Looking for a better solution

[Vince]

I have finished a cocktail cabnet that I'm using in my Apt. as a coffee table, and it's great.  The only thing I'd like to change is the startup.

I'm running an old slot 1 celron 266 with 64M ram and onboard sound card.  I have it load up windows and start a .bat file which loads galaga for me automatically.  This is slow and takes a while to load, and I'd like to use the DOS version of mame, but it won't work with the sound card I have.

Any ideas on using dos instead of windoz?  If I find an old sound blaster 16, will that work?  

Thanks  

[ErikRuud]

It works for me!

I have a Packard Bell, 200mhz P1, with a SB16 compatible sound card.

I have a DOS menu on startup that defaults to my GameLauncher, but also allows me to start up Win95 if I need to.

[PhilA]

I have an old ISA SoundBlaster AWE64 that ought to work, and that you're more than welcome to have for free if you're in the UK.

Contact me via email to arrange postage if you're interested.

[fullerlee]

Hey vince,

I'm starting a similar project, using similar hardware. Got any tips / pictures etc?

Thanks,

Lee

[Vince]

Yeah, I got some tips.  Email me and I can send pics, or I can set them up on my web site.

Plan out your design.  If your doing a cocktail table like me, see how high is comfortable for you.  Mine is 24" tall (a little tall for a coffee table, but perfect height for the controlls).  My control panels box inverted inwards and I used 3/4" particle board and had to compensate for the 3/4" thickness in my design of the boards.

Vent your box, use a large PC case fan that runs quiet.  My monitor is sideways in the cabinet and I took the tube out of the case.  I used Clear plastic for the top and painted underside black except over the controls and around the picture tube.

Layout all your computer hardware and test it before mounting it in your case!

Use good wire for the switches.  I made a big mistake here.  I should have designed the wiring set up much better.  Now I'm kinda stuck with wires all over the place and have to be carefull when inside not to break a connection.

PS  I live in the US, so shipping would be out, but thanks for the kind offer.  I'll keep an eye out for a SB-16 or an AWE-32 so I can boot straight from dos.  It sucks the way I have it and I really want to change it.

[1UP]

I don't know what stores are around you, but Fry's has a few different generic SB compatible soundcards for real cheap ($10-20).

[Vince]

I don't know what stores are around you, but Fry's has a few different generic SB compatible soundcards for real cheap ($10-20).

Well, if I still lived in socal that would be great, but my job relocated me to Ohio, and no such store.  There are used computer parts stores and I'm watching out for one now.  Everytime I go home on vacation I spend hours just in Fry's.  Never appreciate that place till you don't have it around