Building a Jukebox

[GeoffE]

I'm a longtime lurker here, and hope that I may finally be able to contribute something...

I've had my MAME cabinet running for about six months now, and really enjoy having a jukebox installed in it as well (I use both Arcade Jukebox and Dragonator). However, while this is great in concept, and I enjoy using the jukebox if I'm doing other stuff in the basement, when we have a party the cab is running MAME full time, so no jukebox.

So I started a new project -- a dedicated jukebox.  (So far my wife is more supportive of this one!)

I've got a small touchscreen display (8" diag) which I am planning on mounting on the wall. I got a 640x480x256 color display with a touchscreen built in from EarthLCD, and I'm mounting that into a box which I will recess into the wall above the countertop (kind of like a diner jukebox).

I considered going with buttons through an ipaq, but decided the touchscreen was a little cooler, if less authentic.

The PC will be mounted underneath the counter, out of sight. It's an older machine with only a 4 GB hard drive, but it's been sufficient so far.

I'm using Dragonator as a base source code (since I know VB) and reworked it to operate as a touch-screen only version (my apologies to the author). I used Dragonator because the source is available and I think the sound from Winamp is dynamite. I also updated the playlist and added sorting to make it more 'jukebox like'.

Anyway, I know this is a little outside of 'Arcade Controls', but I thought you guys would be interested. If there is sufficient interest I could post some pics once I get it done. Currently I've got all the electronics and software working happily, and just need to build the enclosure.

Regards -
 
 - Geoff Engelstein

[Smack]

That sounds awesome! I was thinking about a dedicated jukebox as well, I hadn't even thought about a touchscreen (duh). I'd love to see the complete project when its done! (so I can rip it off!!!!!)

Smack

[JLR2000]

Also have been seriously considering building the dedicated Jukebox.  Would love to see what you are doing.  Wasn't thinking the touchscreen route, but interesting.  It would be great if we could get people to submit enclosure designs....we all know arcade cab shapes, but Jukeboxes are a somewhat new territory.  I was thinking an older PC, a 15" monitor, IPAC with few/simple controls, with a wood enclosure.   Please share, this topic seems to really be heating up with all of the new JukeBox software development. Keep up the great work guys!  BYOJB!

[james]

i too am also considering doing this, and using the touchscreen route. i am looking into converting an old junked jukebox, but nothing seems to be quite what im looking for.

also, the best software out there, AJ7, isnt open source, so i cant do the neccessary customizations.... grr.

[Chris]

Hmm... should I be adding touch-screen support to DOSCab and WinCab Jukebox ( http://webpages.charter.net/celamantia/jukebox )?

[gauntlet_addict]

When I mentioned to my wife about the possibility of adding a Jukebox to the MAME cabinet, I finally started getting support.  I have already ripped all of our CDs to my HD (that was a month of my life I will never forget) and the kids love it when I play random songs with the little screen savers in Windows Media Player.  My wife loves watching the kids dance, so everyone wins there.

Now I have to wonder if I shouldn't build two cabs ... hmmmm....