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Arcade Bones (Marquee & Dashboard graphics finalised)
Bones:
I am extremely keen on having everything in my cabinet come to life with the push of a single button. I also like the option of having my cab in sleep mode where monitor & speakers are powered down and can be switched back on with a keyboard (control panel) keystroke.
The obvious choice is a Smartstrip which seems to get a hit in just about every topic posted here regarding single button power-up options and furthermore I could not find a bad comment regarding the product.
Here in Australia we have 240V out of our sockets and a different shaped plug. I made enquiries with Smartstrip hoping they manufactured an Australian version and had a distributor of the product here. Unfortunately this was not the case but in my prompt reply from Smartstrip they advised they did have a working prototype version for Australia which should be available here in around 6 months.
Discussing power requirements with my buddy Misstasmiff (who has the ability to find the golden needle in the Internet haystack), he came across an Australian product known as the
Bones:
And put it together I must....
I really didn't expect to get what I finally received. I dunno what I expected, maybe I thought I may have to push a fuse into place, or perhaps screw a power cord together or something simple. I was way wrong. ::)
This is real DIY and for a bloke whose only experience with stuff that has wires was a train set when I was 12 and an IPAC now at 35, it is rather intimidating to say the least......
I see 3 options.
-I try and succeed.
-I try and fail. Sparks fly and I burn down my cabinet.
-I wire it incorrectly and I am transported back to the year 1885 where I live as a blacksmith in the wild west.
DannyH:
Man that looks like you will need a few cans lined up in the fridge for after...and something to kick!.
Sleep mode makes it hard but I opted getting my electrician friend to splice a wire and make a switch which I mounted to the back of the cab. I would have done it myself but didnt feel like renaming my cab to "illegally wired cab" or "melted burnt out pile of ash on the round cab" basically I use thsi switch to turn everything on and off and set the PC to boot when power s restored. The switch is just an on off switch cut from the powerboard cable
Bones:
Yeah powering the computer and switching it on or off is no problem, getting the arcade monitor and marquee light to do the same when in sleep mode is what I am really trying to achieve.
My kingdom for a real smartstrip.
DannyH:
good idea, but looking at that kit all I can say is best of luck champ I do not envy your task 1 bit