Author Topic: Head to Head bartop? (Read 5225 times)

Dermee · « **on:** December 18, 2012, 07:28:17 pm »

Greetings,
I have been perusing the forum but could not find any information about builds that utilize two monitors displaying the same screen in a sort of back-to-back bartop build. So one computer splitting the image out to two different monitors, each person with their own set of controls. Has this been done before? Would the computer need to be especially powerful to output to displays? Would this induce any sort of delays with regards to signal?

Oh and what a lovely site you all have here!

Dermee

Nephasth · « **Reply #1 on:** December 18, 2012, 07:40:49 pm »

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,114435.0.html

Well Fed Games · « **Reply #2 on:** December 18, 2012, 07:43:54 pm »

There was a build like this, not sure if it got finished, maybe someone with a better memory can remind us who was working on it... might have been an upright. I think Unstupid's excellent Neo Geo bartop pair (http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,114435.msg1214082.html#msg1214082) are the closest I have seen. As far as mirroring to a second display, I don't think it taxes the computer at all, it is as simple as a cord with a Y-splitter. Love the idea of a head to head bartop... if I had two identical LCD displays it would be really hard not to try and make one... reminds me of the Nintendo Red Tent cocktails. Welcome to the forum!

Edit: Beat to it by Nephasth!

Dermee · « **Reply #3 on:** December 18, 2012, 08:08:14 pm »

Awesome. Thank you for the quick reply. But I suppose I should get one built before I let my imagination get away from me.

Nephasth · « **Reply #4 on:** December 18, 2012, 08:16:47 pm »

And if you want head to head upright action... http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,108719.0.html

Unstupid · « **Reply #5 on:** December 19, 2012, 01:11:20 am »

A head to head bartop would be an awesome idea!

kuchta · « **Reply #6 on:** December 19, 2012, 08:42:23 am »

I'm planning a similar build. I'm going to use a video amplifier like this one. Input lag is something I am concerned about, but am just crossing my fingers until I try it out. I thought about just using a video card with 2 outputs and mirroring, but because of issues I've had in the past with dual monitors and Windows (especially XP), I'm not going that route. This is even more true if you plan on unplugging the second monitor regularly. Good luck with whatever you try!

Dermee · « **Reply #7 on:** December 19, 2012, 09:39:33 am »

Good luck to you kuchta. Hopefully you will share your progress with us here, I am greatly interested in what you end up doing.

jkonami · « **Reply #8 on:** December 19, 2012, 04:56:21 pm »

I've always been interested in playing 4 player Cadash somehow, not sure if you could even do it with two connected 2p units. What other games would you want the two screens for, just out of curiosity? V.S. fighting games?

RyoriNoTetsujin · « **Reply #9 on:** December 19, 2012, 05:43:43 pm »

This idea comes around every now and then but I don't remember anyone actually completing one. It always makes me think of Battleship:

Or Nukem, from the first Robocop movie (look at the thing on the kitchen table around the 15 second mark):

(Both really fun theme possibilities, I'd say.)

Have it fold up like Benderama and you're really on to something.

dextercf · « **Reply #10 on:** December 19, 2012, 06:19:49 pm »

Something like this?

Dermee · « **Reply #11 on:** December 19, 2012, 06:35:19 pm »

Thanks dextercf, that was exactly what I was thinking of. Too bad it doesn't look like he has posted build instructions. Nice to know someone else had the same idea. (2 years before me, he).

As for games in mind: shmups, vs fighting and head to head puzzle games.

dextercf · « **Reply #12 on:** December 20, 2012, 03:19:42 pm »

Fighters would be obvious.
I think a lot of games would vene cool like this.

I have thought about something like this My self, but since it would need more space (which I can not redeem from My wife (has claimed most of our house)) it is hard to pull trough.

Something with tilted monitors to allow the players to see each other, kind of like the nintendo red tent, would be better in My mind.

Eldritch1969 · « **Reply #13 on:** December 20, 2012, 03:39:18 pm »

Thing like that, you mean ?

dextercf · « **Reply #14 on:** December 20, 2012, 03:44:58 pm »

Yeah. More like that, so you could stare your opponent in the eyes while pulling a fatality!

PL1 · « **Reply #15 on:** December 20, 2012, 03:50:33 pm »

Red Tent photos (for scale)

Scott

CoryBee · « **Reply #16 on:** December 20, 2012, 03:55:59 pm »

I was thinking more of a V shaped setup, similar to Nephasth's two headed beast.

