack to a DB15 to make it work with the Neo Geo port.

Here's my hacked DB15.

(insert pic of DB15)

Well, there' s more to come. Next up, I need to figure out where to tap the necessary RGB, Sync, +5V, and Ground. Jamma-Nation-X.com has a tutorial for that, but it shows an MV-1FZ being used and shows the points for what I need, which all are on the bottom of the board. I, on the other hand, will be taking it from the top (component side, in JAMMA terms) of the board. Hopefully I can get that AND all the power and whatnot ready to go.

Stay tuned, I guess.

Moar!

So, I got my UniBIOS from Razoola the other day. Just got an email from Jeff and my Neobitz encoder is on its way.  I'd be lying if I didn't say I was excited. Still haven't solved that controller thing, but that'll be easy to remedy...I hope.