Main Restorations Software Audio/Jukebox/MP3 Everything Else Buy/Sell/Trade
Project Announcements Monitor/Video GroovyMAME Merit/JVL Touchscreen Meet Up Retail Vendors
Driving & Racing Woodworking Software Support Forums Consoles Project Arcade Reviews
Automated Projects Artwork Frontend Support Forums Pinball Forum Discussion Old Boards
Raspberry Pi & Dev Board controls.dat Linux Miscellaneous Arcade Wiki Discussion Old Archives
Lightguns Arcade1Up Try the site in https mode Site News

Unread posts | New Replies | Recent posts | Rules | Chatroom | Wiki | File Repository | RSS | Submit news

  

Author Topic: Cabinet configuration ideas  (Read 2289 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

swofra

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 8
  • Last login:September 05, 2022, 04:58:47 am
  • I want to build my own arcade controls!
Cabinet configuration ideas
« on: January 21, 2022, 05:15:24 am »
Experts,
  I'm a noob to the cabinet effort.  I've got two non working cocktail cabinets I'm looking to finish (and repair) that could definitely use your guidance:
Cab 1:
22" flatscreen
Pi3
2 sets of controllers/buttons opposite ends of cabinet, with Dragonrise encoders.  MAME only recognizes one controller since they are identified as the same vendor/model ID or something like that.  Its a known problem, and the workaround has not worked for me.
Intended use was to play 1980's era arcade game(s)

Cab 2: Found super cheap off Craigslist
19" CRT
4 sets of controllers/buttons, 2 side by side along the edge, and 2 facing each other at opposite ends of cabinet
IPAC encoder (maybe and original one  - see pic)
No computer or board

Other items for consideration
- I have a modded OG XBOX I can also use (and always though of using) thats already set up as an emulation source
- I am open to switching the Pi to the other cab
- I would like to avoid spending more money if at all possible
- My soldering skills, while improving, resemble a 1st graders, and thats an insult to 1st graders
- I don't have a spare computer to use

If you have any ideas on how you would best configure, I'd love to hear them...hear is what I've come up with thus far:
1) Move Pi to cab 2 and put OG XBOX into Cab 1.  Find OG XBOX arcade controller encoders somewhere as ultimarc does not have them anymore.
2a) Buy a single cheapo ZD encoder and replace one of the dragonrise so that MAME will (hopefully) recognize both
2b)  OG XBOX into Cab 2 and get controller encoders somewhere.  I have a VGA/HDMI converter already
3) Break down and go buy an old computer to use

Again, Please let me know what you recommend given the circumstances above, if my ideas are feasible, or if I'm missing some information that I need to have.
Thank you in advance!
Swofra

ericball

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 215
  • Last login:January 30, 2024, 03:07:18 pm
Re: Cabinet configuration ideas
« Reply #1 on: January 21, 2022, 01:30:13 pm »
I'm a big advocate of spending time thinking and planning up front and delaying spending whenever possible, failing fast & getting something working then making it better.

Don't worry about making a cabinet to start with - cardboard boxes work great.  Focus on getting the software working with the hardware you have.

For what you have you shouldn't need any new hardware and shouldn't need to solder anything.  Instead ask yourself what games do you want to play and what games can be played with the controls you have.  Then do the work to put the software on your RPi3 & XBOX to play those games.
MAME Projects % completed:
2004 3 sided cocktail cabinet w/ modular CP <25%
2004 Tempest cabinet & CP > 75%
2017 Raspberry Pi Zero W w/ Lakka microconsole 50%
2021 Vertical Bartop - in progress > 80%, 100% functional

swofra

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 8
  • Last login:September 05, 2022, 04:58:47 am
  • I want to build my own arcade controls!
Re: Cabinet configuration ideas
« Reply #2 on: January 21, 2022, 08:49:54 pm »
Thanks for the reply.  I probably wasn't clear in my original post, but the cabinet woodwork is already done.  Cab 2 (with the ipac) is one that fell into my lap ridiculously cheap off Craigslist and all it is missing is the board to run it.  The question I was trying to ask in the original post is figure out what the best board/encoder configuration will be given the cab setups I have that are listed in the original post.

