Looking to hire a CMVS builder.

[Lum]

I'd like to get back into Neo Geo. CMVS looks the most affordable option long term. Any important issues I should know about? I'd plan to use it strictly as a console, so I prefer its exterior looks like one (besides the PCB too exposed means dust and debris are riskier to its health). No accommodations related to cab use or superguns please.

For clarity's sake, "hire" means just that. A personal request from me to have a CMVS custom built. No middle man. It offers us the most room to agree on payment terms and system specs.

I'll run down the basics on what I'm wanting my Neo Geo to be like.

board: MV2 or MV2F with factory hard-wired memory card reader (this way I don't need to track down the scarce adapter card). These boards have a socketed bios too which allows easier future upgrades.

AV: stereo RGB. No video encoder necessary, I already own external ones. A standard connector will allow me to use readily available SCART cables. If you can't find the right part, with some ingenuity and correct pinouts, it may be possible to wire in the connector from a cheap thrift shop quality dead RGB capable console like SNES/PS1/DC/Xbox/etc. Except I've never heard about that being attempted.

casing: Simple yet practical. The metal cover offers a good start point. It can be lightly primed or painted to prevent rust. Side panels of some kind will keep clean those gaps the top cover leaves open. A method to protect unused cart slots is nice too if feasible.

 

[HeavyMachineGoob]

Sounds like you aren't handy enough to build your own, so yeah your option would be asking someone like Xian Xi to make you one.

Yes, the lack of an RGB encoder will GREATLY reduce the cost of your CMVS. The cheapest I've found so far is the one at Jammaboards.com which is $40, but it takes +12v so it's better suited to a Supergun with all 3 kinds of voltages in use. CMVS units work best with only +5v because then only a simple AC adapter is needed.

On another note, I'd just like to mention this. Thanks for wanting an original enclosure for your CMVS. If there's one thing that irritates me the most with the recent changes in this hobby, it's hacking up original MVS board shells for jacks and stuff like that. People need to stop doing that! Same with hacking up AES cases. Before we know it factory plastic cases will be more rare than modded ones.

 

[Lum]

Yeah I mean sure plugging raw arcade boards into a supergun can play much else beside MVS, but looks ugly and I lack space to store them anyway.

How well do typical US CRT TVs handle MVS video? For decades I'd imagine the majority of the nation owned at least one.

 

[HeavyMachineGoob]

Who says a Supergun has to look ugly? I've seen some real nice ones. Besides, I can't see how space is an issue. Just get one where the arcade board can sit on top of the Supergun box.

Pretty much all CRTs are tolerant of the NEO-GEO's non-standard sync frequency. It's LCDs and Plasmas you have to watch out for.

Speaking of Superguns, it's kind of funny. I'm far too cheap to buy one or a pre-built CMVS. I'd much rather make my own Supergun with an ugly appearance than pay serious money for one. The less I pay for the Neo itself, the more I have to spend on GAMES. Isn't that the most important part?

 

[Lum]

Sort of. I'm aiming for a dedicated MVS console comparable in quality to a modded AES here. Rather than an MVS attached to a Supergun inside a nominally console-esque case.

 

[Zenimus]

Get one of those cool wooden CMVS's that Christoph is offering. They're expensive, but they're pretty much what you seem to want.

 

[sat985]

The wooden mvs's look nice. Only thing I think of when I look at the pictures is: How the hell does it stay cool? electronics produce heat, and without dissipating it they die an early death.

 

[christoph]

The wooden mvs's look nice. Only thing I think of when I look at the pictures is: How the hell does it stay cool? electronics produce heat, and without dissipating it they die an early death.

There are vents on the bottom of the unit. The vents on the bottom in conjunction with the cartridge slot provide sufficient air circulation. The Analogue Interactive Consolized MVS only use +5v, without the extra +12V it does not produce much heat. It has been thoroughly tested. If anyone has any questions or concerns, feel free to contact me any time!

 

[Lum]

Yup either way my whole MVS, will cost me less than some of the home Metal Slug versions do now.

 

[Adderall]

I know you don't want a supergun but if $$ is important there is a hellofa deal on one over at our sales area. D-lite used to make some good ones.

sent from my GF's booty using TapThatAssaTalk

 

[Lum]

Well it doesn't do much without a board to connect. ATM I own exactly zilch for MVS/AES. Not one controller or game cartridge. Nor even so much as a shockbox.

 

[red impact]

The wooden mvs's look nice. Only thing I think of when I look at the pictures is: How the hell does it stay cool? electronics produce heat, and without dissipating it they die an early death.

AES systems arent exactly well vented either but survive

 

[Lum]

AES systems arent exactly well vented either but survive

I'm more concerned about dust than heat. MVS boards were intended to be nestled safely deep inside a cab. It takes some effort to upgrade their casing for the console environment.

