Hopefully a fun read: my ordeal setting up my MAME pc

[Anubis_au]

I've just spent a weekend installing my MAME pc, an exercise that ordinarily should take only a few hours. I thought I'd share the tale to give fellow BYOACers a humourous read.

Because this pc will one day sit inside a lowboy cab design, I went with Micro ATX case and motherboard for their small form factor, along with a P4 processor, 1GB RAM and a DVD/CDR combo.

My brother-in-law and I built the pc for the first time late Friday night. It took a few attempts at getting everything inside the tiny case because cabling got in the way of the DVD/HDD caddy, which swivels into the case. It refused to go back into the case until we realised we had mounted the HDD wrong. We'd tested the motherboard as soon as we had power connected, so it looked like everything was ok, but when it came time to installing Windows, just as it got to the bit where it starts to write to the hard drive, the system shut itself off. Being that it was past midnight, we left it at that, but I went to bed thinking I'd made a terrible mistake with the case, thinking it couldn't even power the simplest of computers (ie that it auto-shutdown to prevent an overload).

Saturday I woke up after having evil dreams about PSUs. I tried windows install again, and it died at the same exact moment. I was all set to go to the shops and try to buy a more powerful PSU (the case comes with 250W) but I had the thought that, there was no way anyone would sell a case that couldn't power a basic pc. So, I ripped out all the cabling, and re-built it. Started the Windows installation, and held my breath at the "crash point" but it didn't crash. So, must have had a loose connection somewhere. Anyway, I proceeded to install Windows and install all motherboard drivers. Everything worked. So then I unbuilt the pc and rebuilt it neatly, tucking away all the cabling etc.

Sunday, today: time to install the ArcadeVGA. I plugged the card into the PCI-E slot, connected my monitor to the VGA port, and booted up. Got a whole bunch of garbage on the screen. Then I remembered that the VGA port outputs the 15kHz signal, and its the DVI port that outputs the 31kHz. One minor problem: the Arcade VGA card is taller than my case, and the back of the case is (you guessed it) just where the DVI port is on the ArcadeVGA.

No problem, I have on-board VGA (which is what I used to install Windows). So I connected my monitor to the on-board port, booted up and... nothing! Powered down, removed the ArcadeVGA, powered up and.. it worked. Turns out, the on-board VGA port switches off when it detects a card plugged in the PCI-E.

So the only way I can see Windows to install the driver for my ArcadeVGA is to use the DVI port on the ArcadeVGA itself... which involves unbuilding the pc AGAIN (only this time, undoing all my lovely cable ties etc). So there I am, motherboard sitting on the anti-static wrapper, next to the case which is powering the motherboard, ArcadeVGA card sticking out of the motherboard, monitor connected, and finally installing the drivers for the ArcadeVGA.

And then I had to undo it all and rebuild it again.

As I type this, the newly rebuilt pc is sitting next to me. I am giving it evil looks. I still don't like the fact that my ArcadeVGA is not screwed down. I may yet change to a normal ATX case, even though it means unbuilding and rebuilding the pc again.

And I never got around to configuring MAME etc because, at the end of it all, I didn't get a signal out of the ArcadeVGA, probably because my hacked VGA->SCART cabling has some problem. But that's going to be a different story for another day.

Anyway, hoped you enjoy reading.

[Anubis_au]

IMG_1829: Pic of the crazy setup. DVD drive/ HDD caddy sitting on a trusty Jaycar catalog, motherboard on the desk on some anti-static wraping, and the ArcadeVGA connected to the monitor.

IMG_1828: Yay, everything works finally. Smiley frogger in Windows (seemed the obvious choice from the default icons )

[WareWolF]

Anti-stat bags are conductive!, you are lucky you didn't fry your mobo...

[SavannahLion]

Anti-stat bags are conductive!, you are lucky you didn't fry your mobo...

Not all bags are created equal. Typical bags are comprised of poly/metal/poly layers. IOW, there are no direct shorts on the surface unless you've punctured the bag. Even then, it's pretty tough to get a direct short with typical voltages. The clear and pink poly bags are not conductive per se, but they serve their purposes well enough. There are bags out there that are filmed with a conductive metal on the outside, but as far as I know, it was an older style that's no longer manufactured. You might find them with NOS equipment or something that's been in storage for a while.

