Dealing with Wife \ Ideas for Cab

[Lumpy]

Here's the deal....  I plan on building a 4 player cab and finally found the money to do it.  But when my wife figured out I was going to put a 27' TV in there she flipped.  What did she expect me to put in there...my 17' PC monitor?

Anywase here's what I need from you guys.  I need to figure out a way to make this TV serve more that just the Arcade Function.  Basically the TV needs to function as a regular TV go figure.

Here are my two ideas.  

1.  Put the TV shelf on a hinge so that when we're playing it can be tilted back and when someone wants to watch TV it can be tilted back up.  However the joysticks will be in the way of viewing the TV.   Any thoughts?

2.  I really want a cab, but I could just make the controls seperate.  Create some type of self standing control panel, like the showcase cabinets.  But if I do that I'm not sure what type of entertainment center I'll put the TV in.  I have one I could use, but then the TV would only sit 18" or so of the ground.  That doesn't work unless I make the controls at sitting height.

I appreciate any ideas you guys can throw at me.  I really want the cab....but the wife is now pregnant so PLEASE HELP..... I need to build this before the baby comes or it might never happen.

edit....  

Here's a few more details.  

Right now we're renting.  Can't build it into the wall.   Beautiful setup CameronJ.

If I build a cab....I want to make it look like a cab.  No armoire....looks cool...just not for me.

edit 2

OK Guys....  It's not a matter of putting my foot down.  I did....  I have the money and I'm going to build this thing.  She's OK with the idea of me buying the 27" TV.  She's not against the idea of a cab, she would just like it to have more uses and so would I.  We currently don't have a TV in the basement and I would like to make it useful.  That way when the boys come over for some football we can go downstairs, watch the game, and when we'red done relive the glory days on the arcade cabinet.  I do also plan on using it as a juke box (www.myhtpc.net).  I already have the electronic dart board, ping pong table, and pool table so she's ok with me having toys.  I just want this thing to be functional....    

[Cameronj]

Been there with the wife thing.

My first project was way huge and she wouldn't let me put it anywhere that it could be seen.

My present one is a little more stealthy since the monitor is built into the wall and looks like a picture frame when it isn't turned on. Of course all of the artwork around it and the marquee tend to give it away though.

There is a guy on this forum who did an awesome job making a stealth armoire cabinet system with a pull out control panel.

Here is the link to his site...

http://web.thewavz.com/buzz/arcade%203.htm

Might give you some ideas.

[Brad Lee]

I took a faceplate with a coax connecter and mounted it near the bottom rear of my cab(no pic's right now, I cleared off my web space). I then took a ~5' piece of cable from the inside of the jack to the back of the TV. This was a dual faceplate so Ive got my ethernet conenction there also.
I simply run cable from the outlet to the plate on the cabinet, and by switching inputs on the TV I get either cable or the game(computer is sending out via RCA). It wouldnt be hard at all to put a VCR or DVDplayer or cable box into the mix, if thats what she wants

For tiliting it.. hmm
My tv is tilted back maybe 10degrees so it's not bad watching TV from across the room, it doesn't seem that unnatural.

I've also got the PC in the cab set up so that I can dump out of the mame menu and watch DIVX/AVI/videos over the network, on the tv. I can also startup winamp, it goes right into the milkdrop plugin, and Ive got an instant jukebox.

[PedroSilva]

I think you have a little problem there ...

Here is a thougth ... put in an Jukebox software ... and tell it's your new stereo ...  
Maybe she'll forget about the TV ...  

[RacerX]

This hobby has given me a new appreciation for being single.  If I wanted to build a 6 player dual 27 inch screen cab that took up an entire wall of my living room tomorrow, I could!  

[JackTucky]

Wives are easy to come by.  Remember that.

With my wife, I have the "Don't go up against me on this one" clause.  Whenever I invoke it, she's not to complain.  If she does, she'll lose.  She knows to pick a different battle.

"Honey, I will be purchasing my skill crane/video poker/sit down mame cab.  Don't go up against me on this one"

Give her the same clause to use once in awhile if you want.

Or, I guess if the angle is too high, get her a really tall stool.

