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Author Topic: sKott's RetroPie Control Board  (Read 17282 times)

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sKott

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sKott's RetroPie Control Board
« on: April 14, 2017, 01:00:08 am »
Cool site. Wish I had come here a lot sooner.

As a child of the 70's and 80's and spent many a quarter in the arcades in my youth.
Always liked the early 80's games. They had simple themes, lots of fun, entertaining and some were quite challenging.
I wanted to share those memories with my kids, unfortunately arcades around here are a thing of the past.

I purchased an old Cocktail Ms. Pacman machine and restored it and the kids loved it.
I wanted more games but space was a huge issue so I had to look for another solution.

A year or two ago I purchased a Raspberry Pi to play MAME games using RetroPie.
At first it was neat in its little box running with a PS3 controller.



It was fine at first but I soon found its limitations with games like Tempest that required a spinner to be played properly.
I started looking around on the internet and saw a video on a cool dedicated Donkey Kong control panel that plugged into a TV.
Eureka! That's what I needed! something big enough to give the arcade control feel but small enough to be put away or transported to another location.

I started sketching things out and started with the top panel controls.
Most of the older games were set up as one player at a time ideas so that's what I went with.

Things I wanted:
4/8 way selectable Joystick
Dedicated 4 way Joystick for Q-Bert
Spinner
Trackball
Firestick (for Robotron 2084)
Enough fire buttons for anything
LED directional lights for the joysticks

I have a friend that works in a Die shop and they have a CNC Router to cut the boards.
I could also layer them as needed to get the cuts I needed.

This is what I came up with

It may look a little confusing but let me explain.
I needed the top panel to be 3/4 so I am using 2 pcs of 5/16" and a Piece of 1/8" glued together to achieve the correct thickness

Top Layer:

This was cut from 5/16" Russian Birch. This layout gave me everything I wanted down to the directional LED's

Middle Layer:

This was cut form 1/8" Russian Birch Plywood. This panel allows me to run my LED wires without getting pinched by the mounts.

Bottom Layer (Flopped):

On this one (Also 5/16 Russian Birch) I had from the bottom to make the different depths for the various controls.

Top Layer Cut Out:




Middle Layer Cut Out:


Don't Have a picture of just the Bottom Layer cut out but You'll see a shot of it later with the LED Lights

More to come.


« Last Edit: April 15, 2017, 11:05:49 am by sKott »

Mike A

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Re: sKott's RetroPie Control Board
« Reply #1 on: April 14, 2017, 08:05:29 am »
 :oThat is way too busy. You should reconsider your whole approach.

wp34

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Re: sKott's RetroPie Control Board
« Reply #2 on: April 14, 2017, 08:31:44 am »
Where you are going with this is kinda fun.  Have you considered bottom mounting your joysticks so you don't have carriage bolts right next to your LED's?  You could also hide the bolts under the top layer since you are glueing several together.   


I don't normally comment after sawdust has flown but in this case since you used a CNC you can just print another copy. :)

Mike A

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Re: sKott's RetroPie Control Board
« Reply #3 on: April 14, 2017, 08:39:09 am »
You could make multiple tops for your control panel. If you wire quick connectors the right way you could have all of the controls you want without a cluttered mess. Since you have access to a CNC router it should be pretty easy.

wp34

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Re: sKott's RetroPie Control Board
« Reply #4 on: April 14, 2017, 09:39:29 am »
Are you going to put plexi over the top to cover the LED's?

sKott

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Re: sKott's RetroPie Control Board
« Reply #5 on: April 14, 2017, 10:58:43 am »
Most of this project is complete. I am just trying to catch myself up to current
The controls will mount underneath and the bolt holes are actually for threaded inserts.

On to the LED's

Ordered some pre-wired 3V red LEDs from Lighthouse LED's
Inserted in the holes, ran the wires throught the middle layer and pulled out the other side.



For a power distribution box I used a breadboard and a Switchable 3V/5V project Power supply.
I picked this one because it had the USB Power input. (Everything in this project runs off of a 5V 5amp USB power source.



This setup equally distributes power to all 20 LEDs.




For the 4/8 Way ServoStik I wanted the extra 4 LED's to light up when 8 way was activated. I installed a button just for testing.


I did cut the threaded inserts so they would not interfere with the LED's

Lights work! now on to the rest of the box.


« Last Edit: April 15, 2017, 11:08:49 am by sKott »

sKott

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Re: sKott's RetroPie Control Board
« Reply #6 on: April 14, 2017, 12:08:57 pm »
I wanted the sides at a slight angle and the front to be plain.

The back needed access ports for HDMI out, USB, Ethernet, Power-IN and an On/Off switch.

Switchcraft made small panel inserts that had all of the connectivity options (USB, Cat 6 and HDMI). Itheuy also offered "blanks" so I ordered two and drilled them for the power in and the on/off switch. I used the panel cut out dimensions off their site and made these.



Assembled








The 4 port USB power supply is pictured at the top. It has a 12V input and 4 USB Outputs - 5V 5 amp each.
Mounted with Groovy Games Standoffs.



I wanted to have access to the wiring from the bottom with a fan to keep everything cool





Now to the wiring and controls.

