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Author Topic: 2nd Project - Standalone Arcade CP with Pi  (Read 2142 times)

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geeteoh

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2nd Project - Standalone Arcade CP with Pi
« on: July 25, 2015, 11:54:06 am »
My daughter liked my first project (Space Duel with Pi) so much that she requested one for her apartment when she goes off to college next month.

I was going to just post the results, but I've been real impressed with the input members of this forum have given to others as they build their project. So, I will post as I go. I'm a half way decent (but slow) woodworker. But I haven't tried; T-molding, working with melamine (I have cut formica counter tops), or designing/applying artwork. But.... If all goes well, I would really like to build a whole cabinet as project #3.

My goal is to build a small two-player standalone arcade control panel that has two external connections. One, power. Two HDMI to her TV.

The control panel will take inspiration from the Xarcade dual joystick. But I will install the Raspberry Pi 2 in the box - running RetroPie, Emulationstation, and Adv-Mame. Same image as my "Space Duel with Pi" project. I have an Xarcade Tankstick. I prototyped the entire Pi setup on it for my first project.

BOM:
3/4" Melamine (particle board base)
3/4" T molding (yellow)
Raspberry Pi 2 (model B)
2 ZD UBS Arcade Encoders (not pictured - coming from China)
Spitfire Joystick 8-way (green)
Spitfire Joystick 4-way (blue - I need a darker ball)
10 buttons (mostly convex, except player 1/2)
Control Panel Overlay in reds (not designed yet)

Like my Space Duel, I plan to run mostly pre-1984 games. The Player (P1, P2, P3) buttons next to each joystick covers mostly everything I want to run. The joysticks and buttons will be duplicated for most games so the correct joystick can be used.

From what I've read. Most people rough cut their control/cabinet panels, then router them to the final size. They use a template made out of 1/4" plywood for the router part. I might experiment with a finish blade in my table saw. Any input?

Any recommendations on artwork software? I use windows mostly. My mainstay is Image Composer - old image editor software from 1998. I know that will not work well.

I saw some great recommendations about where to send the artwork to for overlay production. What material is the overlay made of? Is there different choices?

SO MANY QUESTIONS.....


« Last Edit: July 25, 2015, 11:58:42 am by geeteoh »

geeteoh

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Re: 2nd Project - Standalone Arcade CP with Pi
« Reply #1 on: August 19, 2015, 10:02:07 am »
I tried Sketchup for layout of the control panel. I kept coming up with huge panels. I wanted something smaller. So I went old school and paper cutouts. Got it down to 18 inches wide. The metal ruler was being used to mark the sides of the control panel under the overhang.



I found the melamine pretty easy to cut with my 40 tooth standard table saw blade. I went real slow with finish side up. Rough cut the rounded corners and sanded them to the finished diameter. I drilled the holes using a piece of wood as a backer. I also routed 3/8 inch out the back for the joysticks.



I set the depth of my slot cutter and cut the edges of the top and two sides. I cut "V"s out of the T-molding for the corners and snapped it in. Overlapped the final T-molding edges on the top of the CP and cut them together with a razor blade. Glued the box and test fit the controls. This was the first time I used T-molding. Now I want to T-molding everything!



I wanted to minimize connection issues to the Raspberry Pi. So I sloted the rear of the control panel and poked the Pi out the back. This way power and HDMI connections are pretty simple and direct. I was able to use a 12 foot HDMI cable with no loses.



Then I wired it up. Yes a little messy. The Zero Delay USB interface boards came with the USB cable and all the wires to the buttons. So it was simple to wire. Just had to extend one wire. I copied the SD card from my first project, set the sound to the HDMI, and turned back on HDMI size/type detection.  Works great.  Now, my daughter and I are working on the artwork. Note. that the melamine I used had black on one side and cherry wood effect on the other.


AlienInferno

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Re: 2nd Project - Standalone Arcade CP with Pi
« Reply #2 on: September 06, 2015, 10:32:23 pm »
Nice little project.  Not sure what you used on your first project as I haven't logged in in a while but how do you like those Spitfire joysticks?  Thinking of getting some to replace the U360s in my current cab and for a small bartop for my nephews. 

geeteoh

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Re: 2nd Project - Standalone Arcade CP with Pi
« Reply #3 on: September 12, 2015, 09:21:58 pm »
thanks.

I haven't used them a lot. They seem fine. A little louder than my Sanwa's (first project). Restrictor plate was difficult to change to a 4-way. Had to trim the tabs holding it before removing.
« Last Edit: September 12, 2015, 09:27:07 pm by geeteoh »