Art

[wescotte]

Idea 1: Build it somewhere she can't find out about it. Bring it home and when she says get rid of it you explain how much money (don't bother with time/effort she won't get it) you spent on it and she'll be forced to keep it.

Idea 2: Put your damn foot down! You know she gets to have the entire place just how she wants it! So how about this TINY (well not soo tiny but ya know) thing that makes you very happy.

Idea 3: Got a prenup? divorce

Ok.. Yes I'm single but for god sakes man having something that you build yourself that brings you joy shouldn't be a Oh please can I have one please!!!!! I mean explain how much it means to you and that should be the best argument for allowing you to build one.

Eric

[iwillfearnoevil]

i'm dealing with this too good luck. i guess i can just put it in my basement study, but i'm not down there a lot. anyways the only cab she was interested in was the trashcade cab and that was just for fun reading about it.

[anitabill]

Wow JackTucky if I used that clause my wife would use the "pack your stuff get out the house" clause.

This is what I did. I don't have a TV but a TV Tuner. And my wife was against the whole idea of not only using the Monitor but also having it in a room that we both enjoy.

I would try to make sure that the TV sits high in the cabinet. This way no matter where you are in the room it will be visible.

Add some software to the cabinet that she enjoys as well. I think the jukebox was a great idea if she is into music. I had to add both a jukebox and a slot machine.

Then use a small TV to start with. make the bezel out of cardboard so that it doesn't cost much to modify. Once she sees the benefits and starts to enjoy it. Then tell her that having a bigger screen would make her experience a lot nicer. Hell she my even suggests it herself.

I know that after I put the things in the cabinet that my wife enjoys I not only won my battle but it is now in my family room

Good Luck
http://home.comcast.net/~anitabill

[JackTucky]

Wow JackTucky if I used that clause my wife would use the "pack your stuff get out the house" clause.

I guess my wife and I just have a fair marriage.  She gets her longaberger baskets and I don't hassle her, and I do what I want.

Besides, unless you have kids, who cares about divorce?  You know why divorce costs so much?  It's worth it.    

Art "Married just once and keeping it that way, unless..."

[NY_in_TX]

First off, build it.  She'll find something she like be it bowling, or my wifes favorite puzzle bobble.  My cab was slated for the garage until I brought it in for a party for the guys.  It stayed in one night...I showed her puzzle bobble...it found a place in the house.  

2nd off.  Look at the project announcement section

thread called "something my wife can tolerate"

http://www.arcadecontrols.org/yabbse/index.php?board=10;action=display;threadid=12015


I am really impressed with the design...regardless of if it makes the wife happy...that's just a double bonus.


Third.  Build a Showcase cab.  Put the TV up high on a pedestal, stack the AV/computer equipment undeneath.  Have your controls on a modular pedestal.

[ErikRuud]

Guys, He already said no armoire.

Lumpy, go with your tilting tv idea.  If the joysticks are going to be in the way for TV viewing, you could go with a removable panel, or one that tilts/rotates out of the way.

[Lumpy]

Ok....  I guess most of you guys are missing the point.  She doesn't mind the idea of me building a cab.  She's all for it.  She plays video games on my temporary control panel which is hooked up to my computer and monitor.  

It's just the fact that when I showed here the design for the cab she didn't think the TV could be used as a TV anymore.

I need ideas on how to make the cabinet "friendly" to viewing TV shows or figure out another solution.

a.  Put the TV shelf on a hinge...  If it hinges how do I make it stop at certain angles without the TV crashing to the floor?
b.  Put the TV shelf on a pull out drawer slide, but then how do I go about leveling it off?
c.  If I use my current Entertainment center to put the TV in then the TV will be low to the ground.  How do I make it so the Control panel can be at couch level and 4 people can still get around it?  Do it make it so the control panel can be "broke" into different pieces so each player can take a control panel to a different chair.  
d.  Make the control panel removable, but if the wife wants to remove it by herself it has to be easy.  Plus I want to make it four player so it'll be big.


I was hoping someone could give me some good ideas before I let you in on all my thoughts, but this is getting off topic and I really would like peoples input.

Now that I think about it I might be able to put the TV on top of my current entertainment center, but it might be alittle to high for a show case.