« Last Edit: April 15, 2017, 11:13:14 am by sKott »

sKott

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Re: sKott's RetroPie Control Board
« Reply #7 on: April 14, 2017, 01:44:46 pm »
I used a lot of Ultimarc parts.
2 J Sticks
1 Servo Stick
1 SpinTrak
1 U-Trak
1 iPac2 Keyboard Encoder
The RaspberryPi 2
and some game buttons I picked up at the electronics store (Philmore I believe)

This is everything installed - Lots of wire...


Fire Control Side.
Showing the Power Supply, ipac2, LED Power Board, Voltmeter, Fire Control 8way J-Stick


Control Side showing the Pi, Servo Stick, U-Trak, Spin Trak, Fan and switches for the LEDs on the ServoStik.

The board on the cover is a 16x2 LCD and when I get the programming figured out it will tell me the processor speed and CPU Temp of the Pi.

Back with Graphics showing the Ports




I looked at a lot of the cabinet graphics and I wanted something generic, red and black.
I painted all of the areas black that were not getting covered by the vinyl.

This is what I drew in InDesign.

Sent it to a Vinyl shop and the output all of the panels and applied a Lexan Laminate to protect it. Everything was peel and stick.


Final Product. - Installed 5/8" and 3/4" bright red t-molding to finish it off.

Video of the 4/8 way LEDs


Video of the 4/8 way LED switch







« Last Edit: April 15, 2017, 08:13:40 pm by sKott »

Slippyblade

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Re: sKott's RetroPie Control Board
« Reply #8 on: April 14, 2017, 01:50:28 pm »
Well, if you're gonna Franken-panel, this is the way to do it.  I'd have built a couple of separate panels, but this ended up looking good, if a bit busy.

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Re: sKott's RetroPie Control Board
« Reply #9 on: April 14, 2017, 02:46:54 pm »
I agree that it's busy, but what I like about it is that the OP knew exact what he wanted, and he did it the cleanest way possible. Good for you, bro.
***Build what you dig, bro. Build what you dig.***

Mike A

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Re: sKott's RetroPie Control Board
« Reply #10 on: April 14, 2017, 10:02:03 pm »
It came out really nice. Good work.

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Re: sKott's RetroPie Control Board
« Reply #11 on: April 15, 2017, 12:57:24 pm »
I like!! Great execution. I like the LED 7-segment display boards just chillin in there!

morton

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Re: sKott's RetroPie Control Board
« Reply #12 on: April 15, 2017, 08:07:49 pm »
I hate you  :angry:

I was looking forward to this being drawn out and 3/4 done for the next 18 months... you pulled this off quicker than I can get a few panels cut. Very clean and classy looking. It really reminds me of the control panels from games of the early 90s, a lil MK/SF feel to it. Very cool. Congrats  :applaud:

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Re: sKott's RetroPie Control Board
« Reply #13 on: April 16, 2017, 09:22:55 am »
Quality work! Good job.

Titchgamer

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Re: sKott's RetroPie Control Board
« Reply #14 on: April 16, 2017, 09:51:04 am »
Very nice workmanship  :applaud:

Just one thing I dont get though, Why do you have P2 Credit and Start buttons? I can only really see controls for 1 player LOL

sKott

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Re: sKott's RetroPie Control Board
« Reply #15 on: April 16, 2017, 10:11:57 am »
Most games in the early 80's had a 2 player option.
You just took turns between lives and used the same controls.

I made this in the same fashion. Yes you have to switch spots but you had to do that back in the day as well.

The player 2 coin wasn't not necessary and could have been left off but I did not realize it at the time.
« Last Edit: April 16, 2017, 10:13:57 am by sKott »

Titchgamer

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Re: sKott's RetroPie Control Board
« Reply #16 on: April 16, 2017, 11:37:00 am »
Thats basically what was throwing me.

I know about the old skool 2 player modes but seemed pointless to have the extra credit button!


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Re: sKott's RetroPie Control Board
« Reply #17 on: April 16, 2017, 11:47:32 am »
I have to admit that when I first started reading this thread, I didn't think this control panel would be my cup of tea.

However, the finished article is so well executed that you've won me over.
"Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel." - Samuel Johnson

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Re: sKott's RetroPie Control Board
« Reply #18 on: April 19, 2017, 11:07:58 am »
This could of been a very cluttered and ugly build, but it came out very nice! Good job!  :applaud:

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Re: sKott's RetroPie Control Board
« Reply #19 on: May 20, 2017, 11:42:35 am »
 From the 1st posts skeptical looks to the last picture that is FAR from a "Franken-panel". Looks waaaaay cleaner than an 80's Stargate panel, with controls to spare.

 Damn nice job!

morton

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Re: sKott's RetroPie Control Board
« Reply #20 on: May 21, 2017, 09:29:39 am »
sKott,

I am curious, as I am building a single controller cab... was it difficult to tell the Pi how to handle the second player? I am new to this, and always wondered how the old cabs wired P2 when only one set of controls, and using a Pi seems to only add to the confusion. Any tips would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

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Re: sKott's RetroPie Control Board
« Reply #21 on: February 05, 2018, 12:06:27 pm »
None of the pictures show. They give an error that says the account has to be upgraded. Does anyone know how to see the pictures?

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Re: sKott's RetroPie Control Board
« Reply #22 on: February 06, 2018, 01:39:52 pm »
Get the original poster to host them here or at another location that isn't going to suddenly charge for displaying images is about the only way