Newbie ^^

[DeaZ]

Just to first say - I been browsing the internet for about 3 hrs looking at plans and various desighns of how to build your own arcade system. But still much is confusing and unclear... so wondering if you guys could help me along. I have always wanted to do this for the last year and determined to do so.

This is what I am mainly looking to do. The cabinet will be fairly tall and simplistic. I not looking for anything overly complex with its dementions caving in and comming out with neon likes (like some machines) ... but something with relitivly easy dementions to build. I think an important feature is to have a removable control deck. Also, I want to just put a TV in there.... some plans are short in the back and therefor require special monitors. I want to use this exsiting 26in tv I have. After all I do have a budget ^^.

Now first I am relitivly young. I do have a friend who is a carpenter (just incase you think a youg one resources are too finite). But because I am young, I still enjoy playing modern games in the arcade as well some of the old ones. What I plan to do is have a computer which has a powerful enough CPU, RAM, etc to play the old MAME games as well as games up to the graphical level of a playstation. So, basically I am wondering if its just best to install an operating system on there and emulate that way.... but that seems more of a pain. I would really like the system to boot up with a game, where I can change it easy. If there is methods for that, is there any networks I can install to change the options or is it all done through a keyboard? Once I understand what system to use, the controls and other specifications for that systems should be self explanatory.

For the control deck... I would also like to build my own. Some of the specs I have view on the internet use electronic symbols with the hz and connections. I don't understand how to do it And to learn about electronics may take more time than its worth. But I do not want to just buy a deck since that takes away the acomplishment of building an entire system. So if someone could help me with this, I would greatly appriciate it.  What I am looking for is basically 2 player deck with 6 buttons, and a roller. Also, this deck would be changable with others on the cabinet... therefor if I ever wanted to put other controls on there... I could do so.

There also a lot of other neet stuff I want to do, like adding rollers on the bottom and putting graphic art up. But the main thing is getting good dementions and knowing how the OS will work with the system. Removable deck is also very important to me. Coin slot thing =p don't need it... it would look cool but just going to be a waste of money.

I have been working since I was 15, so I do have quite a bit of money saved up. I relize this project could go as far as 1200 grand if not more. ^^ so please give me your suggestions, the plans you think will work well... etc. I could go along with plans I have seen on this site and many mores, but I am not confident enough to do so intill someone experence hears what I plan to do with the system.

[Jakobud]

This website has EVERYTHING you need regarding every single question or uncertainty you mentioned.  Everything you need is over there to the left side of the screen....

Take a browse through the examples for a start.

[DeaZ]

For the controll deck - I wish to use a joystick hack (think that would be cool) but none to very few of the links work. So its a bit hard to learn how to do it when I cain't find a page which has pictures showing how to hack it.

For removable decks - well it cydoff looks like most decks are removable if you simply build them that way. Like take a bolt but use one that can be remove... and therefor remove the deck. So I should be able to fiqure out how to do that.

[cdbrown]

For removable panels check out this link
http://www.arcadecontrols.org/yabbse/index.php?board=1;action=display;threadid=14030

Do you mean keyboard hack - ie hack the keyboard and connect the joystick to that.  Best to do a search of the forums using keywords such as keyboard hack, removable etc.

Welcome and good luck

Cheers
-cdbrown

[slycrel]

  One suggestion that I have is to read through everything on this site.  No, scratch that, read thru everything on the subject you can find, until you can have (or at least follow closely if you're browsing the forums) a reasonably informed conversation with someone who knows what they are talking about on a variety of subjects.  Things to find out about specifically include keyboard encoders, monitors, style of joysticks, trackballs/spinners, materials to use, jamma or (real arcade) vs a 100% PC solution, paint, art design, construction time/space/tools, wiring/soldering and so on.  Even if you think that you know about it, read it anyway.  I did somewhere along the lines of a month just looking into what I needed to do and where to get started.  I'm still not 100% sure on many things, but I know enough of the basics that it should be doable at this point.

  Sorry for the non-answer.  I guess I should rephrase it:  If you're lucky someone will go into depth on some of this for you, but you'll have to do most of the work on this yourself.  Set yourself some limitations and go from there -- that seems to be the easiest route when trying to decide on specifics.

  Good luck and I hope it works out for you.

[paigeoliver]

And as far as building the cabinet goes, if your carpenter friend is ANY good, then you should just be able to show him a few pictures of arcade cabinets, tell him how high you want the panel off the ground (go to your local arcade, and measure the height of the one there that you like best), tell him how tall you want the machine (hint, 72" is right), and give him your television, and he should be able to build it from there.

[DeaZ]

Well tell me what you guys think about this.

I just going to use the I-pac- its easy to use... and has 28 outputs which is enough. I going to have 2 4/8 joysticks and 8 buttons each... also I going to include a 1p - 2p button in the center since=p why not?

I allready have an ATI all in wonder pro AND a 26 inch tv... so I going to use that. Its cheeper that way and I doubt I will be loosing the arcade experience. Also - I can plug a console in there if I ever felt like it. (doubt its possible to use the controler deck controls if I was to do that)

The computer - I going to get another motherboard/cpu - and I fully understand what I need from the forums posts. Include a 100 gig hd and I am set.

So soon I will be desighning my entire system. Any  programs you guys recommend to draw up the basics - ms paint good enough? And then I can show them to you guys.

