The "I can't wait to build a full-size cab/Wife friendly" solution.

[Rick]

Ok, I think I have an idea.  Sure, it's not an original idea, but it might just get me enjoying all the MAME games I have sitting on my laptop.

I'm cursing - nightly - all the games I'm playing on my poor little laptop keyboard, and as per my other thread (sig linked), my Wife is not interested in letting me start work on the full-size cab solution until I've finished a lot of our home renovations.  From another thread, someone posted a small box (I'm sure there's a common name for it) like this:



I should be able to convince my Wife to let me build a nice, simple, small box like this, but I wanted to come by and ask if the parts I've got listed here are enough to complete it.  I plan to have a P1, P1 Coin, Home, Exit, and Pause admin button, as well as a joystick and 6 buttons.  If I tack on a GP-Wiz40 Max USB, is this really all I need to interface with my laptop?  (Yes, I have a spare USB port.)

Is that it?  Really?  (I'm hoping so.)

 

[newmanfamilyvlogs]

Going to go ahead and get a proper minipac/ipac/whatever so you can re-use it when you do build your full size cab?

Bonus Points: make two of them, instead of running a cord from it, install a usb socket on it then make it able to 'dock' into your full-size cab.

[Rick]

Going to go ahead and get a proper minipac/ipac/whatever so you can re-use it when you do build your full size cab?

Now, this might be a noob question, but what is the difference between a KeyWiz and an Ipac?  I was under the impression that, because GGG carries the KeyWiz, and Ultimarc carries the Ipac, that it was simply a North America/UK thing.  Are there functional or performance differences between the two?

Bonus Points: make two of them, instead of running a cord from it, install a usb socket on it then make it able to 'dock' into your full-size cab.

Funny you mention that.  I was just contemplating adding a bunch more buttons, and seeing if I can convince my Wife I could build a full-size CP instead.  Then, I could just slide 'er into place when the cab is finished.

 

[jimmy2x2x]

Have a look here for some inspiration

http://shoryuken.com/f177/check-out-my-new-arcade-stick-thread-part-deux-201537/

[newmanfamilyvlogs]

I'm American and I purchased a minipac just because it seemed to have the greatest density of features, but I had not really researched the Keywiz at the moment. The pre-wired harness was a nice selling point too.

And as for sliding control panels, have you seen my project? It's not complete (hopefully soon), but is essentially a living-room invisible cabinet with slide-out panel. The wife also loves the design because I left out any sort of coin-door element and replaced it with a large drawer that other stuff can be hid away in. Perhaps mine is the first combination MAME/Linen Closet? (:

[Rick]

Have a look here for some inspiration

Damn.  Just... Damn.

And as for sliding control panels, have you seen my project? It's not complete (hopefully soon), but is essentially a living-room invisible cabinet with slide-out panel. The wife also loves the design because I left out any sort of coin-door element and replaced it with a large drawer that other stuff can be hid away in. Perhaps mine is the first combination MAME/Linen Closet? (:

I believe I have seen your project - in your sig, right?

[Nicodumas]

I would see about the CP, you never know... She might let you get away with it. I personally and building my cab in stages as well.

[newmanfamilyvlogs]

I believe I have seen your project - in your sig, right?

Yes. Sorry I should have been more specific.

[Rick]

I would see about the CP, you never know... She might let you get away with it. I personally and building my cab in stages as well.

There are pluses and a minuses to both.  On the plus side, I can use it attached to my Media PC and 42" Plasma, and play against my kids.  (Or, of course, they can play against each other, which is both a plus AND a minus, considering I lose my TV.)  On the minus side, a full CP isn't very easy to take with me into bed, which is where I'm usually playing on the laptop at the moment.

 

[EvilNuff]

I am sort of doing the same thing.  The wife and I have an agreement that I can build a full sized cab after I buy her a bigger house...which is on hold for a few months at this point.

