I built this over a ridiculous time-span. I believe I purchased the PCB from channelmaniac (not sure how I remember that, but it's what my brain says) way way back in maybe 2008 or so, and it sat in the ESD bag in a box of parts for literally a decade. I had a much sloppier version of this console made from an MV-1FZS, complete with hot glue and a bodged-up Apple IIe power supply that I made in 2006, but it finally bit the dust and it was time for an upgrade. I found the shell at the thrift store, it's one of those plastic snap-top boxes meant for holding your cables under a desk. I removed all the cable posts, and filled the side-holes where cables can enter with some laser cut wood and plastic that served to hold the DB-15s for the controller ports and the AV and power switch. They are held in with some industrial-strength contact adhesive, and have survived the rigors of toddlers without budging an inch, so I'm quite satisfied with that.
The board is still stock, no Unibios yet. Only mods I made was to add stereo sound. Video encoding is handled by a NeoBitz-S, which provides a very crisp s-video signal. I'm pretty firmly of the opinion that a decent s-video signal on a 90s CRT that doesn't have a hyperactive comb filter will look virtually indistinguishable from component. RGB is only a tiny margin better, but since there are basically no US TVs that actually do 15khz RGB this was my next choice.
These standoffs were also laser-cut, since the local hardware store didn't have what I wanted.
Stereo sound mod.
AV wiring. The encoder board is just floating up in the corner ATM, still need to mount it more solidly. Maybe in another decade!
Excessive feet. But then again, pulling/pushing on those ginormous MVS carts generates a lot of force. Better safe than sorry.
I also built this joystick to go with the console. Pine 2x4 for the sides and baltic birch for the front and back plates. I cut and engraved the plates in my laser cutter, and the sides were done with a jigsaw and a lot of sanding, with a router for the curvy shapes. A little light stain and aerosol-can varnish finished it off. Has a Seimitsu LS-32 and Seimitsu buttons, since I'm mostly a shmup player and prefer that stick feel.
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Topic: Arfink's Neo Geo home console build (Read 2302 times)
