Has anyone built a Ultimate Arcade Virtual Music Jukebox?

[GGKoul]

http://www.mameroom.com/vjplans_info.asp

As I've read Retroblast's review and I'm interested in build one.  But I would like to find out if anyone build one of these and how did it turn out?

Thanks!
-GG

[RacerX]

I'm currently in the process of building not one, but three of these.  Of course, I've been in the process for about 9 months now.  But that isn't the fault of the plans.  I haven't worked on them that much.

[JackTucky]

I did.  It's finished and hanging on my wall. 

Probably the only thing I would change is the way the back door is attached.  It's meant to be opened down.  This means that while it's one the wall, you can't get into it.

I would use a piano hinge or something so that the whole back panel could be mounted to the wall, and the thing would swing open.

I get more interest and "wows" on the jukebox then any of my other stuff.

Art

[GGKoul]

do you have any pics?  How much did it cost you to build everything?

[DrewKaree]

Did you guys buy actual plans from whatshisname, or did you do the "guesstimation" thing?

Don't the plans call for an LCD, and if so, where'd you get yours (for cheap, preferably) and for how much?

[mflint]

I built one and I used the Guesstimation theory. I think I would try the plans next time, I'm good with computers but not the best at
woodworking, I got my LCD on eBay. Brand new and with a warranty for $215.00 I thought it was a pretty good price.. And I got the touch screen overlay on eBay for  $45.00 used but it works great. You can also get one from .
http:\\www.enablemart.com
I also got an amplifier from happcontrols and I'll tell you what everything works great. The biggest thing that made it better was using SKJukebox. This is one of the best software designs I have personally found yet/Not to say that some of the other programs out there would not suit you better, There all good. Well good luck
on your project.

[JackTucky]

Did you guys buy actual plans from whatshisname, or did you do the "guesstimation" thing?

Don't the plans call for an LCD, and if so, where'd you get yours (for cheap, preferably) and for how much?

I bought the plans.  Mostly just so I could get my head around what was going on.  I read everything, but I wanted a start to finish plan.

I got the LCD from newegg for like 179.  They are getting cheaper everyday.

It's 90% done, but that 10% will probably never happen, Marquee, better paint job, etc.

  It's hanging and in use everyday by my kids.    One other thing I would change, make room for the sub.  I just L-bracketed it to the bottom.

I need to sand and repaint the nail holes.  I also have a keyboard connector sticking out on this side.  Also I added a UBS connector to the bottom.

Crappy cell phone pic:



Art

[GGKoul]

Good point about a sub.  How would you add one to that design?  As it doesn't look like you could.

[Crazy Cooter]

In that pic it looks like you could move the speakers up if you turned them sideways and then the sub could go where the speakers currently reside.

[JackTucky]

Speakers point out to the side?    hmmm

For my 90% completion rate, it stays like this.

I might redo the cab completely with all of the changes I want, someday....

Art

[DrewKaree]

Hey Art, how thin is yours?

*Doug Henning voice*  Is it just an optical illusion that it looks so thin, or is it actually that thin? 

When you referred to the piano hinge, are you meaning to say you'd put it on the bottom, and have the whole thing flip out and downward for you to be able to work on it?  I'm thinking that squaring off the bottom, then, would work better for just sticking the sub inside or having the port (if your sub has a port tube) and speker firing down through the bottom of the cab.

I'm still trying to piece together what type of juke I'd want, and I'm thinking space-wise, this type would be the most efficient, or could even be built with that squared out bottom I spoke of and become a bartop juke quite easily.

[JackTucky]

no.  i would like it to open left or right.

It is a bad picture, AND an optical illusion.

It's 10 1/2" deep.

Art

[DrewKaree]

no.  i would like it to open left or right.

It is a bad picture, AND an optical illusion.

It's 10 1/2" deep.

Art

Gotcha.  MUCH better idea on the opening, dunno why, but it didn't even register to open it like that when I pictured it.

Finally, ~ how heavy is the thing, did you screw right through the back into the wall studs, or do the plans account for that and have some sort of hanging mechanism (I've got something in mind if they don't)?

The more I read this thread, the more it seems like I'm going to end up building one of these, instead, to save on space and materials needed.

[JackTucky]

I use 4 L brackets to mount it to the studs.  It's not too heavy.  Its on the wall nice and sturdy with those brackets.

[DrewKaree]

Going to his site now, someone will have to explain to me how the frig to find out the cost for those plans.  It appears as if there's some alternate universe loop that doesn't care if you buy the plans.

Anyone looking to sell their plans, pm me.  I didn't buy them way back when, and I figure you guys already built yours, soooooooo............

*edit*
nevermind.  The bottom half wasn't loading, although the icon loaded up making me think the whole page was loaded....still, if you're looking to sell your plans......

[GGKoul]

Going to his site now, someone will have to explain to me how the frig to find out the cost for those plans.

[boesiii]

PM me too, thanks

[lindart]

I'd like a PM too.

Thanks!!

[clonestar]

If I was building a jukebox wall mounted like this I wouldn't worry about a sub but an output to your traditional hifi instead.  My juke (http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,24123.0.html)has 3 subs as well as two horns and 2 speakers and I still hook it up to an audio amp and some big speakers to fill bigger spaces, after all that is what pubs and clubs do with the real thing.

[JackTucky]

I have bright LED's in my triangle buttons but there is something blocking the light.  How do you get those things apart?

Art

[RacerX]

I bought the plans as well.  And I'm putting output jacks on them to run them through surround sound systems/stereo systems.

I got 3 LCD monitor's off of Ebay.  I just bid on them until I got three that were what I was willing to pay for.  I think I placed bids on about 25 different monitors to get these 3.  But there are so many of them out there, that it only took about two weeks.  And if you're only getting one, it probably won't take that long.  I got each of them for between $160 and $185 about 9 months ago.

[Samstag]

Here's my wall-mount jukebox:



I can't take credit for it, since it came with the house.

[clonestar]

On the subject of LCDs I bought a rack mount LCD off ebay, not only was it fairly cheap (