Couple of questions I can't find answer to.

[nemo1966]

Bit new to this, I'm an software dev with an engineering background and as such pretty hands on and a quick study.

1) When using say winxp or win7 as the machine OS... how is the shutting down of the PC done? are you setting the power options to "shut down" on pressing the power button OR the mame from end (something like mala) do this?

2) I am basically making one of these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Coffee-Table-Top-Arcade-Machine-Walnut-Retro-Cocktail-Space-Invaders-Pac-Man-/221120773511?pt=UK_Video_Games_Coin_Operated_MJ&hash=item337bd33d87 I want to be able to play the same types of game + super mario bros 1 & 3 and pinball games. Will I need 4 or 8 way joysticks?

thank you
nemo

[Well Fed Games]

1. Either way should work. Personally I MAME'd an existing cab, so I used the power switch method, wired the PC switch to the cab switch and just set it to shut down when I pushed it.

2. Some of those games are 8-way, so you will need 8-way sticks, or sticks that can switch between 4 and 8 way (several options for this).

Looks like a cool cocktail project!

[nemo1966]

Thanks for the replies - yeah I'm looking forward to getting started

thanks again
Nemo

[capsule]

1) When using say winxp or win7 as the machine OS... how is the shutting down of the PC done? are you setting the power options to "shut down" on pressing the power button OR the mame from end (something like mala) do this?

Both methods are available on my lastest cab. I've set mGalaxy to shutdown the PC when exiting or I can press the power button (which is relocated to the original power switch location). This way, you can't just exit the frontend and get back to Windows, were you would be stuck.

[PL1]

I want to be able to play the same types of game + super mario bros 1 & 3 and pinball games.

Since you want to include pinball, I recommend that you look at keyboard-type encoders like the I-Pac, Mini-Pac, KeyWiz, Degenatron's AVR Encoder, etc. so you don't have to add joy2key or xpadder software.  Visual Pinball and Future Pinball aren't as flexible as MAME when it comes to configuring certain inputs.


Scott

[DeLuSioNal29]

Since you're a software dev and engineer, the Servo Stick from Ultimarc may be right up your alley.  You can program it to automatically switch from 4-way to 8-way based on what game is selected.

http://www.ultimarc.com/servostik.html

D

[nemo1966]

Since you're a software dev and engineer, the Servo Stick from Ultimarc may be right up your alley.  You can program it to automatically switch from 4-way to 8-way based on what game is selected.

http://www.ultimarc.com/servostik.html

D

oooh that looks nice thanks