LCD monitors would be a win with this type of setup. Less weight,space and no degauss issues. If this monitor dies I'd consider a retrofit. The only bad thing I could think is 'gun' games would not be possible (no sync?). But I don't have one..so it wouldn't matter. I think the near future will bring lots of options for LCD.
Here's a shocker you don't want to hear. I'm currently using Mame32FX as it has made life easy for 'globally' selecting display properties. I'm not sure if the standard command line version of Mame will do that without editing or separating Roms. I'm just guessing here. That dream of interfacing Mame with a serial/parallel port relay is possibly just that. You might have to sleep with a Mame developer to get it. I do believe it is possible....just not by me. With a DC motor you'd be half way there.
Those Bat-top handles I didn't intend on building originally. It happened quite by accident at work on the lathe. To make a long story short...the halogen light on the machine illuminated the plastic. At this point I had already bought my translucent push buttons fro GGG along with extra blue button blasters (BBB's). The Led's and the plastic were a great match. Light seems to illuminate the entire piece of plastic...even behind the LED. Neat stuff.
The spinner I did next. This took a little more work as it is made from 3 pieces. A new shaft....fits the TurboTwist 1 in the same manner as the original. The shaft is pressed into the spinner body (careful with the pressfit in plastic...it can crack if there's too much interference). No set screw is needed with a careful press. The last part is a thin pressed Stainless ring on the outside diameter. I did this for the bling factor as well as dividing the skirt from the top. Really sparkles.
Under the spinner is a 'hoop' circuit board that has 4 Led's. The shaft passes up through the center. All the resistors are soldered in place and 5VDC is supplied to all. These boards are drafted in Eagle Layout Editor. Oh...Kenevel...those button surrounds are drawn in Eagle and printed on the 'backside' of the vinyl (whiteside) and cut out. Print,cut and stick.I grabbed that idea form you. Thanks!
The Bat-tops came next. A post by 'Imageek' gave me the info to build my own Slikstick copies. Thanks dude for the spy photos. I just copied the original dimensions using stainless for the handle and the same Nylon for the tops. The hardest part was getting a 3.5mm jack that had a thread I could tap in the end. The part I found had a 8mmx1 thread. Not a standard size...but I had one in my tool box. Drawbacks was the depth needed inside the shaft for the 3.5mm female jack. Note in the length below the the last circlip groove. My shaft is longer here by 3/4 of an inch. Add the right angle 3.5 plug and I'm close to having no clearance inside the panel. I got lucky.
That original post..
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=52509.0 Hopefully this post makes sense...it's long winded. Sorry. I'll see if I can dig up some different pictures also.