In the meantime I have been working on a pair of control boxes like these.  I got the idea from slagcoin which is where I got the above image that you re-linked.  (Incidentally check out slagcoin's example projects if you haven't...)  What I have done is a small project box with the ipac and rotary joystick board (love the ls-30 rotary games) and 2 joystick boxes using custom db37 cables to connect to the project box...then the project box has a usb cable to the pc.

[Rick]

I am sort of doing the same thing.  The wife and I have an agreement that I can build a full sized cab after I buy her a bigger house...which is on hold for a few months at this point.

Damn, you just made me think of a possible 'very' negative to this whole plan.  What if my Wife says, "Hey, since you can already play everything, why do we need a full-size gaming machine cluttering up our house?"

 

I'm sure this has probably been discussed before...  ...possibly by people who were once here, and now, are not.

 

In the meantime I have been working on a pair of control boxes like these.  I got the idea from slagcoin which is where I got the above image that you re-linked.  (Incidentally check out slagcoin's example projects if you haven't...)  What I have done is a small project box with the ipac and rotary joystick board (love the ls-30 rotary games) and 2 joystick boxes using custom db37 cables to connect to the project box...then the project box has a usb cable to the pc.

That's a great idea.  I was thinking something similar, however, having the KeyWiz located in 'box 1' and a serial connection so you could bridge 'box 2' whenever required.  (Of course, then the ideas are endless, as you could always add on a couple more boxes for tournament action around the room.)

Hmm... Thinking, thinking.

[EvilNuff]

RE: The wife, game room is your answer.  I sold my wife on a game room / home theater idea and now she wants one too.  A full size cab, tastefully done, is a good plus for a game room.

RE: control boxes, I was going to do that originally but 2 things changed my mind. 
First, p2 would have a cord going to p1's box, just seemed frustrating to me...I did not like that.
Second, different controls.  If you put the ipac/keywiz in the p1 box you are locked into that p1 box.  I personally love mechanical rotary games (ikari warriors etc) so I wanted the ability to use those sticks as well/instead of...4 way, 8 way, spinner, trackball, etc.  It really was a small amount of extra wiring to just stick the ipac in its own enclosure for me. 

[Rick]

Ladies and Gentlemen, we have BUY IN!!!

Yes! My Wife is SOLD on the 'pre-cab' gaming box. The order is going in tonight to GGG, and I hope to have 'proof of concept' plans in the very near future... ...and hopefully a prototype built up as early as next week!

[Rick]

Ok, now THAT'S a first!  My Wife and I drove into work this morning (we work in the same office) and before she went into her meeting, she said, "Here.  Take my credit card so you can order that stuff you want."

 

So, the order has been placed with GGG, and I'm looking very, very, very forward to my first delivery!!!  (I've ordered up enough parts to do P1 and P2 boxes, so I'm sure my kids will be happy!)  More updates as soon as I have some construction work done!  I CAN'T WAIT!

 

[javeryh]

RE: The wife, game room is your answer.  I sold my wife on a game room / home theater idea and now she wants one too.  A full size cab, tastefully done, is a good plus for a game room.

I'll second this.  You need a room in the house to call your own.

[Rick]

I'll second this.  You need a room in the house to call your own.

I like to think we have that, however, it's a challenge at times.

We have a two-storey, wartime house with no basement.  On the main floor, we have the living/tv room (where I do have my Media PC, 42" Plasma and Yamaha Sound Projector - awesome sound, recommended!) and then the playroom (formerly my home office - no door) beside it, the dining room (kitchen's not big enough to eat in) and the kitchen and the bathroom (3 pc, as it used to be the only one in the house.)  On the second floor, we have three bedrooms (ours, and two boys), another full bathroom, second floor laundry (I built that), a large walk-in closet and linen closet.  Sadly, there's really nowhere for me to go.

