New Cab Builder! A few questions.....

[johnnyr]

Hello everyone,

A few weeks ago I decided I was going to build a MAME cabinet, and have found this forum to be most useful so far. I figured I had lurked enough and it was time to introduce myself.

So far I've purchased the UAII Kit from mameroom.com, the x-arcade tankstick (which is out of stock right now until MAY , grrrr) and have gotten my computer lined up as well as a 27inch TV with svideo. I don't know if it has the power-return features or not. But I'm getting it for next to nothing so I'm not complaining. Now that you know a bit about what I'm doing, on to the questions:

1. One button to rule them all

So far I'm thinking I will get a smartstrip surge protector, that will turn on everything once I turn my computer on. To turn my computer on, I was thinking of doing one of three things:

a. Wire a new power button to the leads on the motherboard, and mount the button on the outside of the cab somewhere.

This is what I think would be the coolest, but that would mean I have to drill a mounting hole for the button, run the wire from the inside of the computer to the outside, and splice the wire from the button to the wire coming from the pc. Perfectly doable, I just don't know how safe it is to have that wire running from inside the pc, as well as the work involved in getting it mounted.

b. Just open the coin door and hit the power button on the computer to turn everything on

c. Somehow wire the reject button on the coin door to turn on the computer. This is good, and won't require any mounting of a separate button, but I don't know how to actually do it.

With that said, I am concerned about the tv power always being pulled, as opposed to the tv being "turned off". Do any of you know if this has a negative effect on the life of the tv? If so, what is my alternative? Since the bezel will cover up the tv's IR port, how else can I turn it on? Especially if it doesn't have power-return) Any ideas or suggestions would be welcome.

2. Light Guns

Ok, I know this comes up a lot here. A lot. But I still don't have a feel for what the consensus is for the best light gun for use with mame. I've looked at the Act-Labs guns, a bit too pricey right now. The LCD TopGun is cool, but I don't see how I can make the sensor bars work with my cab, so they are out. And Finally, the GunCon2 guns, I really haven't been able to garner much info other then the fact that they may or may not work with the current driver and MAME version.

So..I know there isn't a "perfect" solution for light guns on the PC, but what is my best bet?

3. Hiding Windows and FE

The last thing I still need to figure out is how to hide windows, so that when I power up the machine, it goes right into my FE. I have been reading this article, is this:http://www.gameex.net/Community/InstantSheller/tabid/73/Default.aspx still the most up-to-date and easiest way to do this?

Also, this will be a matter of opinion, but what FE offers the best visual experience, along with being very practical and usable. AKA what's your favorite FE. Right now I'm eying Atomic FE.

4. Powering the Reject Buttons

This one is pretty self explanatory. I have an old computer power supply, and I need to power the reject buttons on the coin door. Can someone point me to a guide of how I can do this? (Without burning my house down) Should I use something other then the power supply to power them?

5. Speaker Grills

I would like to do something other then just the holes cut-out-of-the-wood look the UAII currently has, and plan on putting some sort of speaker grill to at least make it LOOK more professional. Any ideas on speaker grills that will work to cover the pre-existing ones on the UAII?

5. Access to Cabinet

Last question, I promise. (for now!)

How difficult is it to move the cabinet once everything is in it? Is that even recommended? The reason I ask is that I can't seem to figure out exactly how I'm going to do things. I was going to build the cab, move it to where it will stay (against the wall) and then put in all the components. Then I realize how the heck am I going to get the TV, computer, x-arcade, etc, and wire it all up, all without having access to it except for the small coin door spot (remember this is on a UAII unit.) Does the UAII still have plenty of room to get into the back with it up against the wall? (I know the top part of the cab has kind of an angle to it) I know this is really a stupid question, but I really just can't figure it out. I'm sure once I get all the parts in I would be able to...but I wanted to get your guys's opinions on it, so that I don't end up doing things the hard way.

Anyway, that's all I have right now. I know this is a LOT of questions, so thanks for reading my insanely long post.  Everything is on order, and I will be sure to post a building log and review when I get everything in. I'm hoping the Tankstick will come into stock well before may, because it would kill me to have to look at my ready to go cab with no CP. 

Thanks,

John

[Nemss316]

Welcome to the great hobby!

1. One button to rule them all

A lot of people want that full authentic look on their cabinet, with one switch to power everything. Its going to depend on your personal preference. Currently, I just have a powerstrip to turn on everything, except the PC. My PC is encased, so I just flip open my coin door, and the power button is right there in front of me. Not a big deal to me, but again, its going to depend on your personal preference.

