does anyone have dimensions for a space invaders cab?

[danny_galaga]

ok, i had some success in getting dimensions for an asteroids cab:

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=39916.0

thanks for those who contributed 

(it only took about a year! and the effort isnt wasted i think if it helps someone with a future project) but ive found that for my next intended project a space invaders cab is needed.



so does anyone have either a cab that they could measure or know where some dimensions are already posted? im hoping to have the dimensions a little quicker this time, but hey its all free so im not complaining!

oh, also it seems space invaders had the monitor pointing up with a mirror to view. i would really love a few pics of the insides of an original set up...

[jsw2068]

I have an SI that is in very good shape internally and is decent on the outside. I can get you all the dimensions and pictures you would need.

Let me know exactly what you need and I can start sunday afternoon.

[danny_galaga]

that would be great! basically i need enough external measurements to make it look cosmetically accurate (see what i drew up for the asteroids cab). also, i want to mount the monitor in a similar way to the original so a few pics of the general arrangement would be great- measurements there arent really necessary, just a few pics. oh, and how does the background work, if it has one?

[Grasshopper]

I've always thought there was something particularly cool about the mirrored-image approach used on early cabs. It's also more restful on the eyes to have the screen image further away.

[jsw2068]

I didn't have a chance to get measurments on Sunday. I will get them posted as soon as I can.

[danny_galaga]

dont rush, the benchmark is one year! so anything sooner than that will be fine (",). of course if you leave it too long you tend to forget (just ask ascar9 and cheffojeffo  )

[Lutus]

dannygalaga, where do you live.  I have in my possession (pretty sure) the mirror from that exact space invaders machine.  The machine was banged up and stripped out before I got it so I mame'd it (just replace the CP) everything else is original on the outside.  Anyways, I live in Panama City, FL and have that piece of glass but not sure how well it would make it shipping it.

[danny_galaga]

dannygalaga, where do you live.  I have in my possession (pretty sure) the mirror from that exact space invaders machine.  The machine was banged up and stripped out before I got it so I mame'd it (just replace the CP) everything else is original on the outside.  Anyways, I live in Panama City, FL and have that piece of glass but not sure how well it would make it shipping it.

thanks for the offer, but i dont think it would be worth shipping to australia! tell me, is it just a mirror? or is there art printed on it? i have no idea what the insides of a SI looks like.

[CheffoJeffo]

dont rush, the benchmark is one year! so anything sooner than that will be fine (",). of course if you leave it too long you tend to forget (just ask ascar9 and cheffojeffo  )

Hey -- if I set the bar too high then others won't want to play ... 

Cheers.

[Lutus]

Australia may be a little far.  It is a mirror with nothing printed on it but it is not a standard mirror.  It is more like a piece of glass that has a reflective film on it.  The monitor is mounted pointing up into the mirror which reflects into your eye.  Behind the mirror is a semicircle "moon" type piece of plastic that is lit with a bulb.  This moon can be seen through the mirror itself which makes it look like the invaders have a moon in the picture but in actuality the moon is behind the mirror.

Does that make sense?  Monitor has just the essentials, the moon piece is lit up behind the mirror and shows through.  The two images combine (monitor and moon behind monitor)  this is why it is not a regular mirror.

[NightGod]

AKA a two-way mirror.

I'm thinking that the reflective film they sell for using on car windows might give you the effect you need.

[danny_galaga]

cool. the more info the better! i happen to work at a place that supplies to the glazier industry so ill quiz one of our customers. im sure one of them can sell me a two way mirror for the right price (",)

[Lutus]

from what I remember the reflective foil was a gold tint.  The monitor on that machine displayed in black and white and there was a green "static cling" type material physically on the monitor so that the 4 bases on the bottom of the monitor would be green.  In this case the color of the reflective foil would'nt matter much but on a color monitor it may. I don't know if anyone even cares about this but thought I would point it out.   

[PileDriver]

I haven't wanted to add to this because I can't get to my Invaders to check anything out. (its in storage)
When I got mine I took it apart to give it a good cleaning. I remember the mirror looked like a normal piece of glass. It didn't seem to have any reflective surface at all. I'll try to get at it this coming week to get some pics. Here's an old one of the machine.

[WareWolF]

That's a Taito SI machine, Taito machines had color monitors and didn't have the moon backdrop, the monitor is probably right behind the glass on a Taito machine.

[jsw2068]

OK no dimensions tonight but I did manage to take some pictures.

Yes this is a 1978 SI by midway - B&W monitor with film over the tube.

First pick shows the back of the mirror. It's more of a silver tone and you can't see thru it very well (At least not at 8:00 PM at night in my garage  )

Mirror with the light on:

Monitor looking down on it:

Mirror and monitor with game on:

Picture of monitor as seen in mirror with game off and flash on camera:

moon glass and background:

View of game play from front:


Hope this helps.

I'll take more detailed pictures and take dimensions over the weekend.

[danny_galaga]

excellent, excellent! the b & w version is the one im after, with the coloured masks on the monitor. its good to get some glimpses of the insides. obviously the outside is important but i do need to know how it is set up internally for this project...