Unstupid · « **Reply #17 on:** December 20, 2012, 04:07:09 pm »

I'd just add that... This is a pretty stupid idea for a bartop! Think about it... if you are going to put this on a bar top how are you and your opponent going to comfortably play against eachother? 2 people sitting on the same side of a bar? Maybe if you are going head to head against the bartender.... Now lets say you are going to use it on a tabletop.... Now you are limited to using a table that is the same width as your batrop is long, else someone if going to have to play with the edge of the table jammed up adainst their chest. The red tent works because it IS the table, but unless you plan on putting legs on the bottom of your head to head "bartop" you are better off just building 2 stand alone weecades and linking them together that way you can put them whereever you want, back to back, side by side, on the other side of the room etc..... Just sayin...

dextercf · « **Reply #18 on:** December 20, 2012, 04:26:40 pm »

Quote from: Unstupid on December 20, 2012, 04:07:09 pm

I'd just add that... This is a pretty stupid idea for a bartop! Think about it... if you are going to put this on a bar top how are you and your opponent going to comfortably play against eachother? 2 people sitting on the same side of a bar? Maybe if you are going head to head against the bartender.... Now lets say you are going to use it on a tabletop.... Now you are limited to using a table that is the same width as your batrop is long, else someone if going to have to play with the edge of the table jammed up adainst their chest. The red tent works because it IS the table, but unless you plan on putting legs on the bottom of your head to head "bartop" you are better off just building 2 stand alone weecades and linking them together that way you can put them whereever you want, back to back, side by side, on the other side of the room etc..... Just sayin...

One Word: bartender

Dermee · « **Reply #19 on:** December 20, 2012, 06:58:36 pm »

Now now, you know it is cool.

CoryBee · « **Reply #20 on:** December 20, 2012, 07:06:39 pm »

Best would be like unstupid mentioned, link two bartops together. I really like his neo-geo twins by the way, a neat read. Would be so much more awesome if both were fully functional by themselves as well as one turning into a controller and cloning the display for the other.

Dermee · « **Reply #21 on:** December 21, 2012, 02:40:00 pm »

I would say it is possible to do. You could have one of the bartops (master) have a plug modded into the case which would output the display as well as have an input to a keyboard encoder within the master. The only problem would be the software side for the other bartop which you would have to putz with.

kuchta · « **Reply #22 on:** December 21, 2012, 02:47:54 pm »

Quote from: CoryBee on December 20, 2012, 07:06:39 pm

Best would be like unstupid mentioned, link two bartops together. I really like his neo-geo twins by the way, a neat read. Would be so much more awesome if both were fully functional by themselves as well as one turning into a controller and cloning the display for the other.

Quote from: Dermee on December 21, 2012, 02:40:00 pm

I would say it is possible to do. You could have one of the bartops (master) have a plug modded into the case which would output the display as well as have an input to a keyboard encoder within the master. The only problem would be the software side for the other bartop which you would have to putz with.

My plan is to have 2 functioning bartops that can be joined together. I'm planning on using a KVM to switch the client bartop between usage modes, similar to the project below. The main difference is that I plan on using a video amplifier instead of trying to use dual monitors on a video card. I'm hoping that will make it easier to disconnect and reconnect the second bartop on the fly.

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,117295.0/all.html

Dermee · « **Reply #23 on:** December 21, 2012, 05:52:48 pm »

Looks good kuchta. Have you noticed any lag or anything quirky?

kuchta · « **Reply #24 on:** December 21, 2012, 08:40:46 pm »

I haven't even started anything yet. All I have now are the monitors. I'm hoping to get the ball rolling after the holidays at which point I'll start a project thread and hopefully have some answers. Input lag and encoder issues are my biggest concerns. I guess we'll see what happens!

Dermee · « **Reply #25 on:** December 22, 2012, 10:50:46 am »

My mistake, thought your link you posted was about your build.

Le Chuck · « **Reply #26 on:** January 03, 2013, 10:30:50 am »

Took me weeks to find this thing. I have terrible search-fu. Always wanted to see this one come to life.

dextercf · « **Reply #27 on:** January 03, 2013, 05:37:49 pm »

Quote from: Le Chuck on January 03, 2013, 10:30:50 am

Took me weeks to find this thing. I have terrible search-fu. Always wanted to see this one come to life.

That One. I allways thought that would be knocked over (top heavy, small base).


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Author Topic: Head to Head bartop? (Read 5225 times)

Nephasth

Nephasth

Eldritch1969