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My old MAME Cabinet Revision
jimfath:
I just got back from a 3 week trip. Weeee...
Monitor arrived. It almost sits perfectly with the old Bezel over it. I'll have some time on Friday to snap some pictures.
Still waiting on GGG to make Novagems and Electric Ice buttons available. Anyone know if these buttons are holy grail as far as availability? I only started researching and looking for LED buttons in June and I have no expectations as far as turn around time as I don't order parts with any regularity.
I'm going to use 24 LED buttons. (6) for players 1&2 (4) for players 3&4 and (4) for the spinner and 4 way controller.
I started sanding out the holes with a dremel to make way for the Ultralux and Paradise LED buttons I currently have to test. I'm going to have to figure out a way to power them without their proprietary harness.
I intend to add new joysticks to the list. I'm leaning towards GGG's Leaf Pro joystick. The Happ one's I currently have make a lot of noise and do that annoying thing where they spring back into place with a lot of noise if you let one of them go. I'm also thinking I might unload the Happ 4 way controller for a top firing flight stick a la Tron or something similar.
If I do end up with GGG electric Ice buttons I plan on upgrading my 3" ball to the EI RGB ball. The upgrade kit is $36.
An artist friend of mine offered to design my speaker hole cover. I was about to use a hole saw and drill a (2) 4" holes. I'll take a stab at letting him design something cool looking and see if I can pull it off. Worse case, it looks like hell and I just cut it out all together.
jimfath:
This weekend I removed the rest of the buttons from the CP.
Still waiting on GGG LED buttons to become available again. (Novagems and EI2) It's just a matter of time until they are. I've gotten a few friendly emails from Randy in that regard. (Thanks Randy)
I'll order a Classx LED button from them as well though I don't believe I want the flat competition styled buttons after trying out the Ultralux and a Red Convex LED button from PA. (just based on feel and tension) I'm just "all in" for testing the major LED buttons and making a nice, albeit subjective, side by side video showing the buttons in action. (Ultralux, Classx, Illuminated translucent IL buttons from PA, Electric Ice, Nova Gem, and their convex LED button)
Here is my plan for the CP.
The measurements are not EXACT but this is the general idea. That's a drink holder on the left and a flight stick on the right. I've seen fairly inexpensive poker table chrome drink holder inserts in many many colors. Should be a snap to install. I might move the flight stick towards the center and add a 2nd drink holder to the right of it. I used to have a 4 way controller that I almost never used. I've omitted it from the plan but could easily add it back. I just never used it. I also never reached the kill screen on Donkey Kong so maybe I should put it back.
I'm not sure how many system buttons I'll need on the CP. I used to use mame 32 and just used the keyboard. Now I'm hoping to use hyperspin and run it off the CP as much as possible. Anyone know what a good number of buttons on the control panel for the OS is? I'll need one for the Esc key and the Enter ket but what else? Volume?
With all I want to change and the amount of work it will take to fill in the old holes I'm considering making a new CP (top) Additionally, the mdf as lots of cracks in it. The buttons were too small for the holes drilled and I believe the stress of, I'm assuming malleting them in, left cracks and more than a few breaks. Notably one over the Player 1 buttons area. OR it could be the mdf swelled after some time.
I might even make a new cab all together and sell this one. The new LED monitor saves SO much space I should charge rent for the empty space left over. I've been looking through the wood working section and I might invest in a router and some tools if I am brave enough to try. THis is all your fault guys! I was just interested in getting new LED buttons. All your fault for being so amazing and inspiring.
In my query I found this groovy thread about MDF vs Plywood. http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=102064.0 Having moved this existing MDF cabinet 3 times in 3 different states I'm leaning towards plywood since it's much lighter and I already know I'll be moving in January.
Ultralux, Paradise, HAPP
+1 for the Dremel Idea. I got my old Demel and, using the sander bit, made the holes wide enough to fit the Ultralux and the PA LED button. I have it along side my old HAPP button. I'll wire them all once I have the remaining buttons installed.
HAPP
Paradise
Ultralux
I'm already doodling new cab profiles. You guys did this to me!
Going on ebay at some point.
BurgerKingDiamond:
CRT > LCD
jimfath:
--- Quote from: BurgerKingDiamond on August 17, 2011, 03:24:00 pm ---CRT > LCD
--- End quote ---
You bring up a lot of good points. ;)
My decision to jump from a TV to LCD was based on a lot things. Cab space for one. I'm making plans to shrink the cabinet as my newest apartment is considerably smaller than my 3 previous where the cab resided. Staring at a 27" cathode gun for hours on end wasn't great for my eyes. Power consumption is less. And I was wanting to add newer games and newer platforms (Juke box for the wife) that simply looks a lot better on an LCD. Old school games do suffer. I agree that CRT's are truer and I will miss that aspect.
I am planning on borrowing some wood working tools from a contracting buddy when he is on vacation and I can use them for a week or so.