ericball

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 215
  • Last login:January 30, 2024, 03:07:18 pm
Re: Cabinet configuration ideas
« Reply #3 on: January 22, 2022, 03:45:53 pm »
Ahh...  So you have a cabinets, the question is now what hardware to use in each.  Some questions I'd be asking:
  • Based upon the screens in each cabinet is there a logical choice for which one to put the XBOX in versus the RPi3?
  • Based upon the capabilities of the two systems vs the games you want to play is there a logical choice for which cabinet to put each in (based upon screen & controls)?
  • What kind of encoders are available for the XBOX (including hacked XBOX controllers) and does that limit the choice?
Of course, each of these questions might give contradictory answers (i.e. it might make sense to connect the XBOX to the CRT, but then you'll need four hacked XBOX controllers).
MAME Projects % completed:
2004 3 sided cocktail cabinet w/ modular CP <25%
2004 Tempest cabinet & CP > 75%
2017 Raspberry Pi Zero W w/ Lakka microconsole 50%
2021 Vertical Bartop - in progress > 80%, 100% functional

swofra

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 8
  • Last login:September 05, 2022, 04:58:47 am
  • I want to build my own arcade controls!
Re: Cabinet configuration ideas
« Reply #4 on: January 23, 2022, 01:46:19 pm »
Thanks for reply, you hit a lot of points right on the head, and yes, some of the answers will be contradictory. 
  To answer the questions you posed:
1) Screens won't matter as I have converter cables that will work with any combination.
2) For Cab 2 (four person cab) I probably will put a few Gen III/IV console games on there, but they play well with both pi and XBOX fortunately.
3) XBOX encoders are a challenge.  Ultimarc does have them, but its a considerable cost to get four for cab 2.  If i put them in Cab 1 (2 controllers), I'd also need to get two ipacs apparently.  I haven't found an easy solution for hacking the controllers either.  The one by degenatrons looked too complex for me, so if there is something simpler I could do or buy I'd be interested.

Thanks for the input/questions and its exactly why i posted on here - I'm looking to the experts here to tell me what I'm missing, haven't considered, and/or just get ideas and options from those that have experience.  Appreciate any guidance and recommendations you all have, and most of all, your time.

ericball

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 215
  • Last login:January 30, 2024, 03:07:18 pm
Re: Cabinet configuration ideas
« Reply #5 on: January 24, 2022, 07:49:56 am »
Put a post in Main asking for original XBOX encoders which are currently available.

Starting option would be https://www.ultimarc.com/console-adapters/console-adapters/x-box-classic-control-adaptor/ which would adapt your I-PAC.  Then you'd use the I-PAC & XBOX with the 2 player cabinet and get something like the U-HID for the 4 player w/ RPi3.
MAME Projects % completed:
2004 3 sided cocktail cabinet w/ modular CP <25%
2004 Tempest cabinet & CP > 75%
2017 Raspberry Pi Zero W w/ Lakka microconsole 50%
2021 Vertical Bartop - in progress > 80%, 100% functional

swofra

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 8
  • Last login:September 05, 2022, 04:58:47 am
  • I want to build my own arcade controls!
Re: Cabinet configuration ideas
« Reply #6 on: January 26, 2022, 06:54:48 am »
Thanks, I posted in Main for xbox encoder and I'll check on the ultimarc site.

It sounds like for cost purposes that the xbox encoder is going to have to go in the 2 person cab (assuming I can hack the wiring harnesses, these are the ones I bought: https://www.amazon.com/Hikig-2-Player-Encoder-Joystick-Mixed-Color/dp/B092MHZPFX/) and move the Pi3 to the 4 person and attached to the ipac, and then the two dragonrise encoders will just get removed and set aside.

please let me know if that makes sense or if I'm missing something or if there is a better option I am not seeing

thanks!