286 replies to this topic

[antropus]

Sure thing! To keep it ergonomic I think I can take the corner of the lockdown bar as a reference and see the distance between it and the center of the current button and then create an arch to make sure the distance is similar in relation to the new button. This way I just need to slightly rotate my wrists to reach it, at the exact same distance as the other ones. The difference is that this would make it a diagonal layout, not in-line, which I don't mind as long as it's comfortable and looks nice
I'll do some tests before I cut it, no doubt.

Thanks again
-Kris

[antropus]

I mocked up some ideas but didn't like the 4 button setup :-/
How difficult would it be to program the few tables that use 4 flipper buttons (I'm guessing around 10 or so?) to use only two buttons? Can you have multiple keys assigned to fewer buttons? Sorry for the stupid question. I can't remember if the ipac does it or if I would need an autohotkey script

-Kris

Hmmm, just thinking here and it should be pretty easy if I just wire 4 ports from the ipac to two buttons, in pairs, right? Would that kill the experience?

-Kris

[mameman23]

Ipac can using an assigned shift button but that's probably less practical given how quick you need to use it. Better method would be to modify one of Noah's flipper contacts so you can reproduce the old double contact flipper setup where a shallow push gave you one flipper a deeper push gave you both. Simples!

Edited by mameman23, 29 January 2013 - 11:35 PM.

[antropus]

Oh! That's an interesting idea Greg! What would be the downside of having two buttons controlling 4 inputs in the ipac2 though? If it's just that all flippers would fire up at same time I can still live with that! They are used in only a few tables anyway

-Kris

[mameman23]

Buttons are only making the contacts, you still have 4 unique inputs so no different in reality to having 4 separate buttons except on the deep push the lower flipper fires and holds then the upper fires and holds. Both release when you release the button.

[antropus]

Yeah, I got the idea. My question was more like having two inputs from the ipac connected to a single flipper button left and other two inputs connected to a single flipper button right. I would basically wire two to one so when I pressed it all flippers, upper and under the playfield would fire at same time at all times. Your idea is much more clever and more selective. Mine is just brute force laziness I guess

-Kris

[mameman23]

Ugly but yea would work

[Roo]

I really think you'd want two separate buttons.  Starship Troopers is a great example.  The right side has two buttons and the second controls a second, smaller red flipper inline with the main one.  If you always fired both at the same time, I think it would be impossible to cradle the ball on the main right flipper.

 

The magnasaves in the Black Knight tables are probably another example.  I don't have much experience with them yet, but my understanding is that you earn magnasaves and then activate them at the last second with the correct secondary button to prevent the ball from draining down the outlane.  You wouldn't want to constantly spend your magnasaves if the flipper key was also pressing that key.

[kruge99]

I really think you'd want two separate buttons.  Starship Troopers is a great example.  The right side has two buttons and the second controls a second, smaller red flipper inline with the main one.  If you always fired both at the same time, I think it would be impossible to cradle the ball on the main right flipper.

 

The magnasaves in the Black Knight tables are probably another example.  I don't have much experience with them yet, but my understanding is that you earn magnasaves and then activate them at the last second with the correct secondary button to prevent the ball from draining down the outlane.  You wouldn't want to constantly spend your magnasaves if the flipper key was also pressing that key.

 

Like Roo said, you "earn" the magna-save and once it's used up, you have to re-earn it.  So in your config antropos, with one button, you would inadvertently fire the magna-save when the ball is nowhere near it unfortunately.

 

If you take a look at the games with magna-save http://www.ipdb.org/...earchtype=quick you will see the white flipper button with the red magna-save button closer to the back box in the pictures.  Black Knight has a couple good pics showing this.

 

It's only a few tables that have this feature, and it's fun to catch a ball that is about to drain and fling it back out into play!

Hope this helps.

 

 

Best Regards,

Todd.

[antropus]

Good info guys, thank you! Yeah, I'll probably add the second set of buttons.

Hey, an unrelated question: what kind of switch on/off button are you guys using in your cabinets? I was looking for something like the original Williams pinball, under the cabinet, on the right, kind of a red rocker switch, but then I realized that the computer will be driving the smart strip anyway so I thought about one of those: http://www.ebay.com/...898750986&ps=54

Do you guys mind sharing your solutions for powering the whole cabinet?

Thanks!
-Kris

Actually, the one in the link looks very small. I think they have it bigger though.

Here's the bigger model (19mm): http://www.ebay.com/...=item2a24b00ac8

[faralos]

Please reread them again. The blue one is a momentary switch

and the red one is a click on/off type. Make sure you get the correct one.

And from what I remember most pins had a chrome push button

Odd thing here my Flash pin has a pull chain like the type used in ceiling fans!

Had me a good laugh when I first saw that! Hey whatever worked I guess!

And obviously used whatever the person who did that had laying around!

The red rocker switches I think belonged mostly to jukeboxes

in the back under the volume knob.

Edited by faralos, 30 January 2013 - 06:38 PM.