2. Light Guns

I honestly cannot comment on these, as I don't have them installed on my cabinet (I hope to have them one day however!)

3. Hiding Windows and FE

I would recommend going through all of the FE's to see which one you prefer. I went with Mala, as its easy to set up, and use. Hiding your Windows is very easy to do, all you do is put your FE program (Mala, AtomicFE, etc) into your windows startup folder. Make sure you take out any othe programs that are in there however, except for the ones needed.

4. Powering the Reject Buttons

I have mine hooked with my Jamma connector, so I can't comment on the coin doors. I wouldn't imagine it would take a lot to power them, but maybe someone can actually answer your question, instead of just putting in words here. 


5. Speaker Grills

I was fortunate enough to have speaker holes in my cabinet when I got it. I would check the Projects forum for some really nice ideas. The Wiki is your best friend also!

5. Access to Cabinet

Plan! Plan! Plan! Take your time, and realize that you are going to be taking hundreds of small steps. Plan out ahead of time to figure out exactly what you want. You have options that can help you. You can check your local Craigslist for old gutted cabinets (thats what I did. I just got lucky and had an old PCB and jamma connector in it!), or if you do go the route of building your cabinet, take your funds you plan on spending, and realize that you are probably going to spend more! Check the cabinet designs (again, Wiki!) to figure out what type of cabinet you want, your control panel, your layout of buttons, etc.

I would also recommend getting your frame built first, make sure it is exactly how you want it, and then go from there. I would recommend taking your time, and patience, when wiring your cabinet. Nothing worse than having a button go out, then having a mess of wires to deal with! Also, I would load whatever programs you are wanting to run before you install the PC in your cab.

I would highly recommend you get the Project Arcade book if you have not yet. Give it a solid read through, and also read through the Wiki thoroughly.

Everyone here is extremely helpful, and I have been working on my cabinet on an off since November, and its still no where near I want it to be! Don't be afraid to ask questions, if you have any!

[Turnarcades]

zzzzz... just kidding. To be fair, these are some fair questions and many do not yet feature in the Wiki due to the varied nature of the hardware (Think PC power switch wiring etc.).

Here's my take anyway;

Wire the power button to a pushbutton mounted under your control panel to keep it out the way.

b. Just open the coin door and hit the power button on the computer to turn everything on

We do this on our cabs for simplicity and to keep the PC easily-swappable rather than soldering bits on like wires for the power button. Of course our design allows for this, with the PC right behind a full-width door - you need to be sure your PC fits behind your coin door.

Put everything into the powerstrip. As long as your socket is surge protected, the powerstrip avoids surges by turning the other devices on with a slight delay, so it's doubtul your TV will suffer.

Light guns.... best bet is LCD Topguns, which isn't saying much. They're the nicest looking and the best I've tried, but be prepared for IR interference, lengthy calibration and head-scratching MAME integration (MAME's fault in all fairness).Might do better to hang fire for some new developments.

FE.... we use Mamewah, which is great and a very 'lightweight' FE once you learn the .ini file structure and easily skinned how you want. Hyperspin seems the most visually impressive, while Mala allows for cpviewer features and button lighting features. There are better solutions than instant sheller - look for one that involves a bit of registry editing as this will prevent XP loading many background services that sap performance.

You should be able to power your coin door functions using a 12v line from your PC.

As for access to your cabinet - fit castors. Two fixed at the rear, two swivel at the front.

[johnnyr]

Thank you both for the information, it's very helpful. I just have one follow up question.

As for access to your cabinet - fit castors. Two fixed at the rear, two swivel at the front.

I was thinking of doing this, but I'm worried that the cabinet will no longer be supported by the sides, but instead just the bottom shelf. I don't know that the UAII was designed for that, and am worried about the weight. How should I mount the castors? Which type of castor should I get?

Thanks!

[Turnarcades]

If you're concerned, add some extra wood underneath for strength. We make even our 4-player cab with castors, fitted into the base which is mounted 'up inside' the bottom so there is just a little clearance from the floor with the sides. Our 2-player upright weighs about 80kg so we use castors rated at 360kg/set. Don't be fooled into getting castors where the entire set can only just take the weight of the cab - as I once found out the hard way, you need castors that can take the full weight of the cab at each corner if needed - when moving the cab the weight distribution can change slightly and if it tips onto 2 or worse still, 1 wheel it needs to be strong enough not to buckle.

The X-Arcade probably comes in at around 100kg (close to 250lbs) so look for some castors that can take that.