I like the idea of the showcase cab, but don't have any plans on how to build one.  I've already built a full size cab out of card board sheets.  Not like the TrashCade.

[ErikRuud]

Lumpy,

For the tilting TV.

Have the shelf pivot at the balance point. That wil reduce the amount of effort required to tilt it from one posistion to the other.  Small blocks of wood could be attached to the sides of the cab under the shelf to limit how far it will tilt in either direction.

I'll have to give the CP a little more thought.

[Thenasty]

here is a suggestion. The first GAME/GAMES you put it in is her favorite(s).

[volcomtwin]

I know what a pain the ole wifey can be.  haha, she's like "your not buying anything else untill that monster in the backyard is payed off".  Man I can't wait to build my cab!  Good luck!

later
L

[mpm32]

Get a vga monitor.  Prob Solved.

[Lumpy]

I've also thought about putting the TV platform on a lift.  Hard to describle.  I have a coffee table that when you're sitting at the couch you can lift up on the top and the top comes up and forward, but I don't think I would have enough clearance inside the cab to do that.  Bascially the TV would end up sitting above the controls when we wanted to watch TV.  Don't know if this would cause the cab to be too tippy.

Any thoughts?

Anyone know where to find a lift like that???

Attached Picture of coffee table we own that I'm refering to.

[eightbit]

You need to keep her happy especially when she's in a family way. My wife is also pregnant and logic and reason left hand in hand weeks ago. I don't expect to see them back for a year or so.

Remember "A happy wife is a happy life, because if she ain't happy you ain't gonna be happy."

Maybe you'll have to settle for the 17" for now or even a smaller used tv. Just leave room for your dream size monitor for later.

[neuromancer]

Tilting the set is easy.

First off, I love the MAME-cab-transformer. That is totally cool. Ok, now picture a unit like that, but you want the TV to be tiltable for playing.

No problem. Hinge the shelf at the front. Then use a partial spiral (plywood). Give it a nice surface to bear on, like a steel plate. Put one on each side, with a sturdy axel between them, and a handle firmly attached to the axel. The axel might be 2" square steel stock.

I'll leave the details to you, but here's a sketch. Think of a LayZboy.

Bob

[Frostillicus]

How about a coffee table that is half coffee table and half cocktail cab?  Just integrate the TV inside it and put tinted plexi over the whole thing.  When it's not on you won't even notice it's there.  When you want to play just whip out the controls/gamepad/whatever, lean forward on the couch, and go to it.  I'm picturing that cool desk in Tron, only much smaller...

[dphirschler]

I don't understand why she has a problem with a 27" TV in the cab.  I suppose you could always build it with the severely undersized 17" monitor in there.  She may eventually have pity on you when she sees how bad it looks.

You could always build a podium.  Basically just controls and a PC insde the podium with a video and audio out to the TV.  But that just seems wierd unless you have a projector.


Darryl

[neuromancer]

How about a coffee table that is half coffee table and half cocktail cab?  Just integrate the TV inside it and put tinted plexi over the whole thing.  

Great idea. I would suggest tinted and tempered glass instead of plexi though for a coffee table. Coffee tables get a lot of abuse and plexi would probably get pretty scratched up.

I've been thinking of a small coctail cab disguised as an end table. Same idea, really, except that end tables tend to be higher so it would take the monitor easier.

Bob

[Smittydc]

35" Plasma screen with a wireless showcase podium on wheels.  

"What honey? I can't spend $5000 on this project -- I guess I'll have to use a 27" in a cabinet then."

Personally, I think a 27" monitor looks pretty stupid unless you have an enourmous room.

Perhaps you could build the controls into a coffee table?  Some tables have an adjustable swing up top.

I think having the controls mounted on a swing arm next to a lazy-boy would be cool.

[Lumpy]

Ok...


She has no problems with me buying a 27" TV for the Cab.  

She has no problems with me building a 4 Player Cabinet with all the fixins.

I'd prefer a normal upright cab before a showcase cab.....that's Plan B.

Sorry for the bold red, but I just want to make the main points clear.
We want to use the TV for more then just the cab.  The coffee table idea is good, but I want it to be a stand up cab or figure out a way to make a seperate control panel like a Showcase cab.

