Cutting DB9 connector hole in finished cabinet. Need Advice!

[electricd]

Hello,

I have had my cabinet finished now for a couple of years, but it has come to my attention that I might need to add a service port to the front to accomodate a coin1 and coin2 button.  I currently don't have a button on the panel for this, as my cabinet has a working coin door, and an IPAC macro for these buttons (1P Start, plus UP and 1P Start plus 2P UP.)  Anyway, as more people play my cabinet they get confused and can't get it working.  My wife thought it would be a good idea to add buttons somewhere to do this.  My thought is that I will install a DB9 connector just above the coin door, and then plug in a small radio shack project box with matching DB9 on the back and 2 buttons on the front.  I would just map these buttons to my 1 and 2P coin buttons and be done with it.  My first question is, does this sound like a decent way to solve this problem.  And if so, what is the best/cleanest way to cut out a DB9 hole in 3/4" MDF finished with laminate?  My cabinet is flawless and looks very professional as the guy who helped me put it all together was a finish carpenter.  I just don't want some crappy looking connector, but rather a flush mounted DB9 that looks good when the box isn't attached.  Thanks for any advice in advance!

ED7

[rdagger]

I don't see why  you would use a 9 pin connector when you only need 3 pins.  I think a mini-stereo jack would be much less noticeable.  If you really don't want to mar your Cab, then you could add a wireless solution and just have an IR detector on the front or an RF receiver inside.

Why don't you just wire the player 1 & 2 coin return buttons to coin 1 and coin 2?

[SteveJ34]

I was thinking the same thing, ie: wire coin returns or just use a 1/8" 3 conductor audio jack, 1 for each hot and common ground.

http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&category%5Fname=CTLG%5F011%5F003%5F001%5F009&product%5Fid=274%2D312

[Tiger-Heli]

Agree on the coin return buttons, or you could just add a couple of extra buttons on the top or front of the CP.  If all your I-PAC inputs are used, you can have the new buttons activate the shifted functions by wiring it like this:

http://www.ultimarc.com/extra_shift.html

[electricd]

Well the reason I was thinking DB9 is two-fold.  One, I can hold the small project box on the cabinet using only the tension of the DB9 connection.  It would be very easy to plug it in and out, and I wouldn't have to come up with a way of keeping it in place (ie. velcro.)  And two, I was thinking of using the extra pins in the future for hooking up external devices, ie. adding a USB port to the front of the cabinet using 4 of the pins, or possibly adding stereo output and things like that.  It would become more of a management port in the future.  Just thinking ahead!  thanks for all the good advice.

[Tiger-Heli]

Well the reason I was thinking DB9 is two-fold.  One, I can hold the small project box on the cabinet using only the tension of the DB9 connection.  It would be very easy to plug it in and out, and I wouldn't have to come up with a way of keeping it in place (ie. velcro.)  And two, I was thinking of using the extra pins in the future for hooking up external devices, ie. adding a USB port to the front of the cabinet using 4 of the pins, or possibly adding stereo output and things like that.  It would become more of a management port in the future.  Just thinking ahead!  thanks for all the good advice.

Okay, first off, I'm not really crazy about any of your ideas, but it's your cab.

If you use the coin returns, you avoid the project box altogether.  Cheaper and cleaner solution.

If you want to add a USB port, the best way would be to flush mount a hub or one of those PC expansion slot connectors - The USB receptacle takes up less space than the DB-9 and looks cleaner.

For Stereo, I would either run it out the sides or back, or use a mini-headphone jack type connector.

Having said that, if you really want a flush DB-9, you probably need a router or at least a Dremel.  I think there are templates for DB-9 cutouts on the web, or you might be able to trace the serial port cutouts on a motherboard backplate.  (You might even be able to tape the backplate down and use it as a template/guide).  If you can't find anything, trace around the DB-9 connector from the outside of the cab, and use the dreme/router to make the through-hole (just be careful the tool doesn't wallow/walk on you).  Now put the connector through the hole on the inside of the panel, trace around the "ears" of the connector, and route out enough material that the connector will sit flush.  (If you take too much out, you can probably stack washers on the low side(s) to push it back flush).