35 replies to this topic

[Shooby Doo]

I got my computer and joystick running perfect with all of my games now (finally). I'm using an x-arcade joystick that I got yesterday - awesome stuff. And I've got most of my measurements and plans (see attached). I'm going to buy my MDF and other supplies this Saturday and start building. I decided to put a panel in the front of the cabinet with a hidden magnet latch where you push the panel in and it pops open (like a stereo cabinet).

Any suggestions from previous cabinet builders that might make the job easier is much appreciated.

Attached Files

•  ArcadeCab1.jpg   168.24KB   75 downloads
•  ArcadeCab3.jpg   33.06KB   36 downloads

[ValamirCleaver]

Please post pix of your build process. Do you have an account at BYOAC? You should start a thread there too, the experienced members should be able to give you helpful advice in the event you get stuck.

[Shooby Doo]

Damn You Bad Weather!!!

[Shooby Doo]

There are too many outside factors out of my control. Waiting for the stars to align... maybe next weekend...

[Shooby Doo]

My original intention on this cabinet was strictly MAME, but since I'm waiting, yesterday I decided to set up Visual Pinball on the refurbished computer I'm using for it. It plays great at fairly high resolution. I always use Scapino's Circus Voltaire for testing performance, which did well. VP9 needed no adjustments either - played right off the bat. Using the arcade-x controller with it is pretty sweet too. I can't wait to get this thing going.

I've probably got another 2 weekends before I can start, so I think I might try setting it all up with MALA now. (I don't know if anyone really cares, but I thought I'd document all of my on-going process.)

[Flying Dutchman]

Yes Shooby Doo, there are ppl. interested on the progress of your project .. so thanks for sharing!

Edited by Flying Dutchman, 09 March 2009 - 08:03 PM.

[Shooby Doo]

I think I've got my rig set-up! When you turn on the computer, after about 25 seconds you come to the 1st screen. You use the 1st player stick to go up and down through the games, and the 2nd player stick to cycle though 10 games. I programmed a couple buttons to cycle through by 1st game alphabetically (I have a lot). Hold button 2 down and you get the history for the game, screenshot 2. Right and left on the 1st stick cycle between the complete list of games and a favorites list I'm working on. Press right on the 2nd stick and it switches to VP tables, screenshot 3. Everything is setup to start and exit game with just the controller. MALA is amazing.

Attached Files

•  MALA11.jpg   49.78KB   66 downloads
•  MALA22.jpg   49.05KB   43 downloads
•  MALA33.jpg   44.53KB   58 downloads

[Shooby Doo]

I'm still killin time, so since I got VP working I thought, hey, why not put some other emulators and roms on there too. So now you can cycle through NES, SNES, Genesis, & N64 games as well. It looks like I can FINALLY start building this Saturday. One thing I've enjoyed about this project is I've been figuring it out on my own. While I've known about MAME for several years, I've only been playing with it for a few months, and the idea for a cabinet was brand new to me. If I had google when I was in school I would've aced everything.

As of now, it looks like I'll be able to finish this with a total cost of around $400 to $450. No more than that. I'll post my entire cost list when it's done.

[xzotic]

I got my computer and joystick running perfect with all of my games now (finally). I'm using an x-arcade joystick that I got yesterday - awesome stuff. And I've got most of my measurements and plans (see attached). I'm going to buy my MDF and other supplies this Saturday and start building. I decided to put a panel in the front of the cabinet with a hidden magnet latch where you push the panel in and it pops open (like a stereo cabinet).

Any suggestions from previous cabinet builders that might make the job easier is much appreciated.

A couple of things you may want to think about...I gather the x-arcade has embedded two joysticks and buttons that are running off a keyboard controller (like an ipac) or similar? If so you may want to consider adding a arcade coin mech from happ controls. It's easy to then wire up the connectors on the mech into you x-arcade keyboard controller and that way you can add coins authentically like you did back in the 80's!... I have it setup like this on my standup mame cab (yet to implement it in my cocktail cab)... I also added a flouro up top to highlight the marque - I'm sure you will do something similar.