This is going in my basement right now.  We're renting a duplex.  When we build a house I will have a full fleged bar area with all my stuff.  

[neuromancer]

We want to use the TV for more then just the cab.  The coffee table idea is good, but I want it to be a stand up cab or figure out a way to make a seperate control panel like a Showcase cab.

There's another idea then:

Put the controls in the coffee table and the 27" TV in the entertainment center.

Then you can sit on the couch to play. Just open up the table. I'd suggest keeping some "surface" on the table to keep beverages handy.

If you own your house and there's nothing under the livingroom, you could drill holes in the floor to run the cable. Otherwise, maybe some sort of retracting cable on the back of the table. Pull it out and plug it in to play, roll it back up when you're finished.

I still like the transformer with a tilting monitor.

Bob

[eightbit]

Ok...


She has no problems with me buying a 27" TV for the Cab.  

She has no problems with me building a 4 Player Cabinet with all the fixins.

Sorry for the bold red, but I just want to make the main points clear.
We want to use the TV for more then just the cab.  The coffee table idea is good, but I want it to be a stand up cab or figure out a way to make a seperate control panel like a Showcase cab.

This is going in my basement right now.  We're renting a duplex.  When we build a house I will have a full fleged bar area with all my stuff.  

Showcase cab is what you want. Its got to be one of the the easiest designs out there, you shouldn't need a plan. Just go to a couple arcades and look at them, then build it to fit your tv.

[Bill_S]

Been there with the wife thing.
There is a guy on this forum who did an awesome job making a stealth armoire cabinet system with a pull out control panel.

Here is the link to his site...

http://web.thewavz.com/buzz/arcade%203.htm

Might give you some ideas.

Not to hijack the thread, but Thanks Cameronj and NY_in_TX!!

Back on topic:
It sure does sound like you are narrowing down to a showcase cab.  I almost went that route, but the armoire idea worked better with my wife.  The plan was to put the PC and controls on a roll around pedestal with a single harness out the back.  When you would want to game, you would roll the pedestal into place and plug the harness into a jack at the bottom front of the TV housing.

[paigeoliver]

Ok, this entire thread is massive, and I AM NOT going to bother reading the entire thing. But here is the simple and easy solution.

Give the wife the 27" TV.

Build a standard 19" upright cabinet. She will be happy because she got what she wanted. You will be happy because you have an actual cabinet, rather than some sort of dumb compromise that no one will be happy with.

Forget the 4 player games. a 2 player cabinet has 98 percent of the fun factor of a 4-player cabinet, at a much lower cost. Most of the time it is just going to be you anyway.


Also, for EVERYONE dealing with these wife problems I have a couple of suggestions.

DO NOT scratchbuild a cabinet. It is COSTLY, time consuming, and likely to come out looking like you tried to build furniture by yourself.

By an existing cabinet and convert it. This has so many advantages when it comes to the wife.

1. It is A LOT cheaper. Even if you have $3000 to spend on the project, you KNOW she isn't going to be down for that, so save that cash.

2. A pre-existing cabinet will save you about 20-30 hours of construction time. (Spend that time with her instead).

3. Using a pre-existing cabinet also has the advantage that it is likely to get better looking as you go along. Best to choose a woodgrain cabinet, they are much more woman friendly.

[slicer_d]

Ok this is a kind of round about idea but it just might work.

The really simple way would jsut be to get a couple of bar stolls with backs so you could relax on them.  But the really fun way would be to build a actual bar and then you could sit at the bar with your buds with the arcade cab across the way and it would be perfect.  This gives you an excuse to build the cab and the bar!!

Also cabs sit at the perfect height to watch tv while on a treadmill or a stationary bike so you could exersize while watching tv.

Those are just my Ideas that would allow you to have a real looking full cab.  Personally I wouldnt settle for anything less.

[Lilwolf]

Consider what cabinet you want to start with.  A few have perfectly vertical tubes (from the ground, not the rotation of the monitor).

Xybots is one.  

If you are expected to sit down infront of a cabinet, it also usually has the monitor up / down.

