Author Topic: Another Rotating Monitor Cab. (Read 19462 times)

Richie Rich · « **on:** March 22, 2009, 05:46:47 am »

Been lurking here for years, finally started my own MAME cab.

I started by buying a gutted Simpson's cab about 2 years ago which needed allot of work but it's easier than starting from scratch.

The cab had nicks and chunks on it and someone put some texture type of paint on it so I sanded the paint off and used bondo on the nicks and chunks. Next came two coats of tinted primer and three coats of satin black rustoleum enamel paint applied on using a 6" fine foam roller.

Richie Rich · « **Reply #1 on:** March 22, 2009, 06:15:08 am »

Now for the most time consuming part "The Rotating Monitor"

I started with a 21" viewsonic G810 monitor and 4 X 8 sheet of particle board someone gave me. Then after many measurements I decided to go with the two disc method. I then uncased the monitor and after many more measurements cut out the two disc and rotating base for the monitor to spin on inside the cabinet. I then put the monitor in the two disc using short 2X4s to space the disc apart and added four 1" casters to the bottom of the inside disc to facilitate the rotation of the disc.

Now for putting all this in the cabinet and getting it to spin smooth with a motor.
The motor I decided on using is a winshield wiper motor from the junk yard. I mounted the motor under the base and bolted a 2 1/2 "caster wheell onto the shaft which goes through a hole in the base to the top where the monitor is. I bolted the base inside the cab and made a 2X4 frame to hold 2 1/2" casters to support the monitor assembley on the edge of the disc so it would rotate with the motor.

The rotating assembly moves nice when the motor is powered up!

So far so good.

Richie Rich · « **Reply #2 on:** March 22, 2009, 06:56:03 am »

Now I made an H-Bridge for the winshield motor. Motor now turns the monitor left or right depending on
H-Bridge input. I also have two limit switches installed at the top of the monitor area for controlling automatic rotation.

The computer I am using is a spare Pentium 3 running at 933 Mhz with Windows XP Pro SP1 stripped down and using MALA v1.05 as the Front End.

Next I will wire the parallel port and limit switches to control the H-Drive and control the monitor orientation using the MALA rotate plug-in.

IG-88 · « **Reply #3 on:** March 22, 2009, 08:27:27 am »

Fantastic job so far, but dude, you got to change that avatar. It's disturbing

Cornchip · « **Reply #4 on:** March 22, 2009, 10:54:05 am »

That's one scary avatar. Good choice of cabinets to start with. How wide is the opening?

Cornchip.

Richie Rich · « **Reply #5 on:** March 22, 2009, 10:30:49 pm »

Thanks for the positive replies and note the new avatar.

Oh and cornchip your Revolver Arcade Project is one of the projects I looked at that helped me decide to go with a rotating monitor.

Richie Rich · « **Reply #6 on:** March 25, 2009, 03:08:17 pm »

Cornchip, the opening where the monitor goes is 27 inches wide and monitor discs are 26 inches.
It was a bear getting the monitor in the cabinet because I had to angle it in under the top area.

Now if can just find where to download the mala rotating monitor plugin.

Cornchip · « **Reply #7 on:** March 25, 2009, 04:54:42 pm »

Check the following thread for Rotmala.zip posted by DaOldman or this post. I haven't actually tried it myself, so I can't tell you much about it. Pretty much every thing you'll be looking for should be in that thread.

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=76867.0

Cornchip

DaOld Man · « **Reply #8 on:** March 25, 2009, 06:39:04 pm »

I have updated rotmala quite a bit since that thread.
My latest version is called Mrotate2.exe.
This one allows you to easily setup the output and input pins you will be using.
Also you can set time limits, and use PWM (if your drive allows it).
Check it out, let me know what you think. It is finished, except for a few help files.
(mrotate2.zip).

Also, I have attached startcom, a program Loadman wrote to call mrotate2 from mala.
(startcom.zip). The setup for startcom is a simple text file, if you want to go this route I will post the two lines you will need to put in the text file.

You will need to place startcom in the mala plugins folder,
also you will need to set it to call mrotate2.

BTW, Looks like you are doing a fine job, I cant wait to see it finished.
Rotating monitors have always peaked my interest, and I dont think you will be disappointed.

Edited to include correct download for statcom.mplugin

Richie Rich · « **Reply #9 on:** March 28, 2009, 12:05:38 am »

DaOld Man, Thank You for answering my questions in the mala forum and for the files you posted here.
I think I'm getting close to getting this working.

One real quick question about the StartCom mala plugin you posted, When I extracted the StartCom.zip file there is a startcom.ini file but no StartCom.mplugin file. Should there be a StartCom.mplugin file in there?

I found a StartCom.zip file posted by loadman but it had an ini that pointed to mrotate.exe, can I just edit that ini to point to mrotate2.exe and use that StartCom.mplugin file?