Anyway, another mod I did was added two pinball buttons to either side of my control panel (Mine was an oz-stick - similar I think to the x-arcade). Which allowed me to play pins on the same box. But now I have a separate 16:9 setup so I don't need that any more.

The only other thing is forget about fancy rotating screens to get vertical and horizontal modes and adding spinners/trackballs etc - It can soon become a big unworldly monster. You are better building a couple of cabs for different purposes to cover all your bases. I have a stand-up cab with two player controls setup for all my single and two player horizontal games. I also have a sit down cocktail cab to play one and two player (in turns)
games and head to head cocktail only games in vertical orientation. These two cabs satisfies most of the games I want to play in the correct permanent orientation. I use Arcadeos as the front end for that machine as it supports vertical mode and auto rotates to the other player etc. I'm using 3d arcade on my stand-up.

Leave the back open for ventilation - it can get pretty hot back there especially if you are using an old monitor (which from your diagram you are). Think also about sound control. I embedded a low cost five speaker system that are readily available into the cab which had a nice rotary volume knob. The knob was then cut cleanly into my ozstick control panel at the front underneigh so I have quick and easy access to volume control. This is essential as lots of games have different volumes etc. The 5 speaker is a must also. Two speakers up top (think about where you will put yours) and then two at the back and a thumping sub on the floor of the cab.

Also consider how you will turn the cab on and off. If you don't have your pc parts in a case then you can use the on-off and push through the cab somewhere. If you do this make sure you have enough fans in the cab to provide proper cooling. Believe it or not a pc can be more effectively cooled in a case than without one.

I love your front end by the way - It sounds like you programmed that yourself? If so - well done, nice and clean and functional. A lot better than a lot of the developed front ends out there at the moment.

[Shooby Doo]

Thanks for all the tips xzotic! It definitely got me thinking.

I'm leaving out the coin door for now, but may add one in the future - it sure would look good, but not necessary at this point (I'll probably regret it later). I'm definitely putting a magnet latch door on the front so I can get to the computer inside to turn it on and add devices when needed, and leaving the back open as you suggested. Also, I live in a fairly small house, so I'm trying to keep it to a minimum. I believe my total width has been cut down to about 24 inches.

Also, no backlighting as of right now. Of course it's something I may do later. However, I work at a sign/engraving shop and can do custom signs with artwork, both on plastic and aluminum, so while not backlit, I'll have some great graphics. I'm also cutting plastic for custom speaker frames and a monitor matte. This way I can leave rectangular spaces cut out on the MDF, and if I ever want to replace the speakers or monitor, I've only got to make a new frame instead of rebuilding that part of the cabinet.

I'm using some computer speakers that I've had in a closet for several years. They have a great sound for what I'm using them for. They'll go in the top of the cab that slants down over the screen. I've attached a pic of one of the speakers in a prototype frame I've made. It fit's well. The other speaker has a volume knob, tone, and balance on it, so during a game I can reach up and adjust the volume.

The x-arcade has a pinball button on each side, but no more close to them for nudging so I assigned them to some buttons on the top. I've been using the left one for coins and the right one to exit. But standing at an arcade cab to play pinball isn't correct in the first place. A pinball cab... oh god... one project at a time...

I used MALA for the front end which is kind of a pain to set up, but well worth the time as you can really do a lot of customization to it. I used a guide that I downloaded from a thread on the old vpforums. The actual "look" of it is simply a layout template I grabbed off of the MALA homepage, but with some patience I think I could make my own.

There are some things that aren't arcade authentic, but I'm gonna make sure that it's still going to have a great arcade look and feel to it. I'm sure once I've got it for a while I'll start modding it.

Attached Files

•  speaker003.jpg   173.57KB   68 downloads

Edited by Shooby Doo, 18 March 2009 - 06:37 PM.

[Shooby Doo]

In an effort to ease my waiting pains, I've written these Haiku poems:

3 sheets MDF
Will not fit in a Hyundai
Maybe next weekend.

