Digging for long lost info on hacking plug & play tv games for a bartop.

[Well Fed Games]

Hey, long time lurker, occasional poster... I am planning on "hacking" a Jakks plug and play TV game into the brain of a mini-cabinet (probably the 12-in-1 newest version). But not only is it an entirely unoriginal idea, I seem to be a few years too late, and a lot of the websites/hosted pictures I came across in searching the forum (and the wiki: http://wiki.arcadecontrols.com/wiki/TV_Games_Controller_Interfaces) and general Google-ing are dead.

Anybody have current pics, of say, how to wire one up to a real joystick, diagrams, etc.? Or if you know an active place/site with the information, I am sure I could have missed it.  Specifically, it is the wiring that I am most curious about (don't want to make stupid mistakes).

[Encryptor]

Search for Jakks.

Here is one that is a really good read and a well done project.

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=36591.0

Encryptor

[Well Fed Games]

Thanks, yeah, lots of great info there, I did do a thorough search. I just got the feeling a lot of hosted images/sites weren't showing up. If my cab(s, I might make two) come out half as good as the ones on the forum here I would be elated. Should be a real interesting project... has anyone used one of the newest ones ("retro arcade") for a cabinet? Oh, Namco, why must your games be so charming?

[Bender]

check out CheffoJeffo's first reply in this thread http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=95020.0

got a lot of info on building mine from the first link in there

[Well Fed Games]

Thanks Bender, there were some threads in there I hadn't found, good stuff! (I guess I should have searched for "Jakk" as well!)  Now I'm considering using a Ms. Pac stick and an arcade gold Pac Man as opposed to the newest Retro Arcade one, as it is hard to have a monument to Namco without Ms Pac Man and the Xevious on the newest one is screwy. Of course, that means incorporating a switcher... I'm so glad others have pioneered before me!

[Donkbaca]

I was thinking about doing this. Then it hit me; you can get a psone with the portable 5inch screen attached for under 50 bucks. Hack a old ps controller and get Namco museum...

[Well Fed Games]

Yeah, my first bartop (it is pretty rough) was a PS1 based system with a 13" TV screen. I think a PS2 based one will be next after this mini-joystick cab, while I can't get every game on disc, between the PS1 and PS2 there are a lot of good collections... and I find re-purposing old systems very interesting. Hmm... maybe I will do that one first...? I just need 2 more days in every week.