Arcade Cabinet Build Switch it all on together

[liamb2001]

Hiya im looking to build an arcade cabine with my son as a project and have been researching it for a while now.

We have found some plans for a cabinet and want to build a rasberry pi based one with a 28 to 32 inch screen, preferbly a tv ( at least for the first project). My question is something that entered my head but cant seem to find an answer for and thats the following. If i build a machine with a tv etc i would ideally like it all to turn on at the same time eg without having to turn the tv on with a remote etc..i realise this is going to depend on thr tv set i buy but just wondered what options i have, if its possible and if so how is it done ?

Any advice would be appreciated.

[Haloman800]

I use a Dell Optiplex. If you go into the BIOS, you can set it to boot automatically when the power is connected. Then I plugged the monitor/desktop into a power strip, and hooked that into a switch on the outside of the cabinet. When it's flipped, everything boots at once 👍

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[thomas_surles]

I use a Dell Optiplex. If you go into the BIOS, you can set it to boot automatically when the power is connected. Then I plugged the monitor/desktop into a power strip, and hooked that into a switch on the outside of the cabinet. When it's flipped, everything boots at once 👍

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I just did the same exact thing yesterday on ball buster. As for a TV though, set it to the input you want, and unplug it from the wall. Then plug it back in and see if it comes on. If not you need to look at alternate ways to turn it on.

[Haloman800]

I use a Dell Optiplex. If you go into the BIOS, you can set it to boot automatically when the power is connected. Then I plugged the monitor/desktop into a power strip, and hooked that into a switch on the outside of the cabinet. When it's flipped, everything boots at once 👍

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I just did the same exact thing yesterday on ball buster. As for a TV though, set it to the input you want, and unplug it from the wall. Then plug it back in and see if it comes on. If not you need to look at alternate ways to turn it on.

Most monitors wake when the pc boots, so assuming he's using a monitor, he should be okay. For the record, I'm also using Dell branded monitors.

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[liamb2001]

Thanks guys appreciate the replies. I think ill take your advice and go for a used or refurb 27 dell and an optiflex, out of interest what model optiflex do you have and would that be enough for running mame, n64 and ps2 emulation ? Possibly the latest street fighter games at all ?

[usaf-lt-g]

Thanks guys appreciate the replies. I think ill take your advice and go for a used or refurb 27 dell and an optiflex, out of interest what model optiflex do you have and would that be enough for running mame, n64 and ps2 emulation ? Possibly the latest street fighter games at all ?

One thing to keep in mind.... What about shutting down? I would assume you would want the system to shut down safely and not pop up with a "Windows did not shut down properly message."


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[thomas_surles]

Thanks guys appreciate the replies. I think ill take your advice and go for a used or refurb 27 dell and an optiflex, out of interest what model optiflex do you have and would that be enough for running mame, n64 and ps2 emulation ? Possibly the latest street fighter games at all ?

One thing to keep in mind.... What about shutting down? I would assume you would want the system to shut down safely and not pop up with a "Windows did not shut down properly message."


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Most if not all frontends have a shutdown option. A menu option or a botton/ button combo. Just shut down from the frontend and flip the switch off when it's done shutting down.

[liamb2001]

Ok great so what kind of optiflex should i be looking at if i want to.play things like wii, dreamcsdt and sf 3rd strike ? And i3 based one ? Or more an i5 and i assume 4gb would be best ?

[thomas_surles]

Dreamcast isn't that demanding. I don't do wii or ps2 so I don't know.

[lisowskikevin]

You could buy the smart strip power bar, that way if you turn off/on one component it will automatically turn off/on all of the others that are plugged into the strip. I set mine that so when the computer is turned off/on all my other stuff shuts off/on (TV, Marquee, etc.)

Also, I took the lazy route and avoided the bios stuff by simply rigging up a pushbutton on the front of my cab that physically pushes the front button on my computer, that way I can turn it on and off easily. And once the computer powers up the marquee and tv automatically come on too.

[otsep]

A lot of TVs have a "hotel mode".

I use Samsung TVs at home all in hotel mode to be hard locked to an input when it powers on.

http://www.askvg.com/secret-service-codes-for-sony-and-lg-tv/