[PileDriver]

That's a Taito SI machine, Taito machines had color monitors and didn't have the moon backdrop, the monitor is probably right behind the glass on a Taito machine.

Not true! It has a black and white monitor with the color strips across.
The monitor is horizontal and is reflected in the glass and it DOES have the moon backdrop.

[JoyMonkey]

Funny, I was sure that the external dimensions of the cab are on Jakobuds site, maybe I was dreaming or smoking crack again.

The sideart over in the vector library should be to scale. Here's a quick PDF with some measurements thrown on. These dimensions could be WAY off if I got the scale of the sideart wrong, and I'm not sure if the guy that originally traced the artwork bothered to do the side profile to scale or not (knowing how anal we all are around here, I would guess that it is pretty darn close).

Also, this side-art is from the original Taito version, which has a single paneled side and has a slightly different shape to the Midway version.
USA 1979 Midway Flyer: http://www.arcadeflyers.com/?page=thumbs&id=1031
AUS 1978 Taito Flyer: http://www.arcadeflyers.com/?page=thumbs&id=4379
Later Taito versions also seem to use the Midway style.

Here's the 'Ready to trace' version of the Midway cab (actually the SI/Qix reunion cab):
http://localarcade.com/arcade_art/details.php?image_id=859&mode=search
Could be useful for figuring out radius' and stuff.

[WareWolF]

Thats cool, Taito did make some with color monitors & no backdrop, I spent many hours/quarters on one back in the day...  however they were very rare around here (eastern PA), almost everyone had the midway SI's.

[WareWolF]

actually...  now that I think about it some more, the color taito's were SI part 2 (SI deluxe was the midway version of it).  the newer version with the invaders that split into smaller ones when you shot them on the later levels.  Midway SI deluxe's were B&W/mirror, Taito SI part 2's were color/no mirror, however basically the same game.

[danny_galaga]

Funny, I was sure that the external dimensions of the cab are on Jakobuds site, maybe I was dreaming or smoking crack again.

The sideart over in the vector library should be to scale. Here's a quick PDF with some measurements thrown on. These dimensions could be WAY off if I got the scale of the sideart wrong, and I'm not sure if the guy that originally traced the artwork bothered to do the side profile to scale or not (knowing how anal we all are around here, I would guess that it is pretty darn close).

Also, this side-art is from the original Taito version, which has a single paneled side and has a slightly different shape to the Midway version.
USA 1979 Midway Flyer: http://www.arcadeflyers.com/?page=thumbs&id=1031
AUS 1978 Taito Flyer: http://www.arcadeflyers.com/?page=thumbs&id=4379
Later Taito versions also seem to use the Midway style.

Here's the 'Ready to trace' version of the Midway cab (actually the SI/Qix reunion cab):
http://localarcade.com/arcade_art/details.php?image_id=859&mode=search
Could be useful for figuring out radius' and stuff.

this is starting to come together (",). looks like im going for the midway version then. im getting all the artwork i can from the arcade art library. why is the bezel about 2mb and the side art only about 500k?

edit: actually i think its the taito version i want to build since the dimensions for the side at least are listed in joymonkeys pic...

[danny_galaga]

those of you with a taito cab, does it have t-molding? its hard to tell from the pics it looks more like ply with a radiused edge...

[JoyMonkey]

My inner geek wants to know how the mirror and monitor is set up. Is this drawing anywhere near right?

Now I remember why I dropped out of physics class.

[Mamed for life]

Don't know if this is any use, but here's a link for a mini Space Invaders, with the 2 part cab like you have in your first post.

http://home.comcast.net/~dfmaverick/

Maybe you could scale it up? I was thinking about it myself, but still ain't got near starting to build yet. Lurking around the boards for a good feew months now, tho, great to see how helpfull guys are here!

Good luck!

[Sizzler]

My inner geek wants to know how the mirror and monitor is set up. Is this drawing anywhere near right?

Yup

[danny_galaga]

those of you with a taito cab, does it have t-molding? its hard to rtell from the pics it looks more like ply with a radiused edge...

time for a bump! anyone know about the t-molding, or lack thereof? and is the taito machine exactly 24" wide?

[danny_galaga]

can anyone tell me off the top of their heads what size framework work (if any) is in a taito cab? that is, does it have a frame of 2 x 4s? or are the panels just screwed to each other? i went to a hardware store today to brainstorm. theres actually not much stopping me from beginning to cut wood now. im gettin itchy saw fingers!

[Lutus]

The T-molding is a flat black molding and on the top corners around the marquee, the molding is cut at a 45 degree angle to accomadate the top piece and the side piece coming together.  Does that make sense?

[danny_galaga]

yep, i think i know what you mean. ive embarked upon my journey to build a SI cab. ive gone with the taito version. i may yet make a second. i couldnt wait any longer so i got started last sunday. if it turns out to be way off i might sell it and do another. its therapeutic building things so i wont mind too much as ill take everything out of the cab and sell it 'bare bones'. but hopefully im building a fairly accurate representation first time round (",)