[antropus]

Yes, I looked at the right thing but posted the wrong link at first, but it looks exactly like that!

Ceiling fan chain, uh? Haha!

[mameman23]

i normally just use a simple arcade style button under the cab.

[GatorJim]

Antropus,

 

FIrst off, thanks for inspiring me!  After reading your log, I'm about to start my own cabinet.

 

One quick question, I'm considering using the same Samsung UN46ES6003.....can you share the dimensions of the Samsung once you removed the case?  Were any woodworking changes neccesary to the Widebody cab from Virtuapin to accomodate the Samsung?

 

Thanks!

[antropus]

Gator,
yes! You will still need to route a shallow channel (I guess 1/4 of an inch or less will do it). I'm at work right now and I don't quite remember the smaller dimension, but the full length of the TV de-cased is about 41.5 inches. Like I mentioned before, the TV has a very nice piano black thin bezel which will look great in the cab, that if you even see it that much. The height of the TV panel is just a hair over mere half of an inch! If you put the TV square against the RGB panel (on the back, under the glass), then you will have to install it over the flipper buttons. If you want to install it against (after) the flipper buttons, then you will need to get it deeper into the back of the box, passing the RGB/LEDs panel line. I will personally go with the first option, putting it square against the RGB panel and over the flipper buttons. I like the idea of the TV being closer to the front of the machine. After installing my custom apron I think it will look smooth. I'll have it shallow in the front, about 3/4 of an inch, right over the flipper buttons and about 4 to 4.5 inches deep in the back, right against the RGB panel. I'm not installing it parallel to the bottom of the cabinet nor parallel to the glass. It's a little in-between. It has a slight angle, so I will get some depth while maintaining a good viewing angle. I tried it yesterday and it seems right for my personal taste.

Cheers,
-Kris

[kruge99]

Good info guys, thank you! Yeah, I'll probably add the second set of buttons.

Hey, an unrelated question: what kind of switch on/off button are you guys using in your cabinets? I was looking for something like the original Williams pinball, under the cabinet, on the right, kind of a red rocker switch, but then I realized that the computer will be driving the smart strip anyway so I thought about one of those: http://www.ebay.com/...898750986&ps=54

Do you guys mind sharing your solutions for powering the whole cabinet?

Thanks!
-Kris

Actually, the one in the link looks very small. I think they have it bigger though.

Here's the bigger model (19mm): http://www.ebay.com/...=item2a24b00ac8

 

I used a "lighted" arcade style push-button where I wired the positive and negative to the ATX motherboard using the regular ATX case wiring harness. (two strand with the small black plug on it.  The power that drives the LED comes from one of the 5VDC hard drive power connectors (I use one to run all the lighted push-buttons on my cab)

 

 

Best Regards,

Todd.

[antropus]

Thank you kruge99! I think I'll go with a similar solution, quite like what I have on my mame machine.

I've been doing a lot of wood work for the past days. I have experience painting stuff, but wood work is quite new to me and I 'm loving the power tools, specially the router! Although I learned to fear it, so I 'm being extra careful not to lose a finger or worse, while watching a ton of tutorials on wood work.

Here's some progress:

Bottom panel with vents and slot for the subwoofer:


Bottom panel with vents and slot for the subwoofer:


Subwoofer is fitting perfectly. Really proud of this cut. Still need to route some nice bevel to the edges though:


Detail of the vents + aluminum screen:


Side slots cut for the play field/TV:


Back panel with the fans visible:


And covered by the aluminum screen:


Detail of the back:


Coin door slot cut:


Coin door installed:


I also got Zebulon's shaker motor and engine delivered. I got it bare bones because I want to design my own base and enclosure for the shaker.

More to come.

Cheers,
-Kris

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Edited by antropus, 01 February 2013 - 09:30 AM.

[kruge99]

Very nice work indeed!  And yeah, the very high RPM of the router makes it a tool to be well respected.  I didn't use on on my cab made from scrap plywood I found in my work place's warehouse.

 

Here's the wip thread for my hacked together pincab

http://www.vpforums....showtopic=14129

 

 

Best Regards,

Todd.

[antropus]

Hey kruge99,
great project you got there! You made a pinball/mame combo, which is a very cool idea. I like the wood cabin look on the cab

-Kris

[antropus]

Time for some progress!
Got the cabinet glued/assembled and did a lot of wood work as well. I'm now concentrated on the back box. Hopefully I'll finish the woodwork by the weekend so it's time for putty and sanding!!!!





















-Kris

Progress on the back box, including TV mount and slot for volume control from my logitech speakers on the back. The 32 inch TV really fills the backbox and will look great once the frame/glass is applied. I left a little gap in between TV/Speaker panel so I can install the IR sensor that I removed from the TV temporarily. I add an on/off push button on the bottom and the back drawer needs to be adjusted, but it's working great. I needed to rework some of the pieces sent by Noah, replacing both panels for the back box and also redesigning the back of the cabinet in order to get the door the way it is.

Next stop: RGBs/strobes bar and front buttons.





















-Kris

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