Thanks

DaOld Man · « **Reply #10 on:** March 28, 2009, 07:28:57 am »

Oops.. sorry about that, I will edit the above post to have the correct download.

Yes, you can edit the startcom.ini file to point to where mrotate2.exe is stored. Just open the ini file with notepad.

Here is my startcom.ini file:

[LaunchProg]
Path=c:\mrotate2\mrotate2.exe
[LaunchMethod]
# 1 = Just Launch
# 2 = Check Path and wait for Prog to exit before continuing
MethodNumber=1

DaOld Man · « **Reply #11 on:** March 28, 2009, 07:36:34 am »

I just tried to download the above posted startcom.zip program just to make sure I uploaded the right thing this time and I keep getting an error that says the file cannot be read. I tried to download other files in different posts and get the same message. is anyone else seeing this?

(Im using firefox, but cant find any settings that might prevent downloading from this site.)

Cornchip · « **Reply #12 on:** March 28, 2009, 08:49:36 am »

The same problem here as well, also using Firefox. I had the same problem downloading a Zipped INP file from the Frogger competition. Works fine with IE.

DaOld Man · « **Reply #13 on:** March 28, 2009, 12:28:33 pm »

If anyone is having trouble downloaded the above files, just PM me with your email address and I will mail them to you.

Richie Rich · « **Reply #14 on:** March 28, 2009, 01:19:33 pm »

DaOld Man, The startcom.zip file now downloads fine. Now I have all the tools to get the rotating monitor going this weekend.

Thanks again for all your help!

DaOld Man · « **Reply #15 on:** March 28, 2009, 01:37:50 pm »

You are very welcome..
Im looking forward to more pictures of your project.

DaOld Man · « **Reply #16 on:** April 09, 2009, 07:02:05 pm »

Hows the mrotate2 working out for you?
Any progress on the cab?

Richie Rich · « **Reply #17 on:** April 24, 2009, 11:31:55 pm »

Update!

I got mrotate2 and startcom plugins set up and working perfectly.I also solved the monitor moving at boot up problem by installing a parallel port card that sends a high signal to all output ports on the parallel port card essentially putting the H-Bridge in braking mode.

Video of it working "Please excuse bad video quality".

And a big Thank You to DaOld Man for all the help getting my monitor rotating.

ivwshane · « **Reply #18 on:** April 25, 2009, 03:30:37 am »

That's pretty sick!!

Any reason why you wouldn't want the monitor to rotate back to it's original position after exiting the game?

DaOld Man · « **Reply #19 on:** April 25, 2009, 06:42:55 am »

Thats a great job there Richie Rich!
Good idea about adding another printer port card to solve the monitor turning slightly on boot up. I never thought of trying that.
Im glad mrotate2 done the job for you.
Im really looking forward to seeing this cab finished!

BTW, did you try out the PWM speed control in mrotate2?
I didnt need speed control on my setup, and it looks like you didnt either, unless you are already using it.

IG-88 · « **Reply #20 on:** April 25, 2009, 04:17:20 pm »

Looks awesome

Now, you do plan on doing a step by step tutorial on how you accomplished this so the rest of us can do it too, right?

csa3d · « **Reply #21 on:** April 25, 2009, 06:21:59 pm »

Awesome stuff there! For your H-Bridge, looks like you might have created your own instead of buying one from a kit? If so, cudo's to you for knowing how to tackle that on your own! Also, have you tried the rotating setup on 'other emulators' like NES or Atari or something that doesn't have vertical orientation? I've still not found the magic solution to exit a vertical mame game to Mala, flip over to NES while still vertical, launch a game and have the monitor auto-orient. Let me so if so!

-csa

Richie Rich · « **Reply #22 on:** April 25, 2009, 09:46:16 pm »

Making the H-Bridge is easy for me because I have been making electronic things since I was 10 years old !
Here is the link I got from Koz319's site on how to make the H-Bridge.

http://www.bobblick.com/techref/projects/hbridge/hbridge.html

And yes I am running other emulators, but the plugin for mala "startcom" by Loadman and Mrotate2 by DaOld Man to rotate the monitor only work for MAME not other emulators that is why when I exit a vertical game I don"t have the monitor move horizontal so I can conveniently go to an emulator like Future Pinball that I have set up vertically and I use the v549e layout by shock because the layout can go vertical or horizontal after exiting a game.

The rotating monitor works perfectly in MAME but this is my solution for other emulators for now.

The rotating monitor has taken most of the time for this cab build, but in the end it was worth it and I think I actually have more fun building this than playing it.

For now after I put a bezel on the monitor I am done with the cab. Later I will redo the original CP and add a Spinner and Trackball.