 

[Xian Xi]

I know you don't want a supergun but if $$ is important there is a hellofa deal on one over at our sales area. D-lite used to make some good ones.

sent from my GF's booty using TapThatAssaTalk

His early superguns are wired wrong. I had to rewire about 4 of them so far. Plus the layout makes it difficult to place on a shelf since the knobs and everything are on the back instead of the front. The harness comes out the back causing the unit to turn when trying to plug it in to a PCB.

 

[Lum]

Anybody have pics of what a consolized 2 slot or 4 slot "should" look like? Most ready made ones are 1 slot. I'd like to know the kind of case design I could buy were I to spend more than I'd suggested in the opening post.

 

[Xian Xi]

Cases for a 2 and 4 slot need to be custom made since they are pretty big. Check the gallery on my site for pics under CMVS or User Submitted.

 

[Lum]

Cases for a 2 and 4 slot need to be custom made since they are pretty big. Check the gallery on my site for pics under CMVS or User Submitted.

The problem for that approach would be few people openly advertise they take on such jobs. Not near enough users want custom work, to warrant a modder who sits around just waiting for requests. I'd have to seek one out.

 

[Xian Xi]

The problem for that approach would be few people openly advertise they take on such jobs. Not near enough users want custom work, to warrant a modder who sits around just waiting for requests. I'd have to seek one out.

Welcome to the club. I have to seek wood workers out all the time.

 

[Lum]

Yup. Can't toss around cash to nobody interested in doing the work.

 

[red impact]

consolised mv2

This guy has done this and is selling a cmvs 2 slot in UK.

ebay link 1 day to go: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/neo-geo-2-slot-consolised-mvs-and-3-games-neogeo-/220780570783?pt=UK_VideoGames_VideoGameAccessories_VideoGameAccessories_JN&hash=item33678c289f

 

[Xian Xi]

This guy has done this and is selling a cmvs 2 slot in UK.

ebay link 1 day to go: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/neo-geo-2-slot-consolised-mvs-and-3-games-neogeo-/220780570783?pt=UK_VideoGames_VideoGameAccessories_VideoGameAccessories_JN&hash=item33678c289f

That's pricey for a CMVS that only outputs RGB. That's ~$450, for that price you can get a fully decked out one with component, s-video, composite, stereo, unibios and what not.

 

[Lum]

That's pricey for a CMVS that only outputs RGB. That's ~$450, for that price you can get a fully decked out one with component, s-video, composite, stereo, unibios and what not.

Alrighty, I revamped the title and OP to make my interests clearer.

 

[sat985]

First you need to establish a budget, then decide what fits within that budget. To be straight with you, noone wants to build a high quality cmvs for bottom dollar. It takes a fair number of hours to do one right. That's what your paying for. If you just want something to play on, wire a jamma harness and call it good.

The one posted on ebay is a good example. Having a din connector and a neo rgb cable cost as much as a encoder. Those cables are not cheap, $60 to $70. Not to be a prick, but nobody wants to build something special for anyone that doesn't have the cash to back it up. Neo geo is the wrong hobby to try and do lay away plans....

You would be much better off buying a aes and a mvs converter.

 

[Lum]

First you need to establish a budget, then decide what fits within that budget. To be straight with you, noone wants to build a high quality cmvs for bottom dollar. It takes a fair number of hours to do one right. That's what your paying for. If you just want something to play on, wire a jamma harness and call it good.

The one posted on ebay is a good example. Having a din connector and a neo rgb cable cost as much as a encoder. Those cables are not cheap, $60 to $70. Not to be a prick, but nobody wants to build something special for anyone that doesn't have the cash to back it up. Neo geo is the wrong hobby to try and do lay away plans....

You would be much better off buying a aes and a mvs converter.

No I should thank you for setting me straight. I do need to take this more seriously. I was asking rather dumb questions before. So I'll aim for better clarity now.

It'd be nice to keep under a $700 budget. Though the final total likely won't get near that point, better to be safe than sorry.

When it comes to RGB, the specific connector used is still open to options. I'm not actually seeking compatibility with neo rgb cables. If it happens it happens. If not it's no loss.

 

[sat985]

I really would like to steer you towards a aes with rgb and a mvs converter. You could stay around $500 that way and you still get a mem card reader slot. Aswell as the ability to play aes games. The aes is a pretty slick case imo. Consolized are nice, but the converters are pretty good too. There was one for sale for $190 iirc. I bought a everdrive from him recently, he's a cool guy and would definately deliver for you. A AES is pretty nice on portability, I was going to buy the converter from him, but I should probably get rid of some shit instead of buying more haha I already have 3 cabs, and more aes's than I need.

With the aes, you'd get a stick with it, so you would only have to buy one more. And a socketed unibios isn't too hard to come by. It sounded like you wanted a 2 slot for the mem card reader. Unless your set on having more than 1 slot, I'd say the aes is the way to go.