Mame CP project – help wanted to save sanity!!!

[Loafmeister]

Hey guys/gals,

I live in the Ottawa, Ontario region and am looking for a volunteer who has time on his/her hands, who does good work and wants to make a few $$$ on the side.

Here’s my quandary.  I bought a mame cab a little while ago. It’s a ¾ size cab, I believe it used to be a video poker machine but was converted to a 2-player 6 button mame setup.  It’s worked pretty good though there seems to be short somewhere that’s causing a keyboard error (need to press F1 at bootup to bypass the error). I’m guessing it’s a problem with the ground.

I was originally thinking of buying an older full sized unloved cab off someone but I find I just do not have the time for to refit such a cab (plus, I’d rather any existing cab be used to refit a real arcade cab, not a mame knock off).  So I’ve decided to stick with what I have, it’s more fitting due to the present limiting space of my basement setup anyway.

So here’s my problem.

I've included a pic of my cab, a pic of the control panel and a pick of the wiring .

Aside from fixing the short, I also want to:

- Replace the existing 14” CRT with a flat screen 19” LCD.  I know it’s not the best for the true arcade feel, but I wouldn’t even be able to fit a 15” CRT, so the 19” LCD is a tradeoff I’m willing to live with.

- Add a Happ 3” USB/PS2 translucent trackball (bought it, received it!)
- Add a tornado slikstik spinner (bought it, received it!)
- Add a couple of buttons on both sides of the CP for that visual pinball effect (bought lots of buttons!), maybe add one button at the front of the cab to simulate a plunger.
- Replace both joysticks with Happ Super Joysticks (they allow 4 way play by flipping a doo-dad underneath, a couple of minutes is all it takes I hear) – bought ‘em too!
- MAYBE add a keyboard tray under the CP (not a must, I’ve setup a wireless keyboard as is, but it would be convenient)
- Figure out a way to attach the CP in a manner that it can be easily removed so I can easily move the arcade cab around, up and down the stairs, etc.
- unrelated to CP, but right now, it’s a one speaker setup.  I’d like to somehow add a 2 speaker system though it might be hard and weird to remove the existing 1 speaker.  I may try just adding to smaller speakers on either sides and pretend the one speaker grill is there for a massive high quality trans-dimensional mono speaker.  Might impress the guests…

My current setup includes an Ipac2, thus I don’t think I would need a bazillion more buttons for pausing, etc, as the board has the ability to “shift” every button to another keycode.  Obviously, because of the size of my cab, a new CP is required, there’s just no room to fit anything.  As well, it would be good to provide a bit more room between joysticks/buttons.

I've included a pic of my present mental state related to this project and I used my new fangled time camera to peek into the future so the second pic shows my state of being after trying to figure all this out.   Blech!

So that’s where I’m at.  I don’t supposed there’s someone out there with the tools/know-how and time to spare in giving me a hand with this impossible project?  I’m not technically inclined with working with tools AT ALL!, so I’m at my wits end here.  As stated at the beginning, I’d be willing to pay some cash as well as pay for any parts I haven’t thought of, any materials, etc.  I would obviously need help with the design as well.  I’m no fool, I know I probably can’t provide enough cash to cover the actual work that needs to be done.   Ie: your time like my time is worth a lot, I know.

Other improvements:
The original monitor was placed at something like a 10% slope, which meant I almost had to put my head inside the cab to see it properly (not really necessary, but you get my point).  The proposed CP could expand past the sides to allow me to have the proper room between everything.  As well, to ensure someone standing to the sides can’t see the screen, I was considering moving the monitor angle to closer to vertical so that two could play and see the screen without issue in angle, even playing off two bar stools for better comfort for those long play sessions.  This could also facilitate having a deeper control panel as the players wouldn’t have to be so close to the cab and in effect also allow more room on the CP itself for everything.

Anyway, that’s about it.  For the last year, I’ve thought about this over and over and with the little available time, my knowledge of this stuff (very minimal) etc, I think I’d rather ask if anyone is up to the challenge, as I bow to what some of you have been able to do.  I can’t express enough how much I would appreciate it.  I’m also open to suggestions that would improve the CP/cab.

Thanks.  I hope the humor of the last two pics came across well; I'm not trying to post anything inappropriate.