DaOld Man · « **Reply #23 on:** April 26, 2009, 01:29:30 pm »

Actually, Mrotate2 should work with any utility that can send a command of 0 or 90.
Example: "mrotate2.exe 0" would be move to horizontal.
Any mala plugin writers out there wanna produce one?

Richie Rich · « **Reply #24 on:** April 26, 2009, 02:12:34 pm »

Doesn't Mala only take plugins for MAME not other emulators?
It would be cool though to have a utility to rotate the monitor for other emulators even if were just orientating one time entering an emulator.

DaOld Man · « **Reply #25 on:** April 26, 2009, 04:52:54 pm »

Ok, I think I have a fix.
In Mala options, under Other Em Config, under Execution, enter the Pre Command line:

[your path to where mrotate2.exe is stored]\mrotate2.exe 0

You will probably have to put this command in each of the other emulators.
I tried it on Gens, and it works. if the monitor is vertical, mrotate2 turns it horizontal.
If it is already horizontal, mrotate2 sees that and quits immediately.

It seems to be working for me, tell me what you think.

See the screen snapshot below for an example.

csa3d · « **Reply #26 on:** April 26, 2009, 05:15:05 pm »

Quote from: DaOld Man on April 26, 2009, 04:52:54 pm

Ok, I think I have a fix.
In Mala options, under Other Em Config, under Execution, enter the Pre Command line:

[your path to where mrotate2.exe is stored]\mrotate2.exe 0

You will probably have to put this command in each of the other emulators.
I tried it on Gens, and it works. if the monitor is vertical, mrotate2 turns it horizontal.
If it is already horizontal, mrotate2 sees that and quits immediately.

It seems to be working for me, tell me what you think.

See the screen snapshot below for an example.

I tried this a couple of nights ago. Here are my findings on this solution:

1. If your path to MRotate.exe has a space in any of the directory paths (IE: "C:\Program File\blabhblah\Mortate.exe 0") then the pre-command doesn't work. I've moved Mrotate to the root of C:\ to bypass this

2. If you have MALA set up to rotate the layout with the rotation of the Mame game (I forget where exactly this checkbox lives), if your layout was in vertical mode before launching an "Other Emu".. and the pre-command rotates the screen, you exit the game to find that the MALA menu is still in vertical mode while your monitor is rotated in horizontal, leaving the text sideways. I suspect if you turn off MALA layout rotation and add a post rotate to horizontal command as well, the unsynchronized MALA menu to monitor rotation issue goes away, but your screen rotates a heck of lot more often then it really should need to.

Is there any way you could convince Loadman to share the Startcom plugin sourcecode and tag-team that issue

? I'll learn VC is I have to...

-csa

csa3d · « **Reply #27 on:** April 26, 2009, 05:22:40 pm »

Back on the subject of your cabinet, can you talk about this windshield wiper motor business some more? Is the motor 12v DC? Did you have to do any sort of voltage tinkering to get it to work with the PC power sources? How much did you end up paying for it? Would you use it again, if not why. I think you were smart with the double disk method; I think that method is a pretty solid solution overall. I am trying to figure out how to get the rotating setup as thin and light as possible, to potentially create a rotating rig that is enclosed inside a thicker picture frame on the wall or something like that.

I had tons of fun making the rotating part of my project, and I think that's what to me, was the most fun about creating the cabinet itself. I've been getting the bug to make another cab, but I still gotta get this first one completely bug free and idiot proof first.

-csa

Richie Rich · « **Reply #28 on:** April 26, 2009, 10:03:09 pm »

The Motor is a 12 volt wiper motor I got from a toyota in the junk yard, I think I paid like $20 for it and yes I would definitely use it again because of the gearing and with the little wheel bolted directly to the wiper motor it turns the monitor 1 revolution in 24 seconds which makes the 90 degree turn go in about 6 seconds. As far as power I used a 2 Amp 12 volt transformer to feed the H-Bridge which pulls a load of about 1.5 Amps at 12 volts on the motor and there is no voltage tinkering or PWM speed control.

I agree it would be really cool if the other emulators could be foolproof as far as the menu goes because every one is so impressed with the rotating monitor I hate to tell them to make sure to have the monitor vertical before switching to Future Pinball. That is the other problem, I have some emulators running vertical and some horizontal. Even if this dilemma can't be worked out I am very greatfull for all the work Da OldMan and loadman have done on the startcom plugin and Mrotate2, it made the software setup for rotating the monitor very easy and reliable.

Back to your new cab project idea, Sounds like you are going to use a LCD monitor so you can hang it on the wall, for something like that I would not use the wiper motor, I used It because my monitor and disc setup weighed in at 100 pounds. There are some post in the forum on LCDs mounted on a lazy Susan and using a hobby motor with a rubber wheel. I looked into LCDs at first but I didn't like the look of the LCD on arcade games especially at a angle it didn't look right to me.