I rarely need help
I call on the Arcade Gods
Dodge Dakota please?

Pac-Man and Frogger
Have been around a long time
They can wait longer

Edited by Shooby Doo, 21 March 2009 - 02:03 PM.

[Shooby Doo]

I'm actually gonna go get supplies & start today. I doubt much will get done, but started none the less.

[Shooby Doo]

I never thought the day was gonna get here, but whadaya know...

I'm surprised how far we got yesterday - it's standing up! We got the sides cut out. The first one with a circular saw and jigsaw, and the second we used a router to trace out the first. We put the base together and attached the sides to it and the monitor shelf for support. The joystick fit in its slot beautifully! Not bad for 3 and half hours work. The trick was having 2 months of sitting around planning and making diagrams and measurements and coming to the game fully prepared. There was no sitting around like "what's next?".

This afternoon we'll put the top and front panels on and put the door in the front, and then hopefully we can haul it over to my house so I can start painting it. Supplies were much less than expected. Instead of 3 sheets of 3/4" MDF, I used 2 for the sides and then 1/2" for trim & front panels. Right now I'm at $375 total. I think the only thing left to buy is paint.

I took some pictures during the process, but can't upload them at the moment. I will as soon as I get the chance though. I'm really happy with how it's turning out. It's matching exactly with what I had in mind.

[Shooby Doo]

Man, this has been coming along smoothly. Got all the extra panels in, the frame around the monitor, and the speaker panel. The only thing left to do is the door on the front. We decided to go with pine for the door, thinking that over time the screws holding the hinges to the MDF may come loose after repeated opening and closing. I ended up not needing any of the 1/2" MDF, so we're going to take that back and get a small piece of pine. More money saved too! Just need some joint compound to cover the screw holes and a can of black paint, and the rest will be decorating/graphics. Now it's a waiting game for the door, but seeing as how it's taking space in my Dad's garage, I doubt he'll want to take too much time.

I have some good pictures, but still no way to upload them right now. Soon.

[Shooby Doo]

I just got the pictures. My Dad went ahead and attached a door without me this morning (I think he wants it out of there ). Let me know what you guys think.

Attached Files

•  01.jpg   182.82KB   23 downloads
•  03.jpg   183.67KB   34 downloads
•  04.jpg   199.37KB   30 downloads
•  05.jpg   173.58KB   62 downloads
•  08.jpg   187.74KB   41 downloads

[rossicomputers]

This ins't pincab!!!

Arcade Cab right????????

[Shooby Doo]

This ins't pincab!!!

Arcade Cab right????????

Yep, I've got some VP 4:3 tables & other emulators going in it, but it was strictly designed for MAME. (and why it's in the "MAME" section)

[Shooby Doo]

Got all the screw holes spackled & sanded, caulked the edges of the monitor panel, we're going to round the edges, and it's ready to paint. The magnet latch on the door is works perfect. We put adjustable feet on the bottom of the base (like the ones on the bottom of washing machines) so it can be leveled no matter where it ends up in the future. One other thing we did at the beginning is attach the MDF to the base about 5/8" off the floor, so if it's ever on a floor that gets flooded (up to 5/8"), the MDF won't soak up any water. Smart thinkin, eh?

[Shooby Doo]

This afternoon I'm going to go put a couple coats of paint on it. I got some high gloss black enamel. And if weather permits, we'll get it to my house by the weekend and I'll get a case of Heineken and some friends over and rock it out. I still have to do some graphics for the marquee and haven't thought of anything original. I don't want to use the "MAME" logo like a lot of people do. Something arcade-ee yet not too expected. Any suggestions? Don't flood me with too many though...

[Flying Dutchman]

ShoobyDoo! Great weekend to look forward too!! (And I'm not talking about the crate of Heineken - the country where I come from they drink it like tap water )

Your MALA-themed frontend looks amazing! Is it sharable/downloadable for others?

Also, do you have the pricize sizes available (mal/visio) of your Mame cabinet?

Thanks again for sharing the progress with us!