Slim Defender-style JAMMA Cabinet and Rotating LCD Monitor[indefinitely on-hold]

[DaveMMR]

(As of 6/28 I'm still in the preliminary design phase, hoping to be cutting wood by mid-to-late summer.)

==Introduction==

I've wanted to do a new project for a while. I still like my original Centipede cabinet but I'm beginning to realize its shortcomings. Besides the parts where I obviously "half-assed" the build, I've been growing weary of constantly tinkering with the bloat of software required to make the machine operational as well as the physical size of the beast taking up so much floor space in my backroom. As much as it breaks my heart, I'm going to dismantle and retire the machine and replace it.

Originally, it was going to be another MAME machine, except much simpler (no colorful lights, no background scripts to get joysticks working, etc.) As I got to thinking, I started gravitating more towards building a JAMMA cabinet and putting MAME on the back burner. The more I thought about it, the more sense it made to me: simple one switch operation without worrying about "hiding Windows" or futzing with software. Yeah, the game selection will be a lot smaller (though I'll be throwing a simple MAME computer with a Jpac into the box alongside PCBs), but it will definitely be more rewarding.

Here's a simple list of design goals I hope to accomplish - which may change at any moment:

• Simple, hot-swappable control panels with minimal controls. Although I've seen it done well, I'm a little weary of the "throw-everything-on-one-panel" design. I'm going to make it so switching from, say, a single joystick panel to a two-player fighter setup or trackball panel will be relatively quick and easy.
• Rotating LCD monitor. Unless I'm content with sticking with one orientation (or playing vertical games sideways), making the display easy to rotate is a must. However, since I'm aiming for simplicity (and cutting down costs), it'll be manually rotated.
• Easily accessable insides. For easily switching boards, storing panels and other maintenance. Will have to open from the front since I'll be more or less securing this to a wall.
• Keep it simple (in looks and design). Though it should look nice, I don't need the bells and whistles anymore (sorry, RGB LED lit Electric Ice buttons). I just want it to work quickly and easily for anyone who needs a quick game.

[DaveMMR]

==Cabinet Design==

I went back and forth with cabinet shapes and designs. Originally, I was going to cut into my Centipede but I decided to just leave it alone should I want to rebuild it when I have the space. I then saw this project and it seemed perfect. I decided to do something similar with the Defender-style cabinet.


(Above: same cabinet with monitor in vertical and horizontal modes.)

Brien King from the Arcade Restoration Workshop was cool enough to actually model the real Defender cabinet and post the SketchUp model on his site. I downloaded it and modified it by slicing the back off (leaving it 20" deep at it's deepest point), narrowing it slightly (24" inside width instead of 24.5") and making a simple rotating monitor mechanism to fit inside the cabinet.

The Defender cabinet is perfect for the following reasons:

• Classic, recognizable design
• Simple lines (few complicated cuts save for a couple of edge angles)
• Control panels are simple 24" x 8-1/8" pieces of wood that latch on nicely.
• The coin door opening allows for easy access of the panel latches.
• Will look good with monitor in either orientation (read: no "excess" bezel.)
• Bottom area looks perfect for making a somewhat hidden door with European hinges for front access.

I'm still deciding on the color-scheme and what I'm doing with the artwork (the individual panels will probably have game-related graphics.) Here are some non-final tests I did.



So far I'm leaning towards just going black all the way (with black vinyl on the front pieces) ala Defender or the Stargate red sides, though I've also been toying with staining for the sides (that's what the brown is supposed to have been but I messed it up in SketchUp.)

[DaveMMR]

==Monitor==

I wish, wish, WISH I could find a way to reuse my 25" Wells Gardner CRT monitor. But rotation was a must for me and rotating that beast would have been a nightmare (though I've seen it done quite well with a couple of candy cabs).  It also calls for a larger cabinet and part of my goal is to save a bit of space in my tiny game room. Oh well, I'll save it for another project.  

But I happen to have a couple of Dell 19" 4:3 LCD monitors on hand (donations actually).  The one pictured below is the E196FPf that I had decased and tested. I leaned it up at the rough angle it'll be in the cab and stood at it from various wacky angles. Looked pretty good. Not CRT good, obviously, but no complaints otherwise.



Of course, it's going to be hooked up to a JAMMA harness, so on my shopping list will be an RGB JAMMA to VGA Converter. And if I'm getting a little atsy over the lack of scanlines, apparently there's a solution for that as well.

[SpaceHedgehog]

Re the colour scheme - I've always had a soft spot for the classic defender look - would suit that shape too.

[DaveMMR]

Had a little time to myself today so I figured before I get into the big stuff, I'd tackle a part of the building I was a little apprehensive about: the monitor wheel.

I picked up a 2x2 3/4" sheet of plywood at Home Depot.  After marking out the center of the board and drawing the lines, I made a compass from a small leftover board, measuring out the radius between the two holes.  It worked out quite well and made the perfect 23-1/2" diameter circle.



I then cut out the middle portion with my jigsaw (messed it up a little) and worked my way slowly around my circle line. Honestly, it was not quite as hard as I thought, just have to take your time with it. While it's not a perfect circle, it does what it needs to do.





I was going to test fit the monitor but I realized the opening is a hair too small. Just need to widen the cut a bit, but I'll work on that another day.  Even though the cut is a little sloppy on the inside (you can see where my saw slipped on the right edge), it's going to be covered up so I'm not too concerned with that right now. Overall, I'm pleased with how this came out.

[jimmer]

Did this project go anywhere? 

I like the slimline Defender look, and may copy this  instead of copying the 'Spike'

Any chance of getting your sketchup file?

[DaveMMR]

Did this project go anywhere? 

I like the slimline Defender look, and may copy this  instead of copying the 'Spike'

Any chance of getting your sketchup file?

Sorry, I didn't see you had replied to this thread.

So yeah, a few changes in my place of residence towards the end of last year, and again this summer, put this on the far back burner. I learned my lesson not to start a project announcement until I'm closer to completing than starting. Especially since, in the downtime, I had too much time to rethink a lot of things.

Right now, I'm tinkering with bar top ideas. (I actually have the Weecade profiles cut out; just trying to figure out how I'd like to proceed with them.) I'd like to go full-size again in the future but I feel I may just get an old gutted-out cabinet and use the leftover parts (25" monitor/coin door) I have from my last project. I'm done hauling 8x4 MDF boards that I cut improperly half the time anyway. 

However, you're welcome to my sketch-up file. It's not the most organized thing in the world; and I'm not very good at the program so use at your own risk.