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Author Topic: Tablet Bartop  (Read 4297 times)

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rhoelsch

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Tablet Bartop
« on: May 19, 2018, 02:18:54 pm »
****Completed pics added in my 7/10 post****

Midway thru building my 3rd machine; this one a bartop based around an old arcade tablet I no longer use. It's an Acer Iconia that won't update past 4.1, which made locating some apps rather difficult. I didn't go the r-pi route because I really wanted it to play Pinball Arcade, as well as all the usual nostalgic emus. The encoder was not recognized as a gamepad by the older Android OS (and I couldn't find a viable root for this model, either). So I did some digging and found an apk that translated the inputs into key commands. Strangely enough, my 8bitdo Zero bluetooth was recognized immediately, but it's just too small for me to hack and solder easily.

Next steps are cutting plexi for the marquee and bezel, and finalizing how the tablet's going to rest in there before I do the final gluing for its backrest. The control panel won't be glued, in case I need to get to the wiring; I'm looking into using some strong magnets or cutting some thin velcro strips to secure it for play.

Ran into a little snag when I decided to use LED buttons rather than the shorter ones that were supplied with the zero-delay encoder I got on A-zon. I was careful to measure before ordering, since my cp is pretty shallow, that I'd have the depth to fit them in. I didn't count on the quick disconnects adding so much to the button depth when I hooked the new buttons up, so I'll have to solder the wiring, and I'll be able to gain that extra quarter to half inch needed for the cp to rest again where it's supposed to.

Because switching between emulators isn't easily done on a tablet with a gamepad, I'll likely have to cut out an open part in the bezel (the size of the display) so the touch screen can be accessed. The plexi is thin enough that I don't anticipate much of a aesthetic hit, with less than a 1mm gap between the plexi and tablet screen. I have a battery-powered led strip to use to light the marquee, and I'll probably ask for opinions on artwork when that time comes. Will be updating as things move along...
« Last Edit: July 11, 2018, 08:39:51 am by rhoelsch »
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javeryh

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Re: Tablet Bartop
« Reply #1 on: May 19, 2018, 02:50:43 pm »
Pretty neat.  How wide is the CP and is it comfortable to play?  Been thinking about building one of these over the summer but don't like the giant 2P bartops with 19" monitors so something smaller would be cool.

rhoelsch

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Re: Tablet Bartop
« Reply #2 on: May 19, 2018, 03:02:28 pm »
The cp is 8.5 inches wide, not including the 3/4 mdf sides. Cab is 14 inches high. I tried to keep the cp low to stay comfortable. Not based on the iCade in any way, all built from scratch around the tablet, and control size requirements.
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PL1

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Re: Tablet Bartop
« Reply #3 on: May 19, 2018, 03:47:37 pm »
I didn't count on the quick disconnects adding so much to the button depth when I hooked the new buttons up, so I'll have to solder the wiring, and I'll be able to gain that extra quarter to half inch needed for the cp to rest again where it's supposed to.
You might want to consider using "flag" QDs instead of soldering.




Scott

rhoelsch

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Re: Tablet Bartop
« Reply #4 on: May 19, 2018, 04:06:37 pm »
Nor sure if they'll work with these buttons, might be a little snug...
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Re: Tablet Bartop
« Reply #5 on: May 19, 2018, 04:53:04 pm »
On second thought, 0.110" flag QDs are harder to find than I thought.   :embarassed:

It would be easier to mod some regular 0.110" QDs by cutting off the crimp barrel -- leave enough of a tab that you can pull the QD with pliers -- and soldering the wire through the small hole.


Scott
« Last Edit: May 19, 2018, 04:57:57 pm by PL1 »

rhoelsch

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Re: Tablet Bartop
« Reply #6 on: May 19, 2018, 05:13:26 pm »
But the daisy chained led wires won't fit in those holes... maybe solder on either side of a shortened QD for more surface area for those?
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Re: Tablet Bartop
« Reply #7 on: May 19, 2018, 05:28:23 pm »
But the daisy chained led wires won't fit in those holes... maybe solder on either side of a shortened QD for more surface area for those?
You can do that or drill out the existing hole.

I prefer soldering wires to a through-hole for greater mechanical connection strength.  YMMV.


Scott

rhoelsch

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Re: Tablet Bartop
« Reply #8 on: May 31, 2018, 03:17:27 pm »
Some progress made. Learned you shouldn't drill thru cheap acrylic. Metal marquee holder won't leave too much space for the artwork. Should have made the design at least a half inch taller. That solution is still up in the air. The tablet will slide down between the backrest and the next bezel panel I don't break. Added a pic of the battery powered LEDs I'll try to work for behind the marquee. Posting a pic of the mock-up with art, gotten from a SW upright. Ideas and insights welcome. Wanted it 80s inspired, something the kids could relate to. Not 100 percent settled on it yet.
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Drnick

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Re: Tablet Bartop
« Reply #9 on: May 31, 2018, 05:18:51 pm »
Starwars theme doesn't look too good on that shape  :(  Try moon patrol instead (Although that did have horizontal monitor and not vertical :)

rhoelsch

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Re: Tablet Bartop
« Reply #10 on: July 10, 2018, 09:42:20 pm »
Well, the marquee's bleeding some light, the button connections are precarious, and the bezel needs to be touched up. Some gaps in the t-molding I'll address with wood filler and some paint. BUT, its put together and everything works. Once again, learned a lot, and could build another one with far less mistakes. No, I don't play Star Wars arcade on it with a digital joy, but I couldn't not put it in there.
« Last Edit: July 10, 2018, 10:00:01 pm by rhoelsch »
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javeryh

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Re: Tablet Bartop
« Reply #11 on: July 11, 2018, 12:19:51 pm »
That's a neat looking cabinet!  Can you provide any info on how you are running the games, how you power on and off, how you are interfacing the tablet with the joystick and buttons, etc.

How does it play?  I'm sure your son loves it.   :cheers:

rhoelsch

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Re: Tablet Bartop
« Reply #12 on: July 11, 2018, 02:28:26 pm »
It's just standard Android emulators, and Pinball Arcade for the pins. Since the tablet loads from the top, I just lift off the top panel and reach a couple inches down and hit the tab's normal power button. The USB port's also on that side of the tablet, so I ran an elbow connector to the supplied cable of one of those $10 encoders from Amazon (think I got a Reyann one, they're all the same). There's no glass over the tablet screen, so you can adjust and switch emu's right on the screen itself. Most gamelist navigation is joy up/down anyway... 2 small buttons in the very front (red) serve for Coin and Start, and the 2 side buttons are also mapped to Exit and Settings. It plays great. No lag, buttons are quiet (joy isn't...) and it feels pretty natural. Wish it could play more fighters, but it's an older tablet, and I already have those on my upright cabinet anyway.
Now witness the power of this FULLY OPERATIONAL Mame machine!