I am still unsure of the software I going to use - but a few things are clear to me. I will need a keyboard (usb) so I can browse the OS. Just using windows/linux seems like a good idea. Give me your recommendations if you like. Only thing which may seem annoying is where that keyboard will go... and maybe include an optical mouse too? so if you could give me some suggestions on that... I would really appriciate it.

As for the cabinete. I going to keep it fairly normal - have a front door - a deck that can come on and off. I going to put screens with holes on the sides for venting. I think that would be plenty to keep the system cool.

The last thing which I also would like information on is sound. where should I install the speakers and good ones to get. Thanks ^^. I think most arcade systems have speakers in the deck/front on top and even in the sides facing the user. I just want good sound.

And yes... I did read through everything - but when I started to focus on the interface -I was getting very confuse. Then someoen told me to just use an ipac- and I think that is likly the best thing to do also.

[paigeoliver]

The best way to keep a cabinet cool is simply not to install a back door. Or if you are cutting vents, put them in back, not on the side.

Most games put the speakers under the marquee area, but many also simply have them inside the cabinet, with no actual speaker grills anywhere (or facing out the back), most of mine are actually of the internal speaker type, and do not have visible speakers.

The OS/software setup is all up to you. I have several windows cabs, and recently did a dos one for a customer.

Instead of a mouse, consider getting a "Powerpoint remote" I have one on one of my cabinets and it is great. It is like a little remote control, but it is a mouse as far as the computer is concerned.

But if you set your front-end up correctly you won't need a mouse or keyboard, unless you want to play a bunch of silly PC games too. If you just stick to emulation, then you won't need either.

[Tiger-Heli]

From your initial post - "I have been working since I was 15, so I do have quite a bit of money saved up. I relize this project could go as far as 1200 grand if not more."

1200 Grand is 1.2 million dollars.  For an even million, I'll make you a killer cabinet (okay, okay, I'll probably have someone else make it and ship it to you), but it will rock.  (Yes, I'm a smart-ass).

I just going to use the I-pac- its easy to use... and has 28 outputs which is enough. I going to have 2 4/8 joysticks and 8 buttons each... also I going to include a 1p - 2p button in the center since=p why not?

There's also the KeyWiz from www.groovygamegear.com - 4 more inputs, a more flexible shift function, easier software, but PS/2 only, and lacks a keyboard pass-thru or LED support.

And remember Tiger's Law:  "Any arcade control project will expand to use all the available encoder inputs, if not 1 or 2 extra. . ."

I allready have an ATI all in wonder pro AND a 26 inch tv... so I going to use that. Its cheeper that way and I doubt I will be loosing the arcade experience.

Agreed

Also - I can plug a console in there if I ever felt like it. (doubt its possible to use the controler deck controls if I was to do that)

Basically, you have 4 options - from simplest to most complex -

1) Look into console emulation.  There are emulators for most older consoles that use less powerful computing resources than MAME requires.  With these you can use your arcade controls directly.

2) If you want to use the original console controllers for the games, you can use USB adapters with the original controller to use these with the console emulator.

3)  Put a PSX or X-Box in the cabinet and use it's controllers for it's games.  (Most PSX games feel better on a gamepad controller than arcade controls anyway).

4)  Put a PSX or X-Box in the cabinet, hack the PSX controller to connect to your arcade controls, and use a disconnect so you can plug your controls into the PSX or the computer.

I will need a keyboard (usb) so I can browse the OS.

3 options on a keyboard -

1) With a good front-end, you won't need to navigate the OS to play games.  To install new games, update MAME, etc., just unplug the encoder and plug in a keyboard until you're done updating.

2)  Get a USB keyboard and route a USB hub to the front of the cabinet.  (Also handy for using gamepads for Players 3 and 4).

3) Get a wireless (RF) keyboard (and mouse?).

Just using windows/linux seems like a good idea. Give me your recommendations if you like.

I use Windows.  I've never used Linux, but I understand it works well particularly with AdvanceMAME.

Only thing which may seem annoying is where that keyboard will go... and maybe include an optical mouse too? so if you could give me some suggestions on that... I would really appriciate it.

If you're going to have a trackball on the panel, it can double as the mouse.  Otherwise, pick a front-end that doesn't need a mouse.

The last thing which I also would like information on is sound. where should I install the speakers and good ones to get. Thanks ^^. I think most arcade systems have speakers in the deck/front on top and even in the sides facing the user. I just want good sound.

OSCAR had some good posts and recommendations at www.oscarcontrols.com on sound.

[DeaZ]

ok well first I am not 15 - big typo - acorse I wrote this early in the morning, add a fw years ^^.

Ok - I going to review the software then decided what to do. But I have another idea for the cabinet - and this was suggested to me by my friend.

Like a shelf... use a sliding board within it. Which will lock on each end. This board will be verticle. Then easy put 4 more sliding boards horizontel. All of them will have a lock system so they can not move around at all. They will be a door in the front and the back.

Why do this? well this is what I am thinking. I could use a spliter so the computer, psx, and more in the future are all connected. On the frong door - You can cut grooves about 2 inch wide and 6 inch across with sliding plastic doors. This will allow for controlers, & external guns. Obviously this is something that may of not been done or is unique but very possible. Just have one of thoes boxes which can plug in multiple platforms and switch between them.

I can not think of an EASY way to change between devices. But maybe it will come to me^^ . Also - the TV has speakers... they are located directly under it. So would it just be best to keep the tv speakers? They arn't bad at all.

And last concerns... The on and off buttons =p how should I do this? What is the best possible solution in your opion.