In short, you can get away with it, but it's probably not a good idea to make it a regular habit.

[Anubis_au]

Anti-stat bags are conductive!, you are lucky you didn't fry your mobo...

I can honestly say the health of my motherboard was the LAST thing on my mind at that point. I just wanted the f#$%ing thing working!!!!!

[PsychoAU]

I can honestly say the health of my motherboard was the LAST thing on my mind at that point. I just wanted the f#$%ing thing working!!!!!

It sounds like with a little more planning, you could have saved yourself a lot of work.  Putting together the CPU should be the easiest part of these projects.  Why did you go with MicroATX instead of just using a standard ATX to begin with?

[Anubis_au]

Form factor. There is precious little space inside a lowboy cab. And, aside from the PCI-E for the ArvadeVGA, I didn't need any more slots. So Micro-ATX was a good way to go, IMO.

I don't regret the choice of Micro ATX, its the slimline case that's bothering me. But I just went browsing during my lunch break, and found a $50 case that's Micro-ATX form factor, but not slimline, so the ArcadeVGA card would screw down. I will probably buy the case, and keep the slimline case for a basic pc for my Dad etc.

But yes, planning... hopefully, it won't get much harder than this. Because, as you said, this is supposed to be the easy part!

[TOK]

I had an issue setting up the PC for my bartop. Its basically all a blur now, but I fixed it. Who would think a workbench full of motorcycle parts, shooting supplies and an old boombox wouldn't be conducive to building a computer? 

Also had a new keyboard that was bad right out of the box. I fixed that too. 

[Anubis_au]

Story update: I went back to the computer shop during my lunch break today, the one that had a non-slimline Micro-ATX case for $50. That was yesterday's price... today, the price was $75. I love honesty in computer dealers... oh, you want that case? Well, its sadly just doubled in price... 

So I am going to have a look around some other shops, and only as a last resort buy from these crooks.

And once more for good measure: 

Better now

[SavannahLion]

Story update: I went back to the computer shop during my lunch break today, the one that had a non-slimline Micro-ATX case for $50. That was yesterday's price... today, the price was $75. I love honesty in computer dealers... oh, you want that case? Well, its sadly just doubled in price... 

Where I grew up there was this store that would let you put games on lay-away and pay what you could until you paid off the game. But, get this, the store would charge a "storage" fee on games that you would put on lay-away. The longer it took to pay off the game, the more they gouged you. They gouged kids upwards of $100 for games like Castlevania: Dracula X.

[shorthair]

Also had a new keyboard that was bad right out of the box. I fixed that too. 

Na na, that's a rubber mallet. You need a five pound sledge, you know.

Anubis: of course the card would supersede the integrated graphics. This is basic new hardware recognition. I think it's even mentioned or alluded to on the avga faq.

[Anubis_au]

Anubis: of course the card would supersede the integrated graphics. This is basic new hardware recognition. I think it's even mentioned or alluded to on the avga faq.

It's been a number of years since I built my last pc... and from memory, it didn't override the integrated...

[TOK]

Na na, that's a rubber mallet. You need a five pound sledge, you know.

The keys in a 15' circle around the garage disagree.

[SavannahLion]

Anubis: of course the card would supersede the integrated graphics. This is basic new hardware recognition. I think it's even mentioned or alluded to on the avga faq.

It's been a number of years since I built my last pc... and from memory, it didn't override the integrated...

Yeah, I've got an old IBM that's like that. MB designers finally got wise to that and started configuring the boards to disable the integrated video by default when you pop in an additional card.

[Anubis_au]

Which, under normal circumstances, would be acceptable, but in the case of this pc, it meant I had to remove everything to install the ArcadeVGA drivers.

Not that I am complaigning anymore. Always look for the good in things: I've had more practice building computers in the last few days than I have for ages. And I have another rebuild to go, because at lunch I bought the case off the crooks (for $60) and will be using it. My video cable issues are hopefully solved also, so right now I'm hopeful that everything will be sorted real soon, and I can move onto stage 2 of my project, configuring MAME etc and shopping for my monitor.

But at the least, my physical issues with the computer will now be a thing of the past. And that alone is cause for celebration, because as someone wrote above, this is upposed to be the easy bit

[johnperkins21]

Why do you need a case anyway? Can't you just mount the mobo to a piece of plywood and be done with it? 

