Topic suggestions for next rev. of book

[brain21]

OK, I am still reading the book.  Just started the chapter on the electronics & wiring up the joysticks, etc.  However, I did browse through the index to look for some of this stuff...  If what I mention in here is already covered and I just haven't gotten there yet, please excuse me (I apologize in advance) and dont flame me :-)

1) I am considering doing the following:

Getting a working arcade cab.
Using some sort of j-pac/multi-jamma combo so that I can switch back & forth between PC Mame and running the actual Jamma boards.

I see that the Multi-jamma is mentioned once in the book.  Basically a link.  I would like a section in the next rev on a "Hybrid" Jamma-PC cab (including considerations such as PC video resolution when running into a j-pac & out to an arcade monitor - this might already be in the book, but I haven't gotten that far yet)!!!

2) Page 86, re: optical rotary joysticks.  It says "if you are a fan of a game that uses one of these joysticks...."  A couple of examples would be nice, rather than me having to figure it out by reasearch & posting.

3) Not only plans, but discussion in the book about constructing bartop & cocktail table cabs.  No need to go into the nitty gritty  of how to mount the support blocks or other stuff that is redundant after the regular cab construction, but something on monitor mounting, control placements, etc would be cool.

4) For finishing the cab, paint is the only method discussed.  A brief discussion of the pros & cons & any special techniques for finishing the cab with laminate (like in countertops), wallpaper, or contact paper.

5) As far as the cab construction, a couple of things:
a) cooling - fans over the monitors, around the PC, etc.
b) different methods for mounting the PC inside.  Direct mounting the MB, PC case frame (pc case with side & top & front removed for max airflow & easy finger access for maintenance)
c) System requirements in terms of general CPU power & Ram.  300MHz PII - not enough power?  enough for mame but not SNES emus? etc.
d) sys requirements & options regarding mini & micro-atx MBs

6) It would be cool to have a section on creating a portable all in one solution.  IOW a larger control box that has a mini-itx PC mounted inside so that I can take it anywhere, boot it up, and just connect to any old VGA monitor and play my MAME games.  Yes, I know that with all of the info in the book it should be pretty simple to construct this, but mini-itx mounting, cooling, etc. considerations & tips would be great.

I'm sure I'll think of more as I go through the book more.

So far, this book is awesome.  I don't know squat about most of this stuff, but the book is definitely educating me and giving me the confidence to think that I can do it myself!  It definitely removes most of the "intimidation factor"!  I love it.

Right now I think I am going to buy a full-sized cab and create a hybrid jamma/PC-mame cab, and then I am going to build from scratch a bartop MAME/XBOX arcade machine with swappable controls.  It all seems manageable at this point thanks to the book.

THanks,

Brain21

[saint]

Great suggestions all! The problem I had with the book was running over my allowed page count. I blew by it by quite a bit, but even as is they had me drop roughly 75-100 pages from where I was heading. We'll see if there's a second version what I am allowed to squeeze in

--- saint

[Bones]

Ohhhh.... Is there something in the works?

I think it should be named "A bacon lovers guide to arcade controls".

[brain21]

Ah!  I understand!  Well the good thing is that al of the information is probably somewhere here on this site, I just have to find it and ask questions here if I have any.

Thanks for such a cool book!

Brain21

[missioncontrol]

We'll see if there's a second version what I am allowed to squeeze in

--- saint

perhaps this is the real teaser we've been looking for......

a second book in the works.........

My suggestion is to get Jessica to model with all the pictures......

[brain21]

You know, if you can't fit it in the actual book, you can always have extra chapters on the CD-Rom!

I would really to see more of the following:

Building multi-jamma cabs & Jamma/PC combo cabs as shown before.  Incl. perhaps wiring diagram examples or something.

A basic Jamma primer for the intro of that chapter showing the Jamma harness & PCB & different parts, and what connectors are what on your std jamma board.  PLus maybe some discussion on jamma+ & other jamma variations.

For the driving controls (hooking up arcade driving controls to a PC) you basically say see the chapter on mice & trackballs, and in there you show the arcade trackballs, etc. but don't go into that much detail...  different ways to hook up stick shifts (2 position, 4 position, etc.) & pedals (single, double, & 3 pedal hooksups).  You mention basically how they work along the different axis, but what are the actual wiring diffs between the diff pedals & stick shifts?

A section for swappable control panels & different methods of swapping the panels out (like one project here a guy used RJ-45 jacks, whihc I thouhgt was pretty slick and will probably use myself), including not only wiring, but physical swapping (IOW, creating 2 diff control panel boxes, and ways to easily swap them out via clamps, velcro, etc.)

Of course, these chapters would be available here or on another site for those that have already purchased the book !  :-)

well again, that's off of the top of my head anyway...

Not that I am complaining.  I feel lucky that we have the book at all!  :-)

Brain21