 

We also have two medium size sheds in the backyard, however, we've been talking about building one extra large shed which we're planning on turning into a workshop as well.  So, there's one place for me, anyway.  My Wife also doesn't have a problem with building a cab and putting it into the playroom, so I'll chalk that up to a big win.  As my boys grow (9 and 3, at the moment), I'm sure the 'playroom' will grow to be a 'holy crap, look at all the cool stuff DAD built!' room.  (Yes, I fully plan to have a couple of MAME cabs in there, as well as - if I can convince my Wife of the expense - a Visual Pinball machine worthy of the others I've seen on the site.  Once I saw the awesome work, I fell in love.)

 

[EightBySix]

RE: control boxes, I was going to do that originally but 2 things changed my mind. 
First, p2 would have a cord going to p1's box, just seemed frustrating to me...I did not like that.
Second, different controls. 

I was considering a modular CP and was thinking about ways to plug them in to the cab, but then I thought it would be cool to make a wireless solution, so each module would be independant and communicate wirelessly with a central unit that would host the keyboard encoder. Then you can bolt them together anyway you like, including a 'knee top' CP that connects to a laptop/media centre/whatever.

Downside is that each module would need batteries, but I cant see the drain on them being particularly large.

It's one of those 'phase II' ideas 

[Stobe]

If you ever need any ammunition for the Wife Approval Gun, here's my contribution.

I followed MarkRVP's thread when he was building a mini-pacman for his son.  Then I showed my wife the results.  That was enough for her to give me the go-ahread to build one for my daughter.  Several cabs later, I still get the occasional rolling of the eyes from her, but I haven't ever received a definite "NO!".  (some results may vary)

Here's Mark's thread:

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=36591.msg337980#msg337980

And here is my resulting Playroom friendly cabinet:

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=60591.msg608741#msg608741

Hope that helps.
-Stobe

[HaRuMaN]

I find growing a pair usually helps...   

[Rick]

I was considering a modular CP and was thinking about ways to plug them in to the cab, but then I thought it would be cool to make a wireless solution, so each module would be independant and communicate wirelessly with a central unit that would host the keyboard encoder. Then you can bolt them together anyway you like, including a 'knee top' CP that connects to a laptop/media centre/whatever.

I'm considering this as well for a 'future project'.  I *know* I'm giving too much away, but I have designs brewing for a square coffee table for my living room with a 'click to open' hideaway CP, with which I hope to hack my HP Wireless Keyboard to use my existing Media PC for gaming.  I figure if I could do that, and somehow integrate the batteries into a cubby panel on the table itself, it's a no-brainer.  I know my Wife would love the idea, as she wanted me to build a cocktail cab, but we don't have the room.  This way, I get all the benefits of a cocktail cab without the need for a monitor, which would add extra height and defeat the purpose of the whole 'coffee table' idea.  The one challenge I'm working with is the height of the CP.  If it's too low, everybody on the couch will be bent over to play, and that's not a healthy gaming environment.

If you ever need any ammunition for the Wife Approval Gun, here's my contribution.

Much appreciated!  She is warming to the idea, I know...  I've done my own little poke, as my youngest is 3, I sent her this pic:



She thought it was incredibly cute...

I know she won't have issue with the project - we just need a bathroom reno completed first.  Our second floor bathroom has some *ahem* 'issues' with the shower tiles - the last owners didn't grout properly, and when I reached in to adjust the water one day, I almost fell through the wall.  Combine that with the fact that water had leaked behind the bad grout, causing our flooring to become spongy (especially around the toilet) and... ...well, I don't need to tell you how embarrassing it would be on the first floor and to see someone come falling through the ceiling while perched upon the throne.

 

So.  Order of operations.  Mini-CP, bathroom, full-size cab.

 

I find growing a pair usually helps...   

My Wife could beat up your Wife.

 

[opt2not]

I find growing a pair usually helps...   

Dammit,you beat me to it.
I was going to say something along the lines of "maybe she'll let you build this, if you give her back her purse." 

[Rick]

"You're a funny guy, Sully.  I like you.  That's why I'm going to kill you last."

 

[kingchimp]

Psst.   Be careful, he's lying.