[SavannahLion]

Why do you need a case anyway? Can't you just mount the mobo to a piece of plywood and be done with it? 

Technically speaking, you could and people do. I owned a lot of PC's exposed on frames or just sitting around over the years. At one point, I even had a PC mounted in a desk drawer because I didn't have the space for a proper case.

It's preferred to mount a PC properly in a steel case though.

[Anubis_au]

Why do you need a case anyway? Can't you just mount the mobo to a piece of plywood and be done with it? 

I just wanted things mounted, screwed down and securely installed.

My case is small enoughto fit inside a small lowboy cabinet, and everything is safely and securely locked down.

I just don't like video cards not being screwed down, personally. Something about the only thing holding it down is a tenuous hold on the PCI slot...

[Zebidee]

You can still bolt everything down without a case.  Here is how I did it for this cab.  Everything is actually mounted into a drawer that rolls in and out easily, greatly assisting maintenance.

Note that there is a black metal "lid" (side panel of a PC case) on top of the PC to minimise dust falling on MB, and there is a fan (at top in closeup) in this to keep air circulating.  There is also an external cab fan. 

MB is mounted ontop of plastic pegs to allow for expansion/contraction & vibration.

Video card and power supply are secured by custom built metal brackets, all of which I made from recycled PC card slot covers with a drill and a pair of pliers.  The metal cage at front holding two hard drives and sound amp is also recycled from another dead PC.   

[Anubis_au]

Nice work there Zeb... but my carpentry skills are (thus far) rudimentary at best, so custom mountings are not my thing. Besides, I started my project with the pc setup, so I don't have a cab to place it in. Thus, case.

BTW, the pics you placed are from a yellow cab. The big 4-player beast is light blue... so, exactly how many cabs do you have?!

[Zebidee]

A few, in states ranging from fully operating "arcade classics games cabinet" to working normal arcade game (PCB only) to cabinet shell only ....

You should come and have a look if you get the chance.  I am in the mood for selling stuff

That yellow one is a cab I built as a custom job (paid) for my best friend.  He's currently enjoying it

It is a favourite, as it is ultra-retro style (original LAI mid-80's) and the laid-back monitor is good for pinball.

It also has DVD drive and control panel mounted into the door, which is mega-handy for ripping music etc.  Uses Magstick Plus Joys.  Powered by P4 3.0Ghz with 40GB & 200GB hard drives.  Runs pretty much everything that the Galaxy Cabinet does (Mame, Zinc, Kawaks, Future Pinball, Doom, Virtua Tennis, Flysims, Daphne), using Windows XP PRO with a "Windows Are Hidden" joystick-driven FE interface.

[Anubis_au]

The yellow cab was built from scratch? Nice work! 

What size monitor is in that baby?

It looks sort of like a lowboy but with a bigger screen. I sometimes wonder if you couldn't take the design of a smaller cab and scale to fit a larger screen...

[Zebidee]

It looks sort of like a lowboy but with a bigger screen. I sometimes wonder if you couldn't take the design of a smaller cab and scale to fit a larger screen...

That's what this is!  It originally had a 26" monitor in it, but i replaced it with a 25" Loewe TV (SCART).  It is only about 5'6" or 165cm  high.

Speakers sit behind the mesh grill above the monitor.

Because the monitor sits quite low, it is really good for playing pinball.  It is very good for most other games too.  If you have a low stool to sit on, it is a bit like playing a cocktail except you can see the screen better, more like an upright. 

Reckon the style would be easy to copy if you want to make something similar.

[Anubis_au]

Did you draw up any plans you could share?

[gse123]

I completely sympathise! I had similar nightmares when I initially tried to get my PC hooked up to a scart TV via AVGA. I spend many an hour trying to figure out what was wrong with my TV or AVGA card until I realised that the scart-Vga cable I thought was ok was in fact a complete dud. I got Keene Electronics to make me one up and it worked perfectly first time.

[Anubis_au]

Cheers gse!

Have you built your cab?

Where are you located? Are you another fellow Aussie builder?

[gse123]

Cheers gse!

Have you built your cab?

Where are you located? Are you another fellow Aussie builder?

Unfortuantely I don't have the room for a full size cab (or the skill to build one!)  So I have settled for a desktop controller and MAME hooked up to a standard TV via Scart.

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a339/mugatu123/ARCADE-STICK.jpg

i'm in the UK