[johnnyr]

If you're concerned, add some extra wood underneath for strength. We make even our 4-player cab with castors, fitted into the base which is mounted 'up inside' the bottom so there is just a little clearance from the floor with the sides. Our 2-player upright weighs about 80kg so we use castors rated at 360kg/set. Don't be fooled into getting castors where the entire set can only just take the weight of the cab - as I once found out the hard way, you need castors that can take the full weight of the cab at each corner if needed - when moving the cab the weight distribution can change slightly and if it tips onto 2 or worse still, 1 wheel it needs to be strong enough not to buckle.

The X-Arcade probably comes in at around 100kg (close to 250lbs) so look for some castors that can take that.

Sorry, what I meant was I'm worried the bottom panel will rip out from the sides and the whole cabinet will explode, because it is now supporting the entire weight of the cabinet, wheras before the sides were. (On the UAII the bottom panel is recessed and doesn't touch the ground) Am I making sense?

[slapaham]

Well, I'm reasonably new to cab building myself but I found getting a powerstrip (one like the smart strip in America) that powers everything on when the PC is booted really adds to the feel of authenticity. As for the one button thing - well, I just did mine the other night and I will tell you, it is very, very easy to do and doesn't require hacking/modding your PC at all! You just need buy a replacement wire (available on ebay) for the power button in your PC... attach a pushbutton to the wire and unplug your current one from the motherboard and replace it with the new one - feed it through the back of the PC and voila you have a power button for the whole cab and you havent damaged the PC - if you want to revert back you simply unplug the replacement wire and put the old one back in!

Can't really comment on lightguns as such, apart from I have got a LCD Topgun which I still havent got around to sorting out - its a pain in the arse to configure but I've been told once its done, it is good.

Instant sheller is what I use to hide Windows and it does a grand job - no problems at all! Combining that with my PC power strip, by the time the power kicks into my monitor it shows my custom boot screen and powers straight into Mala... no boot screens, no windows, perfect!

Other questions are probably best left to other people but a bit of planning goes a long way is a very good piece of advice and look other people's cabs for inspiration!

[Benevolance]

I built a modified version of the UAII and it is on casters. There have been no problems. I built mine from eyeballing the Heavy Metal cab, not from actual plans, so I'm not sure what the actual UA2 specifications call for. I built a small 2x4 frame around the inside of the base. It adds some extra support to the bottom and sides. I installed the casters underneath the 2x4 frame. There have been no problems with supporting the weight on casters.

Here is a photo so you can see what I mean. The casters are already installed in that photo, thought it's impossible to tell.

[johnnyr]

I built a modified version of the UAII and it is on casters. There have been no problems. I built mine from eyeballing the Heavy Metal cab, not from actual plans, so I'm not sure what the actual UA2 specifications call for. I built a small 2x4 frame around the inside of the base. It adds some extra support to the bottom and sides. I installed the casters underneath the 2x4 frame. There have been no problems with supporting the weight on casters.

Here is a photo so you can see what I mean. The casters are already installed in that photo, thought it's impossible to tell.

Ah I see! That photo helps a ton. I can see how that would help distribute the weight. Thanks!

[johnnyr]

Well, I'm reasonably new to cab building myself but I found getting a powerstrip (one like the smart strip in America) that powers everything on when the PC is booted really adds to the feel of authenticity. As for the one button thing - well, I just did mine the other night and I will tell you, it is very, very easy to do and doesn't require hacking/modding your PC at all! You just need buy a replacement wire (available on ebay) for the power button in your PC... attach a pushbutton to the wire and unplug your current one from the motherboard and replace it with the new one - feed it through the back of the PC and voila you have a power button for the whole cab and you havent damaged the PC - if you want to revert back you simply unplug the replacement wire and put the old one back in!

Can't really comment on lightguns as such, apart from I have got a LCD Topgun which I still havent got around to sorting out - its a pain in the arse to configure but I've been told once its done, it is good.

Instant sheller is what I use to hide Windows and it does a grand job - no problems at all! Combining that with my PC power strip, by the time the power kicks into my monitor it shows my custom boot screen and powers straight into Mala... no boot screens, no windows, perfect!

Other questions are probably best left to other people but a bit of planning goes a long way is a very good piece of advice and look other people's cabs for inspiration!

Thanks for the tip! I just bought that smartstrip and grabbed a power wire+connector from one of my old computer cases. I will get some butt connectors and splice  it to the length I need, then connect a pushbutton.

I will also check out Instant Sheller!

Thanks!

