SuperNova Supergun.

[Trebuken]

I was able to snag one of these off ebay and will be receiving it in the next couple of days. Owner says it it 2 months old and essentially new.

I would like to know what exactly I cannot do with this. I have read everything I can (yes the neo-geo forums even) and have found some inconsistencies. I think the hardware inside the Supernova has undergone revisions and might account for the discrepancies but not sure, so I ask you all.

The website (www.massystems.com) claims that the unit is CPS2 comatible, in addition to JAMMA and JAMMA+. What about CPS1 and CPS3 and PGM? Is it Naomi compatible? I believe it can handle Atmoiswave? Will most pre-JAMMA games work with an adapter?

If you can answer any of the following questions I'd appreciate it:

1) Can you get unusual controllers that will work (steering wheels, spinners, or guns)
2) Best way to store boards?
3) What are the best monitors for this box, something cheaper than what Mas Systems has listed on their site.
4) Can Vertical and Horizontal exist together?
5) Any boards known to be incompatible?

Thanks.

[Clownzilla]

1. I remember researching one of these a couple of years ago to see if I could play Point Blank on it. Sure enough, I found that you can hook up the arcade guns to this unit(or almost any like it). If you can hook up an arcade gun, you can hook up almost anything. If it could somehow fit a Silent Scope gun, I would buy one this second!

2. I would assume the best way to store the boards is to put them in big anti-static bags and place them in a sturdy cardboard box (1 board per box). Then just stack them in your closet.

[Blur2040]

That one for 70 on eBay? Good deal...i guess...I always hear that the build quality on MAS systems stuff is shit though.

1. Guns, sure...I've seen people do that.

Spinners? For what? Arkanoid...?

Uh...as long as you can wire it up...it should work...

Don't worry about driving games though...as those aren't usually JAMMA anyway. You can probably make some huge adapter...but its not really worth the time.

2. What he said...

3. Its a supergun...its made to hook up to your TV. Avoid HD displays.

4. How much do you like flipping your TV?

5. Yeah...some because of the board...and some because certain TVs (HD) don't like some signals.

Pretty much any game that runs at standard resolution will work as long as it can be converted to JAMMA.

[Trebuken]

Arkanoid is cool, but was thinking along the lines of perhaps Centipede or Millipede (Tempest?) with an adapter.

Was wondering if something like a Wells-Garder or Happp monitor might be better than a TV to avoid compatibility issues. There is an RGB connection on the SuperNova in addition to the S-Video and composite.

$70 on ebay? The only one I found was $349.

I got this : http://www.massystems.com/SuperNOVA.html


Old review for it : http://www.retroblast.com/reviews/supergun-05162006-01_2.html

[Blur2040]

Hmm, well, there was one in Columbus that sat at $70 for quite a long time. I didn't bother with it, as I have a Supergun already....

I was guessing that you might have bought it...

Anyhoo...

I would recommend very strongly against buying an arcade monitor. I don't know what kind of encoder they use in an MAS gun (I think its a Sony chip, which is good...compatible)...but odds are it'll work OK. Just use S-Video and a standard definition TV, and you'll have a great picture.

RGB Monitor will offer you a better picture...but it'll also kill your bank account. If you're willing to buy an RGB monitor, I'd say just dump the Supergun and get a JAMMA cab.

Tempest is definitely a no-go. It's a Vector game...and it won't work with any standard TV.

With regards to Centipede or any of its friends...

In theory...you could buy/build a Jamma Adapter...making sure the trackball and buttons for the game are wired to the same pins used for the standard controllers...and then build and wire up your own trackball controller....

...but then you have to make sure all of your other trackball games use the same pinout...provided you want more...

If you have decent electronics/woodworking skills, its not too hard...but making sure you can play other trackball games too. could make this a convoluted process.

...I think that covers it.

[D_Harris]

I have a SUperNova given to me by a friend who had the audio portion on one of his game boards fried by the SuperNova(if you believe the company that sold him the gameboard).

They replaced the gameboard, but told him that he was on his own if it happened again. So the SuperNova ends up in my lap.

I searched around but could find nothing pertaining anything like this being a common problem with the SuperNova, and was hoping someone with more insight could give me any advice before I start hooking up my gameboards to it.

Thanks a lot.

Darren Harris
Staten Island, New York.