Newbie here, looking for advice on mini arcade cabinet!

[gradyhawks]

Hey up!

Names Grady and am from the UK.  Looking to make a mini arcade cabinate as a first project to get me into all of this since A) Im not very handy (more of the Geek PC type of person) and B) Why on earth not.  Will be free to do this in the summer and have access to a wood work shop (along with an electronics one for any soldering I would need to do) thanks to my university where I can build what I need.

Initially I wanted to make a two player dreamcast bartop arcade machine with all the bells and whilstles with light guns and what not.  But, I thought it best to go with a basic idea first.. something small that won't take long and wont cost much if I do manage to make a meal of it all.  So my idea is to build a tiny cabinat based on a 9 inch portable DVD player screen and one of those plug and play consoles (this one http://goo.gl/jthRF).  Here is a quick mock up I did on my PC just to give you an idea of the size:


(This is just a quick picture, would need more buttons, better placment etc, its just to give you a small idea)

Now, I think I can manage making the case if I take my time in the workshop (worst case I just get really lazy and give the CAD design to the man in charge of the giant laser cutter we have ... but I want to learn some basic wood working skills anyway).  I have a feeling that I can disasemble the portable DVD screen relatively easily so I get it down to the screen and whatever boards it has inside.... However Where I come up with no clue is how to turn a controller (such as the genesis one in that picture) into an arcade stick ...

So I am asking, if anyone can tell me, roughly, what I would need to go about doing? I have found a shop that can sell me the arcade stick and buttons but Im just not sure how to wire it all up from another controller!

PS.  If you have ANY other advice, please let me know.  Is using a plug and play console a good idea as a first project?  Same with a portable DVD screen?  Heck, even what wood I should use to build this and if I should use wood glue or nails....

Thanks and helllo!

Grady

[BobA]

I have not seen the insides of the game you plan to use but it is basically determining where you can solder to the existing traces to parallel the arcade button and joystick to where the original controls were.  If you can trace the wiring you can determine whether or not there is a common ground.  A common ground makes things easier as you only need one wire for each contact and the ground for all.   If it is a split ground or multiplexed arrangement you may in the worst case have to solder 2 wires to each switch contact and joystick contact.   The battery power can usually be replaced by a wall wart of the right size or a small power supply for your game and screen.  There are a few examples of mspacman sticks and others being put into small arcade machines on the board.

[bluemini17]

I made a whole bunch of these -



I used the ms pac man device, it was a straight swap. for the mortal combat one, i had to solder to the pad, a lot like yours. the directional buttons required two separate neutrals. one for the up and left and then another for down and right. if u take a pic of the pcb i will be able to tell you where to solder etc.

if your board check out my other vids too