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javeryh's Woodgrain Cabaret Copy

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javeryh:

Wow setting up the ServoStik with Hyperspin could not have been easier. 

In RocketLauncher under Global -> Settings -> Mapping there is a Ultimarc box and a ServoStik Mode with a drop-down menu for auto, 4-way, 8-way and false.  All I did was change this one setting from false to auto and it seems to be working.  I've tested a bunch of different 8-way and 4-way games and the joystick is switching properly.  Literally couldn't have been easier which is why there's no guide out there.  :lol  Took me 2 hours to figure it out but still...

Next up is hiding Windows 10 and getting everything inside of the cabinet.   I hate this part because getting back to windows to mess with stuff is usually a pain after you turn everything off.  Once I do that I just have to put everything in the cabinet, hook up the coin door and that's it.   :cheers:

Zebidee:


--- Quote from: javeryh on January 17, 2021, 12:11:54 pm ---
--- Quote from: Zebidee on January 16, 2021, 06:31:16 pm ---My strong recommendation: do not get gray tint, just clear glass is best. Gray tint will just make your screen darker and colours less vibrant.

--- End quote ---

Really?  I've always used gray tint and it always looks better to me at least.

--- End quote ---

Up to you and your taste and your money I reckon. But my advice is still to avoid it for arcade cabs.

You want a monitor "well" and dark/black bezel to minimise any external reflected light and normally to make the screen as bright as possible in comparison. I know that gray tinted glass may seem to make the monitor well more of a "well", might even make it look better in pictures, but you don't need it and it only detracts from your screen brightness. you monitor is designed to be viewed without gray glass in front.

Having said that, our human brains and eyes adjust perception to the duller colours and you might not even notice what you are missing.

You might want tinted glass for say an outdoor window, to cut intensity of bright sunlight. I've never seen tinted glass in professional arcade cabs. If you find the screen is too bright, turn down the brightness. Not saying gray tint didn't ever get used, just not that often and not that I ever saw.

Zebidee:


--- Quote from: Arroyo on January 16, 2021, 10:42:41 pm ---Regarding launching a game with any button.  The recommendation would be the same as with the pause/exit.  When launching a game, look to Rocketlauncher, specify each of the buttons you’d like to work (as far as I know there isn’t a limit).  I don’t have screen shots but if you are having trouble I can provide.  Nice work!

--- End quote ---

After reading this I started looking at Rocketlauncher trying to get my head around how it works. Looks very exciting! Just in the middle of trying to setup new frontend to launch my games etc for Windows 7 setup. I found the forum but guessing I'll need to watch some YT videos etc. Got any good links for new users?

javeryh:


--- Quote from: Zebidee on January 17, 2021, 05:17:40 pm ---
--- Quote from: Arroyo on January 16, 2021, 10:42:41 pm ---Regarding launching a game with any button.  The recommendation would be the same as with the pause/exit.  When launching a game, look to Rocketlauncher, specify each of the buttons you’d like to work (as far as I know there isn’t a limit).  I don’t have screen shots but if you are having trouble I can provide.  Nice work!

--- End quote ---

After reading this I started looking at Rocketlauncher trying to get my head around how it works. Looks very exciting! Just in the middle of trying to setup new frontend to launch my games etc for Windows 7 setup. I found the forum but guessing I'll need to watch some YT videos etc. Got any good links for new users?

--- End quote ---

Hmm... I watched a ton of stuff but the videos by Planet Geekdom were the ones I followed.  Then for setting up the dynamic marquee I watched a tutorial by MAMEFAN.  It took me a long time to figure it all out (started with zero knowledge).

So, I couldn't resist taking a quick video of the ServoStik actually working.  I'm quite pleased with myself for getting this to work even though all it amounts to is plugging in a USB cable.   :lol



Punch list is down to:

1.  Hide Windows 10
2.  Put all the junk in the cabinet
3.  Wire coin door and coin return buttons (this is separate because there is no coin button on the CP)
4.  Install glass over monitor
5.  Build and install coin box

Other stuff I'd like to do:

1.  Add a metal ID manufacturing plate to the back or top
2.  Use the pause button to display controls on per game basis (this is potentially a huge project)
3.  Swap out the yellow coin return buttons for red ones (not sure if this is doable)
4.  Get very small wireless keyboard/mouse and store just inside coin door for admin stuff

Not much left to do now, unfortunately.  I'm really having fun with this project.

javeryh:

Hiding Windows 10 and booting straight into HyperSpin is such a pain.  I have the Home version - fully licensed.  All of the YouTube videos I've seen that claim to work are on the Windows 10 Pro or Enterprise versions, which I do not have.  There is a way to "upgrade" for free, but I am worried about a watermark appearing on the desktop on top of everything that will not go away until I purchase the correct license.  If I try following these tutorials, they are editing folders/files in Windows that I do not have in my version.

So far, here's what it looks like if I just put a shortcut to HyperSpin.exe into ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup:



As you can see it sucks:

1.  HP splash logo visible for split second
2.  The D-SUB connection icon in upper left is visible (maybe this will change when I connect to the actual monitors I'm using in the cab?)
3.  Welcome wheel is spinning with user account info visible
4.  Taskbar on bottom of screen

Then HyperSpin loads.  I don't care that it takes 45 seconds but this is ugly as hell.

EDIT: I'm going to upgrade to Windows 10 Enterprise and see what happens.  Worst case scenario is I have to reinstall Windows 10 Home.  All of my HyperSpin/Rocketlauncher/MAME stuff is on an external USB so those settings should be safe.

EDIT: 2: OK, Upgrade to Enterprise is complete (no license) and it works for the most part.  #1 and #2 above are still visible but #3 and #4 are gone completely.  I can probably live with this since I'm reasonably sure there's no way to get rid of #1 since it is hard coded into the motherboard settings.  The weird thing is that when I first start Hyperspin and try to select a game to play there is a HUGE lag.  I can scroll through other games after pressing "start" (which changes the marque) and then the originally selected game will launch.  Not sure if this is because I'm running things off of the external drive or what.  Once I exit out and select something else the lag is reduced but not all the way. 

I'm inclined to copy everything from the USB drive to the internal hard drive to see if that helps but I do not remember at all what I had to point to when setting up HyperSpin/Rocketlauncher/MAME.  I would keep the file structure the same but all references to E:\ would have to change to C:\ and I'm not sure I want to get into that.

EDIT 3:  eff it I'm going for it.  Installing everything to the C:\ is a pain but I think I'll be happy I did it in the long run.

EDIT 4: I did it.  Everything seems to be working smoother as a result.  Hypermarquee was the hardest part - had to change a ton of settings there but right now everything is behaving as planned.  But now as a result of upgrading to Windows Enterprise I have a watermark in the lower right corner that sits on top of Hyperspin.  UGH. Never mind - once I shelled it again, explorer.exe never launches so the watermark never pops up.  Whew.  I think I'm going to call it for today but tomorrow I will be putting everything in the cabinet and playing some games dammit.

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