Hope to see your new project in the Project Announcements soon.

thatpurplestuff · « **Reply #29 on:** April 26, 2009, 10:39:28 pm »

I'm not sure if I would ever build a rotating monitor cab, but if I did I hope it'd work half as nice as this one. Great job getting everything working correctly!

DaOld Man · « **Reply #30 on:** April 29, 2009, 09:53:27 pm »

Quote from: Richie Rich on April 26, 2009, 10:03:09 pm

I agree it would be really cool if the other emulators could be foolproof as far as the menu goes because every one is so impressed with the rotating monitor I hate to tell them to make sure to have the monitor vertical before switching to Future Pinball. That is the other problem, I have some emulators running vertical and some horizontal. Even if this dilemma can't be worked out I am very greatfull for all the work Da OldMan and loadman have done on the startcom plugin and Mrotate2, it made the software setup for rotating the monitor very easy and reliable.

Check out the thread over in the mala forum.
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=91842.0
I think I have fixed loadmans startcom. (With Loadmans help, of course.)

Richie Rich · « **Reply #31 on:** May 02, 2009, 03:01:51 am »

Thanks DaOld Man.

I am watching that post closely but I don't think I can use that fixed startcom because my other emulators run both vertical and horizontal so I just make sure I'm in the right orientation before switching emulators.

If there would be a way to have the monitor and mala menu orientate vertical or horizontal according to the emulator I'm switching to that would be awesome and more user friendly to others using my cab but from what I saw in that post it looks like it only would orientate the monitor to horizontal.

Paladin · « **Reply #32 on:** May 02, 2009, 08:50:04 am »

Just jumping in to say how awsome that turned out! I've always liked reading the rotating monitor threads, but consider them above my skill level. Threads like this one make it seem almost possible.

Great job!

Malenko · « **Reply #33 on:** May 02, 2009, 09:31:01 am »

Quote from: ivwshane on April 25, 2009, 03:30:37 am

That's pretty sick!!

Any reason why you wouldn't want the monitor to rotate back to it's original position after exiting the game?

Say you play Pac Man, exit, then play Ms Pacman or another veritcal game, it saves you the trouble of rotating the monitor back to horizontal then back to vertical again.

I think the build is awesome, I'll just stick with a bigger monitor with bars on the side for vertical games, lol

csa3d · « **Reply #34 on:** May 02, 2009, 09:32:24 am »

Quote from: Richie Rich on May 02, 2009, 03:01:51 am

my other emulators run both vertical and horizontal

What emulators are you using that play the game using vertical screen rotation?

-csa

DaOld Man · « **Reply #35 on:** May 02, 2009, 12:37:57 pm »

Ok Richie, I just modified startcom.mplugin to get what csa requested. I just emailed it to him to test before I make it public.

Now, let's see what we can do with what you want.

I repeat csa in asking what other emulators run vertical games?

Richie Rich · « **Reply #36 on:** May 02, 2009, 12:59:20 pm »

I'm using Future Pinball in the vertical orientation . Also I'm running Visual Pinball but only in horizontal orientation. If there is anything you can do for the vertical orientation that would be way cool. I have been impressed on how perfect startcom has been working in MAME so far I didn't even think about trying to get the rotating monitor to work right in other emulators until csa3d started looking into it.

I will probably start a new install on sunday on a Pentium 4 I have because Future Pinball and even Visual Pinball on some tables slow down on the Pentium 3 I'm using now.

Thanks DaOld Man !

DaOld Man · « **Reply #37 on:** May 02, 2009, 01:39:27 pm »

I hate to sound like a doofus here but,

Are your pinball emulators run from within mala?
If so, what is the name of the emulator in the other emus list in mala options?

Richie Rich · « **Reply #38 on:** May 02, 2009, 04:26:38 pm »

Yes I'm running the pinball emulators from within mala and the names for them in the other emus list are Visual Pinball and Future Pinball.

Thanks DaOld Man for looking into this it's greatly appreciated.

DaOld Man · « **Reply #39 on:** May 03, 2009, 11:09:21 am »

I think I have a fix for you.
startcom V4.0 will allow you to add any emulators that need to run vertical to the startcom.ini file.
PM me your email (I lost it), and I will send you startcom V4.0 so you can test it.
If you are happy with it, I will upload it to malafe.net

Whats new in this version:
You may add emulator names to startcom.ini under [Vertical Games].
startcom will look for any emulators in this category, if it finds the one that you have selected to run from Mala, then it will send message to mrotate2 to rotate 90, and also turn mala screen vertical.
It will treat it the same as a vertical mame game.
If the emulator is not listed in the category, and it's not a mame vertical game, then the horizontal method will be used.


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