Absolutely gorgeous CP

[Tailgunner]

Overall it looks nice, IMHO. Not sure about the monitor, but if it displays game info, rules, control setups,ect... it'd be ultra useful on a MAME CP.

[Stingray]

people didn't give any dirt to Stingray for his decision on his control panel layout!

Well not much anyway, and it was all good natured.   After seing this CP I kind of wish I'd layed out my two player panel the same, two sticks one with buttons on the left, one with buttons on the right. That way guests who don't like my layout have another option. Hmmm. Maybe I should build another panel.

Once again, I think this is a really cool looking and well built panel if way overpriced.

-S

[dommer]

Spaced, I never thought anyone was attacking me.  I'm just stating my opinion, like everyone else.  Isn't that how discussions generally work?

About what is innovative or stylish:

1)The trackball mounting shows the bottom of the trackball through a darkly tinted translucent panel, I've never seen that before, and I think it's fantastic.

2)The thing is not just plexy, it's a metal base where all of the ugly wiring are hidden, so that wires dont travel from microswitches to the keyboard encoder directly, they go through grommeted holes into the box, and back up to the encoder.  That would require a lot of work to do, and to make it look as clean as it does, I don't know if I'd have 1/10th the patience to get that done.  Anyone can make a cp box out of plexi instead of plywood, but this is more than that.  It's got 2 chambers... the wiring that you see is clean and intended as decorative.

3)Black buttons with colored sleeves.  I've never seen it done, it's a new look.  Doubles your button budget though.  Not a big deal ultimately, but a nice touch.

I don't understand why people are making a stink about the port replicator.  The port replicator is something anybody could do, it's a commodity part, and doesn't require much extra work.  It's not aesthetically pleasing, it doesn't suggest excellent workmanship.  

The plexi will scratch, and maybe the look is too flashy for you.  I agree that the layout sucks, especially that analog stick, which not only is way too deep but has no buttons near it other than the ones on it.  I generally don't criticize works of art for being impractical, that's not the point, in my opinion.  Think of this as a concept car.  Maybe the placement of the glovebox wasn't too well planned, but the thing is suggestive of possible fabrication avenues that few people seem to be going down.  This guy examined things we take for granted, and found a new way of going about them.  At the end of the day, people who try new things, whether you like them or not, I think should be lauded.

Thats my 2 cents.  If you have any extras, I'll take one of those pills now Spaced.

[Wade]

[quote author=DougHillman link=board=1;threadid=17592;start=0#msg140057 In what way?  Actually, with the right tools cutting this thickness of acrylic is easier than cutting the thin lexan and such that is typically used for CP overlays.  

You can't be serious!  "With the right tools..."  Yeah, for example, with the right tools, machining an entire CP from a solid piece of aluminum is "easy".  All you need is a piece of hundred thousand dollar equipment, and the skills to program the machine to cut it out.  Then, it's just a matter of sitting back, enjoying a beer, and waiting a few hours for the machine to cut it out.  But how many people have the right tools, or the skills to do this?  Very, very few on this forum.

Maybe you have access to all the skills, materials, and equipment needed to make a panel like this, and you feel you could do it easily.  But you just haven't, because you don't like it, or because it's so easy it's not even a challenge.  Good for you, you are in a very small minority on this forum, I assure you!

I'll submit that the average person on this forum, like myself, is lucky to have a jigsaw, a circular saw, and a drill.  We're even luckier when we actually get the cut straight, or don't chip the wood/plexi when we drill, get the holes perfectly straight, etc.  I can tell you that my cabinet has lots of "slop" built in, otherwise it wouldn't even fit together.  That doesn't make it a leaning tower of junk, but to say my cabinet is comparable to this panel is just ridiculous, I wouldn't say that because I give respect when it is due.

Most of us spend an afternoon with a saw and some MDF or plywood, and with some hard work and lots of mistakes, end up with an acceptable finished product.  This panel appears to be virtually *perfect* in construction though, the cuts of the top and the holes drilled look to be machined or laser cut.  On top of that, a material is used which is very uncommon and absolutely harder to work with for the average person on this site.  This is a totally different level than almost all projects on this site.  Like it or not, you can argue this all you want, but you'll still be wrong.

In my opinion?  Many.  In fact, the majority.

Fine, you're entitled to an opinion.

Actually, it has been done already.  I've seen at least a couple of CP's made out of clear acrylic sheet.

I stand corrected, perhaps there have been a handful of other projects made from this material and/or made to this high level of construction.  But it is certainly very rare and worthy of some praise.

>>>I'm surprised no one else has mentioned the custom trackball case too.  It looks like they might have milled the top and bottom of the trackball case and replaced it with tinted lexan/plexi.