If you do all that... Then buy a TV tuner and some good software for it... Boom.. you don't just have TV but TIVO!  Really nice to have... Goto www.retrogamingradio.com and look for their whitebox descussions.  

OR don't buy a 27" tv... but get a true arcade monitor... that might leave her alone...

[u_rebelscum]

You can't get a gauntlet type four player cab to see the TV, but many of the cabs have little or no monitor tilt.  Start with a cab like this and either:

a) Swivel the tv:
put the tv as high up as possible (to keep joysticks out of the way while watching tv)
put the swivel point as close to the tv's center of gravity (for easier swiveling), while
keeping the swivel point as low and near the front of the tv as possible (so the tv rises up out of cab more than sinks down into)
I'm not sure how to lock in the positions, though.

b) Fix the tv vertical
keep the tv as far front as possible, without being too close to the players.

See the image below for quick idea of what I mean.  Notice the fixed cab front is more vertical than the tilting as a compromise between a normal cab and a tv stand.

For me 27" almost is asking for a showcase, as 25" in a normal cab is to almost too close for my comfort. [shrug]

[Thenasty]

hehe all this suggestions and idea but here is another one. So you don't have to worry about the T.V, Cabinet etc... just get rid of the WIFE    j/k.

[Lumpy]

Finally some good solutions.  And I don't mean getting rid of the wife.

Forget about the wife......She's just the one who brought up the concern which I agree with.

Are 25" TVs the standard that people use in their cabs?  I just took measurements and saw a 27" would fit in the cab so I thought what the heck.

Now I'm thinking of the bar Idea.  Thanks Slicer_D.  I'll have to start from scratch on that one.     I'm thinking I could make the control panels swappable and make them attach to the front of the bar.  Hmm.....  I'm never gonna get this done.....

I still like the idea of tilting the TV some how.  Guess I might have to do some trial and error to get the joysticks out of the way.

[ErikRuud]

Lumpy,

The drawings by U_rebelscum is exactly what I had in my mind.  I think that will work well for you.

Slicer_D wrote:
Also cabs sit at the perfect height to watch tv while on a treadmill or a stationary bike so you could exersize while watching tv.

Better yet, add an interfcae to that exercise bike and play PropCycle while you exercise.  

[neuromancer]

Here's another idea:

You know how some people build things to allow them to rotate the monitor (to make it both horizontal and vertical)?

Well you could use exaxtly the same idea to be able to tilt the monitor. Just cut a circle that fits fully inside the cab, and you could completely hide the fact that it is there. By tilting the monitor near it's center, it will be easier to handle, and also the tilt will be less "obvious".

I also think that unless you're both seriously into video games, you probalby want  a way to hide or remove the controls when not in use.

Unless you have both a living room and a tv room, that is.

Bob

[eightbit]

I know what a pain the ole wifey can be.  haha, she's like "your not buying anything else untill that monster in the backyard is payed off".  Man I can't wait to build my cab!  Good luck!

later
L

Your dog looks friendly, I wouldn't call him a monster.

[Brad Lee]

One thing to worry about with tilting though is will your TV handle it? Will the slightest tilt forward or back cause your colors to go freaky? If it's only a few degrees it night not be bad at all, but if you build at say a 45'angle(Im thinking like gauntlet style), then flipping the screen to 0'(perfect vertical) you might need some way to degauss it everytime

Most all of the rotating (horz<->vert) cabs that Ive seen have a builtin circuit that detects the change, does a degauss, and life is good

This all depends on your TV though

[shmokes]

Just go buy a new damn TV.  I picked up a 27" toshiba for my cab that is perfect.  It was $220 at sears and it remembers the last input state (stays on S-video) and turns back on automatically after power loss.  $220....seriously, you're going to be spending $500 minimum at Happ just on controls and such.  She should be more pissed about that than the TV.  Do it right.  Don't let the prospect of saving $200 lousy dollars make you compromise on an awkward tilting mechanism that will make your cab look goofy.

[DAmnb]

You know shmokes might be right, save the money for two tv sets and its all good, I myself used my cab to watch tv and play console games and I couldnt figure out any neat and practical way to use it like that in the long run.