locking out extra control panel?

[specksynder]

Okay, got a few questions for you pros out there.  I'm building a 2-player cocktail cabinet, and it's my first arcade cab.  It will have one set of controls at each of the vertical ends for flipping vertical games (Burger Time, for example), and two controls on one horizontal end for horizontal games (SpiderMan, for example).  Only 2 consoles will be used at a time, of course.

FIRST: Would it be useful to have a switch to "lock out" the controls that are not being used.  I could foresee one of the kids playing with the control console that is not in use and screwing up one of the players.

SECONDLY: If such a switch would be useful, could it be created by rigging a SPDT switch to the common ground wires?    If the switch disconnected the ground from one of the consoles, would that render that console inoperable while the other console would function normally?

FINALLY: If such a switch might be desirable and possible.... where is a good place to put it that is easily accessible, but won't get tripped by pudgy little 18-month-old fingers?

[NoOne=NBA=]

It's your call if you want/need to do it.
Cutting the ground loop to the CP would be the preferable way to do it.
You don't really need an SPDT, simple toggle switches would suffice.
I personally would mount them on the sidewall of the P1 end controls, since those would be the most likely to be used.
A bank of 4 rocker switches would hide on the wall pretty nicely.
That would let you enable/disable 4 separate panels individually.

[Green Giant]

There just might be a way of configuring mame to use a different control layout for vertical and horizontal games.  Someone on here can probably confirm it.  You should check with other cocktail owners to verify.

Your idea of kids screwing with your game would be just as bad if they could disable your controls while you were playing.

[specksynder]

Your idea of kids screwing with your game would be just as bad if they could disable your controls while you were playing.

ABSOLUTELY!  I've been trying to think of where I could put the toggle switch to keep the kids away.  The best idea I've come up with is a recessed slide switch.

[bfauska]

With the choice of which CP gets used being driven by the screen orientation, I bet you could use some of the same software/hardware solutions that DaOldman is using to rotate his monitor and instead of triggering the motor the relay could switch between CPs.