John

[chrisnack]

1) It's fine to wire the button outside, you won't risk anything for the wires for the switch.  Your computer is pretty enclosed inside the UAII cabinet.
2) I've commented a ton on these, do some searches, you will see my feeback.  I have 2 guncon2 guns that work great with mame.  I've tested just about all the configs.  I personally dislike the LCD topgun, and yes i have used one.  It's not nearly as good as the guncon2 guns when properly configured.  There is no substitute for a true light gun.  Seach for "wingun" "smog driver" and "guncon".
5) http://www.chokes.com/Speaker_Grill_Index.htm

These are some of the best grilles you can get, nice and small.

I built my own UAII cabinet using the plans.  Those grills are a perfect fit.

[johnnyr]

1) It's fine to wire the button outside, you won't risk anything for the wires for the switch.  Your computer is pretty enclosed inside the UAII cabinet.
2) I've commented a ton on these, do some searches, you will see my feeback.  I have 2 guncon2 guns that work great with mame.  I've tested just about all the configs.  I personally dislike the LCD topgun, and yes i have used one.  It's not nearly as good as the guncon2 guns when properly configured.  There is no substitute for a true light gun.  Seach for "wingun" "smog driver" and "guncon".
5) http://www.chokes.com/Speaker_Grill_Index.htm

These are some of the best grilles you can get, nice and small.

I built my own UAII cabinet using the plans.  Those grills are a perfect fit.

Can you explain how you have the Guncon2 Guns working? They connect via the PS2 to USB Adapter to the computer, but what about the video connection? I'm using s-video and it looks like the guns want a composite connection? Or can those hook up directly to the TV?

Also...UG...my Happ order just shipped, and I forgot to add the momentary switch =(

Anyone know of a place that sells these? Happs has a $25 minimum order, and I don't need anything else from there.

Thanks,

John

[chrisnack]

I've used Official Namco Guncon2 and i've used Yobo Generic Guncon2 cons.

Both guns have a USB connection that plugs directly into the computer. 

For video connection, you either need to create a y-cable and provide a composite input to your guns, or you can use a pass-through output found on most tv's.  I use the output on my TV for the guns and i have s-video from my video card to the TV, so no signal conversion/loss.  Works great.  Basically the guns just need to see the video signal, whether it's directly from the video card or an output from the TV, either way works.

[johnnyr]

I've used Official Namco Guncon2 and i've used Yobo Generic Guncon2 cons.

Both guns have a USB connection that plugs directly into the computer. 

For video connection, you either need to create a y-cable and provide a composite input to your guns, or you can use a pass-through output found on most tv's.  I use the output on my TV for the guns and i have s-video from my video card to the TV, so no signal conversion/loss.  Works great.  Basically the guns just need to see the video signal, whether it's directly from the video card or an output from the TV, either way works.

Awesome! I just bought these from ebay, so I hope they work! Thanks!

[johnnyr]

I've used Official Namco Guncon2 and i've used Yobo Generic Guncon2 cons.

Both guns have a USB connection that plugs directly into the computer. 

For video connection, you either need to create a y-cable and provide a composite input to your guns, or you can use a pass-through output found on most tv's.  I use the output on my TV for the guns and i have s-video from my video card to the TV, so no signal conversion/loss.  Works great.  Basically the guns just need to see the video signal, whether it's directly from the video card or an output from the TV, either way works.

One more question, do you use the latest version of mame, or an earlier one?

Also, does anyone have a tutorial showing me how to hook up the coin door buttons to the PC, so that when pressed they give a credit? I have plenty of old keyboards lying around...

[chrisnack]

i have used various version of mame, currently running .129

[johnnyr]

Ok, Thanks for the info. Now I just need to sort out the coin buttons. I've decided I'm going to wire them to my power supply to light them, and on the left one, wire it to the power sw on my motherboard.

My issue is how I will add credits. I'm going to be using the tankstick, and with the UAII the side buttons are unfortunately hidden (at least I think they are)

So...whats the best way to add credits with the tankstick? (with the UAII) Do you guys just disable the whole credit system in mame? Can you? Do you have any other suggestions?

Thanks!

[chrisnack]

move your side buttons

taht's what i did, i moved them to the top of the panel

[johnnyr]

move your side buttons

taht's what i did, i moved them to the top of the panel

 I can't move them, this is the arcade tankstick....If I did I would have to take it apart. Is that what you mean?

What about simply setting the coin up button to be the pressing of two buttons? For example hitting the player start and button 6 at the same time. I can do this in mame using the keyboard, but don't have my tankstick it try it out. Does this work? Or does the tankstick not recognize simultaneous button presses?

[chrisnack]

I have a tankstick, take it apart and move the buttons, or deal with them being hidden, your pick... It's not hard to move them at all..

1-1/8 hole is what size you need to drill for the buttons...