As with the LCD screen, it's pretty neat but no marvelous feat of engineering or great leap forward in CP design.

This may not be addressed to me specifically... I'm not claiming there are any great leaps or particularly innovative aspects to this panel.  I'm simply asserting that the level of quality/construction of this panel is above and beyond the norm here, with unusual materials and a precise build.  How can you just dismiss this?

This isn't some magical project that no-one else can hope to equal.  It looks to be a pretty well made standalone CP with neatly tied wires, a custom cover for a trackball, and an embedded LCD.   The latter two points and the fact that it's made out of a non-standard material make it a little interesting but not particularly any better than many others from an actual construction standpoint.

I agree, it's certainly not unachievable to every last person on this site.  It would just take a very long time, would be very expensive, and very difficult for the vast majority of us.

I'm not trying to take away from anyone else's work here, I built my own cab and I'm proud of it just like most of us here.  But I know it isn't perfect, and it's obvious that this panel is a cut above the rest.

It's not surprising at all that something this good is so disliked.

Wade

[DougHillman]

Wade, I don't think that any of the posters in this thread really dislike this CP.  Even I don't.  It's not my bag, but it's still a nice piece of work.

I think the point that some of the detractors have been making is that it's not really worthy of the shameless gushing that it's received and certainly not worth the $$$ being asked.

And I'll repeat again for the umpteenth time in this thread, the physical construction details aren't any more impressive than much of the work I've seen done in wood here.  We've seen exact cuts & nicely tied wires before.  It's just more visible under clear plastic.  From a layout design standpoint, it's actually inferior to many of the CP's posted on this site.

D

[Santoro]

I personally think it's pretty sexy.  Not that I would want it as my primary panel or anything.

It's sort of the Britney Spears of CPs.  Nice eye candy, so-so functionality!    

[Stingray]

LOL! Well put Santoro.

-S

[jdjuggler]

I think it's cool as well.  Layout does suck.  Monitor is useless.
Someone was wondering about the material used on the top...  Here you go --- chemcastacrylics , I wasn't sure if I could post a link, but they do have a web site.
This stuff will scratch way to easily.
Although I love the look... I don't think I build one for myself.

[Wade]

Wade, I don't think that any of the posters in this thread really dislike this CP.  Even I don't.  It's not my bag, but it's still a nice piece of work.

I think the point that some of the detractors have been making is that it's not really worthy of the shameless gushing that it's received and certainly not worth the $$$ being asked.

And I'll repeat again for the umpteenth time in this thread, the physical construction details aren't any more impressive than much of the work I've seen done in wood here.  We've seen exact cuts & nicely tied wires before.  It's just more visible under clear plastic.  From a layout design standpoint, it's actually inferior to many of the CP's posted on this site.

D

I think it's more impressive, you think it's less impressive.  Fair enough.

Wade

[dommer]

The most upsetting thing in this whole thread is someone's suggestion that Britney Spears has so-so functionality.  I'm convinced I could get some good use out of her.

[1UP]

I think this thing is jaw-dropping!  A bit impractical and overpriced, but jaw-dropping nonetheless.  The port replicator is way overkill.  I understand the need for a PS2 connector, but what on earth do you need the printer port for?  A simple USB hub and a PS2 to USB adapter would do the job.

Lose the LCD and the trigger stick, flip the controls on the left side, and center the 4-way, and this thing would be kickass on the right cabinet.  As far as the "unfinished" edges, I kind of like it.  In fact, the whole thing might look good with a frosted finish.  Definitely not for the budget minded, but I'm sure you could find someone who'd buy it.

[Santoro]

The most upsetting thing in this whole thread is someone's suggestion that Britney Spears has so-so functionality.  I'm convinced I could get some good use out of her.

You need to follow the analagy through to the end. Would you marry her and have her as your "primary woman?"  I am sure that any of us might find 3 or 4 useful and attractive aspects about her    , but somehow I don't see her as the one many would want to settle down with.  Ask yourself,

Think she'd be happy with one man forever?  
Think you could have a stimulating intellectual conversation with her?  Or a technical one?
Think she'd stay home on Saturday nights with a sick kid?
Think she'd love you if you put on a few pounds?
Think she'd put up with a zillion arcade machines around the mansion that were created before she was born?

I may be wrong, but probably not.

{edit - sorry to hijack the thread. back to topic.

If I hit the lottery I would surely buy that CP just for the cool factor.  Until then I will build practical ones!}

[hyiu]

sorry... but even if I hit lotto....

I'd rather buy Frosty's rotating cab.....

and a mercedes.... (ohh... and probably a lexus...)

but nope.... not that CP....