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Yet another Tempest - Done!
Paladin:
I just scored my third converted Tempest! Due to several factors, the previous two cost me about $1000 each to finish. After getting them up and running, I still had board/monitor issues crop up. When I sold each one, they decided to flake out when the buyers showed up.
I've decided that this time I'm going to put a computer monitor in it and run MAME rather than spending the big bucks and going through the headaches of the original hardware. I also plan on keeping this one - but of course that's what I said about the other two (and the one I had in the 90's). As of now all I plan on running in it is Tempest, as I already have a 25" vertical MAME cab with arcade monitor.
I still had a few extra parts from my previous restores: unhacked control panel with passable CPO, original spinner and lighted cone buttons. I've got a Mini-PAC, but am having trouble getting it to work with the Atari spinner optic board. I've ordered an encoder board from fixumdude that should solve that problem.
I'll be looking for a cheap 21" monitor on craigslist for the display. I recently gave away my spare computer to a friend at work that needed an upgrade, so I'll have to come up with a cheap PC. I plan on replacing all the artwork with repro's, but I'll try to get it running first as the side art, CPO and marquee come to about $200.
I'm interested in the monitor mounting solutions being used by the couple other Tempest projects, as I've only dealt with vector and raster arcade monitor mounting so far.
When I removed the black vinyl from the sides I found that it had been replaced before, and most of the original art must have stuck to that vinyl. The picture below shows the better of the two sides. Before deciding to use my unhacked control panel, I stripped the panel that came with the cab. I found it had been a Tempest, then an Arknoid, then some Fabtek game and finally Aero Fighters. The bolts that held the metal lock bar on had been bent inside the cabinet, so I had to use a hacksaw to cut the bolts off close to the nuts in order to unscrew them.
johnm160:
Nice find, I wish I could have found a donar cabinet to start with.
Monitor mounting was not as bad as I thought it woud be. Just be sure to figure out what the max mounting depth that will still allow you to close the back door is.
And don't go to fast, I don't want you finishing before me! ;D
Paladin:
No worries on the speed, I'm still trying to finish my Defender cocktail which I'll problably sell as soon as it's working so I can use the money on the Tempest.
I just went over your project post again and think I may not be able to fit a 21" in there. For the back door I was going to make a new one with a bubble in the back to fit whatever monitor I end up with - but after re-reading your project it looks like there may be more clearance issues to deal with than depth.
Do you think your 19" monitor is close enough in size to a 19" arcade monitor that you wouldn't really notice the difference? I think 19" means 18" viewable, which sounds pretty darn close. I also used to keep my original games about 1/2" away from the sides of the screen to lessen the strain on the monitor circuitry.
There are usually several free 19" monitors on craigslist, but the free 21" seem to go really quick. Hmmmm...
johnm160:
The bubble in the back is a nice idea. The other main issue will be the space between the bottom of the marquee and the top of the control panel.
I am going to my inlaws house today, my other mame machine is there with a 19" arcade monitor in it. I will measure it and compare it to the 19" PC monitor I have in the tempest.
I will post the results later tonight or tomorrow morning for you.
-John
MaximRecoil:
Have you thought about running VectorMAME in it? That way you don't have to deal with the original hardware, but you still have the color vector monitor, which is a big part of the appeal of any vector game IMO.
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