Loafer / Rob

[Loafmeister]

Finally, here's a few examples of what might work for me.  Pics originated from links at this site.  Both aren't perfect, but they do a good job of showing the benefits of a deeper CP and one that surpasses the width limitation of the cab itself.  I would think a combination of these.  BTW, the width of my cab is a tad less than 20", so it's quite narrow.  I have two existing coin inserts (that work with the Ipac2!) but I'm very concerned they will need to be removed.  As the pics show, they are top loading and any replacement CP may make it quite difficult to keep them and not have them in the way.  I don't know, something to think about, I'd love to keep them and right now, I can't afford to pay for new coin mechs that would be located at the proper front of the machine, especially since I'm ready to help pay for the help.

Eagerly awaiting your comments.

Rob

[shardian]

First off, that is a mini cab with a 19" control panel. There should not be that many controls on it as it is now. No way you should add more. The best thing you could do with a machine like this is either switch to a 2 player - 2 button setup, or a one player setup. If you went one player, you could put the trackball on there. An add-on control panel will look horrible. You could do it nicely maybe out to a 23" wide panel, but that doesn't gain you much more space. It is a very nice looking cabinet, you are just trying to do too much with it.

[shardian]

Oh, and get rid of that existing wiring job PRONTO!! Wire nuts?? Why??

[javeryh]

First off, that is a mini cab with a 19" control panel. There should not be that many controls on it as it is now. No way you should add more. The best thing you could do with a machine like this is either switch to a 2 player - 2 button setup, or a one player setup. If you went one player, you could put the trackball on there. An add-on control panel will look horrible. You could do it nicely maybe out to a 23" wide panel, but that doesn't gain you much more space. It is a very nice looking cabinet, you are just trying to do too much with it.

I totally agree - I have a mini cab with an 18.5" wide CP and it is just right for one player - two would be an absolute nightmare and almost impossible to use.  If you want to add a trackball and spinner and keep the 6 button layout for 2 players you are certainly going to have to add a CP that overhangs the sides a bit.  34" wide is as small as I would go for something like this although you might be able to squeeze it down to 32" or so if you are willing to be cramped (which based on the look of things now I guess you are ).  That would still leave you with about a 7.5" overhang on each side which wouldn't be too bad.

Also, for the amount of work you want done on this cabinet I think you might be better off building something from scratch that suits your needs perfectly - then you wouldn't have to worry about shoehorning a design into what you've got that isn't going to make you 100% happy.

Sorry I can't help out on your build but Knievel churns these things out for people so maybe contact him and see what he has to say - plus I think he's in Canada too.   Welcome to the boards!   

[Loafmeister]

I didn't build the cab and I agree, the wiring has to go and so does the tight fit.  But although the potential if not done properly would mean it's a tight squeeze, if I have the monitor standing right up, wouldn't that allow me to have a wider and deeper control panel that might allow the addition of the trackball and spinner while also spacing the joysticks/buttons a bit?

I've played two player games and yeah, it's a tight squeeze, though it was even tighter when it was a 14" monitor and we had to huddle together to play because of the viewing angle!  Sometimes we make do with what we have, sometimes we have to resign ourselves with what we CAN have, but I dunno, I somehow think it IS possible to have a CP that sticks out a bit (like example 3), is deeper, that may look "imperfect" but not horrendous either.

Quite the challenge, I agree.

re: wiring: I agree.  It never bothered me until I had to hunt down the short.  At that moment, I had evil thoughts for the lad responsible.  HOWEVER, I have to admit although he could have used a wire management course, it's still better than what I could have done, it was serviceable and I have to give him full credit for getting it done.  I know some of you approach this hobby with a "you can do it", but not all of us have the gift to work with this stuff and put out quality work (or even getting it to work!).  In saying that, give me any problem related to people's attitudes and ego's, and I've been known to be "ok" with dealing with those .

javeryh:  Knievel might be from Canada, but Canada's a pretty big place eheh.  I'll check into it and thanks for the welcome.  As stated above, I don't think it's in my plans talent wise OR with my time, so I'll have to somehow make due with this cab.  Plus, building another cab puts the wife into the equation.  We wouldn't want that now would we?