Will this laptop be suitable for project?

[LeedsFan]

I'm preparing to build a small bartop machine in the future and am on the lookout for a laptop. I spotted a Levovo IBM Thinkpad 240 with PIII 500Mhz processor on eBay. According my research these machines came with "2.5Mb NeoMagic MagicGraph 128XD graphics".

The idea is to use the laptop screen in vertical mode only for the classics. Now I know that 500Mhz will do fine for the majority of those classics... but it's the screen flipping that concerns me. Lapinglew said that I had to make sure that the machine could support flipping fine with no ghosting. I don't know much about graphics cards in lappies I'm afraid. So I was hoping some more experienced members here might know more.

I should be able to pick this machine up pretty cheap if I'm lucky. The screen size of just 10" will also suit my project well... if the PC is suitable. 

[Turnarcades]

E-mail the guy and just ask what resolutions and refresh rates it supports - as far as I'm aware thats the only thing that should influence whether the flipping will work well. That and if it supports Directdraw.

I could be wrong though.

[ark_ader]

If it is like my 240 which is a P2 with the same graphics card, it works by flipping.  I tried all sorts with it and it worked great with .84.

Yours is a 240x which is hopefully the same, and IMO is a cracking little machine for projects as the size is perfect.

So ok, are you going to make a cocktail or a laptail version?

I'm real interested if it is going to be a laptail. 

Edit:

I use this site to help me with specifics of Thinkpads: www.tummy.com/Community/Articles/thinkpad240x/index.html

Check on the IBM/Lenovo site and look for the 240(x) maintence guide.   Its a PDF that helps you take apart the laptop, but please take my advice and leave the CPU and Keyboard plastics alone.  Its not worth the effort to make the footprint smaller, just reverse the screen and find a long display cable as there are two sizes.

PM me if you want to know where to buy the caddy for the hard drive as I now of two sites in the UK.

Have fun!

[LeedsFan]

So ok, are you going to make a cocktail or a laptail version?

I'm not too sure what you mean by laptail. The idea is to make a small bartop similar to Lapinlews Galaga bartop. (Although I will be using a different classic game). The idea is to make one as near to scale as possible and just use it for classics (single joystick and two buttons)

And I missed out on this particular one on eBay.      But I will keep looking for another.

EDIT:  Well I have found another one. But this one has an Intel Celeron 300Mhz processor. I want to be able to run all the vertical classics in Mame but also some of the later vertical games... like 19XX and some of the other late 80's early 90s shooters. I read the FAQ where someone said that 400Mhz was the sweet spot for running 90% of stuff in Mame. I really want to get one of the Thinkpads with a 10" screen. I can get a better processor in a later model but they will have 13" or 14" screens.

[ark_ader]

So ok, are you going to make a cocktail or a laptail version?

I'm not too sure what you mean by laptail. The idea is to make a small bartop similar to Lapinlews Galaga bartop. (Although I will be using a different classic game). The idea is to make one as near to scale as possible and just use it for classics (single joystick and two buttons)

And I missed out on this particular one on eBay.      But I will keep looking for another.

EDIT:  Well I have found another one. But this one has an Intel Celeron 300Mhz processor. I want to be able to run all the vertical classics in Mame but also some of the later vertical games... like 19XX and some of the other late 80's early 90s shooters. I read the FAQ where someone said that 400Mhz was the sweet spot for running 90% of stuff in Mame. I really want to get one of the Thinkpads with a 10" screen. I can get a better processor in a later model but they will have 13" or 14" screens.

Depending on which version of MAME you are using - you can get by with a 365X either DSTN or TFT.  These are sweet for dinky cabinets and laptails.  I made one from a 365x and 500 games should be enough. Link below.

Hmmmm laptail what is it?  Well I like to think its a cocktail played on the couch or on a table.  Nice to play with the missus or the girlfriend and its able to flip (well most games).  I will figure a sketch out later, but I haven't seen any creations on this theme yet.  Nice and portable and all booting from a single 512MB CF card.

You can get them for a £10 with a dodgy floppy or no hard drive.

Edit:

Link:
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=66037.0

poor 5 minute representation of what a laptail is:


I figure about 16 inches across and with its battery you should see at least an hour as there is no moving parts draining the battery except the screen.

I have a German supplier who has the small joysticks and buttons.